CalProg 2006 Performers
Players: Chris
Fox on Guitar
Matt Bocchino on Keyboards
Wayne Zito on Bass
Mark Conese on Drums
The band A Helmet of Gnats has been around since the early 1980’s. They started out as a Progressive Fusion cover band in the days when bar gigs were plentiful, playing music by Chick Corea - Return To Forever, Frank Zappa, Bill Bruford, UK, Happy The Man, The Dixie Dregs etc… Thru the 1980’s they evolved into an all-original Prog/Fusion act and experimented playing live with a portable midi sequencer in place of a human bass player. A Helmet Of Gnats was one of the first and only Fusion bands to play entire live shows accompanied by a midi sequencer as one of the “musicians”.
In the 1990’s A Helmet Of Gnats continued to write and perform in the CT/NY music scene. In 1996 they recorded their first full length CD.
In their current lineup they have dropped the “A” from their name and have now become known as “Helmet Of Gnats”.
Their 2004 SACD release “Helmet Of Gnats” – Ambient Records CD-004 has received glowing reviews from Prog/Fusion aficionados as well as Hi-Fi enthusiasts in the US, Europe and Japan. They are currently performing live promoting their new SACD as well as testing out brand new material for their next recording.
HOG Audio Montage: CalProg Samples (7.5MB)
Rocket Scientists
(SoCal)
Don
Schiff - NS/Stick
David McBee - vocals
Mark McCrite - guitar, vocals
Gregg Bisonette - Drums (on new CD, but not live)
Erik Norlander - keyboards
To Be Announced – Drums
Rocket
Scientists was formed in the late 1980s by keyboardist Erik Norlander and
vocalist / guitarist Mark McCrite. The two released their first CD,
"Earthbound", in 1993 joined by then - session bassist Don Schiff.
Schiff quickly became a part of the band for their second release in 1995,
"Brutal Architecture", and the three toured in the
| SOUND SAMPLES: | |
| Aqua Vitae (Oblivion Days album) 4MB MP3 | Avalon (Earthbound album) 4MB MP3 |
| Wake Me Up (live version from Japan) 6MB MP3 | Sky is Falling (new Revolution Road album) 6MB MP3 |
Cryptic Vision is a progressive rock band from Florida. Their style has been compared to such groups as Yes, Kansas, Spock's Beard, Pink Floyd, and Saga. Moments of Clarity, the debut album from Cryptic Vision was primarily a collaboration between multi-instrumentalist / songwriter Rick Duncan and vocalist Todd Plant. They have been working together on various projects since the late 80's. Both Plant and Duncan had also worked on previous projects with keyboardist / guitarist Robert Van Dyne who contributed one of the songs on Moments. Other contributors of note include former Kansas violinist David Ragsdale, former Zon/ Ian Hunter keyboardist Howard Helm. Guitarist Ralph Santolla (Millenium / Iced Earth / Sebastian Bach) and former Neurotica members Shawn Bowen and Kelly Shaefer (Ozzfest tour '02). Cryptic Vision is currently recording tracks for their new album "In A World" which will be released later this year.
Audio Montage from Cryptic Vision (12MB MP3)
KINO is John Mitchell, Pete Trewavas*, John Beck, and Bob Dalton.
As respected individual musicians from Marillion, It Bites, Arena, and Porcupine Tree, their paths have all crossed at various times during their professional careers and they decided to pool their common interest and talents to form a band and make the album PICTURE together - a totally new and original sound for them all, although one which should appeal to any fan of each member's distinctive musical style.
Kino is a song-based rock band with progressive overtones. It is a modern sound with a touch of Transatlantic and, of course, Marillion. As highly respected individual musicians, their paths have all crossed at various times during their professional careers. They decided finally to pool their common interest and talents together to make PICTURE - a totally new and original sound for them all, although one which should appeal to any fan of each member's distinctive musical style.
Audio Montage of Kino's Music (6MB MP3)