The Musical Experiences of Rhan Wilson

Rhan Wilson grew up in Santa Cruz, CA and has performed with such locals as Tammi Brown, Matt Bohn, Jimmy Norris, The Great Morgani, Ukulele Dick, Pipa Piñon, Daniel Lewis, Gary Regina, Erin Schwartz, Bob Burnett, Pete Coates and Max Drake as well as many others for the past thirty plus years.

In 1989 he started the publication MASC (Music and Art Santa Cruz), a monthly which covered local music and art and featured interviews with local groups. The October earthquake brought about the end of the publication, but not before a noticeable shift took place in local music coverage. At least one MASC knock-off briefly surfaced, but fell short in it's commitment to local arts and music.

In 1992 Rhan made the short move to San Francisco where he began playing percussion with the group Haunted By Waters, which featured other Santa Cruz locals including David Hannibal, Cait McWhir and Greg Stone. The group's CD, "Like The Dust" achieved national distribution and widespread air play.

Soon establishing himself in the SF music scene, Rhan appeared by invitation with Zakir Hussain, Pete and Sheila Escovedo, Michael Shrieve, Baba Olatunji, Mickey Hart and the rest of the surviving members of the Grateful Dead for the Polo Field Memorial for Jerry Garcia. People Magazine, The Grateful Dead Almanac, Rolling Stone Magazine, and the hardback book "Garcia" were among those publishing photos of Rhan's performance.

David Gans' book entitled, "The Online World Remembers Jerry Garcia" included Rhan's written account of the event entitled, " "My View From The Stage".

Shortly thereafter, Rhan began working with the group THOTH as a backup drummer. When THOTH's main percussionist left, Rhan became principal percussionist, playing a "kit" comprised of djembes, bongos, kick drum, misc cymbals, shakers, a tympani-style rototom, and assorted noisemakers.
Together, Rhan and violinist THOTH toured the West coast to a loyal following before eventually parting ways to allow THOTH to move to New York.

Continuing his role as producer, he recently completed the CD "Little Lanikai" (2007) for California based singer-songwriter Celina Gutierrez, cuts from which have been played regularly on stations KZSC and KAPU.

Rhan can also be heard on Bob Burnett's new CD, "When You Hear Music" also released in the fall of 2007.

INSTRUMENTS

Thanks to a couple of great music teachers from Junior and Senior High Schools, I was able to borrow and learn to play any and all instruments I could get my hands on. Violin, cello, clarinet, trumpet, timpani... I tried as many as I could, and in time settled down to focus on a few in particular:

Ukulele - Who would have thought that I would fall in love with this little four stringed instrument? Not me, but here I am playing several times a month: teaching and performing, recording and producing.

Guitar - I began playing the guitar when I was eight years old. I still have the old steel string acoustic my father handed down to me when I began. I learned to read music right away, a skill I am thankful for learning. I have studied flatpicking, fingerpicking, blues, jazz, you name it. I love it all.

Percussion - Djembe, congas, bongos, tabla (Ali Akbar Khan College of Music), and a host of miscelleneous hand percussion. At the age of fifteen, my mother gave me my first conga drum (a "quinto" which I still have). Having been brought up with Latin American music, I easily picked up the feel for this style of playing. Behind my house was a studio where a local salsa band practiced. Whenever I heard them playing, I grabbed my drum and went over there, eager for them to show me how to play. They did teach me often, instilling a strong sense of rhythm in me. Two of those musicians were/are Dennis Broughton and Michael Spiro, who have quite a reputation amongst percussionists from all over. In addition to collecting instruments that I find here and there, I am also utilizing recycled materials to create rhythm makers and hope to encourage others to do the same!

Fretless Bass - I started playing bass originally because at the time, the group I was forming needed a bass player more than a guitar player. Since then, however, I have grown quite attatched to the bass, play it a lot, and have recorded with it several times.

Keyboards - My keyboard playing is mostly for texture and rhythm, though I have developed a certain solo style. I tried to learn to read both bass clef and treble clef, in order to play and sightread classical music, but I found it a bit too involved to master entirely. Someday perhaps.

MUSICAL PROJECTS

Brookside - With a core group consisting of Rhan, Rick Zeek, Kyle Gorath, and Patti Maxine - Brookside plays a variety of Americana/Bluegrass inspired gospel music, performing primarily at the 3 Bells Cafe in Santa Cruz, CA.

The Planet Cruz Comedy Hour - Produced by comedian Richard Stockton, this is a monthly comedy show held at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. I am part of the house band "The Planetoids", along with The Great Morgani and Ukulele Dick. This show features local as well as national talent and has been selling out consistently.

An Altared Christmas LIVE 2007 - Starring a cast of 20, I produced this live version of the recorded CDs to a sold out crowd at the Cayuga Vault. Pro video and audio were recorded and are in the process of being edited for the creation of a CD/DVD project due out by Christmas 2008. To see more information, go to: www.altared.com/live

Beneath Broadway - Starring Ukulele Dick, Katie McKee, Bonno Benard, Bob Burnett, and myself. We play totally tweaked versions of Broadway Showtunes. Presently I have one short video performance on-line. Click here to see and hear us perform at the "Keep Santa Cruz Weird" show. (Scroll to the bottom of that page for this link, but check out my other offerings.)

An Altared Christmas
The Return of An Altared Christmas
These CDs feature recording of several popular Christmas and Holiday songs that I have changed from a major to a minor feel.The results are varied - some tunes take on a European feel, while others simply become funny , exposing the irony of all that happiness sung over a minor chord. Feeling like a casting director, I brought in the talents of several of my best musical friends: Pipa Piñon, Daniel Lewis, Bob Burnett , Janet Roitz, Gary Regina, David Wallis, S.K. Thoth, Cyoakha, and Melo. For "Thr Return.." I added the talents of Dana Hutson, Mark Sowlakis, Tammi Brown, Paula Bliss, Rick Zeek, and The Great Morgani, accordionist.

The Drake Equation - This is a group of 5 core members who are perfecting their improvisation style. Meeting weekly at the Cayuga Vault in Santa Cruz, we have been recording all our sessions and hope to soon present them on CD for distribution.

THOTH- Winner of a 1996 S.F., Weekly WAMMIE award, THOTH was a musical experience using theater, dance and ritual. The sound was been called "a blend of all the nomadic tribes in the world." Composed of violin, percussion and vocals, the music emanates sensuality and beauty.The CD "Maiden Flight" enjoyed national airplay and was listed in AIRWAVES TOP 50 , August of 1997. Violinist SKTHOTH has since gone on to New York, where he became the subject of the Ocsar winning documentary, "THOTH."

Haunted By Waters - I was one of two percussionists in this band. The CD, "Like the Dust" is on XDOT RECORDS and is available at all Tower Records and Virgin Megastores nationally. In addition to myself, this recording featured singer Cait McWhir, David Hannibal on guitar and didgeridoo, Gerry Bassermann - keys,guitar and vocals, Cat Taylor on electric violin, Greg Stone on bass, and "Bean" on percussion and vocals. Bean also is the co-founder of the SF based band "D'Cuckoo" .

Erin Schwartz Band - This band consisted of Erin Schwartz on vocals, Ed Garnero on bass, Bob Burnett on guitar, and myself on percussion. We played jazz standards and originals.

ZOLA -I played with this group for selected performances playing percussion. The band consisted of guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Marc Zola and cellist Eric Stein.

Took My Heart Away : This was one of my solo projects. The recording contains three songs that I wrote, recorded and produced. Guest artists include: Bob Burnett (guitar), Gary Regina (saxophone), Dave Aldridge (percussion), Lee Beverly and Lisa Krueger (background vocals).

Haven Terrace - Guitarist with this Santa Cruz based band. Founders were Bob Burnett and Laurie (Dizzy) Burnett. We played originals and cover tunes with an original, jazzy world-beat feel.

Dream Beach - Percussionist with this very unique and popular group. A trio at first, founders Daniel Lewis (bass) and Pipa Piñon (vocals) . We played minimalistic jazz and melodic music with Pipa adding the vocals and dramatics. Pipa has gone on to record with Michael Hedges and husband Daniel has recorded with now defunct group "World Entertainment War".

Doll Box - This was a one woman theater piece performed by Pipa Piñon. Her partner Daniel Lewis created the soundtrack and I took care of the lighting, graphics, and set design. Reviews were favorable in all aspects.

The Bumps - This was a fun band. We played raggae, funk, soul, calypso, rock... Vocalist and percussionist Coleen Douglas, Bassist Peter Wilde, Drummer Mike Strunk, and on Vibes Madelaine Nager. I played guitar.

Flight - Lead guitarist for this rock band based in Santa Cruz. We played all the clubs, played all the covers of the standard rock tunes, though we always gave them our own twist. We kept our own identity and had quite a following, cashing in on our youthful exuberance and energy. This band lasted in various forms for many years, the four or five of us keeping in touch and working on many projects together and apart. Bass player Lee Beverly (see "Took My Heart Away") is now appearing occasionally on General Hospital as the bass player for the band featured on the show. Off the air, he is the bass player for the band "Kurth and Taylor" comprised of the same members as the band on the show.

MY FIRST BAND!! This was a band that I and the Kaspar Twins put together when I was in the fifth grade. I played guitar, Nancy played bass, and Pat played a drum set which consisted of 1. a snare drum, and 2. a bedpan (used as a cymbal. Remember, we were only in the fifth and sixth grades - we had no money) We played for, I believe, our graduation or something like that. This awesome set consisted of "Hey Jude", "Train", and "Foxey Lady". I wish I could hear now what it sounded like.Nancy and Pat live here in San Francisco, playing around (I'll see if I can find some links) and the first thing we tell anyone when we are together, is how, back at Happy Valley School in Santa Cruz, we started our fanastic musical careers with a band called
"The Paisley Pudding".

THEATRE EXPERIENCES

SPIN CYCLE
Santa Cruz, California

I was asked to create a variety of props for DeLaveaga Elementary School's Earth Day Celebration produced by Paula Bliss. For this show I created a giant guitar, several little cars the children could put on and "drive around in", and giant television and computer screens. I also created a giant windmill contraption that changed into the revolving sun. This perfoamance was then videotaped and called "Spin Cycle."

DOLL BOX
Santa Cruz, California

For this was a one-woman musical show, written and performed by Pipa Piñon, I designed and built the set, obtained numerous props, designed, operated and installed lighting, designed and produced all graphic materials including: promotional photos, advertisements, programs, tickets, and billboards.

"The set and lighting design by Rhan Wilson are excellent. The set provides the atmosphere of a jumble sale, a fine contrast to the definitive music and the emotional starkness of Nancy's dream world, and the lights are alternately visually stunning and subtly enhancing"
Ann Bennett - Theater Writer, Watsonville Register Pajaronian

THE LAST STAIR AND STUMBLE
Theater Artists of Marin - Marin, California

For this ensemble production, I designed and built the set, and obtained the props.

ANNA CHRISTIE
Tour De Force Theater Company - San Francisco, California

For this ensemble procuction performed at Enrico's Restaurant in San Francisco, I had the challenge of designing and building a set that could be assembled and dismantled every performance night.

THE SHAPESHIFTERS
Live Music Performance - Santa Cruz, California

For this musical group, I have designed and built props for Pipa Piñon to use in her performance. Props have included: giant lightswitch and wall outlet, giant measuring ruler, assorted giant flowers, and various lighting effects.

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