Brent Magstadt

Artist Information

Biography

Since 1979, Brent Magstadt has been wrapping his fingers around necks of various sizes, thrumming and strumming for money, laughs, creative outlet, and friends attuned ears. After a long stint of barely rewarding rock-n-roll and micro-touring, he tired of the dinginess of the road. Not afraid to huck gear up many flights of stairs, the lesson learned was about the energy he chose to engage with, surround himself with on this musical journey.

Now, having found an intense and warm creative hotbed of music on Vashon Island, full of aware musicians and kind accountable friends, Brent is feeling kinda grounded in his musical world!

This solidity has led to an expansive array of creativity. Not only does he play many solo acoustic shows, showcasing his guitar playing as well as vocal and songwriting abilities, he also plays in varied small ensembles, and even steps in as an occasional sideman.

Instrumentation

Elementally Speaking...
- Brent L. Magstadt: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Vocals, Noises
- Sherri Thal: Vocals, Violins, Percussion, Guitar

Alternate Players:
- Kevin Almeida: bass/vocals
- Fletcher Andrews: kit/tablas
- Kim Thal: vocals/violin
- Sherri Thal: vocals/violin/percussion

Discography

- Brent Magstadt (2005, Slippina Disc)

- Oasis Acoustic Volume V, Number 6
(Disc 2, Track 12 "All of Your Toys")

- Tribal Voices, Welcome to the Tribe: Island Earthfair, 2004 (bootleg)

- "Window of Sighs" w/Yvonne Pitrof, 2003 - a political unrest song... ;~)
http://www.brentmagstadt.com/music/Window%20Of%20Sighs_256k.mp3

- Turner Down, Live at Cafe Luna (2002, bootleg)

- Prophecy (1984, Metal Arc Records)

Audio

• Miss That Whiskey
  Listen  
• All Of Your Toys
  Listen  
• Just Falling down
  Listen  
• Ami Grooves
  Listen  
• Sunlight Eyes
  Listen  

Lyrics

• All Of Your Toys
• Miss That Whiskey
• Just Falling Down
• Sunlight Eyes

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Bellingham Press [+ Show ]
  

  Online link here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060302/ENT02/60302...Online link here:
  
  http://www.bellinghamherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060302/ENT02/603020311/1007/ENT
  

• December '05 Press Release [+ Show ]
  

  "Brent Magstadt describes his latest work as a progressive styling encompassing elements of rock, ja..."Brent Magstadt describes his latest work as a progressive styling encompassing elements of rock, jazz and folk; music that will darken the room with an acoustic séance, or light it up with intense electric passages."
  
  Full text of the press release here:
  www.vibe-rate.com/displayarticle.php?article=178&PHPSESSID=e333bed9b406961608601e91b8b530ad

• Nothing but variety...! [+ Show ]
  

  "Brent Magstadt may be the most significant and innovative artist that you have never heard." Ful..."Brent Magstadt may be the most significant and innovative artist that you have never heard."
  
  Full Text Here:
  http://www.progressiveworld.net/magstadtb.html
  
  (Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck also selected Brent Magstadt's Debut CD for his Pick of the Week for November 4-11, 2005 on www.muzikreviews.com)

• Awesome Grooving Funk/Jazz/Rock CD with Surprises! [+ Show ]
  

  Brent Magstadt has created a very eclectic sound on this CD. His background in music melds his class...Brent Magstadt has created a very eclectic sound on this CD. His background in music melds his classical compositional skills with his love for jazz, funk, and rock. The rock influence, mainly a crunching 4/4 beat, underlies most of the tracks on this CD. Most songs gravitate toward a “latino-Santana-istic” groove such as on Percolator, Hairball, Samba De Los Rockos, and Ami Grooves, however Brent’s own guitar solo work borderlines faster, Satriani-type melodies. Anyone that knows Brent also knows his humorous side as revealed in the prelude L’Inizio and the postlude L’Estremita…both being unique instrumentation as well as using Italian words to open and close his fabulous work in between.

• Local Music Spotlight - Seattle PI; July 2005
  

  Full text can be found here: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/bands/band.asp?bandID=364

• Amazing talent shared on this cd! [+ Show ]
  

  This cd rocks! Totally amazing. Remember doing things like following around the Dead or Neil Young d...This cd rocks! Totally amazing. Remember doing things like following around the Dead or Neil Young during summer tours? I swear when I listen to this, I feel like a summer night on a hill somewhere just trippin' out to Neil. Plus mixed with Pacific NW island life somehow, too, though. There's one track with rain -- then the next track with the diggeridoos. The digggs sound like fog horns after a hard rain. It's the musical sound of life on Puget Sound in the more magical vortex areas! I love it!

• Susan McCabe-VoV Radio; June 2005 [+ Show ]
  

  Brent Magstadt gathers some of his most gifted friends to showcase the healthy diversity in this tal...Brent Magstadt gathers some of his most gifted friends to showcase the healthy diversity in this talented musician/composer’s musical garden.
  
  The Afro-spatial “L’Inizio” opening grabs the ear with a percussive chant that morphs into the dynamic jazz fusion “Percolator,” Brent’s signature personality piece – and a powerful introduction to Magstadt energy.
  
  In the captivating “Samba De Los Rockos” he synthesizes grand and picante Latin melodies and rhythms that draw an irresistibly sensuous samba line straight South across the border. No body part can remain motionless when this tune is in the air. Uncharacteristically simple rock beats carry the hard-driving “Journey” from an innocent genesis through pounding adolescent vitality, into sweetly sophisticated electric guitar riffs…and back again.
  
  His ballads punctuate the CD with sometimes plaintive, often sharp, social commentary, and melodies as simple as the fusion pieces are complex. In these pieces, Magstadt injects dissonance with lyrics in place of the tonal and rhythmic intricacy of his instrumentals.
  
  Passionate diversity – at once rhythmic and joyful -- describes Brent Magstadt’s latest musical iteration. Play it often. Play it loud.
  
  -- S McCabe
  

Setlist

In addition to regular solo/duo/trio vocal/acoustic performances, Brent also performs in instrumental progressive groove and jazz ensembles.

Originals:
========================
Island Vibe / I Believe
Sunlight Eyes
Flight Of Fancy
High De Ho
Song For Kim
Flying (solo)
Wings of Leaves
All of Your Toys
Samba de los Rockos
Dreamer
Ami Grooves
Carey
Just Falling Down
Passing Through
Miss That Whiskey (solo)
One
Window of Sighs
Wander
Re-Arranging
Walking Man
Percolator
Simple thoughts
Edifice of Life
Go Away
Journey
Nowhere’s Nooning
Unfolding
Walking Man
Dear Annis
My Life
Three Tears
Never Say Goodbye
See So Far
We Smile

Covers (if needed; + about a thousand others...):
========================
Wind Cries Mary (JHendrix)
Hard Headed Woman (CStevens)
Blue Sky (PFloyd)
Jesus Don’t Cry (Wilco/JTweedy)
It Doesn’t Matter (Manassas/SStills)
Forever Ride (BMiller)
Cowgirl in the Sand (NYoung)
Rocket Launcher (BCockburn)
The Chicken (JPastorious)
Chameleon (HHancock)
Old Laughing Lady (NYoung)
Working Class Hero (JLennon)
10,000 Years (Live)

Order Brent Magstadt's Debut Release now:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/magstadt

For booking info, please contact:
words@brentmagstadt.com

Basic Requirements

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