Chandler Travis Philharmonic

Artist Information

Biography

Why unusual? Well, do you know of any other alternative dixieland/omnipop bands? Or any other band that put out 22 full-length cds in one year, as the Philharmonic did in 2000 with the RadioBall series)? Or anyone that numbers both (the late, lamented) George Carlin and NRBQ among their staunchest longtime supporters? Both appear on a CTP album or two; other longtime fans include Bonnie Raitt, Elvis Costello, and Bruce Springsteen (all of whom Chandler has appeared with a few times) -not to mention a diverse selection of relatively recent converts like Of Montreal, Ween, and the Story.

The Chandler Travis Philharmonic was born in the fall of 1996 at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, on the occasion of Chandler (best known for his "work" with the Incredible Casuals and Travis & Shook) doing a guest shot there with a house band led by multi-instrumentalist/singer Dinty Child. When asked if he would like to add any additional instrumentation, Chandler, having always hated when bands run out of ideas late in their careers, facetiously suggested "oh, yeah, let's get some horns and chick back-up singers." Dinty complied with the horn part, booking (among others) crazy trumpeter Keiichi Hashimoto, and lo and behold, it worked! Later on, cross-dressing drummer Rikki Bates, a pal of Chandler's from the Casuals and one of the more amazing instrumentalists on the planet, and keyboardist Keith Spring, (NRBQ, Martin Mull) helped complete the picture.

Since then, the CTP has introduced the concept of alternative dixieland to dumbfounded/delighted audiences all over Massachusetts, and the rest of the country (at this point, they've toured pretty much everywhere, including the midwest -Double Door and Fitzgerald's in Chicago; east -Mercury Lounge and Cutting Room in NYC, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Middle East, and Johnny D's in Boston, Iron Horse in Northampton; and west coasts -Spaceland in L.A., Cafe du Nord in SF; and, most belovedly, the south -Tipitina's, House Of Blues, and Mid-City Rock n' Bowl in New Orleans, where folks particularly seem to have taken the CTP to heart)... see raves from everywhere in the "press" section.)

Expect amazing musicianship, sharp turns, incisive songwriting, elegance, anarchy, and hilarity. In short, expect the unexpected, not to mention both a new solo album and a new Philharmonic CD in '09!

Instrumentation

John Clark - String Bass
Berke McKelvey - keyboards, Saxophones, and Keyboards, Clarinets
Rikki Bates - Drums
Dinty Child - Guitar, Vocal, Accordion, mandocello
Bob Pilkington - Trombone
Matt Joseph - Trumpet
Fred Boak - Vocal, Valet
Cliff Spencer - Keyboard(s)

Discography

"The Chandler Travis Philharmonic Blows" (Sonic Trout, 2010) "After She Left"- Chandler Travis (Sonic Trout, September 2009)
"Kitty (aka "Tarnation and Alastair Sim" (Sonic Trout, 2007)
"Another Christmas Gift for You" (Sonic Trout, 2003)
"Llama Rhymes" - (Sonic Trout, 2003)
"Let's Have a Pancake" (Sonic Trout, 2000)
22 other albums released in 2000 (the RadioBall series) on Iddy Biddy
There's also 2 other Chandler solo albums:
"Ivan in Paris" (Sonic Trout, 1998)
"writer-songsinger" (Sonic Trout, 1996)

Official Website

http://www.chandlertravis.com

Links

• Facebook
• facebook (CT)
• Sonic Trout
• Incredible Casuals

Audio

• You and Me Pushing Up Daisies
  Listen  
• Graciously
  Listen  
• Mid-Morning In Moscow
  Listen  
• Village of the Darned
  Listen  
• Fruit Bat Fun
  Listen  
• Fluffy
  Listen  
• ...Or Alabama Either (from Llama Rhymes)
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Hello Mrs. Nussbaum

Video

CTP-Berklee-Fluffy

CTP-Berklee-Daisies

Photo Gallery

Press

• various [+ Show ]
  

  “Dixieland, pop, avant-jazz, rock...and fully over the top.” - Jim Sullivan, Boston Globe &q...“Dixieland, pop, avant-jazz, rock...and fully over the top.”
  - Jim Sullivan, Boston Globe
  
  "A keenly entertaining blend of the Ringling Bros. and Ra...[that] puts the harm back in
  Philharmonic."
  -Jim Macnie, Village Voice
  
  “this man should either be locked up or made king of the planet. Despite the apparent anarchy,
  the band (playing their “psycho-jungle-dixieland”) is incredibly tight.”
  - Jason Dean Moriarty, the Noise
  
  “He’s a true New England eccentric, a master of daft power pop, and live, he plays in his
  pajamas...”
  -Rob Tannenbaum, Village Voice
  
  “...like a Mexican version of the Bosstones on Caribbean holiday...”
  - Carly Carioli, Boston Phoenix
  
  "...a truly original musical experience."
  -John Black, Offbeat Boston
  
  “...Jonathan Richman for adults...”
  -Christopher Walsh, The Republic of Letters
  
  “Fast and giddy and loose as a clown’s drawers, his Philharmonic sounds like the ‘Q saluting
  Louie Jordan.”
  -Rob Tannenbaum, Village Voice
  
  “‘Pancake’ is a skillful, fun, sometimes funny collection that is played with joyous, wreckless
  abandon, and the Philharmonic is the best damned music show you can see in a small club
  ever.”
  -Al Canali, Music Revue (Northampton, MA.)
  
  “...like filling a music store with laughing gas, then turning eight wonderfully talented
  virtuosos very loose inside...seriously sharp and spirited...”
  Michael Hochanedel, Schenectady Daily Gazette
  
  “They put the fun back in dysfunctional!”
  -Tim Wood, Cape Cod Chronicle
  
  “‘Let’s Have A Pancake!’ uses accordions, horns, mandocellos, guitars and drums to decorate
  pop songs of inconceivable appeal and inarguable ingenuity. Expect the unexpected is the only
  rule...”
  -Ed Bumgardner, Winston Salem Journal
  
  “The Chandler Travis Philharmonic are a huge cosmic accident...very odd, very beautiful, and
  you know there’s a message in it all. We need more bands with this kind of nerve and the tunes
  to back it up...a delicious, nutricious, and total mind-fuck.”
  -Joe Coughlin, the Noise (Boston)
  
  “...might be the most unconventional act on earth...a Cape Cod version of surf-punks Sublime,
  substituting Dixieland for ska in a lively mix that will make a great sound track for your next
  clambake...one track sounds like Loaded-era Velvet Underground gone berserk...”
  -Michael Strohl, Valley Advocate (Northampton, MA)
  
  “Inspiring...”
  Scott Schinder, E-Pulse
  
  “An eight-piece monster of a band [with] a big raucous sound...seriously energizing...”
  Shawn Stone, Metroland (Albany, NY)
  
  “The entire lot were dressed with a casual exuberance that belied a purposefulness of sartorial
  intent, which was completely consistent with the show itself—a talented group of highly skilled
  professionals flawlessly playing music that seemed free and spontaneously created. Trumpet
  player Keiichi Hashimoto spent the first half of the show in an Afro wig, then switched to what
  appeared to be the headpiece of a bunny costume—a sort of bonnet with long droopy ears.
  Both of these approaches managed to make him seem oddly regal. Of course, he’s also an
  astounding player, and he used the
  ambience of the room to blow gorgeous solos up to the rafters.
  The not-so-secret ingredient to this troupe is the uniformly high caliber of the players, [and]
  what made the set such a compelling whole was the unswerving commitment of all eight
  members. There was never a moment when one of the horn players seemed anything less than
  fully amazed and delighted to be a part of every single moment. They were right to feel that
  way, for this is rare and engaging music, drawing on Dixieland, Tin Pan Alley, ska, the Kinks,
  and much more.”
  -David Greenberger, Metroland (Albany, NY)
  
  “Dixieland romps, twisted Mardi Gras marches, sweaty 60’s rock, smoky torch songs, and
  occasional novelties that sound somewhere between Randy Newman and They Might Be
  Giants, all with hilariously offbeat lyrics. The world would be a better place if Travis would only
  visit more often.”
  - Sam Hurwitt, San Francisco Express
  
  “The horn players howl, the rhythm section wobbles, and the boss pulls lions out of his hat...if
  you’re in favor of Vegas weddings, the Firesign Theatre, and the Bonzo Dog Band, you could
  have yourself a dada field day.”
  -Jim Macnie, Providence Phoenix
  
  “Not unlike NRBQ meets Sun Ra on the beach, doing bong hits spiked with primo acid and
  laughing gas.”
  -Joe Coughlin, the Noise (Boston)
  
  “Little did I realize one of the greatest nights of my life would unfold in St Joseph Michigan. No
  foolin' -Friday June 15, The Chandler Travis Philharmonic dropped into a west Michigan club,
  Czars, and proceded to tear the roof off the dump. Sheesh, they were great. I was really
  uncontrollably shaking...”
  Paul Tracy Fredrickson, civilian
  

Setlist

about 200 songs, about 3/4 original, sets between 20 minutes and 2 hours; no typical, anything goes

Basic Requirements

Calendar