Biography
Conjugal Visitors shows are always a hoot. With their unique mix of mountain dance music, bluegrass, jazz, old-time country and jug/folk, The Conjugal Visitors always rage. And judging from the massive crowds that keep showing up to their gigs, and the fact that they were just voted Best Acoustic Band in the Eugene Weekly's "Best of Eugene" reader's poll, it seems like there is an ever growing crew of people who know that there's always a good time to be had with The Conjugal Visitors!
These boys are hot musicians and great singers, and they aren't shy about putting it on display during explosive, marathon sets of tightly woven arrangements and jazzy improvisation. Watching them perform makes you feel like you've stumbled into a free-wheeling, living room jam session/ party, but the talent and polish soon shines through the laid back attitude.
The past year has treated the band well. After playing some scorching sets at venues like Eugene's WOW Hall, Seattle's Folk Life Festival, The Oregon Country Fair and the Willamette Valley Folkfest--as well as dozens of bars, clubs, barn dances, festivals, weddings and private parties all over the northwest--they were voted "Best Acoustic Band" in the Eugene Weekly's "Best of Eugene" reader's poll. (Sorry, did we mention that already. We're kinda psyched about it.)
The Conjugal Visitors also recently released their new CD "Satchel's Rag," and it's chock full of tasty nuggets. With rockers like "Santa Cruz" and "Satan's Mandolin," the dreamy, introspective "Old Moon," and classic jug-band numbers like "Alabama Jubilee" this raw, dancey disc is available at Visitors shows and from the band directly at: conjugalvisitors@yahoo.com.
Instrumentation
Rev. Jesse Lawton--Mandolin and high power vocals. Jesse warps the minds of young children for a living and has written much of the band’s music.
Papa String-- Guitar, vocals, resident hippie. A picker from the hills of Kentucky, he brings a tremendous catalog of old time music, original material, as well as social and spiritual consciousness to the band.
Chip "Prof. Horsehair" Cohen saws the fiddle and sings. Chip brings the homebrew to practice as well as over 2 decades of professional experience, including stints with Northwest icons The Klezmonauts, The Crawdads of Pure Love, and counter-culture legends The Holy-Model Rounders.
Brien “Bobo” McMullen beats the upright bass. With a background in the Southern California jazz and Eugene blues scene, Brien stays in the pocket, keeps the toes tappin’ and leads the dancing.
The Wild Rogues Vital to our family are three musicians who have performed on all our albums and still play with us occasionally: Zachary Spencer Harigodt on banjo and vocals, Matt "Matura" Highland on blues harp and Jobydiah Griswald Smith III on washboard.
Discography
Monkey Dance (2007)
Featured the songs "Crossroads" and "Lost John" both of which received airplay on Eugene's KLCC and KRVM.
Satchel's Rag (2008)
Featuring "Satan's Mandolin" and "Alabama Jubilee" which have received airplay on KRVM.
View videos of the band at the following link: "www.myspace.com/conjugalvisitors"
Links
| http://www.myspace.com/conjugalvisitors |