Chico Schwall

The music of William Chico Schwall reflects the Midwestern landscape and blue collar family in which he grew up and shares a uniquely rich palette of musical colors drawn from an extensive musical career.

Self taught on guitar, Chico absorbed blues and folk, slide guitar and finger picking. He discovered the mandolin, banjo, fiddle and flute and expanded his horizons to include Celtic, Klezmer and World music. Chico has performed and arranged traditional music for theatre productions including "Under Milk Wood" with Brit. Theatre Company and Northwest Touring Theatre, performed with the Eugene Symphony and Oregon Festival of American Music orchestras and actively played on the Contra Dance circuit.

Chico's songwriting brings together the sounds of his colorful, musical upbringing and his own thoughtful reflection on the world we live in and the life we live. Skeptical and empathetic, passionate and smart. His debut CD Cut Off the Line was called "inspiring and thought-provoking" by Seattle's Victory Music Review. His newest release, driving by moonlight, is an intimate celebration of original, rootsy songs and textured instrumentals.

"When I was a kid at recess time I'd go over to the place where the older kids did the high jump and the pole vault in gym class. There were two hollow metal posts set in the ground, with holes drilled in them for the pegs they used to hold the bar at various heights. When the wind blew those posts were like two giant randomly tuned flutes, singing as the wind blew across the holes. I could sit in the sand pit and listen to them until the teacher called me in off the playground. Always changing, always beautiful. I'm surprised everybody wasn't over there listening."