Dancing on A'A

by Birdsongs of the Mesozoic

Product Description:

Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic: Michael Bierylo (guitar, programming, percussion);

Ken Field (flute, alto & soprano saxophones, slide saxoprano, synthesizer, percussion); Rick Scott (clarinet, percussion, synthesizer, programming); Erik Lindgren (piano, organ, synthesizer, samples, percussion, programming).

Additional personnel: Jim Hagerty (bass); Mickey Bones, Jim Doherty (drums, percussion); Larry Dersch, Terry Donahue, Ken Winokur (drums); Bill Carman (tom tom).

Producers: Bill Carman, Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic.

Recorded at Lyx Studios, Worcester, Massachusetts from October 1993 to April 1994.

Dark and strident, Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic have created a sound that is at once timelessly mysterious and industrially modern. Born primarily from European traditions, there are influences of rock music (especially in terms of some of the set's volume and density), and jazz (primarily from the shadings of saxophonist Ken Field).

The bulk of the material was written by founding member Erik Lindgren, the set's one cover being Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn," which affords the band a fair dose of levity (previous covers have included the SIMPSON'S theme). They also play "Swamp" by Roger Miller, another original member (and founder of Mission Of Burma), who had quit the fold several albums previously. Newest member Michael Bierylo's guitar contributions range from ferocious sound bursts to quasi-funky riffing.