SAUL
RAYO...
Nicaraguan in heritage on both sides, born in and grew up in
San Francisco. Moved to Alaska and became a commercial fisherman,
from hand purse seining in Cook Inlet, to King Crab fishing
on the Bering Sea. Is a woodworker, guitar builder, and does
artistic carpentry & stonework... A Social & environmental activist,
Saul writes & arranges the songs, though as of late, the arrangements
are becoming more of a collaboration… Saul plays acoustic 6&12
string & electric guitars, British cittern, African djun djun,
homemade udu drum, African ballyphone, East Indian harmonium
and Roland Handsonic electric hand drum…and sings lead.
Jay
Bird Ladner...
French Louisiana roots in his bloodstream. Bird is muti-talented
& multi-faceted on drums, bass, timbales, tabla, & assorted
percussion...
He plays Flamenco guitar, writes, and arranges his own music…He
has a straight gig in a cool music store where he gives drum
lessons, gets to fool around with all the instruments & equipment
AND gets paid for it!! The Bird IS a rhythm monster and
extremely versatile from Latin, Afro-Cuban to East India...Gotta
love him!
Josh
Tree Letcher...
A devout Vegan and organic farmer is also assisting Saul, with
his cartoon carpentry. Tree is a Rastafarian and is deeply spiritual.
His love of nature and belief in cosmic goodness comes through
in his rhythmic playing on his 5-string fretless bass, congas,
bongos, djembe, and singing...
Thomas
Schubel...
is an Austrian, though we suspect he might be from the Bronx,
and just trying to put on French accent, that’s turned out badly...
He was a tour guide in Austria, which he says is much more laid
back than the states...Thomas
spent years traveling the world, and concentrated much time
in Africa, his passion. He studied the wonderful crazy quilt
of music there, and it comes through in his beautiful lead &
rhythm guitar playing. He LOVES world music and has played with
various world music bands through out Europe...
and he sings too!
Lou
Meyer...is
our most recent addition friend and band member. Saul met Lou,
when Lou asked Saul to do a guest appearance on his self produced
TV talk show, “Reality Check,” covering the Peace rallies in
San Francisco. Lou has years of producing, recording experience.
His latest project was a 2nd album for, an accapella group out
of Sebastapool, Copper Wimmin. Lou is a Buddhist, and
a very cool guy. He plays keyboards, guitar, drums, bass, harmonica,
and is classically trained in choir under a French master.
Jack
Martin...
is our most eccentric member of the band…he has traveled the
world studying indeginous tribes from Africa, Haiti, through
South America and all points in between, their drumming rhythms,
& rituals. He is a collector of world instruments and builds
the most beautiful hand carved assortment of hand drums you’ve
ever seen…He lives in the desert in Arizona, rescuing & raising
wolves and other exotic bugs and animals. Jack plays assorted
hand drums, mbira, & African skin harp. ……..And sings in a language,
all his own.
Mike
Lessing...helps keep Saul's first language understandable... as well as making sure that Saul keeps his guitars in tune... He has collaborated on some lyrics, and plays various percussion and Jack Martin handmade congas. Mike sometimes sings too..
