Courtyard Stage
Monterey Court Studio Galleries & Cafe
505 W Miracle Mile
Tucson, AZ 85705
520/207.2429
Professor Gall: Tuesday, February 04, 2014 | 06:00pm-09:00pm
'A Tincture of Junkyard Folk and Steampunk Jazz'. Professor Gall seeks to uncover the contradictions of an ambiguous and native-less society, 'dreaming the existentialists' dream', while at the same time pleading for individualism, peace, and more fun at funerals.
The Portland, Oregon conglomerate starts with Drew Norman on vocals, guitar, percussion stomp box and banjo, who brings his theatrical experience to the musical stage and is responsible for the initial musical and lyrical embellishments. Drew’s recent side roles include the ‘Husband’ in the stage and movie version of Sally Tomato’s TOY ROOM(Severe Enterprises), a rock opera that won accolades from The Heart of England Film Festival, studio recordings and live shows with Will West, Kory Quinn, Orchestre L’ Pow and the Wanderlust Circus. Scott Johnston heads up the first chair position for the horn section, arranging charts and providing his saxophone alchemy. Rounding out the ensemble isMonte Skillings on trombone, John Stewart(Live Wire, Storm Large), Sean Hudson(Orchestre L’ Pow) on stand-up bass, Don Henson(Sneakin’ Out)and Andrew Alikhanov(Chervona) on clarinet.
Critical acclaim for their first full length CD ‘Intravenous Delusion’ has enabled Professor Gall to become a regional favorite, sharing the stage with semi-national/national acts like The Devil Makes Three, Eric McFadden Trio, Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Billy Nayer Show, Vagabond Opera, the Dandy Warhols andSleepytime Gorilla Museum at venues throughout the West Coast as well as festivals and conventions like the Folklife Festival (Seattle,WA), Gearcon (Portland,OR), Teslacon (Madison,WI) and Steamcon( Bellevue, WA)Wild Wild West Steampunk Con (Tucson,AZ). The band released in March of 2010 their sophomore release entitled ‘The Psychology of Booze and Guilt’ to rave reviews. PG’s third release, ‘Magnetic Roots’ came out April 20th, 2013.
Professor Gall was recently featured by Seattle’s City Arts Magazine as the Portland, Oregon representative of the National Steampunk Movement, along with the Dresden Dolls (Boston), Abney Park (Seattle) and Unwoman(San Francisco).
‘Hailing from Portland, this group brings one word to mind: eccentricity… the group achieves a gritty and unnerving carnival feel, as if the Mad Hatter were the ringmaster.’Full Steam Ahead Article, Matt Hammond &Jennifer Tate , Seattle's City Arts Magazine, October 31, 2010
‘With blaring horns and a sideshow barker's twisted way with words, there is a sinister carnival feel toBooze and Guilt (somewhere between Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes and Bikini Kill's ode to carnies and Mötley Crüe mirrors, "Carnival"), If a haunted midway is your thing, Professor Gall just made your day. If not, stay the hell out of the big top.’
Ezra Ace Caraeff, The Portland Mercury
‘ Norman's voice recalls Tom Waits' or Nick Cave's, while the instrumental lineup suggests a killer New Orleans jazz band going interestingly off-track harmonically.’Michael Upchurch, The Seattle Times, Concert Preview ‘Norman’s songs, which blend a mix of influences from klezmer to jazz and junkyard folk, are also unusually sweet and sincere.’ Michael Mannheimer, Wweek ‘This Portland collaborative effort prides itself on being the good kind of weird as they mash up old-timey, sometimes Vaudevillian but mostly joyous swing numbers…sounds like something you’d find on Tim Burton’s iPod’ The Source Weekly , Bend, OR
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