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Lee Vilensky

Lee Vilensky Trio

SOMETIMES WORDS JUST GET IN THE WAY. THEY CAN OBSCURE AS OPPOSED TO CLARIFY. THIS CAN BE THE CASE WITH MUSIC & LYRICS. WORDS MAY GET IN THE WAY OF WHAT ‘S REALLY TRYING TO BE SAID. I DON’T LIKE WORDS IN MUSIC ANY MORE THAN I LIKE A STRANGER TELLING ME THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY WHILE WAITING FOR THE BUS. WORDS CAN BE HURTFUL. THEY CAN CUT LIKE A KNIFE AND BURN LIKE A FLAME. I’VE HEARD ENOUGH WORDS.

MY FAVORITE SONGS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INSTRUMENTALS, ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY IMAGES, FILM SCORES IN PARTICULAR….MUSIC THAT EVOKES A SCENE, SOUND AS A PRELUDE TO ACTION AND MOVEMENT.

I WANTED TO ASSEMBLE A BAND THAT PLAYED ALL INSTRUMENTALS SO THAT GROOVE AND FEEL, MELODY AND HARMONY, COULD BE FULLY ENJOYED, UNENCUMBERED BY LYRICS. FORMED IN 2000 FROM THE REMAINS OF THE SWINGIN' JOHNSONS, WE DECIDED TO SWITCH THE FORMAT TO ALL INSTRUMENTALS DUE TO THE UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOR AND GENERAL UNSAVORY APPEARANCE, HYGIENE AND HABITS OF MOST VOCALISTS. WHAT STARTED AS A SIDE BAND FOR WELL TRAVELED BAY AREA SIDEMEN, HAS EVOLVED INTO ONE OF SF's MOST POPULAR INSTRUMENTAL GROUPS AND THE FOUNDERS OF THE WEST COAST SPY/SOUL MOVEMENT. OUR CDs, "DESTINATION: LOVE" AND "DIRTY DEALINGS ON A LATIN MOON", ON 658 RECORDS, ARE NOW AVAILABLE @ CDBABY, ITUNES, AMAZON.COM., SPOTIFY AND MOST ONLINE STORES. NEW RELEASE, "SOUL MARCH 2000", NOW AVAILABLE FOR DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EVERYWHERE. COMING SOON-OUR DOCUMENTARY, "BAR BAND". 50 MINUTES ABOUT OLD GUYS PLAYING IN BARS FOR TIPS AND DRINKS!

Lee Vilensky
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