Garage a Trois, the avant-jazz/electronic supergroup featuring eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter, Galactic drummer Stanton Moore, reedman Skerik and percussionist Mike Dillon (the latter two of Seattle fusionist oddballs Critters Buggin'), will release Emphasizer, their first full-length recording on April 22nd on Tone-Cool Records.

Hunter, Moore and Skerik initially came together in 1998 to record Moore's solo album, All Kooked Out!, and ended up with Mysteryfunk, an inadvertent EP culled from after hours sessions. The band played as a trio for a number of big events, including the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, only recently adding a fourth member and putting together an LP, an undertaking put off due to the members' other work. Hunter and his quintet released Right Now Move last month; Skerik has recently performed or recorded with Les Claypool's Flying Frog Brigade, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe and Tuatara.

The enhanced Emphasizer CD will also include live footage of the group performing "Jimi Was From Seattle," from a January performance, and footage from the album's New Orleans recording sessions.

And, on the subject of New Orleans, the group has lined up four Jazz Fest dates: April 26th at the festival fairgrounds, April 27th at the House of Blues, an April 29th in-store at the Louisiana Music Factory and April 30th at Twiropa. The shows will be followed a month later by a full U.S. tour that launches May 28th in Boston and wraps two weeks later at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee.

Garage a Trois tour dates:

5/28: Boston, Paradise Rock Club
5/29: Providence, RI, Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
5/30: Pittsburgh, Metropol
5/31: New York, Irving Plaza
6/1: Lyonsdale, NY, Adirondack Mountain Music Festival
6/2: Philadelphia, Theater of Living Arts
6/3: Washington, DC, 9:30 Club
6/4: Norfolk, VA, The NorVa
6/5: Atlanta, Variety Playhouse
6/6: Asheville, NC, Orange Peel
6/7: St. Louis, Mississippi Nights
6/10: Minneapolis, Quest Club
6/14: Manchester, TN, Bonnaroo Music Festival

ANDREW DANSBY
(April 14, 2003)