Critters Buggin | |
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 Critters Buggin New Year's Eve 2008 at theCapitol Theatre inOlympia, Washington | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Seattle,Washington,USA |
| Genres | Rock,jazz,funk,punk,ambient,electronic |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Labels | Ropeadope Records |
| Members | Matt Chamberlain Skerik Mike Dillon |
| Past members | John Bush Brad Houser |
| Website | Crittersbuggin.com |
Critters Buggin is aSeattle, Washington-basedinstrumental group which performs in a jazz, rock and African-influenced, eclectic style. The band is composed ofMatt Chamberlain (drums, percussion, piano, programming, synths, loops, samples and digital editing),Skerik (saxophones, keyboards, loops, samples, effects and guitar),Brad Houser (bass, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet and electronics) andMike Dillon (vibraphone and percussion).
Critters Buggin defies categorization because of their diverse musical styles.[1] Reviews tend to describe their music as a combination of jazz, rock, funk and electronica.[2][3][4] When asked to describe their music in 1994 Chamberlain stated that it is "jazzy, funky, rocky.... it has African rhythms, too." Houser stated it is "African,industrial, tribal music."[5]
While also reviewed in terms such as unique and adventurous,[6] a 2008 review inThe Seattle Times described them with such diverse terms as unorthodox, unhinged, tribal, unpredictable, mesmerizing, loud, abrasive, dissonant and ultimately satisfying.[7]
The group began withMatt Chamberlain andSkerik who were later joined byBrad Houser, thus forming a trio in early 1993. John Bush joined soon afterward, and the group gave their first live performance using the "Critters Buggin" name in May 1993 at the Seattle club The Colourbox.[5] Chamberlain, Houser and Bush were all from the then-disbandedEdie Brickell & New Bohemians. Skerik came from another Seattle group, Sadhappy. Their live success was followed by the release of their first album which was produced byStone Gossard ofPearl Jam on his then new label Loosegroove. The original Critters Buggin trio continued with several guest musicians, includingMike Dillon. Chamberlain and Dillon had both played in the locally popular Dallas, Texas bandTen Hands in the 1980s. All except Skerik were part of theDeep Ellum, Dallas, Texas scene through the early 1990s. By 1998 Dillon had joined Critters Buggin as a fourth member,[8] thus forming the current line-up as of a July 2008 tour.[7]
In 2007 Critters Buggin released the DVD,Get the Clackervalve and the Old Clobberd Biscuits Out and Smack the Grand Ham Clapper's Mother. It is a live set filmed and recorded during the Warsaw Summer Jazz Days 1999 performed inThe Palace of Culture and Science ofWarsaw,Poland.
In 2006 Skerik, Dillon and Houser toured as Critters Buggin Trio.[9][10]In the 2007 the trio toured as The Dead Kenny G's and were reviewed as uniquely "combining jazz, rock, punk, funk and world music."[11] In October 2009 they released a debut CDBewildered Herd.[12][13] The trio toured withPrimus in 2010[14][15] and released the CDOperation Long Leash in 2011.[16][17]
Guest,Host,Monkeypot Merganzer andBumpa were reissued by Kufala Recordings in 2004.
(Live 6/26/99 Warsaw Summer Jazz Days)
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