Zen Tricksters
Encyclopedia
The Zen Tricksters are an American Grateful Dead cover band.
For almost thirty years, the Zen Tricksters have been playing Grateful Dead
covers and jam band
music, as well as derivative original songs.. The band started out as the Volunteers, playing small venues around New York
's Long Island
. At its core, the band has been composed of Jeff Mattson on lead guitar and vocals, for most of its history, Tom Circosta on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Klyph Black on bass and vocals. Over the years, the Zen Tricksters have gone through several lineup changes, which have included female singers. Both Jeff Mattson and one of their former members, keyboard player Rob Barraco
, was called to play with Phil and Friends for three shows in October 1999, and Rob continued to play with Phil Lesh and Friends
, and with such groups as the Dark Star Orchestra
, the Other Ones
, and the Dead
. Their current line up, in addition to Mattson, Circosta, and Black includes Dave Diamond on drums.
In 2007 they began touring with former Grateful Dead singer Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay as Donna Jean and the Tricksters. In 2009 the band morphed into the Donna Jean Godchaux Band
and it retained Jeff Mattson. The Zen Tricksters went on hiatus from touring but Klyph Black, Tom Circosta and Dave Diamond are touring with additional musicians as Klyph Black & Rumor Has It.
clubs such as the Wetlands, a club dedicated to the jam band genre. In the early 1990s the band increased the range of their touring to locations from Maine to North Carolina. Their popularity increased following the death of Jerry Garcia
, when a broader audience saw the band and attended Dead themed festivals like the Gathering of the Vibes
.
Right Track Inn - Freeport, Long Island, NY Every Saturday night for many years during the late 80'a into the early 90's
For almost thirty years, the Zen Tricksters have been playing Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
covers and jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
music, as well as derivative original songs.. The band started out as the Volunteers, playing small venues around New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. At its core, the band has been composed of Jeff Mattson on lead guitar and vocals, for most of its history, Tom Circosta on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Klyph Black on bass and vocals. Over the years, the Zen Tricksters have gone through several lineup changes, which have included female singers. Both Jeff Mattson and one of their former members, keyboard player Rob Barraco
Rob Barraco
Rob Barraco is a keyboardist who has played with Phil Lesh and Friends, The Dead, Dark Star Orchestra, Chris Robinson & New Earth Mud, the Zen Tricksters, Red Flannel Hash, and The Dragonflys. He was the permanent keyboardist for Phil Lesh and Friends from 2000 to 2003 and has been in the band's...
, was called to play with Phil and Friends for three shows in October 1999, and Rob continued to play with Phil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead.Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including groups featuring members of Phish, Little Feat, and the Zen...
, and with such groups as the Dark Star Orchestra
Dark Star Orchestra
-References:* at the Internet Archive* - John Kadlecik's official website & personal pages**-External links:* , official website of Dark Star Orchestra* , official website of Dino English...
, the Other Ones
The Other Ones
The Other Ones was an American rock band formed in 1998 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart, along with part-time Grateful Dead collaborator Bruce Hornsby. In 2000, Bill Kreutzmann, another Grateful Dead alumnus, joined the group, while Phil Lesh dropped out. In...
, and the Dead
The Dead (band)
The Dead is an American rock band composed of some of the former members of the Grateful Dead.After the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann formed a band called The Other Ones. They performed concert tours in 1998 , 2000 , and 2002, and released one...
. Their current line up, in addition to Mattson, Circosta, and Black includes Dave Diamond on drums.
In 2007 they began touring with former Grateful Dead singer Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay as Donna Jean and the Tricksters. In 2009 the band morphed into the Donna Jean Godchaux Band
Donna Jean Godchaux Band
The Donna Jean Godchaux Band is an American rock music group. Originally named Kettle Joe's Psychedelic Swamp Revue, and later Donna Jean and the Tricksters, the band was originally formed in 2007 and made up of Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay and members of the Zen Tricksters...
and it retained Jeff Mattson. The Zen Tricksters went on hiatus from touring but Klyph Black, Tom Circosta and Dave Diamond are touring with additional musicians as Klyph Black & Rumor Has It.
Music
Known to their fans as the Tricksters, the band generally plays a mixture of Grateful Dead and other covers, and their own derivative songs.Venues
Playing relatively small venues around the North Shore of Long Island, such as Theodore's in Oyster Bay and New York Ave in Huntington, the band grew in popularity to become one of the leading Grateful Dead cover bands in the New York metro area. In time they found themselves playing New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
clubs such as the Wetlands, a club dedicated to the jam band genre. In the early 1990s the band increased the range of their touring to locations from Maine to North Carolina. Their popularity increased following the death of Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
, when a broader audience saw the band and attended Dead themed festivals like the Gathering of the Vibes
Gathering of the Vibes
Gathering of the Vibes is an annual four-day music, camping and arts festival that celebrates the Grateful Dead & showcases a very diverse variety of music. Over the course of the event, styles often include; Funk, Bluegrass, Rock, Jam Band, Jazz, Reggae, R&B & Folk music. Since 1996, GOTV has...
.
Discography
- Holy Fool (1998)
- A Love Surreal (1999)
- Shaking Off the Weirdness (2003)
- For Rex: The Black Tie Dye Ball - The Zen Tricksters w/Donna Jean Godchaux, Mickey HartMickey HartMickey Hart is an American percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band the Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 to February 1971, and from October 1974 to August 1995...
, Tom ConstantenTom ConstantenTom Constanten is an American keyboardist, best known for playing with the Grateful Dead from 1968 to 1970.-Biography:...
, David NelsonDavid Nelson (musician)David Nelson is an American guitarist and musician.Although he started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music Nelson is probably best known as one of the original members of psychedelic country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage...
, Michael FalzaranoMichael FalzaranoMichael Falzarano is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has been working as a professional musician since the 1970s, most notably in Hot Tuna, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Memphis Pilgrims, a Memphis-style rock and roll/blues band that he founded in 1986.Having signed...
, Rob BarracoRob BarracoRob Barraco is a keyboardist who has played with Phil Lesh and Friends, The Dead, Dark Star Orchestra, Chris Robinson & New Earth Mud, the Zen Tricksters, Red Flannel Hash, and The Dragonflys. He was the permanent keyboardist for Phil Lesh and Friends from 2000 to 2003 and has been in the band's...
(2006) - Donna Jean and the TrickstersDonna Jean and the Tricksters (album)Donna Jean and the Tricksters is the debut album by an American rock music group that has been known by three different names. Originally, their name was Donna Jean and the Tricksters, but was changed and has been billed as the Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson, and Donna Jean Godchaux Band...
(2008)
Right Track Inn - Freeport, Long Island, NY Every Saturday night for many years during the late 80'a into the early 90's