Glimpse Trio

San Francisco Bay area group Glimpse Trio released their brand new self-titled ten-song EP on Boxing Day, 26 December 2012. These tracks will be part of their third album set to be released soon. - Oddio Blog

San Francisco Bay area group Glimpse Trio released their brand new self-titled ten-song EP on Boxing Day, 26 December 2012. These tracks will be part of their third album set to be released soon. - Oddio Blog

Oakland based outfit Glimpse Trio are set to release their third full-length eponymous album later in Spring. Ahead of it, and to tease us, they’ve recently dropped two ten-track EP’s, featuring some cuts from the forthcoming Glimpse Trio album. Both EP’s, the Glimpse Trio EP and The Acoustic EP, are free to download via their bandcamp. - Cast the Dice

San Leandro band Glimpse Trio reminds us all how powerful and dynamic a rock trio can be. On their self-released EP, the band covers everything from frenzied Zappa-esque fusion tracks to bluesey acoustic rock songs. That they do this while always sounding like themselves is no small feat. - Dear Song in My Head

Oakland’s Glimpse Trio has just put out their new self-titled EP and we wanted to share our favorite track on the set, the pacing “Holiday”. As many of us love getting to see family and friends in our hometowns during the holiday season, these Cali guys certainly do not. In an uptempo, shouty fashion the boys re-confirm their good decision for moving out. The air-guitar tempting riffs make the possible dour topic into a complete celebration of freedom. - Handclap Movement

“...harmelodic zig-zags of the lightning-quick guitarist harmelodic zig-zags of the lightning-quick guitarist.” - SF Weekly

“East Bay locals Glimpse Trio opened up the show with a blend of post-punk meets free jazz. The bass and drums were in lock step with the harmolodic zig-zags of the lightening-quick
“Guitarist Mike Sopko is big into shred and from what we’ve heard so far flaunts some impressive shredding skills!” - Shredaholic

“. . . some of the best and most complicated music to emerge from a garage band this year.” - East Bay Express

Oakland, CA, March 29, 2011 –(PR.com)– Glimpse Trio is proud to announce the release of their album, “1985,” the Bay Area band’s debut album. With this release, the group is filling 200 seat venues for each performance in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Glimpse Trio spontaneously creates engaging music that approaches the unknown and borders on the psychedelic. Downbeat Magazine Editor Frank Alkyer described the album as “a furious blend of rock, jazz, blues, punk and metal fused with infectious folksiness.” Alkyer continues to describe the new release by stating, “For those who grew up on the great fusion explorers, Glimpse Trio offers up a next generation. For those who like improvisation with a slice of punk, slacker and metal attitude, it’s got to be ’1985.’”

The Glimpse Trio performs steadily throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, the band is projected to tour throughout 2011. Glimpse Trio aims to bring their music to international audiences through recording contracts, touring and collaborative opportunities.

GT is looking to redefine the rock/jam-band scene through staggering live performances and recordings. With the release of “1985,” their first full-length studio release, they are now seeking labels for distribution and touring opportunities.

For more information check out Glimpse Trio on Facebook, Twitter or sonicbids. - Music Scene News

Consisting of three intense, musically diverse, and improvisational musicians, the Glimpse Trio is an “extreme jam band” that has been described by L.A. Weekly as “Oakland’s dark kings of avant-metal colossalness.” Captivating and all-out riveting, Glimpse Trio strives to spontaneously create engaging music that approaches the unknown and borders on the psychedelic.

Band members Mike Sopko, a Cleveland native, and Bay Area native Hamir Atwal, give us a few ideas on what makes the Bay Area a great place to visit.

You can find more information on the band, and listen to some of their music on the Glimpse Trio web site.

* * * * *

glimpsetrio2Where in the world have you traveled?

Mike Sopko has traveled to Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, England, Canada and has lived in Alaska and grew up in Cleveland.

Local band member Hamir Atwal has traveled to France, Austria, Japan, Canada, and England. He has lived in Boston and New York while attending Berklee College of Music.

The two are now planning their West Coast tour for the summer of 2011.

How have your travels influenced your work?

As individuals we have toured and traveled extensively around the world. We have had the opportunity to see first hand how music is accepted and appreciated around the world.

How and why did you end up in the East Bay?

Hamir Atwal has been a working musician since the age of fifteen, constantly practicing, which led him to pursue a degree in Music Performance from Berklee College of Music. After five long years in Boston, Atwal decided to make the move back to the Bay area where he and fellow members of the Jazz Community rotate performances.

Mike Sopko has also been a performer for many years in a variety of Bay Area bands, he has toured with Mike Watt and is a guitar instructor in the East Bay.

As musicians we both found our niche here in the Bay Area and were determined to make a living through our passion.

Your favorite place for a night out listening to great music?

The East Bay has a multitude of venues for listening to music. We are in fact lucky to have the chance to view music as well as play in these venues. We have enjoyed both watching and performing in shows at the New Parish in Oakland. This is the first venue of its kind to support comedians, established music in all genres, as well as up and coming local acts. Glimpse Trio chose the New Parish as its venue for our CD release show in February 2011 and plan to play there again.

What is your musical haunt in the San Francisco Bay Area and why?

We have been frequently playing at the Englander in San Leandro. It has been a main staple for us in terms of a venue to practice, hang out, and play great music. It has a full bar, 21 high definition TVs, and food. It is a perfect place for families and groups of people to get together and have a good time. The Englander gives us the opportunity to perform to the local community, get feedback, and make new friends . That is what our music is about, bringing the community together and rocking out!

When you aren’t in your studio recording or rehearsing, we can find you …?

We love taking our dogs for long hikes by Lake Chabot and Chabot Regional Park. We use that time to discuss new ideas about tracks, recording, and future shows. It is a great way to get some exercise in the day but also be productive in our goals and plans. As a band we want to make sure we take the right steps for the group, whether through social media management or new opportunities to perform live. We are always working on the next thing, and these walks are essential in making these ideas happen.

When you have a visitor from out of town, you make sure to take them to:

If the visitor is a musician from out of town we tend to keep it simple and hit up some local food spots such as Everette and Jones, the Taco Trucks in Oakland, Red Onion Burger in Pinole near Atwal’s place, and Los Pericos in San Leandro near Mike’s. We also take visitors to Berkeley to hit up the record stores and the local shops off Telegraph.

If you could recommend one unique Bay Area place or experience to our readers, what would it be?

The East Bay is a place that tends to get a bad rap, but it really does have its gems in terms of great food and great places to hang out. Oakland is a unique place. Many people tend to see Oakland in the news and assume the worst about the city. But Oakland has many layers to it – from the hills, to downtown, and around Lake Merrit.

As a band we try to take layers such as these and use them in our music, providing an elemental variety where we are not stuck in one particular genre. As Frank Alkyer mentioned in our Downbeat Magazine Editors’ Pick Review, “On 1985, the group delivers a furious blend of rock, jazz, blues, punk and metal fused with infectious folksiness.” This is how we feel about Oakland, the city itself is a multitude of “genres”. To get to know Oakland is kind of like listeni - Artist-At-Large: San Francisco Art + Travel

Glimpse Trio, 1985. The word "psychedelic" might be too sedate for this trio, which teeters between garage rock and hard-edged experimental jazz. Mike Sopko handles the electric guitar, along with most compositional duties. Hamir Atwal is one of the most conscientious drummers around, and it's cool to hear him rock out for a change. His patterns lock in with the rat-a-tat-tat guitar lines on "Joey," to blistering effect - East Bay Express

Glimpse Trio, 1985. The word "psychedelic" might be too sedate for this trio, which teeters between garage rock and hard-edged experimental jazz. Mike Sopko handles the electric guitar, along with most compositional duties. Hamir Atwal is one of the most conscientious drummers around, and it's cool to hear him rock out for a change. His patterns lock in with the rat-a-tat-tat guitar lines on "Joey," to blistering effect - East Bay Express

The guitar, bass and drums pound away like a frantic bear in heat, invoking a passion for jamming that is evident. Not Jazz, not rock, this song is akin to King Crimson at it's heaviest, an exciting and frantic journey not to be missed. - Status Hat

The guitar, bass and drums pound away like a frantic bear in heat, invoking a passion for jamming that is evident. Not Jazz, not rock, this song is akin to King Crimson at it's heaviest, an exciting and frantic journey not to be missed. - Status Hat

Listen to Glimpse Trio on the playlist for Banana peel Radio in Vancouver Canada! - Banana Peel Radio

BY FRANK ALKYER
Glimpse Trio, 1985 (self-released)
1985 is the self-produced debut recording from the Oakland-based Glimpse Trio. Comprising guitarist Mike Sopko, bassist Ethan Rider and drummer Hamir Atwal, Glimpse puts the power in power trio. On 1985, the group delivers a furious blend of rock, jazz, blues, punk and metal fused with infectious folksiness. Sopko serves a stellar front man—lightning fast and full of technique and wit on guitar. Rider and Atwal provide Glimpse’s glue, locking in with incredible rhythmic drive, nuance and interplay. Of the 13 tracks on 1985, nine are instrumentals. Tunes like “Headache,” “Joey” and “A Little Dirt” are head-bobbing, throw-your-fist-in-the-air fun. But the group also shows a softer side with touching instrumental ballads like “Charles” and “Stiles.” Of the record’s four songs with lyrics, “Time To Be Your Man” is a slam-dance, pick hit. Just to be clear, this isn’t a jazz record, but it’s an amazing document of eclectic improvisation. Sopko and Rider have toured with post-punk bass genius Mike Watt and drummer supreme G. Calvin Weston, two artists who never shied away from genre-bending music. Atwal has toured with Greg Osby and other free-thinking jazz bandleaders. In short, all three come by this eclecticism honestly. For those who grew up on the great fusion explorers, Glimpse Trio offers up a next generation. For those who like improvisation with a slice of punk, slacker and metal attitude, it’s got to be 1985. - Downbeat

We heard about a really interesting band earlier this month called ‘Glimpse Trio’, who would best be described as an ‘extreme jam band’. Guitarist Mike Sopko is big into shred and from what we’ve heard so far flaunts some impressive shredding skills! Fancy a listen to some of their music? Shredaholic has been sent a special link so our visitors can have a free listen and see what they think:

http://www.sonicbids.com/glimpsetrio - Shredaholic.com

Time to genuflect and throw flowers to the man in the van with a bass in his hand, Mr. Mike Watt, on the 50th year of his birth, if you can believe it. The pride of Pedro-Minutemen! Firehose! Banyan! Dos! Slapping bass with the Stooges! Outrageous various solo stuff! Among Watt's billion current projects is the Missingmen, who originally formed to bring his third punk rock opera, "Ten and Twenty Does Not Make Fifty," to fruition. Do not miss opener Calvin Weston with Monster Cock Rally: The ex-Ornette Coleman/Blood Ulmer/Derek Bailey/Tricky/John Lurie drummer jams maximo in collab with Oakland's dark kings of avant-metal colossalness. (John Payne) - LA Weekly

For a man who just turned 50 a few weeks ago, erstwhile Minutemen bassist Mike Watt sounded pretty youthful at L.A.'s Knitting Factory last night. Following an acidic performance from Oakland's jazz-rock fusioneers Monster Cock Rally, whose drummer Calvin Weston shared the stage with the Minutemen in the early '80s, Watt and his newest trio the Missingmen ripped through a searing set of punk and post-punk covers. Watt's bass was the thumping heart of the whole thing, pumping and popping alongside members of Monster Cock Rally through a cacophonous jam on "Fun House" by his recent employers the Stooges. - SPIN Magazine