Rushad Eggleston and His Wild Band of Snee

Rushad Eggleston’s Wild Band of Snee is a wild band of Snee indeed....but just what does that mean?.........

Imagine that you tumbled into a strange but vividly colorful dimension. Hundreds of excited horned, snouted, and feathered beasts are bouncing around anxiously amongst the tarmibly trees. Suddenly some sweet sounds sweep south from somewhere... you watch, as dozens of wild polka-dotted beings start spinning out marvelous melodies on their great grumbling gricktaphones, and soon they are joined by vast orchestras of Gneed! The sound is spectacular! All the characters there (including you) start jumping about and dancing wildly, like fire, like carrots, like floating clouds of zorble-grass! Fast songs of far i-moogeny... slow songs of ancient regal majesty...You are beside yourself. Yes, there's two of you! You both forgot about Earth and all its silly games- instead, here you are flying through the bright land of Snee!

Such?... Such is the legacy of the Wild Band of Snee. But when the Band of Snee plays on Earth, of course, it is condensed to a more practical version with the most talented humans possible, and utilizing such familiar instruments as cello, keyboard, bass, drums, and voices. Described in layman’s terms, the Wild Band of Snee does a mixture of Rushad’s melodically based instrumental and vocal music, as well as some fast rhythmical poetry and other weirdnesses. They are fun. YOU should see them!

Rushad Eggleston, from Carmel, CA, is the wackily inventive cellist and composer who writes all of the Band of Snee’s music. He was the first string player awarded a full scholarship to the Berklee college of music, and while still there he became their first active student ever to be nominated for a Grammy award!! (with Fiddlers 4, 2003). Besides touring regularly with fiddler Darol Anger and neo bluegrass band Crooked Still, Rushad has been a guest with many famous artists including Mark O’Connor and Tim O’Brien. He has also played at many marvelous venues such as Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center. In addition, Rushad has made frequent appearances on national radio (including Prairie Home Companion), taught cello at workshops and camps, written the music to a film, and performed at summer festivals from Jacksonville to Seattle. Rushad formed the Band of Snee (in 2003) so that all the tunes, words, and creatures that were haunting him could have a residence on earth. He hopes to make it big with them and eventually bring sneaky melodies back in vogue. Rushad is part goblin.

Aoife O’Donovan is a one-of-a-kind vocalist who’s unfettered crystalline voice climbs clouds and hushes even the rowdiest audiences into dead silence. Although yet only 22 years old, Aoife has been praised everywhere from the New York Times to Rolling Stone Magazine (“...cold, lonesome, celtic mist”). While studying Contemporary Improvisation at the New England Conservatory, she joined fiddler Matt Glaser’s all-star band, The Wayfaring Strangers, playing a huge role in the success of their second album, “This Train” (Rounder Records). Aoife has become quite a figure in the Boston folk scene, where she is deeply envied by anyone with vocal cords. Her band, Crooked Still (also featuring Rushad) has been tearing it up for most of 2005. In June, 2005, Aoife was a featured soloist with the world class Boston Pops. She plans to soon make her own album of original music.

Jed Wilson is an incredibly gifted and versatile pianist with a touch and sensitivity most rare. While in high school, his wild jazz prowess led him to win Down Beat Magazine’s “Best High School Instrumentalist” award for 3 years in a row. On the flipside, in the classical world, he was the winner of a 1998 Oregon State solo contest! Later, Jed received a generous scholarship to attend the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied improvisation and became a member of the super-elite NEC Honors Jazz Ensemble (2003). Jed has become a firmly felt fixture of the Boston musical community, where he is respected by his peers as “the guy who can make anybody cry.” He has lately been collaborating with singer/composer Dominique Eade. An album featuring this duo will be released in 2006.

Jacob Silver is a deeply grooving, thumpious-but-lyrical bass player who is equally electrifying in any genre. He attended via large scholarships the Berklee College of Music, the San Francisco Conservatory, and the University of Victoria, where he studied for 2 years with reknowned double bass soloist Gary Karr. To give you an idea of his versatility, Jacob was the featured soloist in May ‘03 with the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra; then 2 months later he flew to Texas to open for David Lee Roth! (formerly of Van Halen). Jacob now lives in Brooklyn, NY, where he keeps insanely busy touring with the rock n' roll string band, The Mammals. Jacob is also a Karaoke Champion.

Robin MacMillan is the hairiest drummer around.