Artist description Space-jam oriented, improvisational fusion artists from outer space.

Music Style A hybrid of jazz and electronica

Musical Influences Sun Ra, Electric Mayhem, Frank Zappa, Kenny G, DJ Spooky

Artist History Producer of Mice, Rob Veith, originally conceived of using electronic instruments to play jazz styles of music back in the late eighties. His contemporaries laughed at him. Now, nearly 20 years later, this is an accepted genre of music. The Space Mice were originally a noise band based on a distant galaxy. Arriving on Earth in the late 90's, they began experimenting with Earth music. They have released four albums to critical acclaim and commercial indifference. Each showcases a variation of the Mice's hybrid of musical styles--mixing vintage jazz, techno, fusion, ambient, and house styles. CHEESE JAZZ (2001), the most conservative offering from the Mice starts off with the bossa nova inspired Bleu, before moving into the funk of Your Friend Feta. The sound is contemporary and fresh, yet with nods to classic jazz. The followup, CIME CAPS (2002), dipped deeper into jazz territory, evoking specifically the spirit of such sixties icons as Thelonious Monk, Sun Ra, and John Coltrane. Yet the last song, Do Geese See God, features a drum loop and a synthesizer "head", foreshadowing the third album, HOUSE MICE (2002). Ironically, House Mice was mostly recorded prior to Cime Caps; there was a delay as a vocal version of the album was contemplated. The album is full of contemporary dance rhythms, electronic textures, and drum loops, over which the Mice improvised. Album four, JAMBIENT (2003) grew out of an as-yet-unreleased project entitled SPACE MICE FOR LOVERS. It seemed that the Mice were divided on whether to create a quiet *electronic* or *acoustic* album with that name. The electronic version, which features ambient electronic textures forming the backbone for the Mice's improvisational explorations was finished first and renamed Jambient. Look for SPACE MICE FOR LOVERS in late 2003 to early 2004.

Group Members Zace--flute and electronic guitar PC--upright acoustic, fretless electric, and electronic basses Sparky--drums and loop programming Vlynn--electric and acoustic pianos, programming Jahk--organ and vibraphone

Instruments flute, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3, doublebass, drums

Albums Cheese Jazz, Cime Caps, House Mice, Jambient, and (coming soon) Space Mice For Lovers

Location Redmond, WA - USA

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