Music Style Jazz, Rock, Progressive Rock, Fusion, Celtic, Classical, Native American

Musical Influences King Crimson, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple

Artist History Bill Curtis I started in school band at age 10 but did not fully commit to music until picking up guitar at age 16. From this point on it was my mission to learn as much as I could from every guitarist I either came into contact with or saw play at a party or concert. At age 19 I joined Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft while taking private lessons from renowned local teacher Carl Fritz. At this time I learned most of my technique and basics in classical, jazz, harmony and theory. After 6 years of study, sometimes practicing as much as 10 hours a day and playing in many groups, at age 24 I packed up and headed for L.A. to the Guitar Institute of Technology. Studying with such greats as Scott Henderson, Ralph Humpfrey, Howard Roberts and Norman Brown. After graduating and moving back to Washington D.C.I started teaching , writing and performing music which I enjoy doing to this day in groups such as Zapotec, Acoustic Tales and Jeremy Cubert Project. In 1990 my first CD was produced and not long after Psycho-Audible Records was born. Since then three more CDs have been released, each getting better than the previous and we don't intend stopping anytime soon. So if you like this kind of music and have supported us in the past we that we thank you. Anna Hubbell My introduction to the violin at age 9 was at the request of my best friend who wanted a buddy during string class. She quit after 2 years and I kept going. During my early years, I played in a number of school and local orchestras, was selected to play in District, Regional, and State Orchestras as well as competed in the annual Solo Festival competitions. I began taking private lessons with Olga Gigante at age 14 in Alexandria.I studied and played under a number of National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) musicians including Vernon Summers, Luis Haza, and Steven Brewster. Steven Brewster stands out as one of my early music heroes. He was the principal bassist for the NSO and the conductor of the Junior Mount Vernon Orchestra. He believed in my ability and gave me a scholarship to be part of his orchestra. I continued to play while pursuing a degree in Mathematics at James Madison University. I played in the symphony, chamber orchestra, numerous ensembles, and studied privately with Paul McEnderfer. After graduation I took a sabbatical from playing for about 2 years. Though I was classically trained, I was itching to try something different than playing in orchestras. My neighbor in Arlington had a folk band and asked if I wanted to sit in. This was the first time I ever just "jammed" with a group of musicians and loved it even though I often times wasn’t sure what I was doing. After 3 years I decided to move on and met up with Bill Curtis who introduced me to the world of fusion. I was intrigued by the unorthodox style and was challenged by its difficulty. Bill was very patient with me as I made my way through his difficult compositions and my attempts at improvisation. Playing this style of music has been a challenging and exciting adventure. I’ve been playing with Bill for over 5 years as the violinist for Zapotec and Acoustic Tales. My musical influences are diverse. I have the utmost respect for talented musicians whatever genre they play in. In terms of violinists, I have a lot of favorites. From the classical world Itzak Perlman is hands down my favorite with Nigel Kennedy as a close second. From other genres, Jerry Goodman and Jean Luc Ponty top the list. Though music is a big part of my life, I have another life outside of music. I work as a consultant for Oracle Corporation and have been working in the software development arena for about 10 years. Jeremy Cubert I began classical piano lessons at the age of 5 and developed an interest in jazz and progressive rock after my brother taught me a blues scale (an act he still regrets). My Carnegie Recital Hall debut performance at the age of eight, wowed audiences by ending exactly on time. After hearing ELP and Mahavishnu albums on the same day, I knew I had found my musical calling. I took up trumpet in middle school, playing in such notable groups as "Concert Band" and "Jazz Band." Joining forces with the progressive powerhouse 'Quest', I recorded with Quest throughout college while playing solo piano performances around campus. After moving to the DC area in 1990, I formed the 'History of Ties' with Bryan McCune. We played a mixture of blues-based originals, experimental jazz and standards. The 'Ties' played several gigs but negative press coverage of the famous 'multiple tie incident' forced us to go our separate ways. Since then, I have played piano and keyboards in bands such as Jericulus, Brave New World, Zapotec, Acoustic Tales and the mysteriously named Jeremy Cubert Project. I practice intellectual property law by day and wear only one tie at a time (I learned my lesson). Special thanks for musical guidance go to my teachers, family, friends, present and former bandmates, and great artists such as Lyle Mays, Chick Corea, Keith Emerson, Patrick Moraz and Eddie Jobson.

Group Members Bill Curtis, Anna Hubbell, Victor Williams, John Nazdin, Jeremy Cubert

Instruments Guitar, Violin, Bass, Percussion, Piano

Albums Zapotec - Not of Sound Mind, Zapotec - Alpha Centuri, Acoustic Tales - The Archaic Revival, The Archaic Revival - Transformation Number 9

Press Reviews (From Wayside Music) Artist: Archaic Revival, The Title: Transformation Number Nine Extremely nice album of acoustically-based instrumental fusion. An outgrowth of the locally-based Zapotec band, this has wonderful interplay between the piano and violin work, with good guitar work as well, and nice backing on double bass and percussion. Definitely reminiscent of some of John McLaughlin's acoustic-oriented work (a less wild & wooly Shakti, "My Goals Beyond", etc.) - in fact drummer Victor Williams works with John McLaughlin on occasion. Definitely a find for fusion fans. [Psycho-Audible] Zapotec - "Alpha Centuri" - Expose Magazine - November 1999 When I first listened to this disc, I quickly categorized it as jamming space rock. The first track builds from a quite ambiance to a throbbing jazz thrash, consisting almost entirely of an ever-effect-available guitar solo. That first track is misleading. The bulk of the music recorded here is tightly arranged instrument rock on the jazzy side, reminiscent of RTF’s glory days. At times it cooks like Mahavishnu or crashes like Crimson or even floats like Happy the Man (if you can imagine them as a jazz combo). The dominant sounds are Bill Curtis’ electric guitar and Anna Hubbell’s violin, though keyboardist Jeremy Cubert gets in a few good licks. Odd meters abound. Lightning unison lines are balanced by delicate acoustic passages. Curtis is a player of great technical proficiency, with a rapid picking style along the lines of John Goodsall rather than the fluidity of Allan Holdsworth. I find the only real weakness here (and it’s a small one) is the fact that the musicians supporting him, while excellent players, tend to pale a bit behind his flash. But who wouldn’t? Fans of Brand X or Mahavishnu looking for something new would do well to seek out this disc. I hope it’s the first of many by this promising band. – Jim Davis Zapotec Alpha Centuri Review - Progression Magazine - Spring/Summer 1999 Zapotec: Alpha Centuri (CD, 59:50); Psycho-Audible PA-0001 I had heard Zapotec a while back being described as a Mahavishnu Orchestra/Dregs kind of thing. Bill Curtis’s guitar is definitely in the Mahavishnu vein and I hear some of Stan Samole and bits of Corrado Rustici. Anna Hubbell and Dave Kline on violins give a Curved Air tinge to things, as on "Transient". A Magma/Univers Zero angst crops up very nicely. There is a pleasantly eerie aura in "Transient," and Curtis lets it all out in great fusion style - rapid-fire notes in abundance. They outro in a King Crimsonic manic overdrive. "American in Japan (Revisited)" is comparable to early Dregs, with great violin and keys. Curtis’s playing is more Jade Warrior-like than Dregsian on this cut. The song is a journey right back to nostalgic prog fusion. "Nameless Thing" reminded me of a cross between PFM’s Jet Lag and the Dregs again, but with a Mahavishnu-like, mid-song jam. "Dusk" had a laidback, live jam feel to it. It was a Wishbone Ash moment, (one guitar, though) . A piano, drums, and occasional bass were backup for Curtis’s lengthy noodling. Violin joins in for the outro. "Tribal" had a raw-edged, live feel as well. Curtis playing was reverby, and with ample delay. I felt like I was sitting about third row back listening to this jam session. Guitar and violin did a lot of conversational solos. "Spirit Hollow" is Curtis doing the acoustic, Kottke/Tibbetts/Neil Young thang, sans percussion. A wonderful channel-to-channel violin wafts in for the outro. The last 20 minutes of the disc is essentially two extended, space-rockish/jazz-rock fusion jams. One six-minute jam has a noticeable degree of master-tape hiss with an abrupt ending. Recommended fusion with space-rock embellishments. ----John W. Patterson Acoustic Tales - The Archaic Revival Review - Progression Magazine - Winter/Spring 2000 Acoustic Tales: The Archaic Revival (CD, 63:30); Psycho-Audible PA-0002 This is a positively delightful album. Acoustic Tales consists of erstwhile Z apotec members Bill Curtis (guitars, guitar synth, flute and percussion) and Anna Hubbell (electric violin), with guest appearances by a bassist, a pianist and a percussionist. What’s special here is the way this disc was recorded: Original guitar and violin tracks were done live in 1998 at a Border’s Books and Music in Gaithersburg, Md. Everything else was added later. The Archaic Revival has a slight Mahavishnu Orchestra flavor, though with an acoustic emphasis. The music grooves, simmers and flows in playful, occasionally agressive yet mostly laidback fashion. But when we’re talking "laidback," as on "Nagual," for example, it’s certainly not at the expense of chops or seat-of-the-pants interplay. "The Raven," represents the band in a more torqued-up state that most certainly commands attention. Curtis and Hubbell are great instrumental conversationalists who complement one another exquisitely. Jermey Cubert’s embellishments on grand piano deserve kudos, as does the ethnic percussion work by Victor Williams (who, incidentally, performs with John McLaughlin’s Heart of Things). Neat photography of Machu Picchu on the tray cards, as well. This is one of those limited-edition "indie" projects that you can’t help but fall in love with - an inviting listen that stands up well over multiple spins - John Collinge

Location Frederick, MD - USA

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).