Michael Zentner

..Founding member of Washington DC Art Rock band, “The Muffins”: "Best progressive rock band in the USA…" - 'Trouser Press Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock'. Left "Muffins" and moved to NYC. Worked with manager/producer Georgio Gemelski (Rolling Stones/Yardbirds) on various projects including Georgio's "ZU" band (which later morphed into "Material") as one of it's founding members along with Bill Lazwell, Cliff Cultreri, Michael Beinhorn, and Fred Maher. Toured England and France with British saxophonist Lol Coxhill, "Henry Cow" allumni and others. First solo album “Present Time” released in the US, Europe, and Japan, featuring musicians Daevid Allen, Carla Bley, Kenwood Dennard, Fred Frith, Percy Jones, and Hansford Rowe. While the album received consistently high marks from critics, it's harp and violin duet "Tears and Spheres" became one of the first of the New Age offerings being aired on US radio. The piece was later used along with music from Dave Grusin's album “Night Lines” to comprise the score of the art film Gallery, which aired on Public Television and shown in installation at The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Founding member of Peter Blegvad's “Big Guns” (precursor to “The Golden Palominos”) with Carla Bley and the “Palominos'” Anton Fier, Bill Laswell, and Blegvad. “Chronometers”, a CD of previously unreleased material from The Muffins, is released. Performed group and solo electric violin concerts in the US, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and Latin America along with some session work in Los Angeles and New York City. Various television and radio appearances and interviews including a live performance and interview on "En Vivo", viewed by tens of millions on three continents. Originally released on vinyl, "Present Time" is re-mastered and reissued on Compact Disk. Recorded self produced second solo album “Playtime” with drummers Omar Hakim, Jerry Marotta and Simon Phillips; bassists Jeff Berlin, Anthony Jackson, Percy Jones, Tony Levin and Billy Sheehan; Guitarists Steve Caton, Ray Gomez, Robby Krieger, Vernon Reid and Michael Lawrence; along with pianist Dizzy Reed. Produced "Carpet Crawlers" for a Genesis tribute album with Michael Zentner - Vocals; John Goodsall - Guitar; Tommy Mars - Keys; Jeff Berlin - Bass and Tos Panos - Drums. Embarked on a series of Duo concerts and group performances with John Goodsall. Various appearances in Los Angeles, performing with a variety of musicians including Patrick Moraz (Yes), Tom Fowler (Zappa), Chad Smith ("Red Hot Chili Peppers"). Some US performances and intermittent but extensive touring in Europe and Latin America including print, radio and television interviews in support of Playtime. "Clean Machine" video from "Playtime" is aired in rotation in over a hundred television markets in the US. "Clean Machine" video is aired in various countries in Europe and Latin America. Thirty second PSA edit of Clean Machine is adopted by Dutch health department (GGD) as a drug education tool for Dutch schools and television.