Member Since: 12/23/2005
Band Website: www.druidsisters.com
Band Members:
Claudia Paige- drummer / percussionist
Claudia has had the great opportunity at a young age playing drums with bands, JEFFERSON STARSHIP, GRATEFUL DEAD, THE BYRDS to STEELY DAN. Claudia recently toured with LINDA PERRY of the 4-NON BLONDES, (of PINK, CHRISTINA AGUILERA), as well as having played with JERRY GARCIA, THE GRATEFUL DEAD, BONNIE RAITT, RAY WHITE-FRANK ZAPPA, GENE PARSONS, BEN ATKINS-MICHEAL JACKSON, TITO PUENTE, NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN (ARETHA FRANKLIN) BRUCE BARTHOL-COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH & BENNY RIETVELD (Bass player for Santana).
Claudia Paige has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe in 47 states and over 10 countries, including the UNITED NATIONS in Bosnia, Hungary & Croatia. She has performed and composed music in musical theaters, including the Tony Award-winning Theater Company, SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE, composing & touring nationally. International tours include sponsorship by CANNES FILM FESTIVAL for the film "In America"/Angry Women's Festival, Loft Concerts sponsored tour of Berlin Germany & Vienna, Austria and performances at the German Consulate & the Goethe Institute.
Major Festivals include; Playboy Jazz Festival, Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles/Laguna Seca Days Music Festival, Monterey with ANI DEFRANCO, JOAN OSBORN, BEN HARPER, BOB WEIR/World Expo Fair, Vancouver, Canada/Whole Earth Fair, Davis, Calif. with PAPA Wembe, BOZ SCAGGS, ELVIN BISHOP/Monterey Jazz Festival with SPYRO GYRA & THE YELLOWJACKETS/Blues by the Bay, SF, with B.B. KING & JOHN LEE HOOKER.
Claudia has shared the stage with BABATUNDE OLATUNJI, ZAP MAMA, GEORGE CLINTON, NATALIE MERCHANT, JELLO BIAFRA, THE RAMONES, GREEN DAY, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, FAITH NO MORE, CHRIS ISAAK, GANG OF FOUR, VINCE WELLNICK, THE TUBES, PRIMUS, VIOLENT FEMMES, LINDA HOPKINS, 10,000 MANIACS, TOWER OF POWER, WALL OF VOODOO, THE GOGOS, LYDIA LUNCH and more.
Claudia's one of a kind drumming brings an eclectic world rhythm style, Shamanic tribal trance grooves and a funky African/rock to the music. Claudia takes you on a high tribal journey of grooves to make anyone want to dance!. For full bio www.claudiathedrummer.com
Cyoakha Grace- voice / keys / harmonium
Cyo joins DRUIDS from her band, LAND OF THE BLIND, the "Electronic Shamanic" international touring duo, produced three award-winning CDs & playing all the major alternative festivals, from 7 years as an OREGON COUNTRY FAIR favorite, to 6 years performing to thousands at BURNING MAN, including being House Casbah Band for the EMBASSY, to the recent international ADELAIDE FRINGE FESTIVAL '06 (only 2 American acts chosen world-wide), Adelaide, Australia.
The ground-breaking Blind (former members from SANTANA, Dan Reed Network, & THE HARRY PARTCH Ensemble) mixes World, Tribal, Trance and Dance. Also lead singer for SFs World-Fusion-Prog-Rock" band, AZIGZA, she toured internationally for 4 years to critical acclaim & 2 amazing CDs. Guest singer & musician with well-known San Francisco's favorite avant innovators, BIG CITY ORCHESTRA, that recently opened for THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS, as well as featured in the ILLUMINATED CORRIDOR PROJECT (Oakland Opera Company). BCO produced 3 cd set "WOMEN BRING BACK THE NOISE" Cyo joins avant female composers from around the world.
Cyo's amazing 4 octave voice & wild stage presence won her the awards- BEST OVERALL PERFORMER and BEST VOCALIST, (International PROG FEST) She has also won Young Composers awards from A.S.C.A.P., NY, for her self-produced 2nd BLIND CD "OUT OF CHAOS". She has recorded with many projects, from crazy comedy with Rhan Wilson of THOTH to back up rock. Cyoakha is also a live looper and recently was a hit at the International Live Looping Festival, Y2K7.
Cyoakha has shared stage with PATTI SMYTH, JEFFERSON STARSHIP, SKY CRIES MARY, CRITTERS BUGGIN', TRILLIAN GREEN, CHEMICAL BROTHERS, SCOTT HUCKABAY, LOST AT LAST, JOANNE RAND, KALI'S ANGELS, and international bands: WENDY RULE, SHOOGLENIFTY, ANKH, THE NECKS, & SARS. Currently composing her second full length soundtrack, for H.P. LOVECRAFT'S novel Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath as well as composing music for indie movies & tv. SF projects full bio www.landoftheblind.com Soundtrack/films bio www.cyoakhagrace.com Cyo says Druid Sisters rock out live and she being the trance in dance!
Kathy Buys- violin
Kathy has been playing violin for 32 years from the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA to the STOCKTON SYMPHONY and the rock band SANDPIT. She recently released her solo album of Celtic and original music & plays with her Celtic band, HORSES' GREEN in the bay area as well as Celtic trio BRACKEN. More about Kathy, www.dragonsdance.net Kathy's fantastic fiddling brings the jig out in everyone!
Jan Martinelli - bass
Jan recently joined the Druid Sisters to everyone's delight cause this girl can kick it hard! Jan is a driving funk, eclectic world bass player with styles from around the world, African, Middle Eastern, Afro-Cuban, Latin, Indian funk, rock and more. Jan has toured with dozens of bands, playing major festivals, performance halls and clubs around the country, and has more than twenty recordings to her credit.
Some of the artists she has worked with are Terry Garthwaite, Larry Lynch, Holly Near, the Blazing Redheads, Mary Watkins, Robin Flower, Linda Tillery, Orquesta Once, Adriana Moreno, Mutama and the Tamarind Quintet.
Jan is an original member of Wild Mango, a seven piece World ensemble that toured nationally and internationally and has produced multiple releases. She has performed at many festivals including the Barbados Music Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Aspen Jazz Festival, Smithsonian and more.... She has shared the stage with Manhattan Transfer, Poncho Sanchez, Joe Lovano and more. Jan brings the FUNK-A-DELIC driving grooves to the "Druids Sisters Tea Party".
Kate Aragon - bass
Kate was part of the original Druid Sisters for the past 4 years and she still sits in with us now to our great delight! We Love her dearly!
Marcie Brown- acoustic & electric cello
Marcie joined the Druids from CIRQUE du SOLEIL's Las Vegas "O" show Marcie shared stage with such majors as RAY CHARLES, DIZZIE GILLESPIE, STING and YUSEF LATEEF. Her lovely gypsy cello flavors Druid's live CD "GYPSY LOVE CARAVAN" and Marcie, Claudia
and Cyoakha do casual gigs as TEA TRIO.
Tricia Godwin- acoustic and electric guitars
Part of the Tea Party, Tricia Recorded with the Druid Sisters on the album “Gypsy Love Caravanâ€. She is an occasional member and currently is a recording artist for Urban Life.
Influences: AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM MOUTH MUSIC CELTIC FIDDLING WORLD TRANCE GYPSY MUSIC
Sounds Like: nothing you have ever heard before!
something you have to dance to!
Record Label: SACRED CLOWN RECORDS
Type of Label: Indie