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"...and thou art as an Enchanted Ape under God's sky, where thou mightest have been a man, had proper schoolmasters and conquerors, and constables with cat o'nine tails, been vouchsafed thee: dost thou call that liberty?"
-Thomas Carlyle, 1843


*Thomas Carlyle was a 19th century Scottish writer who held a grave distaste for non-conformists, or "enchanted apes," as he called them. He argued that freedom should be reserved for the wealthy and the privileged, and those who refuse to accept their proper place in society are little more than sub-human apes. We'll take that as a compliment.

ABOUT THE BAND
BAND MEMBERS

Enchanted Ape's unique approach to roots music strikes a balance between the worlds of acoustic and electric, blues and jazz, chaos and order. An array of carefully-crafted songs are set free to develop organically, elevating the music to dramatic peaks that can only be achieved by taking chances.

The band's sound originates from acoustic folk and blues, but if you've seen them live, you know they are anything but traditional. Tribal percussion, blistering guitar work and soulful vocal harmonies all contribute to the group's dynamic performances. Described as passionate, unpredictable and downright freaky, the Ape tears into its material with unbridled enthusiasm night after night.

Enchanted Ape's earthy sound, improvisational flair and grassroots approach has drawn comparisons to such influential acts as the Allman Brothers Band, Little Feat, Widespread Panic and String Cheese Incident.

Since the release of their debut album in 2005, the band has toured practically non-stop, highlighted by appearances at 10,000 Lakes Festival and Milwaukee's Summerfest. This spring, the Ape released their second album, Off The Ground.

For the members of Enchanted Ape, their greatest motivation is to expand and refine the live shows that have earned them a growing legion of fans. "Onstage is the one place where we're truly comfortable," says singer/songwriter Chris O'Brien. "All the time we put into recording, traveling and everything else is done so that we can get up in front of an audience and let something happen that's bigger than us. That's the beauty of music. It's a force with a mind all its own."

Click on a musician to see a bio:
Rob Bruce
bass, vocals
Brad Danielson
percussion, vocals
Chris O’Brien
acoustic/slide guitar, vocals
Pat Riddle
electric guitar, vocals

Our Extended Family
Jason Craft, organ and piano
Amanda Hawkinson, vocals
Larry Koszewski, bass
Dave Leannais, electric guitar
Peter Leisz, sound engineer
Bobby Patrick, electric guitar
Matthew Probst, electric cello
Kevin Sinclair, saxophone
Joe Thielen, guitar