Album Notes

This was our first studio CD, and it was pretty much recorded live on a shoe-string budget. It's got a funky singer/songwriter sound to it, and we like it. It got a bit of air play on WXPN 88.5 in Philadelphia, home of the World Cafe, and WDYI in Allentown.

Our latest CD, released in May 2006 is Life's a Mess Let's Dance. For this CD we pulled out all the stops. It's slick and produced with more of a world beat sound. So if you want to see what we've evolved into, check it out.

And just who is King Platypus?

Well, Jim Harris and Jake Michael started playing together in the late 1990s, when it seemed like open mikes were springing up all over the Philadelphia area. The two singer-songwriters were regulars at small pubs and coffeehouses such as Biddle's Café, the Folk Factory, the Dog House and Tom Gala's legendary Bothy Club at the Mermaid Inn.

Jim Harris was a child of the 50s, who grew up watching the Ernie Kovacs show and eventually got turned on to the Beatles, who inspired him to form his own band, the Dirtbobs. During the 1960s Jim honed his musical skills, backing up performers such as the Delphonics and Chubby Checker, and after that moved on to playing classical cello and jazz guitar.

Jake Michael was a child of the 70s, who grew up watching Sesame Street, and eventually got turned on to a British singer with the nom de plume Elvis Costello, who inspired him to write and record songs using the name J. Shiva Oppenheimer. Jake taught himself to play guitar, banjo and dulcimer after his mom inspired him with stories of her grandfather, who used to play fiddle in Indiana.

Normally Jim and Jake play acoustic venues without drums, but on this CD they are joined by Daoud Shaw, who has played drums for Van Morrison. You may have heard him playing on Morrison's classic hit Domino. Daoud recorded, mixed and mastered this CD, along with providing his musical insights. We are grateful for his contribution and encouragement.

If you are thinking of recording a CD in Phildelphia check out his studio web page which you can google under "Radioactive Productions."