The Solomon band has been performing in the Greater Boston area since 1998. Combining elements of folk, jazz, blues, country, pop and rock, Solomon is a vocal-oriented, primarily acoustic trio that combines intelligent lyrics, melodies one can hum, a variety of rhythmic styles, and instrumental improvisation. Although the band previously recorded two demo CDs, "Solomon, An Original Band" (1998) and "Four Shortened" (2000), the just released "Not Life Threatening" (2002) is their first full-length, commercially available album. Though just a demo, "Four Shortened" received radio play in such diverse places as Texas, Utah, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Toronto Canada, and Portugal. In May 2000, a review of the disk in Impact Magazine stated, "Surrounded by quirky, guitar-based music and filled in with creative, poetic, intelligent lyrics, Solomon proves that folk isn't dead." It also compared its sound to Cat Stevens meets Barenaked Ladies meets Bob Dylan..."
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Lenny Solomon began his career in the late 1960s. A fixture in the old Idler Coffeehouse in Harvard Square, he regularly performed there on Friday nights for over eight years. The Idler was a training ground for such luminaries as Geoff Bartley, Paul Rishell, Spider John Koerner, and Ric Ocasek. During his years as a solo performer he shared bills with such performers as Chris Smither, Carolyn Hester, Bonnie Raitt, and Spider John.
Drummer/percussionist Dennis Gurgul has been playing since the late 1970s. He's been in several rock bands including The Seals, Urban Eyes, Craw-Not-Craw, Hogs On Ice, and the LCDs. An extremely versatile musician, he's performed with swing bands, jazz and rock bands, as well as with a jazz flute playing poet. Bill Gibbs, who plays lead guitar, lap steel, banjo, and mandolin for the group (as well as singing harmony vocals), has had various musical experiences including playing bass in a metal band, playing guitar in jazz combos, and performing for several years with the popular Massachusetts South Shore cover band "The Accelerators." Bill's musical influences range from Holst's "The Planets," to Billie Holliday, to ZZTop.
Not Life Threatening has been played on radio stations around the country from Maine to Texas, as well as stations in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit the band's Web site at http://www.solomonband.com
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