The Romanovs (band)
Encyclopedia
The Romanovs are an Indie/Alternative/Classical band from LA. The band consists of Morgan Kibby
(Lead vocalist
and writer
), Ana Lenchantin
(Cello
), Dan Rosa (Piano
), Wesley Precourt (Violin
) and Randy Cooke
(Percussion).
The Romanovs are best known for their high-energy and lustrous live stage performances. The band is often doused in old Victorian
spirit and are usually dressed in a classical
manner while gracing the stages throughout Los Angeles
.
. She had worked on this album mainly as a solo artist providing the vocals, cello and piano on her own. Soon after the release Morgan started performing with a range of musicians which eventually formed the initial line-up of the band. Dan Rosa and Paul Wiancko performed with Morgan on a majority of their live shows including the release party for Beggar’s Alchemy.
In 2005 the band released the LP …and the moon was hungry…. Featured on their first LP
were 7 previous songs from Beggar’s Alchemy with the addition of two new studio recordings (‘Kiss is in the Chemicals’ and ‘China Shop’) and two live recordings (‘I Shot the Monster’ and ‘Sonnet’). Paul provided the cello for the new studio tracks and Wesley Precourt and Elizabeth Hooper provided the violin. Dan and Randy Cooke played drums and piano for the two live tracks. For a short time the group were just known as ‘Morgan’ and soon after evolved into ‘Morgan and the Hidden Hands’. After the release of their LP many live performances started to commence. The band was seen at venues such as the Lava Lounge, The Dragonfly, The Troubador, The Empire Ballroom, The Key Club and The Mint with the addition of Wes on violin and Randy on the drums.
During this time, some members of the band were performing with other artists or working on other projects. Morgan recorded a personalised version of Simon and Garfunkel's ‘Scarborough Fair
’ which was placed on a cover CD. She laid down vocals on movie trailers such as ‘Lady in the Water
’, ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice
’. She also sung on a new track for American Idol
contestant Clay Aiken
. Wes played with Justin Timberlake
at the Grammy’s and was soloing with national orchestras. In late 2006 Paul provided the cello for three new Veruca Salt
tracks (‘Wake Up Dead’, ‘The Sun’ and ‘Salt Flat Epic’ on their new album titled ‘IV’.
In 2007 the band started to re-mix and re-master their former LP …and the moon was hungry…. New percussion, cello, violin, piano and vocals were added to former tracks as well as two new studio recordings titled “Fever Pitch” and “Mr. Okada”. This was the first release with the band operating under their new decided name: The Romanovs. Shortly before the new release of …and the moon was hungry… Paul Wiancko was no longer the cellist for the band and Ana Lenchantin
became their new cello player.
Morgan has recently worked on and completed the score for Daniel Stamm’s documentary “A Necessary Death”. Due to recent success with touring and collaborating with Electronic group M83
, The Romanovs are on an extended hiatus until further notice.
Morgan Kibby
Morgan Kibby is an American singer-songwriter who is based in Los Angeles. She has had various musical projects throughout the years including fronting the LA based indie band The Romanovs, collaborating and touring with the French electronic/ambient group M83, to her most current solo project...
(Lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
), Ana Lenchantin
Ana Lenchantin
Ana Lenchantin is an Argentine-American cellist known for frequent appearances with American rock bands such as Into the Presence The Eels, Gnarls Barkley, No Doubt, Arthur Lee and Love, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, 30 Seconds to Mars, Brian Wilson, Billy Corgan,...
(Cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
), Dan Rosa (Piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
), Wesley Precourt (Violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
) and Randy Cooke
Randy Cooke
Randy Cooke is an established Canadian drummer, percussionist, session musician, and touring musician.-Biography:Influenced by his drummer father, Cooke picked up the drums as a child, learning and playing as part of a local drum corps before starting his own bands as a teenager...
(Percussion).
The Romanovs are best known for their high-energy and lustrous live stage performances. The band is often doused in old Victorian
Victorian fashion
Victorian fashion comprises the various fashions and trends in British culture that emerged and grew in province throughout the Victorian era and the reign of Queen Victoria, a period which would last from June 1837 to January 1901. Covering nearly two thirds of the 19th century, the 63 year reign...
spirit and are usually dressed in a classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
manner while gracing the stages throughout Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
History
In 2003 Morgan released an EP entitled Beggar’s AlchemyAlchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
. She had worked on this album mainly as a solo artist providing the vocals, cello and piano on her own. Soon after the release Morgan started performing with a range of musicians which eventually formed the initial line-up of the band. Dan Rosa and Paul Wiancko performed with Morgan on a majority of their live shows including the release party for Beggar’s Alchemy.
In 2005 the band released the LP …and the moon was hungry…. Featured on their first LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
were 7 previous songs from Beggar’s Alchemy with the addition of two new studio recordings (‘Kiss is in the Chemicals’ and ‘China Shop’) and two live recordings (‘I Shot the Monster’ and ‘Sonnet’). Paul provided the cello for the new studio tracks and Wesley Precourt and Elizabeth Hooper provided the violin. Dan and Randy Cooke played drums and piano for the two live tracks. For a short time the group were just known as ‘Morgan’ and soon after evolved into ‘Morgan and the Hidden Hands’. After the release of their LP many live performances started to commence. The band was seen at venues such as the Lava Lounge, The Dragonfly, The Troubador, The Empire Ballroom, The Key Club and The Mint with the addition of Wes on violin and Randy on the drums.
During this time, some members of the band were performing with other artists or working on other projects. Morgan recorded a personalised version of Simon and Garfunkel's ‘Scarborough Fair
Scarborough Fair
"Scarborough Fair" is a traditional ballad of the United Kingdom.The song tells the tale of a young man, who tells the listener to ask his former lover to perform for him a series of impossible tasks, such as making him a shirt without a seam and then washing it in a dry well, adding that if she...
’ which was placed on a cover CD. She laid down vocals on movie trailers such as ‘Lady in the Water
Lady in the Water
The soundtrack was composed by James Newton Howard. The last four tracks are non-soundtrack songs from singer/songwriter Amanda Ghost, Indie rock band A Whisper in the Noise, and rock 'n' roll revivalists Silvertide. Each of the four songs was written by Bob Dylan...
’, ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, published on 8 July 2000.The novel won a Hugo Award in 2001, the only Harry Potter novel to do so...
’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England...
’. She also sung on a new track for American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
contestant Clay Aiken
Clay Aiken
Clayton Holmes "Clay" Aiken is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and author who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released...
. Wes played with Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
at the Grammy’s and was soloing with national orchestras. In late 2006 Paul provided the cello for three new Veruca Salt
Veruca Salt (band)
Veruca Salt is an alternative rock band founded in 1993 in Chicago, Illinois. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included vocalist-guitarist Louise Post. Guitarist Stephen Fitzpatrick has been with the band since 1999 and drummer Kellii Scott has worked with the group on and off since 1999...
tracks (‘Wake Up Dead’, ‘The Sun’ and ‘Salt Flat Epic’ on their new album titled ‘IV’.
In 2007 the band started to re-mix and re-master their former LP …and the moon was hungry…. New percussion, cello, violin, piano and vocals were added to former tracks as well as two new studio recordings titled “Fever Pitch” and “Mr. Okada”. This was the first release with the band operating under their new decided name: The Romanovs. Shortly before the new release of …and the moon was hungry… Paul Wiancko was no longer the cellist for the band and Ana Lenchantin
Ana Lenchantin
Ana Lenchantin is an Argentine-American cellist known for frequent appearances with American rock bands such as Into the Presence The Eels, Gnarls Barkley, No Doubt, Arthur Lee and Love, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, 30 Seconds to Mars, Brian Wilson, Billy Corgan,...
became their new cello player.
Morgan has recently worked on and completed the score for Daniel Stamm’s documentary “A Necessary Death”. Due to recent success with touring and collaborating with Electronic group M83
M83 (band)
M83 is a musical act by French musician Anthony Gonzalez. It is named after a spiral galaxy, Messier 83. The band was founded in 2001 by Gonzalez and former member Nicolas Fromageau in Antibes, France...
, The Romanovs are on an extended hiatus until further notice.