Tribal Tech
Encyclopedia
Tribal Tech is a progressive fusion
band, originally formed in 1984 by guitarist Scott Henderson
and bass player Gary Willis
. From 1993 forward the band included Scott Kinsey
on keyboard and Kirk Covington
on drums, and has produced nine album
s that stretch the borders between blues
, jazz
, and rock
. The band dissolved following the release of 2000's Rocket Science, with the various members pursuing solo careers.
In September, 2009 Scott Kinsey announced on a Facebook group devoted to Tribal Tech that the band was reforming to record an album in May, 2010 for the Tone Center/Shrapnel label
. In a March 2011 interview with jazzuality.com, Henderson confirmed that he and Willis have already laid down some thirty jams that are to be the basis of a forthcoming Tribal Tech album.
Former members:
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
band, originally formed in 1984 by guitarist Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson is a fusion and blues guitarist best known for his work with the band Tribal Tech.-Early days:Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Henderson began playing guitar at an early age...
and bass player Gary Willis
Gary Willis
Gary Willis is an American bassist and composer known foremost as the co-founder of the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech. Aside from his work in Tribal Tech, Willis has worked with numerous other jazz musicians including Wayne Shorter, Dennis Chambers, and Allan Holdsworth...
. From 1993 forward the band included Scott Kinsey
Scott Kinsey
Scott Kinsey is a keyboardist best known for his work with the jazz fusion group Tribal Tech and for his contributions to soundtracks for major motion pictures, notably Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's Twelve...
on keyboard and Kirk Covington
Kirk Covington
Kirk Covington is a drummer best known for his work with the jazz fusion group Tribal Tech. Born in Midland, Texas, he attended the highly regarded University of North Texas College of Music where he met bassist Gary Willis, with whom he later joined Tribal Tech...
on drums, and has produced nine album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s that stretch the borders between blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. The band dissolved following the release of 2000's Rocket Science, with the various members pursuing solo careers.
In September, 2009 Scott Kinsey announced on a Facebook group devoted to Tribal Tech that the band was reforming to record an album in May, 2010 for the Tone Center/Shrapnel label
Tone Center Records
Tone Center Records is an independent record label owned by music industry veteran Mike Varney, dedicated to recording high level jazz, jazz/rock, and fusion guitar. It is a member of The Shrapnel Label Group, along with Shrapnel Records and Blues Bureau International...
. In a March 2011 interview with jazzuality.com, Henderson confirmed that he and Willis have already laid down some thirty jams that are to be the basis of a forthcoming Tribal Tech album.
Personnel
These are the members of what would be considered the classic (post-Nomad) Tribal Tech quartet:- Scott HendersonScott HendersonScott Henderson is a fusion and blues guitarist best known for his work with the band Tribal Tech.-Early days:Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Henderson began playing guitar at an early age...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Gary WillisGary WillisGary Willis is an American bassist and composer known foremost as the co-founder of the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech. Aside from his work in Tribal Tech, Willis has worked with numerous other jazz musicians including Wayne Shorter, Dennis Chambers, and Allan Holdsworth...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Scott KinseyScott KinseyScott Kinsey is a keyboardist best known for his work with the jazz fusion group Tribal Tech and for his contributions to soundtracks for major motion pictures, notably Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's Twelve...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Kirk CovingtonKirk CovingtonKirk Covington is a drummer best known for his work with the jazz fusion group Tribal Tech. Born in Midland, Texas, he attended the highly regarded University of North Texas College of Music where he met bassist Gary Willis, with whom he later joined Tribal Tech...
- drumDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
s
Former members:
- David Goldblatt - keyboards
Discography
- SpearsSpears (Tribal Tech album)Spears is the 1985 debut album by fusion band Tribal Tech, a project led by guitarist Scott Henderson and bassist Gary Willis.-Track listing:#"Caribbean" – 8:13#"Punkin Head" – 5:10#"Ivy Towers" – 4:49#"Tribal" – 2:12#"Spears" – 7:10...
(1985) - Dr. HeeDr. HeeDr. Hee is the second album by fusion band Tribal Tech, a project led by guitarist Scott Henderson and bassist Gary Willis.-Track listing: #"Dr...
(1987) - NomadNomad (Tribal Tech album)Nomad is the third album by fusion band Tribal Tech, a project led by guitarist Scott Henderson and bassist Gary Willis.-Track listing: #"Renegade" – 5:51#"Nomad" – 7:18...
(1989) - Tribal TechTribal Tech (album)Tribal Tech is the fourth album by the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech, released in 1991.-Track listing:#"Signal Path"#"Big Girl Blues"#"Dense Dance"#"Got Tuh B"#"Peru"#"Elvis At The Hop"#"The Necessary Blonde"#"Fight The Giant"#"Sub Aqua"...
(1991) - Illicit (1992)
- Face FirstFace FirstFace First is the sixth album by jazz fusion band Tribal Tech. It was released in 1993.-Track listing:# "Face First" – 7:04# "Canine" – 6:24# "After Hours" – 7:23# "Revenge Stew" – 6:07# "Salt Lick" – 9:45# "Uh.....
(1993) - Primal Tracks (compilation) (1994)
- Reality Check (1995)
- ThickThick (album)Thick is an album by the fusion jazz band Tribal Tech released in 1999. As a contrast to Tribal Tech's previous recordings, the album features less compositional material and is based largely on improvization.-Track listing:#"Sheik of Encino"...
(1999) - Rocket ScienceRocket Science (Tribal Tech album)Rocket Science is the tenth album by the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech released in 2000.-Track listing:#"Saturn 5"#"Astro Chimp"#"Song Holy Hall"#"Rocket Science"#"Sojlevska"#"Mini Me"#"Space Camel"#"Moonshine"#"Cap'n Kirk"#"The Econoline"...
(2000)