Skerik (born November 19, 1964) is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics. He is a founding member of Critters Buggin,

Garage a Trois Garage A Trois is an American jazz quartet including drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist Skerik, vibraphone and percussionist Mike Dillon and keyboardist Marco Benevento. They play a variety of music including rock, funk and jazz. History ...

, Ponga,

Tuatara The tuatara (''Sphenodon punctatus'') is a species of reptile endemic to New Zealand. Despite its close resemblance to lizards, it is actually the only extant member of a distinct lineage, the previously highly diverse order Rhynchocephal ...

, and

Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet (also known as SST7) is a jazz ensemble formed in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, in 2002 and led by saxophonist Skerik, Eric "Skerik" Walton.

. He is also an original member of both Les Claypool's Fancy Band and Frog Brigade. Skerik also worked with grunge band Mad Season.

History

Skerik, born Eric Walton, began playing saxophone in the fifth grade. His father's love of jazz was an early inspiration. He played saxophone, keyboards and percussion in a rock band called Uncle Jam. He has cited The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd as bands from that time period who brought saxophone into rock music well. In the 1980s he travelled to London, Paris and the South Pacific working day jobs and playing in a variety of bands. His friendship with Leif Totusek introduced him to

South African music The music of South Africa exhibits a Culture of South Africa, culturally varied musical heritage in conjunction with the Ethnic groups in South Africa, multi-ethnic populace. Genres with the greatest international recognition being Mbube (genr ...

and Zaire

soukous Soukous (from French '' secousse'', "shock, jolt, jerk") is a genre of dance music originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and the Republic of the Congo (formerly French Congo). It derived from Congolese rumba in ...

bands in London where he first began playing music full time.Andrew Clark, Skerik, ''Saxophone Journal'' Volume 27, Number 1, Sept/Oct 2002 Skerik returned to Seattle in the late 1980s where he played with Sadhappy. In the early 1990s he joined three ex-members of New Bohemians to form Critters Buggin (who have remained active through 2008). Projects since that time have included Ponga (

Wayne Horvitz Wayne Horvitz (born September 1, 1955) is an American composer, keyboardist and record producer. He came to prominence in the Downtown scene of 1980s and '90s New York City, where he met his future wife, the singer, songwriter and pianist Robi ...

and

Bobby Previte Bobby Previte (born July 16, 1951 in Niagara Falls, New York) is a drummer, composer, and bandleader. He earned a degree in economics from the University at Buffalo, where he also studied percussion. He moved to New York City in 1979 and began ...

(

Peter Buck Peter Lawrence Buck (born December 6, 1956) is an American musician and songwriter. He was a co-founder and the lead guitarist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.; he played the banjo and mandolin on several R.E.M. songs. Throughout his caree ...

Scott McCaughey Scott Lewis McCaughey is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter and the leader of the Seattle and Portland-based bands The Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus 5. He was also an auxiliary member of the American rock band R.E.M. from 199 ...

and Craig Flory) and solo works of

Stanton Moore Stanton Moore (born July 9, 1972) is an American funk, jazz, and rock drummer from New Orleans. Most widely known as a founding member of Galactic, Moore has also pursued a solo recording career (beginning with his 1998 debut '' All Kooked Out ...

as well as

Garage A Trois Garage A Trois is an American jazz quartet including drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist Skerik, vibraphone and percussionist Mike Dillon and keyboardist Marco Benevento. They play a variety of music including rock, funk and jazz. History ...

(also including

Charlie Hunter Charlie Hunter (born May 23, 1967) is an American guitarist, composer, producer and bandleader. First coming to prominence in the early 1990s, Hunter plays custom-made seven- and eight-string guitars on which he simultaneously plays bass line ...

). Beginning 2000 Skerik was a member of every incarnation of

Les Claypool Leslie Edward Claypool (born September 29, 1963) is an American rock music, rock musician. He is the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the band Primus (band), Primus. Listed as one of the greatest bassists of all time by ...

's Frog Brigade and Fancy Band. In 2001 Skerik played the Pacific Northwest portion of

Roger Waters George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician and singer-songwriter. In 1965, he co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd as the bassist. Following the departure of the group's main songwriter Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became ...

' tour, reproducing the sax lead in "

Money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...

". In 2002, Skerik formed Syncopated Taint Septet with fellow Seattle musicians. After touring nationally, their 2006 studio release ''

Husky Husky is a general term for a type of dog used in the polar regions, primarily and specifically for work as sled dogs. It refers to a traditional northern type, notable for its cold-weather tolerance and overall hardiness. Modern racing huskies ...

'' received very positive reviews. Skerik won the award of "Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year" at the 2003 Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards. Skerik has expressed support of music education for young people and support for activism such as the voting project

HeadCount HeadCount is a national nonprofit organization that works with musicians to promote participation in democracy in the United States. It is one of the largest voter registration organizations, having registered over 1.2 million voters since launch ...

. In interviews he has discussed creative integrity and spontaneity.The Kaycema
Skerik , Serving the Music
''JamBase'', October, 2001, Retrieved December 29, 2008 He has also provided music workshops.

Various projects

Skerik is a founding member of Critters Buggin,

(which has included

, Mike Dillon, and

Marco Benevento Marco Benevento (born July 22, 1977) is an American pianist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who has been a fixture of the New York experimental music rock music, rock and jazz scene since 1999. He is the founder and rec ...

), Crack Sabbath, and The Dead Kenny G's. Skerik is an original member of Les Claypool's Fancy Band and Frog Brigade,

's Ponga and

Coalition of the Willing A ''coalition of the willing'' is a temporary international partnership created for the purpose of achieving a particular objective, usually of military or political nature. Origin The term was coined in the early 1970s by MIT professor Linco ...

and Joe Doria's McTuff. In the 1990s, he was also a member of

(with

) and Seattle-based Sadhappy. Skerik has toured with

Fred Wesley Fred Wesley (born July 4, 1943) is an American trombonist who worked with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s, and Parliament-Funkadelic in the second half of the 1970s. Biography Wesley was born the son of a high school teacher and big band le ...

, Mike Clark and

The Headhunters The Headhunters was an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music. History and band name Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with ...

(Zony Mash), Mad Season and

. He has performed with

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. One of the key bands in the grunge, grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam has outsold and outlasted many of its contemporaries from the early 1990s, ...

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In 1971, Raitt released her Bonnie Raitt (album), self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed Americana (mu ...

The Meters The Meters (later The Funky Meters) are an American funk band formed in 1965 in New Orleans by Zigaboo Modeliste (drums), George Porter Jr. (bass), Leo Nocentelli (guitar) and Art Neville (keyboards). The band performed and recorded their o ...

Galactic Galactic is an American funk band from New Orleans, Louisiana. Origins and background Formed in 1994 as an octet (under the name Galactic Prophylactic) and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to a ...

, Dumpstaphunk, Johnny Vidacovich,

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (or JFJO or The Fred) is an American instrumental music group started in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1994. The band has had 16 different members in 20 years and put out 26 albums under the leadership of keyboardist/composer Brian ...

, and Ween. In Seattle, Skerik leads Seattle-based punk-jazz band

. He is a founding member of Seattle's Crack Sabbath.Trent Moorma
Skerik: Psychic Rushdie Saxophone
''thestranger.com'', January 31, 2008 He is also a member of Seattle-based McTuff. In New Orleans, he is a member of Maelstrom Trio; the trio includes long-time mates keyboardist

Brian Coogan Brian Coogan is a keyboardist and vocalist from New Orleans, Louisiana. A versatile musician, Coogan plays in many different contexts and projects, ranging from funk to jazz to rock, including many subgenres within. He is often found as a sidema ...

and drummer Simon Lott. The Maelstrom Trio combines disparate elements such as free jazz, funk, metal and textural music. Skerik and percussionist Mike Dillon have toured as a trio with New Orleans bassist James Singleton as Illuminasti. Skerik and Dillon also perform as a trio called The Dead Kenny G's with alternate third members. National tours have included keyboardist

Brian Haas Brian Roy Haas (born March 18, 1974) is an American jazz pianist and founding member of the band Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. Haas spent his formative years in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, a suburb of Tulsa. He began studying classical piano at age five. ...

and bassist

Brad Houser John Bradley Houser (September 7, 1960 – July 24, 2023) was an American bass guitar, baritone saxophone and bass clarinet player, originally from Dallas, Texas. He was a co-founding member of the New Bohemians, later to become known as Edie Bric ...

. With Houser they have also toured as "Critters Buggin Trio"; further, in 2009, they released a debut CD entitled ''Bewildered Herd''.Tom D'Anton
Dead Kenny G's at the Goodfoot with David Ornette Cherry
''oregonmusicnews.com'', October 20, 2009 As the band's name implies, there is an expressed disdain for

smooth jazz Smooth jazz is commercially oriented crossover jazz music. Although often described as a "genre", it is a debatable and highly controversial subject in jazz music circles. As a radio format, however, smooth jazz radio became the successor to e ...

and

commercialism Commercialism is the application of both manufacturing and consumption towards personal usage, or the practices, methods, aims, and distribution of products in a free market geared toward generating a profit. Commercialism can also refer, positi ...

. Skerik has described The Dead Kenny G's as a "free-jazz version of

The Melvins ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

Discography

* 2001: ''Psychochromatic'' (Skerik) * 2002: ''

'' ( Ropeadope) * 2002: Black Frames ''

Solarallergy ''Solarallergy'' is a jazz and rock instrumental album by Black Frames. Black Frames is a collaborative project by Skerik, Mike Dillon, Earl Harvin and Brad Houser from 2002. The album was accompanied by a national tour. Between the musicians are ...

'' (independent) * 2004: Crack Sabbath ''Bar Slut'' (Independent) * 2006: ''Left for Dead in Seattle'' (1995–2003 independent) * 2006: Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet ''

'' (Hyena) * 2009: The Dead Kenny G's ''Bewildered Herd'' (independent) * 2010: Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet '' Live at The Triple Door'' ( Royal Potato Family) * 2011: The Dead Kenny G's ''Operation: Long Leash'' (independent) * 2012: Skerik's Bandalabra ''Live at the Royal Room'' (Royal Potato Family) * 2012: Skerik's Bandalabra ''Live at the Comet'' (independent) * 2017: Skerik ''live at the Chapel volume 1'' * 2019: Skerik ''live at the Chapel volume 2'' With Critters Buggin * 1994: ''

Guest A guest is person who is given hospitality. Guest or The Guest may refer to: * Guest (surname), people with the surname ''Guest'' * USS ''Guest'' (DD-472), U.S. Navy ''Fletcher''-class destroyer 1942–1946 * Guest appearance, guest actor, guest ...

'' (Loosegroove) * 1997: ''

Host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County * Host Island, in the Wilhelm Archipelago, Antarctica People * ...

'' (Loosegroove) * 1997: '' Monkeypot Merganzer'' (Loosegroove) * 1998: ''Bumpa'' (Loosegroove) * 1998: ''

Amoeba An amoeba (; less commonly spelled ameba or amœba; : amoebas (less commonly, amebas) or amoebae (amebae) ), often called an amoeboid, is a type of Cell (biology), cell or unicellular organism with the ability to alter its shape, primarily by ...

'' (Loosegroove) * 2004: ''

Stampede A stampede () is a situation in which a group of large animals suddenly start running in the same direction, especially because they are excited or frightened. Although the term is most often applied to animals, there are cases of humans stamped ...

'' (Ropeadope) * 2007: ''Get the Clackervalve and the Old Clobberd Biscuits Out and Smack the Grand Ham Clapper's Mother'' (DVD) * 2009: ''Live in 95 at the OK Hotel – Seattle 1995'' (independent) * 2020: ''Count Cancelled'' Live 2001 Disastour (available on Bandcamp) With

* 2001: Les Claypool's Frog Brigade '' Live Frogs Set 1'' ( Prawn Song) * 2001: Les Claypool's Frog Brigade '' Live Frogs Set 2'' (Prawn Song) * 2002: Les Claypool's Frog Brigade '' Purple Onion'' (Prawn Song) * 2005: '' 5 Gallons Of Diesel'' (DVD – Prawn Song) * 2006: '' Of Whales and Woe'' (Prawn Song) * 2007: ''

Fancy Fancy may refer to: Music Albums * ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970 * ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997 * ''Fancy'' (video), a 2007 video album by Les Claypool Songs * "Fancy" (Bobbie Gentry song), 1969, covered by Reba McEntire in 19 ...

'' (DVD – Prawn Song) With

* 1998: '' All Kooked Out!'' ( Fog City) * 1999: Garage a Trois '' Mysteryfunk'' (Fog City) * 2002: '' Flyin' the Koop'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * '' The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee h ...

) * 2003: Garage a Trois ''

Emphasizer ''Emphasizer'' is the first full length studio album by Garage A Trois Garage A Trois is an American jazz quartet including drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist Skerik, vibraphone and percussionist Mike Dillon and keyboardist Marco Benevento ...

'' (Tone Cool) * 2005: Garage a Trois ''

Outre Mer ''Outre Mer'' is the second full-length studio album by Garage A Trois released in 2005. Combining drums, percussion, eight-string guitar and saxophone, it is funk-influenced and emphasizes polyrhythmic grooves.Stephen LatessOutre Mer''All About ...

'' (

Telarc Telarc International Corporation is an American audiophile independent record label founded in 1977 by two classically trained musicians and former teachers, Jack Renner and Robert Woods. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the label has had a long assoc ...

) * 2006: '' III'' (Telarc) * 2009: Garage a Trois ''

Power Patriot ''Power Patriot'' is the third studio album by Garage A Trois. It is the first CD with the musician line-up that includes Stanton Moore, Skerik, Mike Dillon and Marco Benevento. It was released October 2009.Keith SperGarage A Trois ranges from ...

'' ( Royal Potato Family) * 2011: Garage a Trois '' Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil'' (Royal Potato Family) * 2021: Garage a Trois '' Calm Down Cologne'' (Royal Potato Family) With

* 1998: Ponga ''Ponga'' (Loosegroove) * 1999: Ponga ''Remix'' (CD and clear vinyl) (Loosegroove) * 2000: Ponga ''Psychological'' (

P-Vine P-Vine Records is an independent record label based in Tokyo, Japan. History It was started in 1976 by Blues Interactions, a firm founded in 1975 by Yasufumi Higurashi and Akira Kochi, as a record label focused on black music. The label name ...

) * 2006: Bobby Previte – Jamie Saft – Skerik ''Live in Japan 2003'' (Word Public – DVD) * 2006: Beta Popes ''Live Hate'' * 2006: ''

'' (Ropeadope) * 2007: ''April in New York'' – DVD * 2008: Beta Popes ''White Hate'' (Veal) With Sadhappy * 1992: ''Depth Charge'' (Periscope) * 1994: ''Before We Were Dead – Live'' (Periscope) * 1994: ''The Good, Bad and the Skary'' (Periscope) With others * 1992: My Name Megacrush (C/Z Records) * 1995: Mad Season ''

Above Above may refer to: *Above (artist) Tavar Zawacki (b. 1981, California) is a Polish, Portuguese - American abstract artist and internationally recognized visual artist based in Berlin, Germany. From 1996 to 2016, he created work under the ...

'' (Columbia) * 1995: Mad Season '' Live at the Moore'' (Columbia - DVD) * 1996:

'' Breaking the Ethers'' (Epic) * 1996: PHO BAC ''PHO BAC presents Afrophobia'' (Headrush) * 1997: Suicide Jack ''In Churches and Saloons'' (Sujack) * 1997: Timothy Young ''with very special people'' (Endless) * 1998: Tuatara '' Trading with the Enemy'' (Epic) * 1998: Calm Down Juanita ''Calm Down Juanita'' (

Echo In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the lis ...

) * 1999: Hairy Apes BMX '' Expatriape'' (AW/VR) * 2000: Suicide Jack ''Honky Tonk Suicide'' (Sujack) * 2000:

Four Plus One Ensemble '' From a Window'' (

Avant Avant can refer to: People * Avant, part of music production team Bloodshy & Avant * Avant (singer), Myron Avant, an American singer * Clarence Avant, a music executive * Jason Avant, is a US American football player Places * Avant, Oklahoma, ...

) * 2002: Calm Down Juanita ''Undertown'' (Independent) * 2002: Tuatara '' Cinemathique'' (Fast Horse) * 2003:

''Symbiosis Osmosis'' (Kufala) * 2003: Jacek Kochan ''New Expensive Head'' (Gowi) * 2003: The Mackrosoft '' Journey to Vaginus'' (Independent) * 2003:

The Clinton Administration Bill Clinton's tenure as the 42nd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1993, and ended on January 20, 2001. Clinton, a Democrat from Arkansas, took office following his victory over Republican in ...

''One Nation Under a Re-Groove'' (Magnatude) * 2004:

Barrett Martin Barrett Harrington Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American drummer and record producer from Washington. He is perhaps best known for his work with the alternative rock bands Screaming Trees and Mad Season. He was also a member of Skin Yard ...

''The Painted Desert'' (Fast Horse) * 2007: Hella ''There's No 666 in Outer Space'' (Ipecac) * 2008:

Kayo Dot Kayo Dot is an American avant-garde metal band. Formed in 2003 by Toby Driver after the break-up of Maudlin of the Well, they released their debut album ''Choirs of the Eye'' on John Zorn's Tzadik Records that same year. Since then, Kayo Dot' ...

'' Blue Lambency Downward'' ( Hydra Head) * 2008:

Todd Sickafoose Todd Sickafoose is an American jazz and rock musician, composer, and producer/engineer from San Francisco, California. He is best known for playing acoustic bass and keyboards with Ani DiFranco but has also led his own group, Todd Sickafoose's ...

''Tiny Resistors'' ( Cryptogramophone) * 2008: Good Guys ''The Social Engagement'' (In the Dark) * 2009: McTuff ''Volume 1'' (McTuff/Joe Doria Music) * 2012: Zony Mash + Horns (

) ''Live at the Royal Room'' * 2014:

Eyvind Kang Eyvindur Y. Kang (born 23 June 1971) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist. His primary instrument is viola, but has also performed on violin, tuba, keyboard instruments, keyboards and others. In addition to his solo work, Kang has w ...

'' Alastor: Book of Angels Volume 21'' (

Tzadik Tzadik ( ''ṣaddīq'' , "righteous ne; also ''zadik'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadīqīm'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The root of the word ...

) * 2014: Dionvox ''Your Name'' (RZY) * 2014: Omaha Diner ''Omaha Diner'' (independent) * 2015: DRKWAV ''The Purge'' with John Medeski-keys, Adam Deitch-drums, Skerik-saxophones and electronics * 2016: Khu eeX ''The Wilderness Within'' with Bernie Worrell, Preston Singletary, Stanton Moore, etc. * 2017: Khu eeX ''They forgot they survived'' with Bernie Worrell, Preston Singletary, etc. * 2020: Khu eeX '' Heen'' with Bernie Worrell, Preston Singletary, etc. * 2020: Nels Cline ''Share the Wealth'' with Cyro Batista, Trevor Dunn, Scott Amendola, Brian Marsella, Skerik

References

External links

Skerik: Concept is All Anyone Cares About
Interview with Paul Olsen at ''

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

'', October 2006
An Interview with Skerik on TheWaster.com Skerik Talks Emerald Quintet, OG Garage A Trois, Mad Season, & More
Interview with B. Getz at
Live For Live Music
'' November 19, 2019
Skerik: A Hint of Revolution
Interview with Andrew Luthringer at Earshot Jazz, November 2015 {{DEFAULTSORT:Skerik American funk saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz saxophonists Living people Mad Season (band) members The Minus 5 members Musicians from Seattle Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade members Critters Buggin members Les Claypool's Fancy Band members 21st-century American saxophonists American male jazz musicians The Coalition of the Willing (band) members Garage A Trois members Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet members Ponga (band) members 1964 births