Evan D Williams Band
Biography
Hobby-Horse Records founder Lauren V. Kasper introduced Evan D. Williams to a couple of her friends at the Ithaca College School of Music in 2005. After a few windy practice sessions on the rooftop of a dormitory, with the trio gathered with their instruments around lyric sheets held down with rocks, the Evan D. Williams Band was born. E.j. added tasteful basslines to Evan's folky songs while Betsy contributed classically-trained violin chops and the occasional sweet harmony vocal. Both brought to the table far-flung musical influences, from neominimalism to Broadway, and priceless senses of humor.
They played a few free shows around town and completed a home-recorded album before Betsy's departure to the West Coast. Evan and E.j., joined by various talented guests, have continued to play free shows and benefit concerts in the Finger Lakes region. In addition to performing Evan's compositions and cover choices, they have collaborated on a suite of prog-folk songs about the Nordic countries as well as a number of educational children's songs (The Loud and Soft Song; Zombies Are People Too) under the moniker Junior & The Northern Lights.
The Evan D. Williams Band released their full-length album, They Just Kept Finding Empty Bottles, in December 2007 on Hobby-Horse Records. It includes 10 original songs engineered and co-produced by Savannah James Sawyer. Half the tracks feature the EDWB acoustic trio, while the other half are more electrified solo endeavors with such guests as Jon Hirschberger (Eager Got Agitated, Dirac), Gordon Rowland (The Common Railers), Jon Ochshorn (Rollo) and Ken Zeserson (Side Show, Radio London, The Yaardvarks). The humble project was executive-produced by Lauren V. Kasper and is available for nationwide purchase (CD Baby) and digital download (iTunes, etc.)
The EDWB (sans E.j., who was busy with his trombone) completed a four-song EP in May 2008 featuring Wren Albertson-Rogers on drums, Nate Clark on mandolin and Mike Greenberg on pedal steel. The EP is not for sale, but two of the tracks are available for listening here.
For more information visit:
www.myspace.com/evandwilliamsband
