Instrumental rock with jazz leanings featuring Chapman Stick, tapped guitars and drums.

9 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Instrumental Rock, JAZZ: Jazz-Rock

Show all album songs: First Witness (Live at the Belly Up) Songs


Details:
The conspiracy began in June of 1999 with the release of Agent 22âs self titled debut. Centered on the Chapman Stick®, an instrument most people have never heard of, and dual tapped guitars, Agent 22 has been nothing but unique since they began. Their music has been called alternative, jazz, rock, progressive rock, fusion, funk... the aliases are many, and yet they have demonstrated a universal appeal by building up a grass roots following that includes everything from high school and college students to retirees.

While their instrumentation of Chapman Stick, dual tapped guitars and drums makes originality a given, the musicianship of Agent 22âs members is what makes the music something special. Tom Griesgraber is widely known as one of the top Chapman Stick players in the world. He has performed several times for the Grammys, toured the world with ex-Peter Gabriel drummer Jerry Marotta and opened for a whoâs who of instrumental artists like The California Guitar Trio, The Tony Levin Band, Al Dimeola, Andy Summers and Adrian Belew. Guitarist Jimmy Pattonâs uncanny ability to play two guitars at once helped him win Guitar Centerâs national âGuitarmageddonâ competition in 2001, beating out over 3000 guitarists from the US. He has also opened for artists such as Stanley Jordan, Adrian Legg and Laurence Juber of âWings.â Ryan Moranâs powerful drumming and orchestrated percussion sensibilities regularly take him around the world with bands like Slightly Stoopid and the B-Side players.

After releasing their debut album in 1999, the trio focused themselves on the live arena and by the beginning of 2000 had won notoriety in San Diego by winning Best of the Year honors in the Spotlight San Diego competition at San Diegoâs legendary Belly Up Tavern. The competition also resulted in the groupâs next release; âFirst Witnessâ, a live recording from the final night of the competition.

The following years saw Agent 22âs local reputation ever increasing as they were voted âBest Alternative Groupâ in the San Diego Readerâs annual poll and were nominated three times in the San Diego Music Awards. As the bandâs reputation grew however, so did the number of opportunities for its individual members. Today you are unlikely to find any busier musicians than these three, but Agent 22 remains an organization devoted to creative musical investigations and expression. In 2007 the group began writing and recording for a new studio release, the first clues of which can be found on Tomâs solo CD âSketchbook.â Also due for release in 2008 is a newly mixed and re-mastered version of their first album, complete with several new recordings.