Welcome
Thanks for visiting my website!
For over 25 years I have played bass and touch guitar across the Northeast and East Coast with: Uncle Sammy, Gordon Stone, Gary Backstrom, Rev Tor Band, Dave Brunyak, Dead Man's Waltz (formerly The Steal Your Peach Band), Jo Henley, Interminable, Live at the Fillmore, Wolfman Jack, and many others.
I have several diverse projects:
* Arukah is an incredible supergroup that I'm in with Dennis Angelo - guitar/vocals (The New Motif) and Brian Epstein - drums (Playing Dead/Electro-Politics). The musicianship is at a very high level and we play all original music featuring great songwriting, volcanic jam peaks, and diverse grooves. The buzz around the band is viral online and via word of mouth. We have been playing amazing gigs to growing audiences all across New England since June, 2021.
* I regularly perform in upstate NY, the Berkshires, and southern VT with Dead Man's Waltz (formerly The Steal Your Peach Band) a tribute to the music of Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Band. Led by legendary New England bandleader Tor Krautter (aka - Rev Tor), we play these classic tunes while featuring the individual talents of the band members and our own group improvisational style. We play some amazing venues that are consistenly packed with the best music fans anyone could ask for.
* I have a unique Podcast called Witch Hunt - history told in music, song, and story that tells the story of the Salem Witch Trials. It is in the style of an old-time radio show with an art-rock twist and combines my love of history and music. I narrate the story with original music and songs. This idea originally began as a live theatrical rock opera concept and hopefully will be presented that way someday.
* Back in the spring of 2021 I played bass on an album of all original music written by my good friend Tor Krautter, The Rev Tor Band's "Snake Oil". Recorded at the Egremont Barn in The Berkshires (also one of my favorite venues to play), it's a great album full of killer tunes and incredible playing. I also have to say that recording engineer Frank Kennedy got some seriously great bass tones on this album!
* In 2020 while hunkering down during Covid I remotely recorded bass tracks for Dave Brunyak's (Pink Talking Fish/The Phreaks) album "Afterlife" which is amazing, full of guitar tone glory and a set of diverse tunes that Dave wrote.
* You can also occasionally find me playing with the accordion-infused, world chamber noir group Minouchka, led by the incredible Rachel Koppelman.
* Head on over to my Bandcamp Page to check out all kinds of recordings that I have done over the years. New releases are posted regularly. One notable selection there is the long-lost studio recording by my old band Uncle Sammy, called Unearthed. You can also go on over to the Archive.org Uncle Sammy Page to check out some old gems!
* In 2012 I debuted my rock opera Over The Line, a psychological-political fairy tale about self-discovery and indoctrination. Head on over to the Music Page to listen to and download Over The Line.
INFLUENCES
Playing the bass guitar has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. I live for intense improvisational jams with amazing musicians and playing fun and interesting music for true music lovers.
I am interested in all kinds of music and appreciate musicians of all types. I am especially inspired by the bass playing of: Jaco Pastorius, Tony Levin, Steve Swallow, Victor Wooten, Roger Waters, Stanley Clarke, Phil Lesh, Mike Gordon, Berry Oakley, Scott Thunes, Jack Cassady; along with all of the classic 70's prog-rock bassists: Mike Rutherford, Greg Lake, Ray Shulman, John Wetton, Geddy Lee, Glenn Cornick, Chris Squire, etc.
I love writing music and am heavily influenced by composers and songwriters who dare to reach beyond the expected, musicians and groups such as: Frank Zappa, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Todd Rundgren, Phish, Oregon, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Trilok Gurtu, Joe Jackson, Igor Stravinsky, Joni Mitchell, Grateful Dead, Santana, Gentle Giant, Jethro Tull, Yes, King Crimson, Carla Bley, and many other rock, jazz, classical, and world music legends.
I hope to be able to create and perform more theatrical and experimental performances in the lineage of such highly creative acts as: Peter Gabriel & Genesis, The Tubes, Pink Floyd, etc.
Thanks again for visiting.
I hope that we can meet in person (again) sometime soon!
~ Brian
brianvoconnell@gmail.com
Tip Jar
PS - All the gigs that I had this year from March on out have been cancelled and there is no telling telling when any gigs will come back, my personal feeling is most likely not until 2021. If you would like to help me out with a tip of appreciation and support I would be extremely honored and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
