Tag Archives: you never know

Trancing and Dancing with Club d’Elf

Club d’Elf (some core members): Mister Rourke, Dean Johnston, Mike Rivard,
Paul Schultheis, Brahim Fribgane. Photo by Mark Wilson.

The bio of bassist/composer Mike Rivard, the head elf of the band Club d’Elf, claims that he is “perhaps the only musician to have performed with big band legend Cab Calloway, Frank Zappa discovery Wildman Fisher, Gnawa master Hassan Hakmoun and two members of the Velvet Underground (though sadly, not all at the same time)” [my emphasis]. With Club d’Elf, though, Rivard performs with musicians from a similarly wide range of backgrounds—from traditional Moroccan music to ’60s rock, jazz to country to Hindustani music—all at the same time, playing originals, Gnawa and Sufi classics, and covers of folks such as Zappa and Zawinul/Davis. The result is transformational music that can lighten your load.

Continue reading

Club d’Elf’s Stunning Video Single Previews New Album

The Club d’Elf core (l2r): Mister Rourke, Dean Johnston, Mike Rivard, Paul Schultheis, Brahim Fribgane.
Photo by Mark Wilson.

Club d’Elf, an ever-changing musical collective led by head elf Mike Rivard, has released an inspired video single, “Dervish Dance,” to preview its forthcoming album, You Never Know (available April 1). The video features sand artist Kseniya Simonova, whose spellbinding creation captures the essence of the tune and your imagination.

Continue reading