Multi-instrumentalist
David Lindley performs music that redefines the word "eclectic."
Lindley, well known for his many years as the featured accompanist
with Jackson Browne, and leader of his own band El Rayo-X, has long
championed the concept of world music. The David Lindley electro-acoustic
performance effortlessly combines American folk, blues, and bluegrass
traditions with elements from African, Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy,
and Turkish musical sources. Lindley incorporates an incredible
array of stringed instruments including but not limited to Kona
and Weissenborn Hawaiian lap steel guitar, Turkish saz and chumbus,
Middle Eastern oud, and Irish bouzouki. The eye-poppingly clad "Mr.
Dave's" uncanny vocal mimicry and demented sense of
humor make his onstage banter a highlight of the show.
David
Lindley grew up in southern California, first taking up the banjo
as a teenager, and subsequently winning the annual Topanga canyon
banjo and fiddle contest five times as he explored the American
folk music tradition. between 1967 and 1971 Lindley founded and
lead what must now be seen as the first world music rock band,
the Kaleidoscope. In 1971, Mr. Dave joined forces with Jackson
Browne, serving as Jackson's most significant musical co-conspirator
until 1981. In 1979, Lindley had begun working with old friend
Ry Cooder on 'Bop Till you Drop' and 'The Long Riders' sound track,
a musical collaboration that lasts to this day, and has spawned
many recording projects and several world tours as an acoustic
duo.
In 1981, Lindley created his own remarkable
Band El Rayo-X, which integrated American roots music and world
beat with a heavy reggae influence. 'El Rayo-X', 'Win This Record'
and 'Very Greasy', as well as a live e.p. during this period
he also came forth with a solo album, 'Mr. Dave'. Lindley and
guitarist Henry Kaiser went to Madagascar for two weeks in 1991
and recorded six albums of indigenous Malagasy music (including
two collaborative cd's, 'A World Out of Time' volumes one and
two on Shanachie) which proved to have a major impact on the
world music scene, both for the quality of the Grammy nominated
music recorded, and the fair and ethical way the Malagasy musicians
were dealt with. Throughout this long and distinguished career,
Lindley has been one of Hollywood's most in demand session musicians,
lending his skills to the recorded works of Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart,
Linda Ronstadt, Crosby and Nash, Warren Zevon, and many others.
In 1990 a chance meeting of Lindley and
Jordanian born percussionist Hani Naser led to an impromptu jam
and an instant decision that "we should take this on the
road." David and Hani toured the world for the following
six years. The duo recorded two self-released "Official Bootleg" compact
discs, 'Live in Tokyo Playing Real Good' and 'Live All Over
the Place Playing Even Better' on Pleemhead audio. At his
expansive and eclectic live performances David Lindley consistently
gives one of the most unique concert experiences available
to
adventuresome music listeners. Currently David is associated
with the Rosebud agency.