Mark Holzinger, Guitar

Mark's guitar playing brings out the party-ers in big venues, searing rock 'n roll as well as getting psychedelic with melodic motifs. Holzinger's compositions in Groove.Org reach middle groundÑacid jazz with a funky groove. You never know when he's going to throw in surf guitar, rockabilly, or even TV themes for fun.

Mark plays acoustic, classical and electric guitars. Holzinger brings a deft human touch to the stage. His performances include church in his early days, to nightclubs and concerts across the nation. He's performed and composed for original music bands and played as band member for prominent stars such as Rickie Lee Jones, Vince Welnick and Missing Man Formation, Big Joe Turner, David Benoit, Marvin Gaye, Cumberland Blues stage band and Bobby McFerrin, to name a few.

Mark has also been featured in the opening act on major tours with artists like Van Morrison, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Los Lobos, Charlie Hunter, Vince Gill, String Cheese Incident, Chris Isaak, Omar Sosa, Duane Eddy and the Neville Brothers.

Mark's current CDs:

• "Groove.Org" 1999
• Aldoush Alpanian & The Human Exchange, 1999
• "Deadicated II," various artists, due 1999
• Cumberland Blues Stage Production (limited release) 1998
• "Petite Amie" Jazz Mine 1998
• "Swinging Out West" Lost Weekend 1998
• "The State We're In," Madhouse, 1997

John Waller, Drums

Native San Franciscan, John Waller has been drumming since age 8. He has enjoyed playing a diverse selection of percussion, including drum set, djembe, conga, doumbek, def, Persian tombak and tapan. He has his own projects, Groove.Org, Jazz Inc., and all percussion group, Thwak!. He has played with RebbeSoul, Common Tongue, Rumeli, Thomas Michaud, Aldoush Alpanian, Viviana Guzman, Tim Rayborn, Tony Khalife, Johnny Smith, Matthew Grasso, Tony Alvis, Tim Campbell, Dave Bell, Scott Peterson, Graham Bruce, David Hykes, Guinean singer Ibro Diabate and Congan songwriter Borina Mapaka and famous Indian sitar master Habib Khan among others in jazz, rock, and world music. He has spent time as house drummer at John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room and has played Blues, Gospel and Christian Rock through the years. He has played in many festivals across the United States and has played at the Knitting Factory in NYC.

John has the unique ability to pick just the right sounds like doumbek, djembe, talking drum, found percussion or effects to make the music come alive. He is all about fusing tradition and non-traditional styles and sounds incorporating Afro-Cuban, African drumming, Middle-Eastern grooves, psychedelic funk and alternative rock, reggae, straight ahead jazz, blues, and North African. He also composes original works and studies various melodic instruments.

Jeff Obee, Bass

Jeff plays six-string fretless and fretted basses and synthesizers. His elastic, sensuous fretless work and atmospheric electronic programming is featured on award-winning world music recordings, in industrial films and videos. HeÕs shared the stage with many major rock and jazz artists including Dave Brubeck and Steve Smith.

Jeff studied with Richard Davis and Kai Eckhardt and youÕll hear the influences of Eberhard Weber, Percy Jones, Tony Levin and Jaco in his playing.