ROBIN TOLLESON [drums, percussion]
ROBIN TOLLESON [drums, percussion] studied drumset with Narada Michael Walden in San Francisco. He recorded two albums with guitarist Gregory James, Madagascar and Alphabet Town (Downbeat ****1/2), played on Indigo Swing's Red Light, and on Patrick O'Hearn's So Flows The Current. He performs regularly with Asheville N.C. based bands The Secret B-Sides and Klarcnova. His southern fusion trio Big Block Dodge was featured in the Dean Budnick book, Jambands. Robin founded Hip Bones in 1993 and his versatile and dynamic drumming is key to the band's many textures and deep grooves.
GARY SCHWANTES [saxophones, bamboo flutes, electronics
GARY SCHWANTES [saxophones, bamboo flutes, electronics] Gary Schwantes has toured and recorded 3 CDs with Hip Bones. He is founder of SF based Ultra World X-tet, and produced the group's debut album Moon and Legend, and followup release Night Market. He played on the Klezmania! album Sanctuary Grooves, and on Jason Becker's Perspective . Other gigs include sax and flute work with Pam Tillis, Weishan Liu, Lou Harrison, Allen Ginsberg, John Cipolina, Hank Ballard and many more. He co-composed and played on Dynasties (CD) and has composed music and done sound design for many organizations including Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company, Mickey Hart's Planet Drum, Craig Baldwin, Dimensions Dance Theater, ACT, and S.F. Legion of Honor Museum. www.garyschwantes.com
SHANNON HOOVER [electric bass, loops]
SHANNON HOOVER [electric bass, loops] from Greenville, SC, began playing with the Bones in 2008. Hoover maintains a busy performance schedule with projects like Hip Bones, Wade Baker Trio, and the Greenville Jazz Collective. He has had the pleasure of performing with Branford Marsalis, Harry Kim, Jeff Sipe, Bobby Lee Rodgers, and the late Clarence Clemons, and released his own EP, Follow Me, in early 2013. Shannon serves as adjunct bass professor at the University of South Carolina - Upstate.