What the Press are saying about the Philharmonic

… a strange, wonderful, totally distinct ode to musical mastery and nonsense… imagine Andy Partridge of XTC and Beat poet Gregory Corso, wandering between Saturn and New Orleans to sit in with the Sun Ra Arkestra… at once simple, abstract and wondrous to behold. — Ed Bumgardner, Winston-Salem Journal

10 Best Concerts of 2011- Chandler Travis Philharmonic at The Linda (November, 2011) …not just my favorite show of the year, quite possibly my favorite concert of all time, period. A rare night of something spectacular happening on stage from uproarious virtuoso start to sublime and quiet end. — Ted Potrikus, WBCR (Great Barrington, MA)

What Frank Sinatra is to New York City, what Bruce Springsteen is to New Jersey, what Elvis Presley is to Memphis, Chandler Travis is to Cape Cod. — Daniel McDermott, Provincetown Magazine

Dixieland romps, twisted Mardi Gras marches, sweaty 60’s rock, smoky torch songs, and occasional novelties that sound somewhere between Randy Newman and They Might Be Giants, all with hilariously offbeat lyrics. The world would be a better place if Travis would only visit more often. — Sam Hurwitt, San Francisco Express

A keenly entertaining blend of the Ringling Bros. and Ra…[that] puts the harm back in Philharmonic. — Jim Macnie, Village Voice

…playful original songs that mix mind-bending wordplay with jazz, shimmering rock, and horn-fuelled R & B. — John Donohue, New Yorker

After She Left” recalls Mose Allison working with Burt Bacharach… gentle romantic elegance… 6 stars! — Steven Rosen, Blurt


Most excellent show on Mayo Beach…first time I ever saw a trumpeter receive a pizza delivery onstage, eat a slice in two bites, and turn the plate into a mute before the song was over. — Sally Eckoff, civilian

…dazzling musicianship and fearless merry-making… explores the terrains of love and life’s absurdities with rowdiness, tenderness and a sardonic faith in humanity that never wavers… we’re witnesses and co-conspirators in something that feels magical. — Joel Patterson, Nippertown!


It is often difficult for fans to say just what attracts them to Travis’ music. But attract them it does! As the composer of “a few hundred” songs, Travis offers a wide array of musical moods at each show, allowing every fan to enter and engage in their own way. — Matthew Robinson, DirtyWaterNews

Not unlike NRBQ meets Sun Ra on the beach, doing bong hits spiked with primo acid and laughing gas. — Joe Coughlin, the Noise

…like a Mexican version of the Bosstones on Caribbean holiday… — Carly Carioli, Boston Phoenix

Travis treads a fine line between chaos and genius. … But even when he was just making noise, it sounded like beautiful music. — David Hiltbrand, Philadelphia Inquirer

He’s a true New England eccentric, a master of daft power pop, and live, he plays in his pajamas… — Rob Tannenbaum, Village Voice

…a truly original musical experience. — John Black, Offbeat Boston

…[CTP's] gleeful tendency to ignore genre boundaries -not to mention the musicians’ preference for goofy costumes -evokes New Orleans. Elvis Costello-like pop songs, avant-jazz vamps, novelty pieces, and way off-beat lyrics factor into the wildly inventive mix. — Keith Spera, Times Picayune (New Orleans)

this man should either be locked up or made king of the planet. Despite the apparent anarchy, the band (playing their “psycho-jungle-dixieland”) is incredibly tight. — Jason Dean Moriarty, the Noise

One of the best shows in recent memory. So get this latest record, Kitty, but get clued into their website and side projects, and know when the Chandler Travis Philharmonic is coming to town, because that is something you don’t want to miss, ever. — Frank Goodman, PureMusic.com

Dixieland, pop, avant-jazz, rock…and fully over the top — Jim Sullivan, Boston Globe

…when you stripped away the nuttiness, the music was refreshing and strong. The nine players could not hide their competence, no matter how hard they tried. — David Singer, Schenectady Daily Gazette

The horn players howl, the rhythm section wobbles, and the boss pulls lions out of his hat…if you’re in favor of Vegas weddings, the Firesign Theatre, and the Bonzo Dog Band, you could have yourself a dada field day. — Jim Macnie, Providence Phoenix

…these musicians have got serious chops, as well as a really twisted sense of humor. The Chandler Travis Philharmonic is more fun than a barrel of pancakes. — Greg Haymes, Albany Times-Union

…Jonathan Richman for adults… — Christopher Walsh, The Republic of Letters

Little did I realize one of the greatest nights of my life would unfold in St Joseph Michigan. No foolin’ -Friday June 15, The Chandler Travis Philharmonic dropped into a west Michigan club, Czars, and proceded to tear the roof off the dump. Sheesh, they were great. I was really uncontrollably shaking… — Paul Tracy Fredrickson, civilian

What more do you need? A party hat. — David Greenberger, Harp

[Chandler Travis Philharmonic] exist somewhere on the continuum among middle period Kinks, any-period NRBQ, maybe a pinch of Sufjan Stevens, and every Grammy winner in every category in the history of the world. — Paul Rapp, Metroland (Albany, NY)

From the sing-along party anthem “That’s What She Said,” bare-bones and raw, to the “I’ll Simonize your parents, if you don’t Simonize them first” straight-ahead Kinks, Replacements rock vibe of “Wireless” or the lush “I’m Chandler’s Butterfly,” you know you’re going to have a good time. — David Malachowski, Albany Times-Union

about “Chandler Travis Philharmonic Blows!”

…The Philharmonic is like no big band you’ve ever heard. There’s R&B, jazz, some lopsided Dixieland, blues, and rock & roll. Best of all, this stuff is just hilarious! — Mark Saleski, Something Else!

…a flat-out party…more great musical merriment from CTP. — Greg Haymes, Nippertown

One of the things I love about this latest CD from the Cape’s quirky musician is the delightfully personal feel of having been invited to an afternoon jam session, complete with adult beverages and lots of laughter. — Kathleen Szmit, Barnstable Patriot

…pure, unadorned heart…Even if you’ve never seen the band before, the wild carousing brass, ringing electric guitar, boisterous handclaps and whoops make it clear how amazing it must be to experience the band live. — Ken Maiuri, Daily Hampshire Gazette

Discs like this restore my love for sound and the written word. With its pickled Dixieland ebullience, wicked irreverence and demented melodic sparkle, “Blows!” is unbridled joy clasped between two covers (both of which, incidentally, are hilarious). — Cory Frye, Covallis Gazette Times (Albany, OR)

about “After She Left”

Atypically moody and contemplative but also typically smart, funny, sad, and tuneful. — Sarah Rodman, Boston Globe

…a gently stunning meld of melancholy and chin up/feel-good sentiments… songs, chops, brains, and attitude galore. — Joe Coughlin, the Noise

a rare and unexpectedly sincere solo album — Richard Gehr, Village Voice

… full of downbeat ballads, but with quite astounding musical and lyric detours sewn inside familiar and engaging pop song structures, like a coyote in a pillowcase. — Mike Hochanedel, Schenectady Daily Gazette

Chandler Travis is creatively liberated … [After She Left] works softly over a group of plaintive musings built around the ageless and somber notions of love lost. — Sean McCarthy, Cape Cod Times

There’s a hushed intimacy and quiet restraint about “After She Left” that seeps directly into your bones… – a complete 180-degree turnaround from the exuberant antics of the Chandler Travis Philharmonic. — Greg Haymes, Nippertown

An evocative mix of sadness, longing, stubbornness, tradition, humor and kind-hearted acceptance. — Kathleen Szmit, Barnstable Patriot

Chandler Travis

Chandler Travis has had a long and checkered career in the world of show biz, beginning in in the seventies when he and Steve Shook joined up as Travis Shook and the Club Wow. Besides achieving much popularity on the east coast, the duo brought their peculiar blend of comedy and music all over the U.S. and to the nationwide television audience on such programs as the Tonight Show, the Midnight Special, and Dick Cavett. Along the way, they released an album and appeared on stage with everyone from Bonnie Raitt to Bruce Springsteen to especially good pals NRBQ and George Carlin (with whom they toured for many years) to Elvis Costello to– well, you get the idea.

In 1980, Travis was a founding member of the Incredible Casuals, who released four albums (not counting 2007′s “Best Of” collection, “World Championship Songs”), toured consistantly all over the world, and are still at it, much to the delight of a small but rabid international following.

In 1988, Chandler began moonlighting as a solo performer, presenting the unlikely mixture of oddball humor and incisive songwriting that continue to be his trademark and appearing with such diverse acts as 10,000 Maniacs, Mose Allison, Roger McGuinn, and (deja vu perhaps?) George Carlin. Upon the arrival of the critically lauded “writer-songsinger” CD, the solo career kicked into high gear with two successful west coast tours and a European jaunt in 1993.

Late in 1996 (much to his own surprise and delight), Travis found himself fronting a nine-piece band, the modestly monikered Chandler Travis Philharmonic -probably the world’s only alternative dixieland / omnipop band. Their debut CD, “Let’s Have a Pancake”, was released in 2000 after his second solo effort, 1999’s “Ivan in Paris”, and four more “official” Philharmonic albums followed, all on the Sonic Trout label, the most recent being 2010′s “The Chandler Travis Philharmonic Blows“.

There’s also the 26 other full-length CDs in the improbable and ground-breaking RadioBall series (which includes many home-burnt Philharmonic CDs, Travis and Shook’s “Weekend on Mt. Cod“, a couple live solo CDs, and three more Casuals releases).

An uncharacteristically calm and reflective solo release from 2009, “After She Left” completes the list of “official” releases; meanwhile, additional new songs, videos, and recordings can be found on a regular basis at chandlertravis.com.

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