The Birth of BVO-
Although he had never made music before the peculiar sounds and voices he heard on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music awakened a desire, it gave him a confidence to explore musical impulses for the first time in his life. Green for earth, blue for sky and red for fire, each recording intensified his desire and made him eager to experience the outcome of even his most primitive efforts. That night he dreamt he was standing before an enormous hall. From its doors flowed a multitude of odd people, each playing an instrument to the result of a strange and unaffected sound. An oldfangled airship passed overhead. It read, “Welcome Bogs Visionary Orchestra to the Great Hall!” After breakfast he rummaged through his belongings, walked down the street to St. George Pawn Shop and swapped his fathers vintage coins for a used banjo.
Bogs Visionary Orchestra is a one-man troupe who croons his sprawling eccentric folk songs in a peculiar voice that illuminates his trust in off-centered DIY wanderings. BVO’s intuitive approach to musical performance, which couples elements of theatre and folk art, has won him audiences at alternative and mainstream venues including The Brooklyn Museum of Art and CBGB’s.
Visual artist turned musician, nuyorican avant-folk singer A. Bogs has been exploring the ties between music and art with childlike wonder since 1995.
BVO's most recent band configuration includes musicians:
Reilly Solomon Taylor-Cook on bass
Paul Scota on drums
Tom Montagliano on guitar
and guest Tim Avery on trumpet!
Past Members-
Jose Delhart: lapsteel, lead guitar & backing vocals
Bobby Antosca: Bass
Tom Lake: drums/percussion
Bob Thorne: accordion & piano
Ernesto Gomez: harmonica, banjo backing vocals
Elisa Flynn: Harmonium & backing vocals
Zach H.: loops & backing vocals
Jill Pittman: backing vocals
Dorothy Ross: backing vocals
Mary Rose: backing vocals
Press:
“So there you have it folks, a visual artist with a musical mission to create and not just consume! Do yourself a favor and pick up Maladroits Union, Bogs Visionary Orchestra’s latest relic that is as eccentric as it is beautiful.”
-FencePost
“If you like Jad Fair or Daniel Johnston, it is pretty safe to assume you will like Bogs Visionary Orchestra. If you like the Shaggs, it’s even more likely. There are only maybe 135 people in the world who really like Jad Fair, Daniel Johnston, or the Shaggs and I’ve heard that 14 of the 135 died this year.”
-San Diego Entertainer Magazine
“…But “Mews Too” most perfect moment comes from new-comers, Bogs Visionary Orchestra. Their song "Everybody's Broken" is vibrant and leaves me wonderstruck. This is what great comps are all about - finding a gem you'd never hear otherwise.
-The black and White
“A bunch of people came up to me wanting to know the name of the third act, Bogs Visionary Orchesta. BVO is an act to keep an eye out for, with Danielson-esque kooky, banjo-y, bluegrassy songs and a tempo that makes it impossible to stay sedentary.”
-Resonance Journal
Venues:
CBGB'S NYC, MICKEY'S BLUE ROOM NYC, BARBES Brooklyn, NY, SIN'E NYC, THE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF ART: Sound Check NYC, THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM: First Friday, Members Party, Garden Party Brooklyn, NY, THE BARGE MUSEUM Brooklyn, NY, UNION POOL Brooklyn, NY- "WHEEL OF FIRE" A Musical Tribute to Howard Finster featuring: The Essex Green, Bro. Danielson, Sufjan Stevens, Bogs Visionary Orchestra (With cameo by Shara Worden), The Cryin' Out Loud Choir, THE SIDEWALK CAFE NYC, FAT BABY NYC, BANJO JIM'S NYC, CBGB'S NYC, DOMINIE’S HOEK LIC, NY, JALOPY Brooklyn, NY, VANGOGH’S EAR NJ, PIANOS Upper Room (Residency) NYC, BAR MATCHLESS Brooklyn, NY, THE CUTTING ROOM NYC, ARLENE GROCERY NYC, THE MEZ Rochester, NY, ABILENE Rochester, NY, BOULDER COFFEE CO. Rochester, NY, THE FLYING SQUIRREL Rochester, NY, THE BUG JAR Rochester, NY, MEDDLESOME LAB Rochester, NY, LUVIN' CUP Rochester, NY, RECORD ARCHIVE Rochester, NY, BERNUNZIO UPTOWN MUSIC Rochester, NY, THE VAULT Buffalo, NY, MERGE Buffalo, NY, SALT CITY MARKET Syracuse, NY, HEARTS AND CRAFTS Rochester, NY, SHEWAN RECITAL HALL Roberts Wesleyan College Rochester, NY, THE CLUB AT WATER STREET Rochester, NY, SPAR Syracuse Public Artist in Residence opening party Syracuse, NY, PETES CANDY STORE NYC, FEZ ART CAFE NYC, GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY NYC, MEMORIAL ART GALLERY BALLROOM University of Rochester Art & Art History Graduation Party Rochester, NY, IRONDEQUOIT PUBLIC LIBRARY Children's Party Rochester, NY, APOLOGETICS CAFE NYC, BUFFALO INFRINGEMENT FESTIVAL Buffalo, NY, THE SHOP Ithaca, NY, ROOTS CAFE Brooklyn, NY, CAFE PYRUS Ontario, Canada, THE GRYPHON CAFE Wayne, PA,
Discography:
Mean Old World (Modfa Records 2009)
Maladroits Union (Modfa Records 2007)
Mews Too: Compilation (Asthmatic Kitty 2006
)
Recession Special
(Modfa Records 2003)
Radio:
WRUR "Open Tunings" with Scott Regan LIVE IN STUDIO Rochester, NY
KAOS 89.3FM "God's Misfits" Olympia, Washington
East Village Radio NYC
Density of Sound podcast
WFMU 91.1FM "Trash, Twang and Thunder" LIVE IN STUDIO NYC
WTJU 91.1FM VA
WMTU 91.9FM MI
, BVO’s first album “Recession Special” reached #5 on WMTU ’s top 20 for Americana/AAA format
Live Reviews-
This fellow A. Bogs is kind of an interesting miracle himself. Friday was his opening night at the Record Archive, as a part of the monthly First Fridays, where galleries and exhibition spaces around the city showcase local artists. Bogs’ art is mostly drawings and collages, with some constructions built from found objects and curios. Bogs was doubling up at his art show by playing with his band, the Bogs Visionary Orchestra. Very visionary, indeed. It’s curious stuff, rootsy Americana that seems influenced by The Beats, various jug bands, 1920s blues and jazz, and ideas that wouldn’t stick to canvas. The music and the art fit together nicely. His art will be hanging in the Archive through the month. -Democrat & Chronicle
Deliriously good, sprawling bluegrass band, as good as M Shanghai String Band and with even more energy. -Lucid Culture
Fiery, upbeat bluegrass band whose originals could be standards from 50 years ago. Good stuff. -Lucid Culture
Sprawling dark Americana band Bogs Visionary Orchestra at Goodbye Blue Monday – sort of the prototype for O’Death -Lucid Culture
Closing out the night was country/folk group Bogs Visionary Orchestra. Lead singer and banjo player A. Bogs sang with his microphone attached to a harmonica holder, something I’ve never seen. BVO has some playful melodies and mixed their country-tinged songs with some true pop sensibilities. Despite no solo performers, Resonance was once again the place to be for some great folk and indie rock. -Resonance Journal
A bunch of people came up to me wanting to know the name of the third act, Bogs Visionary Orchesta. BVO is an act to keep an eye out for, with Danielson-esque kooky, banjo-y, bluegrassy songs and a tempo that makes it impossible to stay sedentary. All those who asked for a CD were in luck, as they distribute them in abundance at live shows. -Resonance Journal
I also stayed for The Bogs Visionary Orchestra who played some excellent “new Americana”, so-to-speak: rooted in Americana, but with a modern-rock presence. -Jayce’s Blog
National reviews-
If you like Jad Fair or Daniel Johnston, it is pretty safe to assume you will like Bogs Visionary Orchestra. If you like the Shaggs, it’s even more likely. There are only maybe 135 people in the world who really like Jad Fair, Daniel Johnston, or the Shaggs (and don’t just say they do because they heard it was hip – that would account for maybe 20), and I’ve heard that 14 of the 135 died this year.
The only thing keeping me from all-out raving is the scratchy vocals, which are part of the reason for comparisons with Johnston and Fair – an acquired taste, for those willing to listen beyond surfaces. There’s also some room for sonic maturation, perhaps to include a greater merging or expansion from basic structures. BVO have not made a great record, but they have made a very good one, which doesn’t sound exactly like any other at the moment. -San Diego Entertainer Magazine
Described as "The Carter Family meets Allen Ginsberg," this alt-country/Americana sound is deeply rooted in the old country, guitar picking, whiskey sippin' ways. The twanginess rings loudly throughout and the satire included in tracks like "Ben Layden" pokes much needed fun at the life and times of today's world. Showcasing instruments such as a banjo, lap steel and harmonica, the sound is full of a down-home good ol' boy feeling without the horse-patty smell. -Impact Press
But Mews Too most "purr"fect moment comes from new-comers Bogs Visionary Orchestra. Their song "Everybody's Broken" is vibrant and leaves me wonderstruck. This is what great comps are all about. Finding a gem you'd never hear otherwise -The Black and White
Quirky indie rock/folk/pop/avant label Asthmatic Kitty's second compilation features more oddities from Wyoming. Bogs Visionary Orchestra channels Country Joe the Fish and Arlo Guthrie on the jovial "Everybody's Broken,"... -All Music Guide
…Sufjan Steven's label Asthmatic Kitty is home to a good number of weird, cartoonish folk outfits and is friends with a great many more. Denison Witmer's gorgeous trad-folk "Little Flowers" sets a lovely stage that's quickly subverted by the shambolic marching band sounds of Bogs Visionary Orchestra's "Everybody's Broken" … -Ink19
Perhaps since Asthmatic Kitty has a small roster of artists, Mews Too rounds out a smattering of new tracks from heavyweights like Sufjan Stevens and Danielson with back-catalog songs from like-minded artists only casually associated with the label..., Bogs Visionary Orchestra breaks the folky monotony with an old-timey country shuffle... -Pitchfork
International reviews-
-Alt Country NL
-Roots Time BE
BOGS VISIONARY ORCHESTRA Maladroits Union CD (Modfa)
Bogs Visionary Orchestra make alt-country and quirky DIY pop with psych touches, incorporating instruments such as ukulele, piano, synthesized flute, Jew's harp, fiddle, harmonica and assorted percussion. Dry Bones is a surreal take on country; The Infinite Possibilities is an even more surreal multi-part song taking in elements of country, psych and quirky pop; Regret has hints of 50s rock n' roll and early 60s pop, but is way more off-centre than that description suggests; Doin' My Time and Times Are Hard are undergroundy interpretations of the earlier, less commercial kind of country music; Interlude is an off-kilter instrumental combining country, psych and garage rock; Finding My Way incorporates elements of ragtime and music hall, but presented with the usual BVO quirk factor; Everybody's Broken is a ramshackle, DIY kind of blues with bizarre lyrics; and Baby Goodnight combines instrumental folk-pop with crying baby sounds and atmospheric drones - a very inventive piece.
Bogs Visionary Orchestra also have a more recent CD, Mean Old World. Unfortunately both the original and the replacement copies I was sent got damaged in the post, but if I can get another copy that arrives in one piece, I will have more to report about this band shortly. -Bliss Aquamarine, UK
Interviews-
Art is more than a hobby for A. Bogs- It’s his lifestyle. The 38-year-year-old moved to Rochester in June 2009 with his wife Lisa and son Ezra, 5, to be an artist and musical performer full time under the business name Bogs Visionary Orchestra.
What kinds of materials make it into his sculpture? “I like to take what I have and put it to use,” says Bogs, “Usually, it’s discarded stuff.”
After graduating from Parsons School of Design in 1995, Bogs lived in New York teaching art and writing folk music. Since then, Bogs Visionary Orchestra has released three albums and currently plays at different venues around town.
When he’s not working, you might see him skateboarding around town, or at one of his favorite hangouts, Goodwill on Clinton Avenue.
“We go there together every Saturday after breakfast,” says Bogs, “I’m hoping to one day book a gig there so people can come shop around and listen. But we’ll see.” -Insider
Getting into music through another artistic medium is fairly common these days, but rarely does it really allow the musician a new and original way to create. Alex Bogs, founder and leader of Bogs Visionary Orchestra, didn’t start looking into musical performance until he was confident enough in his visual art to start exploring other forms of creative output.
Growing up with a passion for drawing, Bogs knew art would play a significant role in his future and in college switched majors from illustration to fine art when he realized it was more important to make art as a lifestyle rather than a career. For Bogs, being an artist means sharing the art you make with the people you love and people who appreciate what you create. Bogs’ primary musical project is just this — an admirable culmination of his work between friends and the artists he respects.
Bogs is unique in several ways, especially in his musical upbringing. Though raised on a steady diet of Morrissey and Sex Pistols, Bogs never enveloped himself fully into a specific musical culture, until he came around to “the strange world of 1930’s old-time music.” Finally finding a niche for himself in the wide world of music, Bogs had a place to get “excited about listening, collecting, and learning about the artists of that period.” Indeed, Most of BVO’s musical inspiration comes from the sounds of the 30s, resulting in a product as refreshing as it is genuine.
This affinity for the 30s piano bar style has allowed BVO to experiment with many now unconventional instruments. Besides the standard bass/drum/guitar, BVO has seen (to name a few), cello, lap steel guitar, violin, jug, harmonica, musical saw, and piano pass through the studio. A favorite instrument, you may ask? “I love the banjo!” Bogs proclaims unabashedly. Bogs favors the plectrum banjo, like a five string banjo sans the high fifth string. “It’s like having a backup singer, percussion and melody all in one.”
BVO’s originality can be traced back even further than Bogs’ predilection for unconventional instrumentation. Taking a normally backwards approach to creating music, Bogs began random experiments with guitar sounds and structure while still in college. While many skip past this phase and stick to the basics, Bogs found it most interesting to search for ways to make the guitar “talk” within its natural constraints. Fittingly, BVO’s latest disc, Maladroits Union, is unique in its minimal guitar effects. Instead of relying on overwhelming pedals and modulations, the songs available for download here and on the record achieve great sonic intensity through off kilter-vocals, interesting composition, and a rock-solid do-it-yourself ethic.
When questioned further on this DIY ethic, Bogs said that he didn’t “consider DIY as a term in opposition to commercial music or art. For me being creative is a natural and healthy part of being human. I believe most people don’t create because they think they need to create something as refined as the commercial counterpart to the artistic expression they want to work in.”
So there you have it folks, a visual artist with a musical mission to create and not just consume! Do yourself a favor and pick up Maladroits Union, Bogs Visionary Orchestra’s latest relic that is as eccentric as it is beautiful. -FencePost