Unique, unexpected, innovative, delightful - a few of the kind words used to describe Crosstown Trio. Here's some info about who we are, what we do, and why:
Crosstown Trio is the collaboration of singer/guitarist Marcus Salomon, harmonicist James Reily, and bass guitarist Kevin Clark. Collectively, we've been gigging for about a hundred and forty years, many of which were spent working together in various bands. Crosstown Trio is our latest musical venture. It draws on all that history to explore a novel idea - "What happens if we channel our effort into the songs we enjoy most, no matter how obscure or ecclectic . . . "
Crosstown Trio plays songs that don't get covered much, what some refer to as "B side" songs. But The Trio also does fun recognizable tunes you can sing along to. We play these songs our way, and we don't worry about sticking to one genre or another. It's fun to mix things up!
We're also known for our non-standard instrumentation and innovative arrangements. We're a drummerless trio which means we're able to work at very low volume and in very small spaces when it's called for. We build our arrangements around a guitar-and-bass rhythm section, and into that some very creative harmonica parts are woven, forming layers that feel like keyboards, accordions, horns, etc., not to mention the parts and solos that are simply great harmonica playing. With the vocal excellence of Marcus Salomon to bring it all together, Crosstown Trio offers a new way to experience music from a range of artists you'll never encounter in the same set, including:
Tom Waits, Elton John, Van Morrison, The Beatles, Lyle Lovett, Credence Clearwater Revival, Warren Zevon, Sting, Keb' Mo', Dean Martin, Bill Whithers, Weird Al Yankovic, Vince Gill, Tom Petty, The Shadows, The Rolling Stones, The Neville Brothers, The Eagles, The Doors, The Bee Gees, The Band, Taj Mahal, Son Volt, Sam Phillips, Robben Ford, Randy Newman, Prince, Peter Gabriel, Nick Apollo Forte, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Louis Prima, Louis Jordan, Los Lobos, King Crimson, Keith Urban, Jolie Holland, Jimmy Web, Jethro Tull, Jason Isbell, Jackson Browne, Guns n' Roses, Grateful Dead, Glen Campbell, Gillian Welch, Etta James, David Schwartz, David Bowie, Counting Crows, Chris Stapleton, Cab Calloway, Bruce Springsteen, Amos Lee, Alabama 3, Al Jarreau, and The Grateful Dead.
Last but not least, we do lots of improvisation in everything we play - that means you'll hear our songs a bit differently each time we play them.
That gives you an idea of who we are and what we do as a group. We invite you to check out our videos and photos, and if you'd like to know more about each of us, feel free to read further . . .
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Marcus Salomon - Lead Vocal and Acoustic Guitar
Marcus Salomon's musical journey began in his early teenage years with his first paid gig at the age of 13. Throughout his 20s, Marcus performed both as a solo artist and with his trio, Los Guys. In 1981, he joined the Las Vegas-based band Roadhouse. The band produced a record that gained airplay, leading to a tour of the Southwest, where they opened for renowned acts such as ZZ Top, Elvin Bishop, and Black Oak Arkansas. In May 2011, Roadhouse was inducted into the Las Vegas Rock ‘n Roll Reunion Hall of Fame.
Despite that success, the band did not secure a major record deal, prompting Marcus to return to the Bay Area. By 1986, he was performing in musical theater with TheatreWorks in Palo Alto CA and teaching vocals at music schools until he opening his own teaching studio. Marcus later formed his own band, performing at corporate events and weddings, eventually leading to the creation of the tribute band CityRocks which which celebrated rock music from the San Francisco Bay Area from the sixties through the eighties.
He continues to perform with Crosstown Trio, joined by longtime friends and colleagues James Reily and Kevin Clark. They perform throughout the Bay Area, continuing to delve into and share their love of music.
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James Reily - Harmonica, Ukelele and Backing Vocal
James began his musical life in the Santa Clara CA at the age of nine. He started with guitar, and by the time he was 16 he was teaching. Over the next four decades, James continued to teach while staying active in the local music scene, playing in various bands and recording projects.
In the late 1990s James met Marcus Salomon at a music school where they both taught. This led to James joining Marcus' wedding band, South Bay Express. SBX eventually evolved into a tribute band called CityRocks which celebrated classic rock music from the San Francisco Bay Area.
After nearly fifty years dedicated to the guitar, James faced a significant challenge in 2014 when he was diagnosed with Ulnar Neuropathy, a condition which prevented him from playing the guitar professionally or recreationally. After a brief hiatus, James found a new musical inspiration - the harmonica. Driven by the desire to once again play music with his friends and colleagues, James practiced diligently, applying his musical knowledge, experience and obsession to this new instrument. Within a couple of years, he had begun to write and record his debut jazz album, Obstacles, which features James on chromatic harmonica along with friends and colleagues from the Bay Area on the other instruments.
During the album project, Crosstown Trio began to form. It had no name, and was not even an intentional project at first - just a fun idea for some off-the-cuff playing at a birthday party. That magic continued to develop until the trio was named and they began to gig. With that, James was once again a working musician, and balance was restored to the universe.
James continues to teach guitar, bass guitar, ukelele, harmonica and music theory - his lessons available at Los Gatos Music Academy or online.
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Kevin Clark - Bass Guitar
Kevin took an early path through the study of guitar at six and percussion at fourteen, eventually finding his way to the bass guitar at nineteen. Since then he's gigged, recorded and collaborated with a number of notable Bay Area musicians. Crosstown Trio is the latest musical chapter in Kevin's life, and along with Marcus and James, he continues to discover new areas of musical possibility, challenge and satisfaction.
