Ken Pfeifer: Vocals, Keyboards

At an early age I realized that there was something special about the music of certain bands -- the core prog bands of the 70s. For me the main attraction were strong and well-supported melodies, among an endless variety of musical inventions, such that no matter how much you listened to it, there was always something new that you didn't hear before. While much of that music seems cliche now, some of it was very personal and approachable in spite of the traditional stereotype. This personal aspect of such a complex music is what is missing from most bands. Achieving this is my main goal no matter what I do.

During the course of Zen Carnival's evolution, I have been a performing member of the Brutum Fulmen, an experimental noise project; and singer for a year with a local Genesis tribute band. In the Spring of 2006 I joined my friend Carlos Boll in the studio on the latest recordings for his project, The Mystery School.

Influences: Anything I hear (apparently). (Each listener tends to tell me they hear influences that I never thought were mine!)

Current Listening: Porcupine Tree, Sigur Ros, Between, Landberk, Anekdoten, Kino, IQ.

Bill Denison: Guitar, Bass, Production

Main Instrument: guitars
Other Instruments: electric bass, keyboards
Other Music Related Pursuits: music synthesis, production, and engineering
First Instrument: piano

Notable musical projects: Eos, original progressive rock (the precurser to Zen Carnival); "Blackbirds in the Sky," PBS documentary soundtrack; The Thinmen, straight ahead jazz, Charlottesville, Virginia; "Gauche" experimental jazz trio, Daytona Beach, Florida.

Comments: "I really want to play the guitar, especially the electric guitar. Today's technology pretty much is unlimited in generating timbre possibilities, especially if you mix multiple elements, such as electricity, acoustic sound, and synthesis. I also dig live, interesting, music, played by musicians who know their axes. Computers are useful music generating tools and they do have their place, for better or for worse, in performance, but there is something several orders of magnitude more awesome about a group of musicians nailing that groove. Generally, I will give everything a listen, attempting to absorb something from it to translate into my playing. I try to always be open.

Regarding Music, Life, and the State of the World, I believe that there has to be a focus on peace, healing, and spirituality in Art in general. So much popular music is desperate in sound and lyrical content, reflecting desperation in our lives. I would like to hear more emphasis on giving, healing, and getting over the bad things in (all of) our lives, rather than a perpetual compaint. Do complain, but let us hear some solutions. Those in positions to effect change have a responsibility to be positive rather than to just make money and get votes."

Influences: Steve Howe, Ralph Towner, Bill Frisell, Steve Morse, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Lao Tsu
Favorite bands: Oregon, Yes, U2, Weather Report, Red Hot Chili Peppers, King Crimson, Soundgarden
Current listening: Chick Corea "Touchstone," Tribal Tech, Thinking Plague, Soulive

First Instrument: piano
Other Instruments: guitar, voice
Classical piano training beginning at age 6
Masters degree in piano performance, New England Conservatory

Notable musical projects/concerts: Mirror Image: Instrumental prog/jazz rock band (1987-1991), Flannel Habit: frat party band with jazzy/funky originals (1992-94) Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 w/Cornell University Orchestra (1995), New England Conservatory Master Recital (1998).

Comments: Coming from a classical piano background, I guess it was natural that I would end up in a progressive rock band. But I do listen to a wide variety of music besides progressive rock. I think in order to write interesting progressive rock music, you have to listen to lots of different things for inspiration, because if you just listen to Genesis, Yes and Rush all day, you'll just end up writing stuff that doesn't sound original. I'll be listening to some classical piece, and I'll hear something really interesting compositionally and I'll think, "What would this sound like in the context of a rock band?"

It's really inspiring to know that a lot of indie bands are getting heard in new ways because of the internet and new technologies. And it's also nice to be able to produce your own album. Working with the guys in Zen Carnival over the last few years has been great, and I'm really excited about how the music world will respond to our new album.

Favorite Artists: Genesis, Yes, Rush, ELP, Joni Mitchell, Prince, King's X, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Steely Dan, Level 42, Steve Vai, Pat Metheny Group, John Scofield, Chick Corea, Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Messiaen, Ligeti
Current listening: Pat Metheny Group "The Way Up", Beck "Guero", Coldplay, Steve Reich "Reich Remixed", Led Zeppelin "Coda"

First Instrument: Drums

Other Instruments: Classical Percussion (Marimba, Timpani, etc.), Hand Percussion, Basic Piano, Background Vocals

Education: B.A. in Music Performance, Berklee College of Music

Other Projects: Vocal Jazz Group ("Genie and the Strays") playing in the Foundation Lounge at the Commonwealth Hotel on Tuesday nights. Free-Lance performances in the Boston area including Jazz, Funk, R+B, etc, Theatre (pit band) work. Formerly in Big Top Vertigo – Boston based original Rock Band.

Comments: Working with Zen Carnival has been a great experience. I've always had strong progressive interests and influences, and this project helps me to fulfill the desire that I have for expressing that form of creativity. My hopes are to blend what I've learned from my many influences and help to create very original parts to go along with the original sound that I feel the group has established. The members are all very open-minded and easy going, which makes it a very conducive atmosphere, leaving ample room for my own expression in this project.

Currently Listening to: Porcupine Tree, U2, The Killers, audio books….

Favorite Artists: Rush, Soundgarden, Tool, U2, Radiohead, The Killers, Interpol, The Police, Faith No More, Dave Mathews Band, Fates Warning, Chick Corea/ Return to Forever, to name a few.