For those of you not in the know, CIRCUS MIND is a New York-based rock outfit and the brainchild of singer/songwriter and keyboardist Mark Rechler.

The band is about to celebrate its 20th year and will unveil their fourth release BIOLUMINATE on June 17th, 2022. BIOLUMINATE continues to capture the CIRCUS MIND spirit as they weave through past, present, and funky future.

CIRCUS MIND is a camouflaged Cephalopod that can change colors, moods and styles in an instant, swimming from jazzy groove rock to funky reggae roots with ease. Their previous release JOY MACHINE featured Big Sam, Marc Ribot, Ivan Neville, Walter Wolfman Washington, Scott Metzger, and more.

An eclectic collection of ’70s rock and funk with modern takes on N’awlins swamp rock mixed with Beatles pop, the first JOY MACHINE single “Are You Ready?” featured guest guitar phenom Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, and its music video was well received by critics and fans alike.

Their earlier release “Silver Flower” was voted one of the Best Indie Albums of 2006 by Newsday and put a modern take on influences such as Traffic, Steely Dan, Little Feat, and Mott the Hoople while mixing in NoLa vibe influences like Dr. John, The Meters and The Neville Brothers. The CIRCUS MIND single “Jazzfest Time” was released as an ode to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

1. West End Road (4:44)
2. Darwin’s Sister (6:02)
3. Baby Come Back Down (4:15)
4. Miss Fortune (6:36)
5. Vampire Blues (3:46)

This quite wondrously uplifting, vibrantly joyous new album opens on the fluidly gorgeous, Jagger-imbed vibe of the second official single from the album West End Road, which brings with it an emotive experience akin to a swamp rock, jazzy gospel hoedown ala Little Feat and Taj Mahal and that is followed by the early-Stones-imbibed blues-rock of Darwin’s Sister.

Up next is the uproarious first BIOLUMINATE single Baby Come Back Down (featuring NoLa guitarist Marc Paradis of Johnny Sketch and The Dirty Notes) and which comes complete with a funky driving Caribbean backbeat mixed with rock and soul vibes and delicious synthesizer work and that is in turn backed by the mid-tempo balladry of Miss Fortune (with special guest Nels Cline of Wilco), the album coming to an all too soon close on the Hammond-embedded, smooth blues grooves within Vampire Blues (which also features special guests Matty Fox and Matt Godfrey from the Brandon “Taz” Niederauer Band).

Longtime bassist Chris Crosby, who passed during the recording of the album, appears on four of the tracks.

CIRCUS MIND has opened for national acts (Toots & The Maytals, The Neville Brothers, The Radiators) and had many notable guests sit in on their recordings and live performances (Soulive, Rebirth Brass Band, Cyril Neville).

CIRCUS MIND’s members are diverse in their influences and playing styles. Lead vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist Mark Rechler performs with multiple projects and has played, toured, and recorded with members of The Meters, The Neville Brothers, The Radiators, Soulive, The Brandon “Taz” Niederauer Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Ivan Neville, and more.

Spending five years in New Orleans studying music, art, & architecture helped influence his style and direction, and he always keeps his listeners salivating and wanting more.

Guitarist Jaime Scott has toured the world as a guitarist and engineer, with renowned ensemble John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards. In doing so he followed the lineage of the legendary and influential Lounge Lizard’s guitarists who came before him. “Baby Come Back Down” also features late and long-time CIRCUS MIND bassist Chris Crosby, who had studied with Oteil Burbridge of The Allman Brothers Band and Dead & Co.

The band’s rhythm section features drummer Dan Roth, a driving force of funky world influences and percussionist Steve Finkelstein, who has worked recorded and performed with pop icons from Ray Charles as well as jam band giants including members of the Dead, Allman’s, and Neville’s, and Tower of Power. Steve is also a founding member of the Funk Filharmonik.

New Member Saxophonist Michael Amendola holds a BA in Arranging from The Berklee College of Music. Credits include touring, film scores, jingles, and Broadway shows. Michael was a member of The Tony Trischka Band for 7 years, producing 2 recordings on Rounder Records and as a leader, released the jazz recording “Big Sunflower” on CDC Records.

Also joining the party is Leandro Da Silva, a multi-faceted bassist from São Paulo, Brazil who brings elements of Samba and Funk that can be heard in his diverse playing style.

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