HITCHHIKER

HITCHHIKER was started as a side project by 10,000 Maniacs guitarist the late great Rob Buck and New Orleans based singer/songwriter and drummer Daniel Chauvin. Along the way they Tony White joined the group and they began writing, recording and performing together under the name HITCHHIKER.

HITCHHIKER was featured on the RYKODISC release Kerouac, Kicks Joys Darkness wherein they performed the Kerouac poem Mexico Rooftop. Ensuing performances included The Kerouac Festival in Lowell MA. The Viper room in LA, The Knitting Factory and St. Marks Church in NYC.

With Mr. Bucks unfortunate passing in 2000 Tony and his partner Daniel Chauvin took some time to reflect on the loss of their dear friend. They reformed with a determination and passion to continue the sound and legacy of what they had all started together. They asked famed NYC session guitarist Al Maddy to join the group and Al has added his beautiful textures and sounds to the group.

Tony & Danny with David Amram

Some of the musicians HITCHHIKER has had the honor to perform and collaborate with include the great Composer and multi instrumentalist David Amram. David was a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s all star world ensemble for 40 years playing Jazz French Horn. He was a also a collaborator with Jack Kerouac, Gregory Corso, Allen Ginsberg who were at the heart of the Beat Movement in New York. Mr. Amram scored the film THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE starring Frank Sinatra.

HITCHHIKER has also had the honor to collaborate with Bachir Attar who is the leader of The Master Musican’s of Jajoucha a Moroccan World Music group. Mr. Attar has collaborated with the likes of Brain Jones of the Rolling Stones and many others.

In 2009 HITCHHIKER released This Is Us on Sea Level Records with ensuing performances to support the CD in venues like The Knitting Factory in NYC and over seas in London and Prague CZ Republic. The group continues to be heavily involved in the NY underground music scene and are always performing, recording and carrying on the legacy of the greats who first fused Spoken Word with Improvised Music.

THE NEW YORK TiMES WROTE
 
“Beatnick Reunion in the Village”
 
With graying ponytails and beards gathered yesterday in their ancestral home Greenwich Village, to feel the beat of their long-ago generation and to resurrect some vanished icons: Jack Kerouac, Miles Davis, Alan Ginsberg”l would say that this was the cultural hub of America”, said Art D’Lugoff, the former owner of The Village Gate Jazz Club, play the as he sat in the back of the Figaro Cafe. He had been listening to DAVID AMRAM french horn as HITCHHIKERS DANIEL CHAUViN read from Kerouac’s “On the Road” accompanied by TONY WHITE on the Tenor Sax.”This is where the folk movement, the anti Vietnam movement, and the civil rights movement evolved. All over coffee music and hipster conversation.
 

THE LOWELL- TIMES (LOWELL -MA)

“Tales of Beatnick Glory”

With TONY WHITE creating surreal like landscapes using saxes flutes and a looping station, 10,000 MANIACS Guitarist ROB BUCK’Stextured soundscapes & Jajouka Master BACHIR ATTAR flutes and Moroccan stringed instruments, DANIEL CHAUVIN chanted/sanga long poem he seemed to pull from the cool evening air.

Chauvin whose inspired stage manner conjured up just a bit of Jim Morrison, retreated to a drum set every now and then.There were some chilling moments, some melodic periods that floated through the piece but it wouldn’t have mattered if it was allguttural skronk.

It captured perfectly the spirit of Kerouac’s piece and delivered on the nights inherent promise…….it was a dare….that paid off.

Click the Store Drawer (little red dots) above to purchase a track or click here to see all the HITCHHIKER material available for purchase.