In 1990, inspired by the David Torn-Bill Bruford album "Cloud About Mercury", Eric Dahlman and E. Doc Smith formed a Boston based, jazz/rock quartet called Feat of Clay, with long time friends, bassist Mike Terry and guitarist Tom Hevey. Their first album, "One", was produced by Doc, and recorded by Coleman Rogers. "One" featured the songs "Mugwug", "Where's Manny?", "Mobado", "For All Intense and Porpoises", "Kodo", "Kevohei" and "Earthshock". Feat of Clay first performed in Boston, at the Naked City Coffee House, the "Annual Monk Fest" in Vermont, and appeared on "WBRS's The Joint", Brandeis University's critically acclaimed experimental radio show. The WBRS show featured the first recordings of "Previous Men", "Omobad", "The Torreador", and "Bug". With the depature of Hevey to Seattle, Doc to DC, and Terry's pursuit of his Law degree, Feat of Clay was reformed in 1994, with bassist Renato Canzon, guitar synthesizer player Jeff Solano, and performed to a packed house at DC's Club Kala Kala. Filmed and recorded live, this show featured the debut of "Christmas in Toronto", which would become Doc's "Girl of a Thousand Days", Solano's solo piece, "My Rose" and "Out of Texas", "Buildings" and "Fool's Dream", from Steve Ellison's "Flash to Bangtime" repertoire, and Dahlman's cover of the Police's "Walking on the Moon". Following Solano's departure and Canzon's temporary retirement, Doc and Dahlman signaled the end of the second Feat of Clay band with "Two". Feat of Clay was reborn with a new recording in 1999, featuring DC Artbeat founder Carlos Augustus on guitar synthesizer, and special guest and Madmen alum Neil Mezebish on "A Night's Stay in Bordertown". "A Night's Stay in Bordertown" was the first Feat of Clay recording featuring Doc's use of the Drummstick! In the summer of 2002, before Doc's move to San Francisco, Feat of Clay recorded "Three", signifying Doc, Dahlman, and Canzon's continued involvement, and added Madmen guitarist Mike Hall. "Three" featured the song, Blue Moon, written by Hall, and produced by Don Dinicola and Doc. "Blue Moon" saw air play on both the web and local alternative stations in DC, and heralded a new direction for Feat of Clay. In 2006, Feat of Clay returned for a reunion of the original members, Doc, Dahlman, Terry, and Hevey in San Francisco! Joining FOC were be special guests, Seth Elgart, Steve Ellison, John Moremen, Mike Marlin, Rachel DuBose and the legendary SF saxophonist Charles Unger! FOC performed a variety of music from their 20 year repertoire: Blue Moon, Where's Manny?, (with poet Robert Anbian), Mugwug, Original Sins, Kodo, Dahlman's solo, Earthshock, Fools Dream, Girl of a Thousand Days, Futureboy, Brother X, and Buildings, from Steve Ellison’s Flash to Bangtime. Following their triumphant return at CounterPulse, Feat of Clay performed at the annual Golden Gate Block Party, hosted by the Pine Box Boys, and featured guest stars Seth Elgart and Charles Unger. FOC played the following weekend at The Rio Rancho Rocks show in Cave Junction, Oregon, however with Mike Terry’s return to Boston, Doc enlisted a special guest bassist, Kate Aragon, the first woman and only the third bassist with Feat of Clay. Kate’s work with the Bay Area groups, The Druid Sister's Tea Party and The Land of the Blind made her uniquely qualified to join FOC for the gig! Feat of Clay will return...http://www.druidsisters.com/http://www.landoftheblind.com/shapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
Feat of Clay
Recording in Boston with Coleman Rogers and Mike Terry
1990: Doc playin’ the “Beast”, Bruford’s Simmons SDS9 kit
Tom “A&E” Hevey making his famed “helicopter sounds” again!
1994: Feat of Clay 2 with Doc, Dahlman, Solano and Canzon
1999: Doc playin’ the “Beast” on “A Night’s Stay in a Bordertown”
1999: Feat of Clay’s third MIDI guitarist, Carlos Augustus Martins
Feat of Clay co-founder, Eric “the Mad Swede” Dahlman
Mike Hall, the fourth MIDI guitarist of Feat of Clay
Renato “Neng” Canzon, the second bassist of Feat of Clay
2006: Feat of Clay Reunion Eric The “Mad Swede” Dahlman
2006: Feat of Clay Reunion rehearsals with Dahlman & Hevey
2006: Feat of Clay Reunion with Doc and Mike Terry
2006: The Feat of Clay/Flash to Bangtime/K2 Reunion show
2006: Golden gate Block Party Doc, Mike Terry & Charles Unger
2006: Doc on his Bruford inspired Gretsch kit
2006: Doc with Elgart, Terry, Hevey, Dahlman & Unger
2006: Kate Aragon, the third bassist with Feat of Clay
2006: Doc and Dahlman at the Edgetone New Music Summit
Feat of Clay