Jeff Sullivan
was born in the San Fernando City Hospital and grew up in Los Angeles. He studied music and violin until the age of twenty. He began to improvise and played with local musicians forming a band in 1985. He briefly died in 1987, and returned to life as a struggling but dedicated musician. He's worked with many artists in the studio and on stage. Bands include Sex and Violins, Baghdad Nadsat (Eye of Newt), Brand New World, Leonard’s Bag, Ron Kat & the Soul Disciples, Jon T Howard Band and Melissa Flannigan. His influences are Hendrix, Floyd, Pretty Things, Zappa, Bowie, Beatles, Crimson and all the great electric violinists: Pappa John Creach, Don Harris (Sugarcane), David Cross, Jerry Goodman, Jean Luc Ponty, and Stephanne Grappelli.
Grant Warrens
has played in bands in
California, where he grew up, as well as in
Texas, Japan,and now with Shannon Tower Band in
Portland. Primarily a lead guitarist, he also
writes music, and regularly co-writes with
Shannon and the other band members.
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Shannon Tower
is a singer, songwriter and
guitarist with her own unique style of music that
crosses between alternative and folk. With her unique
vocal style and writing abilities, her songs are both
haunting and energetic. Her message is as much
politically relevant as it is personal. Shannon Tower
was raised in Eugene, Oregon, where at the young age of
nine she performed her first solo at a school concert.
When she saw the tears in the eyes of many audience
members during her performance, she knew at that moment
the stage was her home. Ever since she was a little girl
she used a journal to write down her deepest thoughts
and feelings. As she approached her high school years
she realized her power to communicate intimate thoughts
and ideas was through her ability to write. She left
home at eighteen and moved to New York to explore and
find her voice and after two years moved to Portland,
Oregon. Self taught guitarist since the age of 23,
Shannon started to combine her talent for lyrical poetry
with songs composed on her guitar. Using a unique
rhythmic pulse of the music, her unorthodox playing
technique appears both fluid and percussive. Shannon
writes about many of life’s situations, these include
the Iraq war in her song “POWER PLAY”. Homelessness,
poverty and the real consequences that are incurred in
her song “THINK ABOUT IT”. “BEHIND CLOSED DOORS” is a
song that stems from personal experience with a mothers
abusive behavior and neglect. Music has always been
apart of Shannon’s life. Such artists as Bob Dylan…Joni
Mitchell…Paul Simon…Peter Gabriel…Natalie Merchant and
Ani Difranco have influenced her. Shannon Tower has been
playing music in the Portland area for years with a
variety of different musicians. In 2004 she met lead
guitarist Grant Warrens, who later introduced her to
electric violinist Jeff Sullivan.
