Stick Men

Centered around bassist and Chapman Stick player Tony Levin, drummer Pat Mastelotto and touch guitarist Markus Reuter, Stick Men has since the late 2000s operated at the intersection of progressive rock, experimental music and improvisation. A trio formed in the United States but with an international scope, the band draws on Levin and Mastelotto’s experience in King Crimson to explore complex rhythmic architectures, dense textures and a mainly instrumental writing style punctuated by sung passages. Stick Men made their recording debut with Soup in 2010, followed by Deep in 2013 and Prog Noir in 2016, which gives more space to vocals and the song format while retaining a very rhythmic approach. On stage the trio alternates original compositions, improvisations and reinterpretations of King Crimson’s repertoire, with regular tours in Europe, North America and South America. They have also collaborated with other musicians from the progressive and avant-rock scenes, such as violinist David Cross on the live album Midori: Live in Tokyo (2016), and maintain a close relationship with the independent label MoonJune, which releases a large portion of their recordings.