Andrew Bird

Born in Chicago, multi-instrumentalist and lyricist, Andrew Bird received perfect musical education first playing violin when he was four. He started as a swing performer with the band Squirrel Nut Zippers. This outfit tried to imitate the image and style of the Great Depression musicians accurately, which enchained restless and seeking Andrew. This prompted him to launch another project. In 1997, Bird organized his own group called Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire, with three more musicians. Classically trained, he innovated the manner of violin performance fitting the guitar sound. The new and courageous approach was fully demonstrated on the band’s debut album, Thrills, released in 1998. The untraditional combination of jazz and folk rock based on the new role of violin and backed by soft guitars showcased Bird’s songwriting talent and skilled experimenting touch. Along with the solo project, Bird actively cooperated with other performers, tutored music and prepared the soundtrack to Tim Robbins’s The Cradle Will Rock.

In 1999, Andrew and his band recorded their sophomore album, Oh! The Grandeur, built on the foundation of the Gipsy music. In a year, Squirrel Nut Zippers released their last work, Bedlam Ballroom. The fans did not expect the depressive atmosphere of the new release that was devoted to the band’s member Stacy Guess who died out of heroin OD. This tragedy put an end to the activity of the prominent band. Bird did not come back to swing ever after. In 2001, The Bowl of Fire issued their third and arguably their best long player, The Swimming Hour. This time, they centered their music around the country, blues and folk core. In the light of glory, each member of the outfit took up his own project, which eventually led to the collapse of The Bowl of Fire. Full of new plans and ideas, Andrew Bird went back to Chicago and equipped an old shed to found his own studio for preparing a new album. It was released in 2003 under the title Weather Systems. The complicated music patterns and sophisticated lyrics made the record interesting to listen to and well sold.

This release was backed up by the live records Fingerlings and Fingerlings 2 demonstrating Bird’s shining skills to perform alive. Improvisation and speedy use of several instruments at a time made his concerts shows to remember. Andrew always strived to make his compositions sound different from the studio versions so that each separate performance was unlike the others. 2005 saw the musician deliver one more album, The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Initially, he intended to give this name to his band, but considered it too long. This record was also made in his own studio in Chicago with almost all the music written and performed by Andrew himself. Before the official release in March 2007, the new album, Armchair Apocrypha, was massively distributed on-line, which was just another witness of Bird’s global fame. Andrew provided the material based on his new interest, Afro-American and Cuban music traditions. In winter 2009, Andrew Bird released Noble Beast, a many faceted record with traces of numerous styles. He remained faithful to himself and provided profound lyrics along with unpredictable music solutions.