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Since 1980, under the name Transvalue, trombonist/composer Michael Vlatkovich has been, with his unique brand of improvisationally-friendly compositions, creating musical settings to support, surround and interact with the writings and vocal performances of spoken word artist Chuck Britt.

Over the years, Transvalue has grown into a sort of repertory company of West Coast experimental jazz artists with the instrumentation and personnel varying with the needs of the material. Beyond Michael and Chuck, one mainstay of this repertory company has been drummer/percussionist, David Crigger, whose role as recording engineer/mixer has grown beyond mere capturing of performances, but the editing, shaping and extending those performances to match Transvalue’s current vision of itself.

Other player’s having performed on all three Transvalue recordings include bassist, Domenic Genova; multi-woodwindist, Vinny Golia; trumpeter, Lou Gonzales; and keyboardist, Warren Hartman.

Transvalue’s latest recording, “Book III” also features Glenn Horiuchi on piano; Jay Hutson and Bill Plake on woodwinds; Mark Underwood on trumpet; George McMullen on trombone; Bill Roper on Tuba; Melanie Cracchiolo and Chuck Sabitino on lead vocals; plus many other guests.

Listed below are some of the many performers who have contributed their talents to bringing you Transvalue...

Chuck Britt
Vocals/Poems/Verbal Expressions

...observes and invites us into his American life. From his loving but disturbed and too intense fifties family, through the polluted, war and riot torn, deteriorating sixties, the inflated, over watered desert of Los Angeles and the world of performance art and jazz in the seventies and eighties, through his visions of redemption in death and unlikely family healing over the last twenty years in the Northwest, Chuck growls, hisses, warbles and dances his vision. We can come or not… but it is clear that he will go on relentlessly.
Michael Vlatkovich
Trombone/Compostions

...called by JAZZIZ magazine, “…one of the most extraordinary improvising trombonists in this country as well as overseas... a daring and emotionally charged performer... takes delight in blending a broad variety of jazz and world music styles into his own brand of engaging and unpredictable music and manages to express a raw power and beauty within a minimally structured format that allows extensive group improvisations to lead the way.”
David Crigger
Drums/Percussion/Additional Keyboards/Programming & Sound Manipulation

...joined the Don Ellis Orchestra at age 18 and has since recorded and performed with Elvis Costello, Klaus Doldinger's Passport, Burt Bacharach, Brian Auger, Free Flight, Willie Bobo, as well as the big bands of Ralph Carmichael, Joe Roccisano and Bruce Lofgren; written for numerous magazines on music technology; engineered/produced CD's for Jeanette Wrate, Bruce Lofgren Jazz Orchestra, Bill Plake and others.
Domenic Genova
Acoustic & Elecric Bass

...a mainstay of the Los Angeles music scene; has played/recorded with Seals & Croft, Tori Amos, Michelle Shocked, Olivia Newton-John, 5th Dimension, Melissa Manchester, Jeff Richman, and Thom Rotella". His Film and T.V. credits include Home Improvement, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Roseanne, Happy Days, Little Mermaid, Married to the Mob, Naked Gun 3.5, Bye Bye Love, Leap of Faith, and Rookie of the Year.
Vinny Golia
Woodwinds

...has presented his music to concert audiences in Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan and the US; won numerous awards as a composer, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, The California Arts Council, and the American Composers Forum; won LA Weekly's "Best Jazz Musician" Award in 1999; ranked 1st in the Cadence Magazine Writers & Readers Poll in 1998; continually places in the Downbeat Critic's Poll for Baritone Saxophone; . Jazziz Magazine named him as one of the 100 people who have influenced the course of Jazz in our Century.
Glenn Horiuchi
Piano

...was the recipient of composer fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and California Arts Council, and had performed with Joseph Jarman, Wadada Leo Smith, George Lewis, John Tchicai, Art Davis, Francis Wong, Miya Masaoka, and Tatsu Aoki. Glenn was diagnosed with colon cancer in August 1999, and fought a courageous battle until he passed away on June 3, 2000.
William Roper
Tuba

...has recorded with the rock bands: Thelonious Monster, The Fibonaccis and The Other Woman; poets: Jimmy Townes and Mark Weber; avant ensemble: Motor Totemist Guild; the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Parachute Express; as well as The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, American Jazz Institute and Los Angeles Jazz Institute ensembles, the Orchestre Surreal, The Luckman Jazz Orchestra under James Newton, Bobby Bradford, Anthony Braxton, John Carter, Jimmy Cleveland, Billy Higgins, Yusef Lateef, Wadada Leo Smith, and Horace Tapscott.
Bill Plake
Woodwinds

Jay Hutson
Woodwinds

...has performed with Ray Charles, Harry James, The New American Orchestra, The Temptations, Rita Moreno, Aretha Franklin, and Vic Damone; has recorded for “The New Mickey Mouse Club TV Show”, the Pointer Sisters, Puff Daddy and numerous commercials; was musical director for “The 30th Anniversary Of Rock an Roll”; played for Joe Harnell's ”Cole Porter's 100th Birthday” tour, the “American Song Writers PBS Special” and many times for “The Golden Eagle Awards Show” (the Latin Oscar/Grammy show).
Lou Gonzales
Trumpet

George McMullen
Trombone

...musical director and trombone soloist for the Brian Setzer Orchestra since 1993; has worked with Oingo Boingo, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, Tom Waits, Bobby Caldwell, Tony Bennett, Lou Rawls, James Newton, The Luckman Jazz Orchestra, George Lewis, Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Orchestra, Vinny Golia, Poncho Sanchez, Sheila E., Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Eddie Santiago, and Tito Nieves.
Jim Knodle
Trumpet

...a member of the free jazz group Holus Bolus, and a founding member of Circular Cowboys and Inside Out; has recorded and performed with Wayne Horvitz, Robin Holcomb, Lynette Westendorf, Perry Robinson, Andrew Hill, Dave Storrs, Rob Blakeslee, and Sue Ann Harkey; compositions performed in concerts by the Earshot World Jazz Festival, Marzena Arts' Spring Festival of Contemporary Music, the Creative Music Guild's Series in Portland, the Dumaurier Jazz Festival in Vancouver, BC.; recently played in NY for Greg Lachow's performed film "Silence"
Warren Hartman
Keyboards

Mark Underwood
Trumpet

Chuck Sabatino
Vocals

Melanie Cracchiolo
Vocals