Site last updated on Saturday, 05.07.2008 14:38

{extra}

Discography
Below are albums I've played on or produced.

  • Storming Heaven - Avalon Rising - 2004 - on sale now, from Flowinglass Music! Progressive Celtic and Medieval rock.
    • Co-producer, bass, vocal, mandocello
  • To Touch The Stars - various artists - 2004 - on sale now, from Prometheus Music! I play on 10 of the 17 tracks. This compilation of songs by various artists ranges from folky rock to country to rock and ska, and celebrates the history and future of space travel.
    • Electric guitar, electric sitar, vocal, guitar synthesizer. I also wrote most of the press releases and promotional material for this album.
  • Sophia Speaks - The Veil - 2002 - on sale now! This is my personal favorite of all the albums on this page, and my best musical work to date. With 7 songs written by Margarita Kovats, Deirdre McCarthy and myself, it will take you on a deeply mystical psychedelic journey. Not everyone's cup of tea - some people don't like the spoken word, some are put off by the mystical content of the title track.
    • Co-producer, co-composer, acoustic and electric guitars, vocals, mandocello, electric sitar, bass, percussion, guitar synthesizer, mandola, banjo.
  • Remencier - Laurie Chastain. This mostly-acoustic album ranges from Laurie's original visionary folk songs to her fine Celtic fiddling to my personal favorite track, Galanica, a 12th century Judeo-Spanish love ballad which morphs into a very cool taxim. I had the opportunity to work with the wonderful guitarist John Havard on this CD. Available at Amoeba Music, 2455 Telegraph Ave. at Haste, in Berkeley, California. 510 549-1125 - it's in the Celtic section.
    • Acoustic guitar, mandocello, vocal.
  • Rainshadow - Kyle Thayer - 1993. Now reissued on CD! Contact Kyle by email to purchase, or write to: Watershed Productions, 200 Gate Five Road, Suite 212, Sausalito, CA 94965. Kyle and I spent months working up some very nice arrangements for his original octave mandolin compositions plus a nice group of American and Irish traditional instrumentals. This is one of those CDs that's great for cleaning house or driving.
    • Co-producer, acoustic guitar, percussion.
    Keepers of the Flame - Phoenyx - 1990 - Phoenyx existed from 1989 to 1993. KOTF is a fantasy-oriented folk-rock album that wears its Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention influences on its sleeve, featuring songs by Heather Alexander, Cat Taylor, and myself, Mark Ungar. This album is out of print, but if you really must have one, contact me and, as a friend, I'll be happy to burn you a free promotional copy, sans cover art, booklet, etc. Why am I doing this? A lot of people like this album; so much so, in fact, that they're willing to pay up to $600 for a copy on eBay, a phenomenon that kind of pisses me off when I think that none of the musicians and the many other professionals involved in the production receive any of the compensation they deserve when this happens. So please, don't pay some scalper, or illegally download our album from the internet. I'd rather see no one making money off of this than someone unfairly profiting from it.

    Are there plans to reissue Keepers of the Flame?
    Over the last few years, Prometheus Music has twice made generous offers to produce the reissue of KOTF and act as a legally neutral third party in any negotiations. These offers appear all the more generous in light of the fact that there would probably be little, if any, profit from a venture that might at best sell a couple of thousand copies. All of the band members except Heather (now known as Alex Adams) have given their permission to have KOTF reissued.

    Speaking for myself, I don't have any special terms or conditions to lay on the project. The album was a labor of love for all of us involved, something we spent thousands of hours in creating. It came out pretty well, and has a certain unique spirit to it, though I daresay each of us has done better work since then. Since there is evidently some demand for it, I don't see the harm in printing a run. If we all make a few dollars from it, fine, but let's face it folks - we're not the rolling stones, and no one's going to be buying any mansions with royalties from the reissued KOTF. No, the reason to reissue it is for the fans - there are some people out there to whom it is very special. By this time, filesharing has almost made the whole issue moot, since people can get MP3s of the album if they want them. But it's nice to have something to hold in your hands, isn't it?

    • I acted as co-producer and composer, and played electric guitar, mandola, bass, and vocals.
    • What are the Former Members of Phoenyx doing now?
      • Heather is now known as Alexander James Adams! Yes, she is a guy. For more info, go to Heatherlands.com.
      • Mark Ungar? You're on my site now, you silly!
      • John Land has become a singer-songwriter extraordinaire.
      • Visit Cat Taylor's Fiddler's Fancy.com for an update.
      • Larry the O, after a long stint with LucasArts, now works for Meyer Sound and plays with his own blues and soul band.


    Rare Live Phoenyx track found!
    Phoenyx
    performing Heather Alexander's Black Unicorn recorded live at Decatur Street in San Francisco in May of 1990. On it, I take a 1,064-bar guitar solo - whew, ma'am - that's a mouthful! Enjoy.

    M4a version (iTunes)
    MP3 version

  • A Following Wind - Glenn Morgan - 1994 Click to order. If you've ever been to San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf or the California Renaissance Faires, you've heard hammered dulcimer master Glenn Morgan. His albums feature a veritable Celtic orchestra of exceptional local musicians, with top-drawer production. If you like the driving, tinkly sound of the hammered dulcimer, these two CDs are for you. Apparently they make the fish bite better.
    • Acoustic guitar, octave mandolin
  • Borders No More - Glenn Morgan - 1995 Click to order.
    • Acoustic guitar, octave mandolin
  • Divine Temptation - a Journey of Sacred Songs - Akasa - 2000. To order, contact Akasa at OneSound@earthlink.com, or write to: P.O. Box 342, Lagunitas, CA 94938. Akasa is a wonderful woman who, having raised her children and sent them off into the world, suddenly found herself touched with divine inspiration and ecstacy. Never having written songs before, this album is the result of her musical channelling of the divine spirit. I play on 6 tracks. If you like Yoko Ono, you'll love this sincere, ecstatic CD.
    • Electric guitar
  • Roundworm - various artists - 1999 Click to order. Fair Warning: this is a Filk album. Filk is defined as the folk-music of science-fiction fans. Most real music lovers don't like it. It features parody versions of popular filk songs.
    • Electric guitar and bass, banjo
  • My Favorite Sings - Kathy Mar - 1999. Fair Warning: this is a Filk album. Filk is defined as the folk-music of science-fiction fans. Most real music lovers don't like it. This CD features adequate vocals by the featured artist on a variety of folky filk selections. Engineer Kristoph Klover did a fine job turning a sow's ear into a silk purse, occasionally lifting the ensemble instrumentals to near that of a low-grade Pentangle.
    • Acoustic guitar, banjo

 

Performance Schedule

August 1st, 2nd, 8th, and 9th: Kelly McCubbin’s Golden Hour of Radio - 8pm at The Exit Theater, San Francisco

That’s right – I’m starring (ok, matter of opinion) in a brilliant new play called Kelly McCubbin’s Golden Hour of Radio! (or: the Ukeapocalypse Radio Hour). I’ll be playing “beleaguered announcer” Murray, as well as Risk Management Specialist Endrin Smyzel. The cast is a tremendously talented group, some of whom you know already, the rest of which you should.

This original play, penned by local writers including Rey Zegri and Chad McComber (of Single Entendre fame),  features the hilarious misadventures of a dysfunctional contemporary radio theater company. The second half features an “On Air” performance of an original sci-fi radio script! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kiss 15 bucks goodbye!

Save the Dates Now! There will be 4 performances only!

August 1st, 2nd, 8th, and 9th! (For you laymen, that’s the first couple of Friday and Saturday nights in August.)

Where?

The Exit Theater
156 Eddy Street, San Francisco, CA
Tickets $15 and $10

For tickets and more information, go to: Penny Dreadful Theatricals presents... The Ukeapocalypse Radio Hour

Avalon Rising Celt-ebrates 15 Years on the Boards!

Hey! Happy 15th Anniversary to us!

Join us at THE BISTRO

SATURDAY, JULY 19TH

1001 B Street, Hayward

(510) 886-8525

http://www.the-bistro.com/

9:00 * Free

There might be cake! OK, there will be cake. We're bringing it.

Back in the Stone Age -- 15 years ago -- just after the monkeys stopped throwing things at obelisks, there arose out of the ground a great Celtic rock band, and barely to be heard over the chanting of the Druids, was the band name, "Avalon Rising." (As good a creation myth as any.) At one point, there were other people in the band. Now there are these people in the band. Go figure. Step with us --- into the future! Will there be flying cars? No, only us, just like we are today, only it'll be the 19th. Amazing! Astounding! Good thing there's going to be cake.

Come on down and join us in a toast to 15 years of Celtic rock!

***

Avalon Rising
 http://www.avalonrising.com   
(510) 569-0437

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Saturday, August 23rd: The Petaluma Fall BBQ and Benefit Concert, featuring Axis of Blues!

The BBQ and Concert presentation is an outreach program by the Petaluma Salvation Army to let the people of Petaluma know what resources they have in their hometown. Participating organizations will be made up of a collection of Petaluma grass roots social service groups. Highlights include:

  • ·    Tours of the soon to be built Community Resource Center
  • ·    A Chicken BBQ with all the trimmings
  • ·    Activities for the kids
  • ·    booths for information for disaster preparedness
  • ·    a dunk tank with the local fireman and police alternating shifts, with the money going to the charity of their choice
  • ·    Art exhibit
  • ·    Free snow cones, cotton candy and popcorn for the kids and much more

…all topped off of course with great music!

Money raised will go to building a Salvation Army Disaster Relief Center on the site.

The event will run from 12:00 to 4:00 at the Petaluma Salvation Army campus on McDowell Blvd., on Saturday, August 23rd, 12:00 to 4:00. It’s a day for the whole family!

Axis of Blues, featuring Scott Irwin on drums, Robert Hill on guitar, and Mark Ungar on bass

will play from 2 – 2:45pm.

 

|Music Services|The Veil|Weddings|Testimonials|MP3s|Avalon Rising|Fiddler's Fancy|
|Musician-4-Hire|Discography|Instruments|Web Services|Archives|Band Names|Gig Archives|Press Releases|
|New Releases|Contact|

Contact More Moose at 415-87-MOOSE (415-876-6673), or send email to:
mark@moremoose.com