December 1999 saw the release of Al Rose's third album, Pigeon's Throat, following his critically- acclaimed second album, Naked In A Trailer, and his debut, Information Overload. The musicians include the Transcendos and guests such as violinist Steve Gibons, mandolinist Stuart Rosenberg, cellist Diana Parmeter and occasional Transcendo, organist Carter Luke.

Critics have always had a difficult time adequately describing Al Rose's music, ranging from "soulful-country- dada-gospel" to the less musical but accurate description, "caffeinated madness." Texture and time signatures change in new ways and the lyrics are meant to wash over the listener and be absorbed. Great musicianship and ideas abound within the framework of a tightly-constructed song. This new album, as with the previous one, really captures the interplay, the mesmerizing qualities that are found in any of his live performances. In concert, Al Rose sometimes presents his music as an acoustic solo, sometimes with just a bassist, as a trio, as a rockin' quartet and sometimes with the large band he calls The Transcendos.

His father was a local bassist and violinist in the 40's but his parents selected the flute as Al's first instrument. Although he had learned to read and play in various school ensembles he lost interest during high school. "One rainy day I picked up an old Sears Silvertone with only three strings left that was around the house. I became obsessed, not as a guitarist but as a singer. I started writing songs right away." With cowboy-chord proficiency, the early Dylan songbook and the Washburn guitar he still plays, "I was trying to be the ‘profound social-singer guy'. I no longer play any of those songs." After playing coffeehouses while in high school, he developed major musical partnerships when he arrived at college in Champaign, Illinois. He formed a band with Dave Kay and Maury Smith called Three Story Brownstone. Changing personnel, and a relocation to Chicago, resulted in a name change to Buffalo Trout. By now Al was regularly using a Strat and had also taken up the alto sax. After ten years and several bands, Dave and Al had an amicable split.

"I was looking for musicians who could take my music and ‘transcend' what I had written." The Transcendos were envisioned as a large, versatile band. Early line-ups included pedal steel and keyboard players. The current musicians are all active throughout the Chicago music community. There is a stable core the to Transcendos: Drummer Heath Chappell, bassist Steve Hashimoto, guitarist Victor Sanders and vocalist Laura Blye. Former Three Story Brownstone guitarist Maury Smith (now residing in Madison) is considered a full member of the Transcendos.

At first Al performed exclusively with the full entourage but he also wanted to explore the acoustic aspects of his music. The revivification of the coffeehouse as forum for intriguing music has served him well. Fittingly, there's a song, "Cuptigo," on the Uncommon Ground Coffeehouse Sampler disc plus a spoken word performance. "It's a real organic process. The songs are the same but the players dictate what sound you get that night, but it's always me and my songs." All of the Transcendos appear on his three discs.

Touring for his first album brought him outside of his Midwestern base from New York to Nashville to Atlanta to Boulder. The second album had him being invited to industry showcases in Boston, New Orleans, Cleveland, St. Louis and return engagements in New York and elsewhere. He has played in Bali and in Paris, but is as likely to take his brush and watercolors with him as take a guitar. His artwork has been shown in galleries, including some solo exhibitions. It's another creative outlet but is definitely is secondary to his music. The cover to Naked is graced by a detail from one of Al's travel paintings.

Describing Al Rose's music may always be a difficult task but now there are three brilliant compact discs for reference and enjoyment.

Click here for the official Al Rose Website