Flying Salvias is an alt-everything duo from Brisbane, CA– the City of the Stars! A quartet for this appearance, actually! We appear to be at a watershed moment with the Salvias this April!

As a twosome, they’ve been characterized as everything from “Ameri-kinda Alt Everything” to “Alt Cabaret”. Henry is well known for his expressive piano style and impressive chops, and Kathleen’s voice can go from a whisper to a roar and back again with heartfelt emotional appeal.

She is a musical gadabout. He is a musical sponge.

Their backstory?

She was in Classic Country Heaven in San Francisco. He was in Top 40 Hell in Detroit.

She co-founded The Rayons, a new wave girl group, in 1982 and went on to help form the original progressive metal band Holy Mary. She also became a founding member of the Incredible 60’s Rock and Soul Review (IRS) with blues king Chris Cobb and the late great, Jo Baker (Stoneground).

Ready to put years of playing in Detroit Top 40 bands behind him, Henry was itching for a change and came to San Francisco, but he didn’t wear flowers in his hair. Rather, he joined The Billy Band, aka The Rounders, a hugely popular country-rock band. Round about 1990, invited to sit in with IRS, he met Kathleen.

A year later, they joined forces in The Hurricanes, a blues rock-americana band, and began a lasting personal and musical relationship.

Following their individual muses, she joined up with Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, and he became a founding member of jump-swing band, Johnny Nocturne, and both traveled the world making music.

They continued to work on projects together, and from The Hurricanes, they went to the Kathy N. Right project, birthing a country/pop/blues/rock/gospel CD, “Long Way Around.” Next, they formed The Ray Price Club, with steel player Joe Goldmark and their beloved friend, Kathi Kamen Goldmark. High marks included “Older Than Him (The Slut Song)” written and recorded by the Kath Sisters (Kathleen and Kathi) and popularized by author rock band, The Rock Bottom Remainders. Both he and she recorded with David Bromberg Band alumni John Firmin and yet another late great, mandolinist Dick Fejy, on “The Firmin-Fejy Sessions.” Somewhere during all this, the 21st century arrived.

Henry gets busy with high octane Americana group Houston Jones in 2005, recording a half-dozen CDs. Kathleen generally tries to behaves herself and to act normal, and sits in with tolerant yet talented bands such as Big Lou’s Dance Party (Polka Casserole).

Then, Presto-Chango! Henry and Kathleen stop procrastinating! In 2013 The Flying Salvias create “Curious Bling,” a look at the secrets of life and the mysteries of the universe. Acoustic, dark, sad, fun, questioning, complaining (only a little), and available for your listening pleasure on CD Baby.

And a scant few years later, the Flying Salvias are again in a flurry of writing, performing, and recording. Apparently, they’ve been messing about in Cookie Marenco’s OTR Studio with drummer Ken Owen and bassist Josh Zucker and they’ll be releasing a new CD very, very soon.

But first, a little Sunday afternoon show with the full band at Bird & Beckett! Don’t miss it!