Screaming Headless Torsos

The new Avant-Hard!

Mad musical scientist David Fiuczynski started Screaming Headless Torsos back in 1984. The band mixed punk-rock and reggae and was fronted by an opera singer based on a model of mixing the vibes of German operatic punk singer Nina Hagen with one of the most vicious punk and reggae bands ever - the Bad Brains! Moving forward SHT added unique percussionist Daniel Sadownick on congas and incorporated funk, house, “latin”, ska and other elements in a unique groove-sandwiching style that sets Torsos apart from other bands. Continuing the tradition of having been fronted by mind-blowing singers like Freedom Bremner and Dean Bowman, Afro-Latina rocking screamer Sophia Ramos now picks up from where we started in 1997 when she was briefly in the band, adding her searing soulful voice and otherworldly siren calls. Rounding out the band is DJ David Ginyard on bass and James “Biscuit” Rouse on drums..

SCREAMING HEADLESS TORSOS IS:
David "Fuze" Fiuczynski-guitars
Sophia Ramos-vocals
Daniel Sadownick-percussion
David "DJ" Ginyard, Jr.-bass
Jame "Biscuit" Rouse-drums

David "FuZe" Fiuczynski's music is often described as unclassifiable, challenging, and invigorating. Fiuczynski leads the underground cult band Screaming Headless Torsos and has toured and/or recorded with Jack DeJohnette (Miles, Coltrane, Sun Ra, etc..), Stewart Copeland (the Police), Meshell Ndegeocello, Rudresh Mahanthappa, John Medeski, Hasidic New Wave, Bernie Worrell (P-Funk), Hiromi and many more and has performed at festivals all over the world. Born in the US, David grew up in Germany where he was always interested in mixing and “fuzing” different music elements. His recent music melds traditional melodic elements from the Middle East, Asia, India, and Eastern Europe, with rock, funk, electronica, and other styles. This concept started on a gig in Morocco in 1992. The Moroccan players noted that Hendrix visited the country and this gave Fiuczynski an idea - hard grooves with eastern inflected melodies putting the listener into a very colorful trance – could this be the music that Jimi would play today? Fiuczynski's band “KiF” celebrates a living Hendrix who’s kickin it in Casablanca and rocks the Casbah every Saturday night!

Fiuczynski is also a 2011 Guggenheim and 2009 & 2017 Mass Arts Council Fellow in composition and directs the Planet MicroJam Institute for advanced microtonal studies at Berklee College of Music.

Bronx-born Sophia Ramos began as a rock singer for the 90's NYC hard rock outfit SOPHIA’S TOY signed to Epic/Sony Records. Sophia has sung with an impressive list of studio and stage collaborators, including Jason Newsted of Metallica, Paul Simon, Billy Bragg, Joey Ramone, Big Brother and The Holding Company and The Black Rock Coalition Orchestra. Sophia’s flexibility in the studio has made her one of New York City's hottest session singers. Her roots may be rock, but she has mastered her craft in many genres: R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Latin and Pop, allowing her musical insight, enormous range and personal charisma to blend in an infectious, compelling voice. She is the winner of the songwriter Hall Of Fame Abe Olman award for excellence in songwriting. Her debut CD, “Her Majesty” received critical acclaim with The New Yorker Magazine calling it “deeply passionate rock n’ roll.

Her theater work includes Robert Schenkkan’s musical THE TWELVE @ Signature Theater, Arizona Theater Company’s production of LOVE, JANIS and The Public Theaters’ production of PARTY PEOPLE and MACBETH at Shakespeare Theater Company.

"What's amazing about Sophia Ramos is that she has this wonderful background of gospel and R&B styles, but she also likes to just kick ass, because she's a rock 'n' roll baby first and foremost...I think Sophia is a poster child for what I call the new omni-American, someone who truly represents Americana culture...She's got it all." - Michelle Shocked for Interview Magazine

Bronx native Daniel Sadownick earned a Master's Degree in Musical at New York University, where he also studied composition. He was awarded the Presser Scholarship, given to only one student per year in the music department for outstanding achievement. After graduating, Mr. Sadownick toured with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra for two years. It was here that Daniel made numerous contacts that would lead to tours and recordings with jazz greats such as: Michael Brecker, Dennis Chambers, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Nat Adderley, Richard Bona & Dianne Reeves.

A versatile percussionist who does not limit himself to one genre, Daniel has also spent the last few years touring and recording with such diverse artists as: Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Steely Dan, Steven Van Zandt, Jennifer Lopez, Al Green, The Roots and Billy Idol.

Daniel joined The Screaming Headless Torsos in 1994 after hearing the band play as a quartet in NYC. "I practically begged Fuze to be in the band, letting him know that his music was amazing and original and, that I was practicing to demos the band had made. Fuze finally relented and I have been here ever since!" "Code Red", the latest Screaming Headless Torsos release features two of Daniel's compositions -- the title track as well as the mysterious dream-like composition entitled "Running Black Water".

Daniel has been nominated every year since 2003 in Downbeat Magazine for the best percussionist category as well as being nominated numerous times for the same category in the Jazz Journalists Awards.

Recently, Daniel released his debut CD entitled "There Will Be A Day". It features all original compositions as well as showcasing the utilization of percussion in a "straight-ahead jazz context." Daniel feels that percussion in jazz at this present stage seems to be limited to a certain style that does not included all the possibilities of the instruments. "I want to include all my influences when I play jazz. That runs the gamut from the Art Ensemble of Chicago to Joe Zawinul; from Cannonball Adderley to Frank Zappa. These musicians were torchbearers and pioneers. "I hope that my contributions make a statement that is parallel to these exceptional artists. They were consistent in their commitment to bring passion, intensity, and soul to their music," states Daniel.

Daniel also teaches private studies in percussion and is a faculty member of New York University. Daniel states that "Living in New York City is a blessing. Being a cultural center one has access to the many different peoples and music that cover the range of the globe; jazz, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, rock, fusion, -- it's all here in this beautiful city. I feel lucky to have been born and raised here."

Daniel Sadownick plays and endorses LP drums and accessories, Paiste cymbals, and Vic Firth sticks.

torsos.com 

Screaming Headless Torsos - the new Avant-Hard!!