Phil Hirsch: Phil's musical dreams were launched in his hometown, Rochester, New York, with piano and theory classes at age eight. When he was 12 he began picking up other instruments and playing them by ear. "One of my biggest thrills, when I was growing up, was going to the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars concert and afterwards in the parking lot shaking hands with Buddy Holly and complimenting him on his music." At age 14, Phil began playing electric guitar, co-founded a group called The Dell-Brooks, produced his first record ("Darling Barbara" backed with the instrumental "Thunderbird") and released it on his own label, the appropriately-titled Kid Records. The single became a regional hit and the group began touring throughout Western New York state. At one point the band's saxophonist was Jerry Niewood, who went on to play with Chuck Mangione.

Just out of High School, at the beginning of the Sixties, Hirsch began playing the banjo, moved to New York City and became part of the burgeoning folk scene in Greenwich Village where he performed at well-known clubs such as The Bitter End, The Cafe Wha? and The Gas light Theater. He rubbed elbows with artists like Paul Noel Stookey and Cass Elliot and occasionally jammed with Tom Paxton, Fred Neil, Tom Paisley and Theodore Bikel,. "Several times in 1961 I would leave one of the coffee houses in the afternoon with this other new guy in town, Bob Zimmerman, who would occasionally write poetry while we walked. I would head home, and he would go on to Bellevue Hospital to see his hero, Woody Guthrie. A couple of months later Zimmerman transformed himself into Dylan."

Hirsch's folk group, The Town Criers, packed up and headed west to San Francisco, another folk music mecca at the time. They often played at the legendary club, the Hungry I (the "I" stood for intellectual), and several of their live performances were recorded there. Shortly after Hirsch left the group, his friend Marty Balin joined, and eventually the band evolved into Jefferson Airplane. Meanwhile, Hirsch moved on to another folk act, Saturday's Children, which signed with a major label of that era (ABC/Paramount) and released the album Saturdays Children Sings for a Living which achieved notoriety in Northern California. Phil remembers working with comedian Pat Paulsen to write the group's humorous between-songs patter. At one point Hirsch also played folk music on-stage with Jerry Garcia at a small bay area club.

"When I first heard Tor Olson's band, The Only Alternative and his Other Possibilities, they were playing the most interesting music I had heard," remembers Hirsch. "Their vocals were unusual and were spaced between lengthy improvisational instrumental jams." Soon Hirsch joined the group and began a musical partnership with Olson that still continues. The band, which evolved from electric rock to acoustic-pop, recorded an album for Warner Bros. and performed at well known Bay Area venues like The Matrix, The New Orleans Hours, The Ark and the Rock Garden. Olson and Hirsch also formed a musical community North of San Francisco at Boss Ranch, which was built at the turn of the century and featured acres of botanical gardens. "It was an exciting time of experimentation with music and lifestyles. People were receptive to non-mainstream music in the Sixties, and the roots of what we do today began in that era."

As an active member of the San Francisco musical community during the "hippie era," Hirsch found himself jamming on-stage with many of the well known acts, such as Buffalo Springfield, Steve Miller, Boz Scaggs, and Quicksilver Messenger Service. Hirsch also formed a trio with David Frieberg, who later played bass with Quicksilver and keyboards with Jefferson Starship.

Hirsch spent much of the Seventies studying orchestration, instrument interplay, and exploring synthesized sounds. During this period he ran his own recording studio and began producing local acts. In the Eighties Hirsch was part of the group Felix Culpa. They recorded a self-titled, pop-flavored album that received little distribution in this country, but enjoyed a strong reception in England, where it garnered good reviews and BBC One airplay especially on "The John Peel Show." In addition to his pop music activities Hirsch also produced the relaxation album Solitary Runner.

In the Nineties Hirsch re-teamed with longtime collaborator Tor Olson, produced and played on Olson's Picture album and then formed Clubhouse Records to release the project.

"The music I'm doing now blends familiar American musical forms with an element of surprise that tickles the ear," notes Hirsch. "Phil's Harmonic Orchestra is my vehicle for creating and it offers me complete freedom. Who knows what sounds we will incorporate next. This music is like the puzzle of life - the pieces fit together and take you on a journey. It allows you to get out of your own way and enjoy the moment."