Providence (band)
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Providence was a six-piece music group originally from Boise, Idaho, but later based out of Portland, Oregon, USA, circa 1971—1974. The band was made up of six members: Bob Barriatua, electric bass, vocals; Bartholomew Bishop, lead vocals, piano, harpsichord, organ, autoharp; Jim Cockey, violin, glockenspiel, vocals; Andy Guzie, guitars, vocals; and brothers Tim Tompkins, cello, vocals, recorders, percussion, and Tom Tompkins, viola, vocals, occasional violin.
The style of the group was decidedly soft rock with dominant classical influences, particularly in contrapuntal instrumental interludes by their string trio and in broad vocal harmonies that followed strict rules of voice-leading.
Their greatest accomplishment came when The Moody Blues, seeking to expand the roster of their fledgling label Threshold Records, signed Providence to a recording contract. They managed one release, Ever Sense the Dawn (1972), before parting ways.
Live, Providence was an impressive unit that drew heavily on the combined power of Bob Barriatua's bass and Tim Tompkins' cello, the two instruments combining to create a rock edge that could be quite intense. Layered on top of that were Tom Tompkins' viola and Jim Cockey's violin. Andy Guzie's guitar work was often treated as a lyrical embellishment more than the blistering leads of his rock contemporaries of the period. Lead singer and main writer Bartholomew Bishop's keyboards centered around piano, organ and harpsichord, rather than the Moog, ARP and other synthesizers then in common use among groups exploring a mixture of rock and classical influences. Because of their string trio, the group did not use the popular Mellotron (which the Moodies popularized in songs like "Nights in White Satin"), giving Providence a sound that was quite organic and more complex than that created by the Mellotron.
Subsequently, Cockey and the Tompkins brothers lent their talents to the duet album Blue Jays (1975) by the Moodies' Justin Hayward and John Lodge.They also became part of the Bluejays touring band for the 1975 uk tour And in 1977 they appeared on justins solo album songwriter. Barriatua has completed an M.D. degree and has established a practice in Portland. Cockey completed a degree in composition at University of Oregon under Hal Owen and has since established himself as a composer and music teacher working out of McCall, Idaho. Andy (now known as Andrew) Guzie completed a classical guitar degree from University of Oregon and continues to work as a performing guitarist in Portland. Tim and his wife Frances Tompkins have been composing and performing music together for 25 years (http://www.gallopaway.com/ ) and he appeared on the 1995 recording "Freelight" which also featured former Moody Blues keyboarist/vocalist Michael Pinder. Tom Tompkins has worked as principal violist with the Boise, Idaho symphony, broadened his musical skills to include flute and mandolin, amongst other instruments, and recorded with a range of artists. Bartholomew Bishop continued working in the recording industry as a vocalist throughout the 1970's, featured on albums by Ted Nugent ( Nugent by Nugent), Alan Clarke former lead singer of the Hollies, Billy Thorpe (Children of The Sun), Carmine Appice/Rick Derringer(Doctors of the Universe), Peter Noone (Herman of Herman's Hermits), The Orchids, The Runaways,Staying Alive soundtrack album (platinum selling status),Rand Bishop and the Underdogs (Rand is Bart's brother and was the original producer of the Providence demo that drew attention from the Moodies resulting in the signing to Threshold Records).Incidentally, Rand is now living in Nashville Tennessee, has an office for his company on Music Row and has penned top sellers for Tim McGraw, Toby Keith and others. Working as a busy "session" vocalist and instrumentalist in Hollywood drew the attention of Takoma Records Denny Bruce in 1981 and Bart wrote produced and performed the Takoma records release "The Roulettes" a pop rock project of his own. Today, Bart has gone back to using his original stage name of "Bartholomew" and is in production on a new album that focuses on his folk-classical musical roots. The new project tentatively entitled "Three Cornered Hat" is being produced by brother Theo Bishop at Native Language Studios in the Los Angeles area and will feature the string arrangements and performances of yet another brother, Jayson Bishop cello&string bass, as well as Theo's world famous keyboard work. The expected release will be 2008 just in time for the U.S. presidential election cycle. The brothers are currently entertaining distribution opportunities around the world particularly to accommodate a European tour tentatively scheduled for summer 2009 along with Bart's son Graham's act "Senors of Marseille". Incidentally, the members of Providence recently signed rare copies of their original "Ever Sense the Dawn" Threshold records release for fans and friends in Europe, so in 2007, the flame is still flickering for that unique original classical rock sound that is Providence.
