Phil Angotti and Tommi Zender

Phil Angotti: A Chicago Music Staple

Phil Angotti is a longtime fixture in the Chicago music community. He has performed as a solo artist and has fronted several bands over the years, including Material Reissue. He has released 14 original albums, and his newest album, Once Around Again, is perhaps his finest yet.

Tommi Zender: Multi-Instrumentalist and Teacher

Tommi Zender is a multi-instrumentalist from Evanston, IL, who works and plays regularly in the Chicago/midwest area. Zender wears many musical hats: Singer/Songwriter, Guitarist, Drummer/Percussionist, Producer/Arranger, Ambient Soundscape Improviser, Teacher/Coach, Collaborator, Accompanist, Studio Gun-for-hire, Musical Director, Transcriber, and of course the most important hat: music fan. He currently teaches adult classes at Old Town School of Folk Music, and he has coached music privately in Evanston IL since 1996. He released his last full album More Songs About Time in 2019, and a new maxi-single Lets Get Lost in 2022. All his records are available on Bandcamp.

Collaborative Work and Accompaniments

Zender has been an accompanist for the likes of Phil Angotti, Steve Dawson (Dolly Varden), Dag Juhlin (Poi Dog Pondering, Expo 76), legendary 80s pop-rockers Green, Peter Mulvey, Happy Chichester (Afghan Whigs, Royal Crescent Mob), Al Day, Push Puppets, Jon Brion (yes that guy, at The Hideout), Jason Falkner (yes that guy too, once upon a time at NU's student union) and many more. In fact, it's now to the point this is simply shameless name-dropping.

Active Involvement in Bands

It's not out of character for Tommi to go up on stage unrehearsed with people he barely knows to accompany them. He currently is a member of the bands Steve Dawson & The Lucid Dreams, Push Puppets, and Matt Tiegler Band.