Super Genius to release 4th album

Check out "There Are Reasons" from the forthcoming Super Genius album Raining Colors. Super Genius are Tim Kwiat, and Innocence Mission alum Mike Bitts and Stephen D Brown.

Super Genius release 3rd album

Super Genius (Mike Bitts and Steve Brown's side project along with Tim Kwiat and Tim Halloran) is releasing their 3rd album on June 12th via Bandcamp.com.

A preview stream is available on YouTube here.

"Painting In The Rain" available for free download

The debut 1995 album from Super Genius, Mike Bitts and Steve Brown's side project along with Tim Kwiat, is available for download or stream for free on Soundcloud.com.

Super Genius return with new album

Innocence Mission band member Mike Bitts and former/sometimes drummer Steve Brown are back in business and appearing on the overdue Super Genius follow-up release, Finding Freedom. The album is available through a variety of music providers such as Spotify, iTunes and CD Baby.

Take a listen and make a purchase here.

New album update

This time, it's just a visual update.

Photo by Don Peris:

Photo of Karen Peris by Mike Bitts:

Source: Don Peris/Mike Bitts, Facebook

Working Musician Podcast interviews Mike Bitts

Working Musician Podcast is a new online podcast which launched in May and features Mike Bitts as their first guest.

Topics include:

•Early training on guitar, bass and drums
•College music pros and cons
•The business of jazz
•Performing in Japan
•Teaching
•Composing

You can hear the episode here.

The upcoming album

Here's a sneak peek at the new album in progress.

Source: Mike Bitts, Facebook.

Super Genius Reunion Show

Update 9/1/2016: Tim Kwiat has pasted some photos from the rehearsal as well as details about the show.

Update 5/15/2015: The show has been rescheduled to May 31st.

Original post: Tim Kwiat, Mike Bitts and Steve Brown will be reuniting on Sunday, April 26th at Ephrata Main for a reunion show. The entire album will be performed along with a few new songs and covers. Doors open at 2pm and admission is free.

Source: Tim Kwiat, Facebook

Mike Bitts and Don Peris to perform live

Update: Mike Bitts shared a video from the performance. His mother sings "Cry Me A River."

Mike Bitts and Don Peris will be performing with other Lancaster Catholic High School Alumni this week. The performance is free at 7pm May 31st at the Lancaster Catholic High School cafeteria. See below for further details.

Super Genius photos added to the gallery

Tim Kwiat's old Super Genius web page has vanished from the internet, along with all of the photos. You can see them again in our Super Genius gallery.

For those that may not be familiar with Super Genius, it's a project that formed in the early 90's with Innocence Mission band members, Steve Brown and Mike Bitts with guitarist and singer Tim Kwiat. Their album, Painting In the Rain, was released in 1995.

Pedrick, Bitts and Walker release "Three"

Innocence Mission bassist, Mike Bitts, announced today a new jazz improvisation album that can be purchased and downloaded at bandcamp.com.

"Three is the result of an experiment to create a live and unrehearsed single work of collective improvisation that remains accessible on multiple levels for the listener. The unifying concept of the project relies on a framework of designated meters, tempos and sonorities based upon the number three. This framework is at once intended to provide continuity and facilitate a free exchange of ideas between three musicians with equal roles. Each selection on this recording is a first take whose beginning, middle and end was unknown at the outset."

The album was recorded by Dave Pedrick (guitar), Mike Bitts (bass) and Aaron Walker (drums).

Super Genius back in action

Lifelong friends, Tim Kwiat (vocals, guitar) and Innocence Mission members Mike Bitts (bass) and Steve Brown (drums) are looking to get back into the studio after roughly a 15 year hiatus. Tim posted on Facebook to let us know that he's recorded some rough demos and hopes they'll do some live shows down the road.

More on Super Genius and their lone recording from 1995, Painting In The Rain, can be found here.



Source: Tim Kwiat, Facebook

Mike Bitts and Steve Brown to perform live

Steve Brown and Mike Bitts will be playing with Cliff Hillis at the Lancaster LAUNCH Music Conference Fri. April 16 at Gusto's.

Source: Mike Bitts (Facebook)

Mike Bitts and Hunter Johnson with Hiram Ring

Mike Bitts and Hunter Johnson performed with Lancaster resident Hiram Ring yesterday evening. Unfortunately, I just received this information early this morning. Unfortunately, this was a one-time performance with Mike and Hunter.

Hiram and Mike met at a local open mic in Lancaster, and Mike played upright bass on two of the songs from his new album, "One Girl for Me" and the title track "Breathe Deep". These two songs were recorded live with Sam Frantz engineering - other musicians on those two recordings are Aaron Walker (drums) and Matthew Monticchio (piano), as well as other local musicians and friends.

When Hiram was putting together a group for his CD-release, Mike was available, and since Aaron Walker was not, he suggested Hunter Johnson. So the three and Matthew Monticchio became the core musicians for the CD release. For those who may not be familiar with Hunter Johnson, he performed drums with Don Peris and Mike Bitts on Don's 2006 mini-tour.

Below is a video from the CD release party. The song is called "Eternity".

Hiram Ring: Eternity from Timothy Rezendes on Vimeo.

Source: Heather & Hiram Ring

Tim Kwiat's Myspace Page

Back in 2004 we posted the following news item:

"Super Genius
Tim Kwiat has recently updated his web site with all of the songs from the 1995 Super Genius release Painting In The Rain. The site also includes many Super Genius photos, videos and stories about each of the songs. The Super Genius lineup included Mike Bitts and Steve Brown. Visit Tim Kwiat's site for all of the Super Genius sounds, videos, and photos. More info about Super Genius is also available in the related projects section of this site."

And now, Tim has a new myspace page. Be sure to check it out here:
http://www.myspace.com/timkwiat

Holiday concert

Don Peris w/ Denison Witmer & Mike Bitts
Dec. 16, 7:00 pm
Emmaus
Gettysburg, PA
All Ages

Live recording of "Flyer" to appear on compilation CD

A live recording of Don Peris' "Flyer" now appears on Refractions: The Echoes Living Room Concerts Volume 12. Also appearing on the track is fellow Innocence Mission member Mike Bitts and good friend Denison Witmer.


Source: Echos.org

Don Peris Concert Photos - Set 10

Here are the last 4 photos that I have from Don's August performance at Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA. Don performed with Denison Witmer, Hunter Johnson and fellow Innocence Mission band member, Mike Bitts.

This particular series of photos were taken by Daniel Summers.

Don Peris concert announcement

Don Peris will be performing with Denison Witmer on November 8th and with Mike Bitts on November 18th. Here are the dates:

11/08/06 - Union Hall @ Brooklyn, NY
11/18/06 - Prince St. Cafe @ Lancaster, PA

Don Peris Concert Photos - Set 9

Here are 3 more photos from Don's August performance at Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA. Don performed with Denison Witmer, Hunter Johnson and fellow Innocence Mission band member, Mike Bitts.

This particular series of photos were taken by Daniel Summers.