For more information see www.carykanno.com I. Background information: Cary "CKP" Kanno has been playing music for over 15 years. He has logged over 1000 stage performances as a solo act and with multiple bands. He wrote his 1st song at the age of 12 and it took 6 years before the next song was created. But nonetheless has been a prolific songwriter and performer ever since. His 1st band, "PCP (aka Pete Cary Pete)" was formed while attending Oak Park River Forest High School in the western suburbs of Chicago. A few years later while attending the University of Wisconsin, Madison he assembled "the Everyday Weekends" and for the first time performed original compositions at public shows. The band, although wildly successful at the UW had a shelf life and eventually parted ways as members graduated. After returning to Chicago in 2000 He formed a talented new quartet called "Traveling Riverside" which soon included Seth Vanek, Matt Sherrell, and Rusty Ehler. Around the same time he began collaborating with a trio of emcees, Cameron McIntosh, Mark Mathis, and Andres Roldan. With Traveling Riverside providing the backing music and the emcees fronting the band, the absTRACT giANTS were born. II. Cary the producer, and musician: Cary has played guitar, pedal steel, bass, harmonica, percussion, and sang on many studio sessions. A song he composed and played all the instruments on was recently picked up and licenced by the Showtime Network and featured in a commercial for the TV show "Weeds". A true blend of his tastes, his music spans the genres from alt-country, rock, hip hop, to funk. His recordings regularly feature guest musicians and friends. Cary has also spearheaded the organization known as "The Chicago Drop", which is a collaboration of 8 hip hop bands in Chicago. They have put out 2 very successful compilation discs ("The Chicago Drop Vol 1 and Vol 2") and has been praised by: The Chicago SunTimes, Chicago Tribune, Reader, New City, Illinois Entertainer, Pioneer Press, The Onion, Timeout Chicago, Red Eye, Red Streak, etc. Cary is also the guitar player in Abstract Giants, & singer/ guitarist in Doko Benjo.