Releases
Bio
Ursa Minor originated in NYC in the late 90s, coming out of the fertile downtown scene of musicians transcending the usual boundaries of folk, rock and jazz. Michelle Casillas worked as a sound engineer in the late 1990s and early 2000s at Tonic, the now defunct home of New York’s underground music scene. As an artist she sang on scores of films by Elliot Sharp and productions by Anton Fier (Feelies, Golden Palominos) while playing sideman, collaborating and recording with other local artists. Inspired by the freedom and diversity of the music she was hearing, Michelle formed Ursa Minor with guitarist Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Feist, Willie Nelson, Lounge Lizards), drummer Robert DiPietro (Elysian Fields, Norah Jones), and bassist Rob Jost (Imogen Heap, Bjork).
Ursa Minor’s debut LP Silent Moving Picture – a stark Fender Rhodes based record – was released by Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, on Smells Like Records. Their second album, Showface (Anthemusa), took a punchier rock turn with driving guitar rhythms and expansive arrangements.
Press
Tough and loose, totally incubated.. one of the most flexibly rugged rock rhythms sections in New York
New York Times
One we keep coming back to, finding something new each time
Time Out New York
Ursa Minor blurs the line between folk, jazz, and experimental music, with haunting, spare, even cinematic songs
All Music Guide
Storm cloud through a picture window
Village Voice
