Biography

FLOATING STONE (guitarist and percussionist from Anne Clark) are Jeff Aug (guitars) and Niko Lai (udu, chimes, bells) formed in 1999 and perform acoustic instrumental fingerstyle-stunt guitar mixed with unorthodox percussion. They have performed 3 x U.S. tours, as well as hundreds of concerts in clubs and Rock / Blues / Ethno / World Music / Electro festivals such as Fusion in 2004 & 2005; Fest der Leise Töne 2005 & 2006; Pura Vida in 1999, 2002, and 2004; Krach Am Bach in 2003; Orient Meets Africa in 2002; Dampfsage in 2000; and many more.

In September 2006, the new studio double-album "Arcos Third Eye" will hit stores (netMusicZone Records / Rough Trade). CD1 is Floating Stone "pure" (pure acoustic instrumental) and features guest appearances by Anne Clark, Jann Michael Engel (cello), and Murat Parlak (piano); each performing on one track. CD2 includes 6 remixes of tracks from CD1 remixed by the experimental ambient noise producer XABEC from Leipzig, Germany (Hands Records recording artist).

This unconventional instrumental duo should not be passed by.

"Ethno Core" or Anthropological Cosmic Earth Music say Jeff und Niko, when one asks of their music style.

"Tool meets Buddha" - singer of Black Milk after FLOATING STONEs performance at the KRACH AM BACH Festival 2003 (Mother Tongue, Lacuna, and others).

FLOATING STONE is more than just an instrumental duo comprised of two outstanding musicians fusing crisp finger style acoustic guitar playing with Asian and African rhythmns. FLOATING STONE bring smiles, "hoots and hollers," and general enjoyment to its audiences - from Germany to the United States, and most countries in between. FLOATING STONE includes Jeff Augs unique fingerstylings on acoustic steel-string guitar and Niko Lai on the African percussion instrument called the udu. Audiences mixed with the young and old, punkrockers, classical enthusiasts, techno-heads, blues fans, and critical jazz efficiandos have let their jaws drop in awe while they applaud because they cannot really believe what they just saw and heard.

The Washington, D.C. born guitarist Jeff Aug magically intertwines indian and oriental lines with funk grooves to the delight of their fans. Such has he performed (over 1000 concerts) as support for Rush, Queensryche, Albert Lee, and Freaky Fukin Weirdoz. Niko Lai performs as a foil to Jeffs playing having studied percussion under Amit Battacharia (indian classical percussion), Mustafa Tete Addy (West African Drum Culture), Benny Mokross, and Charly Antolini (jazz).

It was no wonder that in 2002 the U.K. artist Anne Clark (Virgin Recording Artist), the "Grand Lady" of the 80s wave scene, directed her attention to the duo for her own group. What followed were 5 European tours, countless festivals, a live album, and a soon-to-be-released studio album of new material.

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