Bassist
Trevor Dunn was a co-founder and composer in the avant rock band
Mr. Bungle (with vocalist
Mike Patton), which started in 1985 in Northern California. In 1992 he moved to San Francisco, and while continuing as a member of
Mr. Bungle, began working with the best of the Bay Area's creative improvisers and musicians such as
Rova Saxophone Quartet, clarinetist
Ben Goldberg, and more. He has performed a variety of styles, with a background in punk and death metal, contemporary classical, blues, and jazz -- both standard and free. Through the '90s,
Dunn was also active, rock-wise, in the Secret Chiefs 3, a side project with two other
Mr. Bungle members, which released two CDs. In addition to playing in this group,
Dunn was a member of the jazz outfits Graham Connah's Sour Note Seven,
Junk Genius, and various
Ben Goldberg groups. At the end of the '90s,
Dunn worked on the cult hardcore project Fantômas with Patton,
Slayer's
Dave Lombardo, and
Buzz Osbourne of the Melvins, and led his own jazz group, Trio-Convulsant, whose first CD came out in 1999 on Buzz Records. After moving to Brooklyn in 2000,
Dunn remained active as both leader and sideman in a variety of avant projects, including a number of ensembles led by saxophonist/composer John Zorn.
–
Joslyn Layne, Rovi