Lisa Safran:
vocals & guitar
Chris Faust:
lead guitar
Misha Safran:
vocals
Reid Tjaden:
percussion
Ricky Fishman:
bass
Guest Violinists


The Bitter Mystics (formerly D'Tension) grew from a partnership to produce a single song. That seed has sprouted almost 30 original tunes that this talented ensemble shares at venues in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area.

Lisa Safran - singer/songwriter, actress, improvisor.
Lisa has been composing music since a wee tot, climbing onto the bench of her father's piano and making up stories using sound. She went on to composing many songs and instrumental pieces on the piano. More recently Safran collaborated with poet Naomi Lowinsky and created songs from several of her poems in 2004 and 2005. While living in Thailand, Safran picked up the guitar and the music took on a whole new energy. Returning to San Francisco, Safran joined up with guitarist Chris Faust and they began playing coffee shops and other venues around the Bay Area. Lisa and Chris formed the band D'Tension and then with the addition of several more talented musicians, Bitter Mystics was formed. Bitter Mystics is fronted by Lisa Safran and highlight her newest compilation of original songs written for guitar. In addition to music, Lisa is an educational consultant providing training and workshops for teachers around the world.

Chris Faust - musician, teacher and instructional technologies expert.
Chris delights in the creative opportunities of the Bay Area and participates in a steady stream of performance projects: composing, writing, acting, dancing, singing and playing guitar. Early guitar influences were the Allman Brothers and Led Zeppelin, and later Jethro Tull and Steely Dan. While comfortable playing jazz and classical, his focus is on using guitar to support and enhance vocals. Behind the scenes, he has collaborated with other musicians and organized musical events. In 1999, he co-authored a full length musical and in 2003 his first CD was released.

Misha Safran - singer, writer, teacher, private tutor, mom! Misha Safran is currently a high school Spanish teacher in the East Bay. She has an MA in French Literature and is also a private tutor for French and Spanish. Music is a passion for Misha. She has been singing since elementary school with roles in high school musical theatre performances such as the Fantastics, Grease and West Side Story. In college she sang in the Gospel choir and for a city choir in Poitiers, France. She writes music and poetry in three languages; English, Spanish and French. When Misha is not singing she is raising her three wonderfully charming boys, hanging out with friends or grading a ton of papers! Misha joined Bitter Mystics in March of 2009, harmonizing to Lisa Safran's songs. It is an exciting experience for her to be singing again and spending time with her sister.


Reid Tjaden - percussionist, massage therapist, world traveler. His tactile rhythmic approach led him to first study Indian tabla, then bongo, conga and Persian tonbak. Experiences in playing these instruments in jazz, funk, blues, pop, R&B, world and other musical modes with various musicians in San Francisco have given Reid a flexible style that fits into many musical situations. His influences and inspirations have come from listening to a variety of percussion artists, such as Alla Rakha, Armando Peraza, Cal Tjader, Airto Moriera, Ray Cooper, Poncho Sanchez and many others. After years of only playing hand drums, Reid is currently picking up sticks to study the drum kit.




Ricky Fishman - bassist. Ricky has been playing bass since the seventies with a look toward high end garage rock ala Crazy Horse, alt country (think Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle, and Indie Rock (PJ Harvey and Patti Smith). Letting go of aspirations of fame and fortune back in his 20's, Ricky is now content to play hard driving rock n roll and/or sweet country folk ballads. To support his proclivity for nice bass guitars and amplifiers, he works as a Chiropractor, specializing (among other things) in the treatment of musician’s injuries, that, and leading educational tours to various points on the globe.

Gail Machlis - guest violinist, joins Bitter Mystics on May 14th at Irish Monkey Cellars and Tasting Room in Oakland, CA.


Evan Kervinio - guest violinist, joins Bitter Mystics on May 15th at the Noe Valley Farmers Market.


Stu Wilson - guest violinist, joins Bitter Mystics in April. Violinist, Audio Engineer, Teacher, Entrepreneur. Stu is a Bay Area violinist/fiddler who has played classical, musical theatre, country, jazz, and Americana. He is currently the fiddler for the Workhouse Poets (featured on their next CD), writes/engineers and performs for MIYO, and performs with the MPPC Café Band. Stu has performed throughout the Bay Area for over 20 years.

Cal Keaoola - guest violinist, joins Bitter Mystics in May 2010. A native of Hawaii, Cal is a fiddling violinist well versed in all styles from folk to blues to jazz to latin. In 2001, he completed a US Rodeo Circuit Tour with Pearl River Country Band, and Country Music Hall of Fame’s Patrick Haggerty. He is featured on three Hawaiian Grammy Award winning albums of the early 2000’s; and has performed with legendary rock band, It’s a Beautiful Day; Bill Keith of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass band; Scotland’s, Alasdair Fraser; Hawaii’s Don Ho; and Bobby Black & John Ely of Asleep at the Wheel. Occasionally, you’ll find him playing with Oriente Salsa Band, The Billy Boys (country-rock), and Blue Ambiance (Gypsy Jazz). As former faculty and Artist-in-Residence of the esteemed NC School of the Arts and Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC; Cal continues to teach/coach students in classical/jazz violin, and folk/bluegrass fiddling in the Bay Area.


Liz Matthews – guest violinist, appears on Bitter Mystics CD Dreams That Matter. Singer, actor, teacher. Liz started playing violin at an early age and is classically trained. One of her highlights growing up was going to Vienna, Austria and playing in the World’s Music Festival and her orchestra taking Third Place. Liz has played in Celtic, gypsy, rock, and Early American Folk bands all over the Bay Area and in a variety of venues — most recently she has been inspired by jazz and improvisation. For over 10 years, Liz has sang and performed with the Cabaret Duo—The Living Dolls Duo all over the Bay Area and California. Recently, Liz played one of the lead roles in the play, Knocked UP. Seven years ago Liz began teaching private violin lessons to one student and since then her studio has flourished.


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