1996: Planting a Tuber
In November, after a tuberous philosophical discussion and an ensuing impromptu jam session at Sven's Hayward cottage, Baba writes a card to Joel and Sven: "Svenstah Top tuber - I'm writing you and Joel a love letter. I have fantasies about us together......tuber as a band. I am propositioning you." Baba Ndjhoni
Soon after Chemystry Set is founded by Baba, Sven, and Joel as a forum for new and diverse musical styles, integrating many different aspects of creativity. Mark Sand on drums, Greg Carney on guitar and Dave Jacobson on keyboards complement the initial Set. Sven's cottage is their first rehearsal space. Most of the songs for Life in the Underground are written on Sven's bed.
1997: Composting
First shows in public include stints at the avantgarde art & music festival The GAME in Hayward, as well as the old Stork Club in Oakland, Lost & Found Saloon in S.F. and at legendary Dead Man's Creek.	The GAME, first Chemystry Set show                              Live at Dead Man's Creek, with Jay Hanson on drums
In the fall The Set records its first full length CD, "Life in the Underground," as the first part of the Chemystry Trilogy, in Jake's kitchen. Guest musicians include renowned Jazz basoonist Paul Hanson, Nigerian guitarist Soji Odukogbe of Kotoja and West African Highlife Band, percussionist Avi Rose of Santana's Myron Dove, flutist Lisa Stadlen, and singer Ginger Thimlar.  Tony Idarola records interludes with binaural microphones. Matt Ritchie does the cover with a ball point. Avi and Ginger stay on as full members of the band, turning the Chemystry Set into an 8-piece orchestra. Life in the Underground is released on the homegrown Tuber Creations label in January 1998. Joel, Greg & Sven move to SF's Mission District, and the Set is generously invited to rehearse in Baba and Yoly's Oakland garage, where they are still making noise today.	....keeping dry wasn't the only challenge for the travelers. This time they had run into a wall of confusion that seemed to be indestructible by conventional means. A planet gone mad, with its people running and running but never quite getting to where they thought they should be going. The travelers knew something had to happen, a change so profound that it could not be captured by buzzing cameras and fat headlines. Eschewing their normal route, they went underground to take a trip along some different roots. It was an unbelievable journey! Little by little the subterranean environment revealed the causes for much of the injustice and puzzlement they had encountered above. Wandering through the darkness their eyes had to adjust, and many of the true, but hidden motivations and agendas from above became visible. There were people manipulating power to serve their own purpose who were in actuality spineless puppets in a system that rewarded them for their spinelessness. There were dictators who, in the name of progress, raped the land and took away people's strength so they could fill their own coffers. But the travelers were not to be thwarted. Instead, they realized that in order to survive the darkness they had to move closer together. While digging through the mud, they discovered the spirit that lies underneath with its huge potential for love and understanding. It became clear that these had to be the key elements in their transformation to life above ground. After a long and exciting journey the travelers decided that it was time for the planted seeds to germinate, and so they popped their heads through the surface of the earth to tell the tales of ..... .....LIFE IN THE UNDERGROUND......
1998: Tilling
Winter/Spring Chemystry Set plays at Hotel Utah, Club Boomerang and Mick's Lounge. Launches first interactive multimedia shows at 111 Minna St and Arena Interplay. Appearances at the Bernal Street Fair and in Golden Gate Park. Summer Mark leaves the band to spend more time with his family. In August, drummer Brian Fishler of Jack West & Curvature and the New Morty Show acclaim joins the band.	Bernal Street Fair                                                          Brian Fishler
1999: Sowing
Spring Dave Jacobson moves to Pennsylvania. Chemystry Set plays at the first annual Amstock near Yosemite National Park. Summer Full page reviews in the Contra Costa Times and the Psychic Reader praise the Chemystry Set as "the new creative, colorful and refreshing vibe not to be missed." Fall/Winter 1999 Shows at Blake's, Red Devil Lounge, Brookdale Lodge and New George's; regular appearances at Last Day Saloon and Paradise Lounge. The tight, big sound is described by fans as "beautiful," "best show in S.F.," "most phenomenal I have seen and heard."	Amstock I
2000: Watering
Summer Krystle Jones of Tree o Frogs joins the Set for the recording of the second full-length album "The Space Between" at Mobius Studio.  Ben Harris on trumpet, Nicole Polisner on flute, Bob Athaide on trumpet and piano, Scott Johnston on soprano sax, and Dave Jacobson make special appearances Oliver DiCicco produces with the Set.	...as the travelers emerged from underground after a long and root-strewn journey, and unbound, wide-open sky revealed itself around them like the next move in a squareless chess game. Still beleaguered by the haunting subterranean images of mankind's capacity to control and manipulate, the prospects of unlimited possibilty almost seemed frightening, too far away, and too good to be true. Slowly it dawned on them that they had become part of their surroundings, thus shaped the turf they had only intended to walk under, and in the process been taken captive by only one slice of reality. It was time to open up the sky, eat the whole magical pie, and slip into the space between.
Fall Brian Fishler and Greg Carney leave for New York and L.A. to pursue Jazz careers. The Set plays on the sidewalk of Lucca's Deli in SF's Mission District to protest skyrocketing dot com induced rents as part of the Rockout SF coalition Baba, Avi, Joel and Sven appear on KWMR, West Marin's community radio station After meeting Baba at a block party, Dickie Ogden becomes the new drummer in October. Chemystry Set is now a sextet.	Rockout SF!                                                           Radio stars                                                                         The new drummer
2001: Sprouting
Winter The Space Between is released on Tuber Creations. A CD release concert at the Hotel Utah in January draws a capacity crowd of 160 people. Chemystry Set branches out with shows in Truckee, Chico & Point Reyes. Triple bill with Taos Hum and Tea Leaf Green at El Rio. The East Bay Express calls Chemystry Set music "a tight, undulating mix that is sure to trip you out." Summer Mwela Wa Mwanami is selected for Rhythm Magazine's Disc of the Month. Shows at the Whole Earth Festival and G Street Pub in Davis, La Salle's in Chico, and the Tamarack Mountain Music Festival, joining the likes of Garage Mahal, Sound Tribe Sector 9 and Om Trio. Fall Krystle leaves the band to follow da funk with Tree o Frogs. The Set is now a quintet and begins to write new material. Avi Rose introduces the handsonic drum into the band, adding ambient trance textures into the new sound.	Setheads at the Hotel Utah   Chemystry Set 2001                                                     Avi on the Handsonic
2002: Supporting Roots
Spring Grand homecoming bash at the Voodoo Lounge. Patty Hughes sits in on keyboard. Avi leaves the band to concentrate on his work with avant garde band Mobius Operandi. Chemystry Set does a session at Expressions Center for New Media in Emeryville. Summer Patty hangs out at rehearsals and soon becomes the band's keyboardist (Fender Rhodesist, that is). Fall Chemystry Set plays a double bill with Hot Buttered Rum String Band at Club Galia, and joins LoJo, Les Yeux Noirs, and Sound Tribe Sector 9 at the Fairfax World Music Festival. Benefit show at Cellspace for SF Liberation Radio	Voodoo Lounge                                                      Expressions       The new keyboardist                                                    Fairfax World Music Festival                     Cellspace
2003: Growing Leaves
Winter Chemystry Set records The Last Real Experience at Ogden Park studio. Produced by Dickie & the Set, it concludes the Chemystry Set trilogy - the tubers have grown and are ready to spread their shoots! CBS Evening Magazine does a story on the unusual recording sessions. Spring Chemystry Set plays at the Elbo Room in SF and Amstock V. CD release party for Last Real Experience at the Connecticut Yankee on 6/21.	There, on the lookout over time and space, forgetting to remember, remembering to forget. There, in the orbit of the ever-present power of this moment, dancing the dance of creation and destruction. There, with the revolutionary lessons from beneath, and a loving invitation from the space between. There - and forever now, the last real experience.
Summer Chemystry Set embarks on its first ever European Tour, with shows in Germany and Austria. In Stuttgart, Germany, the Set is hosted in Gisela's beautiful garden by Sven's friends. With borrowed and rented gear the Set tours across the alps, managed by the amazing Tominator. Cobblestone Below My Feet, inspired by a walking tour through the ancient town of Esslingen, is written in Sven's Mom's garage. Dickie writes Reinheitsgebot after being impressed by the German beer purity law. JB, Maggie, and Carolyn come along to the old world to meet with Gisela and Inge. We even get a bit of Amstock.	Universum, Stuttgart                                       Lux, Esslingen                                             Aflenz, Austria     Augustiner Monastery, Salzburg                            Dickie making friends                                              Sven with the Tominator, Neuschwanstein     Jammin in the garden                                                       All the family has gotten Set, Stuttgart                                       Amstock in the band van
2004: Branching Out
Spring Northwest Tour in Baba's biodiesel wagon with stops in Arcata, Ashland, Eugene, Portland, Hood River, Tacoma and Seattle. As a special treat the Set gets to plant tubers on an organic farm Live at the Sweatlodge is recorded on the final tour date in Oakland.	Jazzbones, Tacoma                                                   Yurtin for certain on Lu & Sarah's farm, Seattle       Coolin' off in Hood River
	Phoenix Organics, Ashland               Portland Biodiesel
Summer East Coast tour from Baltimore to Burlington. Chemystry Set plays at the Parkside Lounge in NYC and at Nectar's in Burlington. Dickie's homecoming show in Hoosick Falls, NY. Returning from the East Coast, Chemystry Set records basic tracks of Cobblestone Below My Feet at Mobius Studio.	Parkside Lounge, NYC
In October, Dickie and Patty get married, throwing a big party at El Rio. New Years show at the Bug Hostel in Midpines.	getting hitched at El Rio                                                          Man of Fire                       New Years at the Bug, Avi sitting in
2005: Decomposing
Summer Farewell show for Joel at the El Rio. One of the founding members, he moves to NYC to go to grad school. Fall Baba takes over on bass at long time Chemystry Set friend and collaborator Tony Idarola's memorial service. RIP Tony Idarola! Chemystry Set is now a quartet.	Joel providing the low end                                           Tony was there too                                               Join together with the band        friends indeed                                 underdogs                                   El Rio photos by Dan Esch
2006: Crop Circling
Spring Baba's official debut on bass at the 8th annual Amstock.	Warming up                                                               Amstock VIII                                                            with the Yosemite Marching Band
Fall After 3 years of recording and mixing, Cobblestone Below My Feet is released on November 4th. CD release party at El Rio.	photos by Debra Baida
	That's it for now folks, we're really just getting started! We'd love to get feedback, photos, and stories from y'alls Email us at think@chemystryset.com