Preview: Trey Anastasio April 29, 2005 - The Charlotte Observer By Deborah Hirsch When the eclectic improvisational band Phish broke up last summer, front man Trey Anastasio hopped right into the solo career he's been nurturing since the late 1990s. The guitarist and composer will showcase his inventive music at Ovens Auditorium on Wednesday. Accompanying him is guitarist/keyboardist Les Hall, bassist Peter Chwazik, drummer Skeeto Valdez and keyboardist Ray Paczkowski. Alternative blues-rock band North Mississippi Allstars will open the show. Anastasio's three-week spring tour, described as a new rock project, launched Tuesday in Richmond, Va. Anastasio has pledged to donate a portion of his performance proceeds to homeless shelters in each city on the tour. SOLO STATUS Anastasio started working on a side career even before Phish went on its first hiatus in 2000. He released his first solo project, "Surrender to the Air," in 1996, highlighting a big-band jazz sound with guest artists including saxophonist Marshall Allen, organist John Medeski, guitarist Marc Ribot and drummer Bob Gulotti. He followed with a self-titled album in 2002. Tours resulting from that effort spawned a live two-disc recording called "Plasma" in 2003, which also includes some covers and new songs. His latest CD, the instrumental "Seis de Mayo," was released last April. COMING UP NEXT After closing this spring tour, Anastasio will co-headline the "Zooma Tour" on June 16 with Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals. Anastasio has been working on a new solo album on and off over the past five months, but further details haven't been released. Article Copyright © 2005 The Charlotte Observer