Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant
United States · formed 1997 · last active 2022
Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant is the avant-garde jazz vehicle of Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn, active since 1997 and built on the idea of a compositional jazz trio that also wields rock's power chords — AllMusic called the result "moody jazz with convulsive rock." The group debuted with Debutantes & Centipedes (1998, Buzz Records) featuring guitarist Adam Levy and drummer Kenny Wollesen, then re-emerged on Ipecac with Sister Phantom Owl Fish (2004) in a new lineup with guitarist Mary Halvorson and drummer Ches Smith. That trio returned on Séances (2022, Pyroclastic Records), expanded by the chamber quartet Folie à Quatre — including Sleepytime Gorilla Museum violinist Carla Kihlstedt — for music inspired by the 18th-century French Convulsionnaires of Saint-Médard.
SCORE PROFILE
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MEMBERS
- Trevor Dunnbass guitar, double bass· also in Ahleuchatistas, Fantômas, Melvins, Mr. Bungle, Secret Chiefs 3, Titan to Tachyons, Tomahawk
- Mary Halvorsonguitar
- Ches Smithdrums, percussion· also in Secret Chiefs 3
- Adam Levyguitar (Debutantes & Centipedes lineup)
- Kenny Wollesendrums (Debutantes & Centipedes lineup)
CONNECTIONS
- Ahleuchatistaspath →
Trevor Dunn in both — bass guitar, double bass in Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant, bass in Ahleuchatistas. source ↗
- Fantômaspath →
Trevor Dunn is also the bassist of Fantômas alongside Mike Patton. source ↗
- Melvinspath →
Trevor Dunn plays upright bass in Melvins Lite, with multiple album credits listed 'With Melvins (Lite)'. source ↗
- Mr. Bunglepath →
Bandleader and bassist Trevor Dunn came to prominence with Mr. Bungle, where he plays bass. source ↗
- Secret Chiefs 3path →
Secret Chiefs 3 founding bassist Trevor Dunn leads Trio-Convulsant, whose drummer Ches Smith also plays in Secret Chiefs 3. source ↗
- Titan to Tachyonspath →
Trevor Dunn leads his own project Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant source ↗
- Tomahawkpath →
Trevor Dunn is a member of Tomahawk alongside Mike Patton. source ↗
- Sleepytime Gorilla Museumpath →
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum violinist Carla Kihlstedt played viola and violin in Folie à Quatre on Trio-Convulsant's Séances (Pyroclastic, 2022). source ↗
- Tin Hat Triopath →
Mark Orton (Tin Hat guitar/dobro) engineered Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's Debutantes & Centipedes (1998), credited Engineer. source ↗
- Faith No Morepath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design) and Faith No More's "Superhero" (2015, Layout), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- Fantômaspath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Fantômas's "Wunderkammer" (2014, Design [Package]) and Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- Melt-Bananapath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Melt-Banana's "Cactuses Come In Flocks" (1999, Artwork) and Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- Melvinspath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Melvins's "Lizzy" (1994, Layout) and Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- Mr. Bunglepath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Mr. Bungle's "California" (1999, Layout, Graphic Design) and Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- Napalm Deathsatellitepath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design) and Napalm Death's "Napalm Death / Melt-Banana" (2016, Design [Cover Design], Illustration), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- Titan to Tachyonspath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design) and Titan to Tachyons's "Cactides" (2025, Layout, Graphic Design, Design, Design Concept), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- Tomahawkpath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design) and Tomahawk's "Stone Letter" (2012, Layout), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- Toolpath →
Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Mackie Osborne (Discogs artist id 515251): Tool's "Lateralus" (2001, Design) and Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant's "Sister Phantom Owl Fish" (2004, Design), same Discogs artist id confirmed on both releases. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Mackie Osborne is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗
- At the Drive-Insatellitepath →
Shared label roster: Shock, per MusicBrainz. source ↗
FURTHER LISTENING
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