Biography
String Planet comprises violist Novi Novog and Larry Tuttle, who favors the guitar/bass hybrid known as the Chapman Stick. Both musicians had already accumulated extensive experience across multiple prior groups and studio projects.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Novog began piano studies at age four and violin at eight before shifting to viola. She performed with the American Youth Symphony, earned her degree from the California Institute for the Arts, and secured session engagements that included the string solo on the Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water.” She also participated in pop and rock ensembles, most notably Rebecca & the Sunnybrook Farmers, whose album appeared on Musicor Records; that act later became the trio Chunky, Novi & Ernie, which issued a self-titled release on Reprise Records in 1976. In 1978, performing simply under the name “Novi” and handling keyboards, she joined the new-wave outfit Sumner fronted by vocalist Sumner Mering; the band delivered its self-titled Elektra/Asylum album in 1980. Following the group’s dissolution in 1981, Novog concentrated on Los Angeles session work, contributing viola, violin, and string arrangements to recordings by Sheila E., the Time, Prince (including the string solos on “Purple Rain” and “Raspberry Beret”), Jennifer Warnes, Edie Brickell, Ferron, Air Supply, Amanda McBroom, Christopher Cross, Terence Trent D’Arby, Valerie Carter, Scott Weiland, Michael Feinstein, Marianne Faithfull, Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks, Linda Ronstadt, Liz Callaway, Timothy B. Schmit, and Michael Jackson, among numerous others.
Tuttle, raised in Seattle, started on string bass at nine. His early training encompassed principal-bass duties at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, guest appearances with the Seattle Symphony, and studies at the University of Washington. Drawn instead to rock, he switched to electric bass and joined the local band Russia, which relocated to Los Angeles and recorded a self-titled Warner Bros. album issued in 1980. Remaining in Los Angeles after Russia disbanded, Tuttle pursued further session work and eventually adopted the twelve-stringed Chapman Stick; he released the solo album Through the Gates in 1999.
Novog and Tuttle first collaborated while helping establish the instrumental ensemble Freeway Philharmonic, whose four albums comprised Freeway Philharmonic, Car Tunes, Sonic Detour, and Road to Joy. They also performed together in SoulSkin, whose self-titled album appeared in 2003. The pair subsequently narrowed their partnership to the duo String Planet, releasing a self-titled album in 2004.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Novog began piano studies at age four and violin at eight before shifting to viola. She performed with the American Youth Symphony, earned her degree from the California Institute for the Arts, and secured session engagements that included the string solo on the Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water.” She also participated in pop and rock ensembles, most notably Rebecca & the Sunnybrook Farmers, whose album appeared on Musicor Records; that act later became the trio Chunky, Novi & Ernie, which issued a self-titled release on Reprise Records in 1976. In 1978, performing simply under the name “Novi” and handling keyboards, she joined the new-wave outfit Sumner fronted by vocalist Sumner Mering; the band delivered its self-titled Elektra/Asylum album in 1980. Following the group’s dissolution in 1981, Novog concentrated on Los Angeles session work, contributing viola, violin, and string arrangements to recordings by Sheila E., the Time, Prince (including the string solos on “Purple Rain” and “Raspberry Beret”), Jennifer Warnes, Edie Brickell, Ferron, Air Supply, Amanda McBroom, Christopher Cross, Terence Trent D’Arby, Valerie Carter, Scott Weiland, Michael Feinstein, Marianne Faithfull, Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks, Linda Ronstadt, Liz Callaway, Timothy B. Schmit, and Michael Jackson, among numerous others.
Tuttle, raised in Seattle, started on string bass at nine. His early training encompassed principal-bass duties at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, guest appearances with the Seattle Symphony, and studies at the University of Washington. Drawn instead to rock, he switched to electric bass and joined the local band Russia, which relocated to Los Angeles and recorded a self-titled Warner Bros. album issued in 1980. Remaining in Los Angeles after Russia disbanded, Tuttle pursued further session work and eventually adopted the twelve-stringed Chapman Stick; he released the solo album Through the Gates in 1999.
Novog and Tuttle first collaborated while helping establish the instrumental ensemble Freeway Philharmonic, whose four albums comprised Freeway Philharmonic, Car Tunes, Sonic Detour, and Road to Joy. They also performed together in SoulSkin, whose self-titled album appeared in 2003. The pair subsequently narrowed their partnership to the duo String Planet, releasing a self-titled album in 2004.
Albums
