Our Musicians
Stone Age Institute Band members, Past and Present
Our Music Connections
Stone Age Institute inspirational music connections
Listen to our Music
"From the Big Bang to the World Wide Web"
"Ancestral Faces"
"Homo erectus"
"Modern Humans"
"Zinjanthropus Blues"
"Koobi Fora"
"98% Chimpanzee"
"Ancestral Faces" (instrumental)
"Green Onions"
"Olduvai Gorge"
"I'm A Denisovan"
"Dmanisi"
"Evolution"
"In the Nihewan Basin"
The Stone Age Institute
Music Connections
Booker T. Jones
Four-time Grammy-winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Booker T. Jones was invited to Indiana University, Bloomington as a 2012 undergraduate commencement ceremonies speaker, where he was also awarded an honorary doctorate of music. He graciously attended a celebration in his honor at the Stone Age Institute as Dr. Booker T. Jones. Dr. Booker T. Jones was the first person to play the brand new SAI Hammond organ, which he signed with a gold-toned pen.
Co-Director Nicholas Toth presented Dr. Jones with the Stone Age Institute Craftsmanship Award for his many contributions to the world of music. In addition, Dr. Jones received a native Indiana geode from Nelson Shaffer of the Indiana Geological Survey. The Jacobs School of Music Dean Gwyn Richards also presented Dr. Jones and his wife, Nan, with some Indiana University souvenirs.
Over the course of the evening at the Stone Age Institute, Dr. Booker T. Jones twice played "Green Onions," the signature song of Booker T. and the MGs, delighting the many fans who came to honor him and hear him play.
Dr. Jones's played the Hammond organ and was accompanied by Nicholas Toth on guitar, Tim O'Malley on guitar, John Orie Stith on bass, Julian Gass on drums, Robert Port on congas, and Tom Schoenemann on cabasa.
Dr. Jones' rendition of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" was soulful - an incredible performance. Accompanying Dr. Jones: Dave Baas on guitar, Tim O'Malley on guitar, John Orie Stith on bass, and Paul Karaffa on drums.
See more photos and videos from this special evening with Dr. Booker T. Jones.
Seymour Duncan blues jam at SAI
Seymour Duncan in black shirt, Nick Toth with baseball cap, and Sage Benado in white shirt to the far right playing guitar with local musicians.
Seymour Duncan and Sage Benado came to the Stone Age Institute to record some tracks for one of the SAI science education songs, and then had a blues jam session with Nick Toth and some local musicians.
Seymour, Sage, and Nick were accompanied by Dave Baas and his band Built For Comfort (Tim O'Malley on guitar, John Orie Stith on bass, and Paul Karaffa on drums). They covered the Rolling Stones' song, "Satisfaction" and the blues classic, "Crosscut Saw."
Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren came to IU Bloomington as a Visiting Wells Scholars Program Professor to co-teach a course on the history of rock music. He taught his last class at the Stone Age Institute, and was presented the CRAFT/Stone Age Institute Award for Outstanding Craftsmanship. The Institute was honored to have Todd Rundgren as a guest, lecturer, and performer.
Todd Rundgren speaking to IU Wells Scholars students at a round table discussion about the music industry.
Todd receives Craftsmanship Award from co-Director Nicholas Toth.
Todd shows off his new t-shirt and professorial tweed jacket with suede elbow patches.
Todd Rundgren in center, and SAI staff from left: Nick Toth, Kathy Schick, Tom Schoenemann and Reina Wong.
Later, Todd jammed with local Bloomington musicians at the Stone Age Institute.
In the above video, Todd Rundgren covers Robert Johnson's "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" at the Stone Age Institute jam session. This was one of the highlights of the evening. The music session included local musicians, such as Dave Baas and his band Built for Comfort (Tim O'Malley on guitar, John Orie Stith on bass, and Paul Karaffa on drums), Professor of Organ from the Jacobs School of Music at IU Christopher Young, and SAI research scientist Tom Schoenemann on congas.
Todd was asked if he could sing his "Love is the Answer" song for the group, which he graciously agreed to do, with Christopher Young accompanying Todd on the keyboard.
Todd jams with local musicians at the Stone Age Institute.
Jeff Beck
Members of the Stone Age Institute were special guests of guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck at his concert in Indianapolis. From left: Kathy Schick, Nick Toth, Jeff Beck, Sage Benado. Photo by Seymour Duncan.
James Burton
"Master of the Telecaster" James Burton (lead guitarist for Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, John Denver, Emmy Lou Harris, Roy Orbison, etc.) was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Guitar Player magazine at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. From left: James Burton, Seymour Duncan, Nick Toth, and Kathy Schick.
Kenny Aronoff
Drumming legend and Institute advisory board member Kenny Aronoff with Kathy Schick and Nick Toth at the House of Blues Studio in Nashville during the filming of a reality music show.
