THE BRAINS OF THIS OPERATION? is an instrumental, rock/jazz/fusion band currently based in the Twin Cities, MN. They began playing together in 2011, and their debut album Music For Canines was released March 2013. In August of 2013, TBOTO toured the Midwest, US, performing in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Madison, Chicago and Arlington Heights. Two of these dates included opening for The Aristocrats(Guthrie Govan, Bryan Beller and Marco Minnemann). Consisting of violin, guitar, bass and drums, this exciting new band has a unique sound, gathered from the different influences that they each bring to the group.  They are currently writing for their second album, release date TBA.  

 

CIERRA HILL - VIOLIN
Cierra Alise Hill is an alumna of the McNally Smith College of Music, where she made history as one of the very first graduates of the String Program.  Studying the violin since age 10, she has taken her influences and unique musical styles to great heights, performing all around the United States, Europe and South America.  Cierra is an active performer of all musical genres, a recording artist and a composer, appearing on MPR radio and television programs in the Twin Cities.  Besides performing, she has a full teaching studio, where she teaches both alternative and classical styles in violin, viola and cello.  She constantly bares her soul on her 1782 Hentschel acoustic violin and a Mark Wood 7-String Viper.  In her own style, she improvises constantly, infusing her own passion for music and life into every note.  For more information about Cierra and to contact her, visit www.cierrahill.com

 

TOM BROOKS - GUITAR
Tom Brooks graduated magna cum laude from the McNally Smith College of Music with his Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance.  During his time there, he studied under several different instructors including Brian Metreyeon, Paul Krueger, Andrés Prado and others.  Tom has performed with different rock bands and ensembles throughout the Twin Cities area.  He is versatile in many different styles performing both with his electric and acoustic guitars.  Tom often performs the music of rock, heavy metal, and the blues.  He has many influences, including Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Johnson, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.  Tom is constantly striving for excellence, playing his guitar for hours on end and loving every minute of it.  

 

RYAN JANSSEN - BASS
Ryan Janssen is a versatile musician nearing a decade of musical experience. As a bassist, he has gained a multitude of experience in fusion, funk, country, jazz, blues, metal, pop, rock, hip-hop, folk, r&b, and various other musical idioms. Since relocating to the Twin Cities in 2007 from rural Iowa, Ryan has been performing a multitude of freelance gigs and as a member of local groups Cantharone, Channel the Lotus, Electric String Quartet, and The Metreyeon Band in addition to serving as an enlisted member of the United States Army Reserve band. He is currently completing a B.M. degree in bass performance from McNally Smith College of Music and actively striving to expand his musical skills, teaching private lessons, and finishing work on his first solo album.

 

DYLAN JACK - DRUMS
Dylan Jack is a drummer/percussionist/author born and raised in Massachusetts. He has been playing drum-set since the age of 8 and started performing at age 13. He is totally dedicated to the art of performance and is competent in all styles of drumming from Jazz to Metal and Latin to Pop. Having performed for ten plus years in clubs, hotels, churches, basements, concert halls, outdoor venues, etc., it has prepared him for the unique challenges that performing musicians are faced with on a daily basis. He is frequently gigging around the New England area with acts like Throwdown Blues, Channel The Lotus, Josephin, and theater shows.
Aside from performing, teaching, and gigging, Dylan has an extreme passion for rhythm theory and it's application to ambidextrous and polyrhythmic style drumming. He is in the process of finishing his first drum-set method book entitled "Meters And Accents: A Study In Polyrhythmic And Polymetric Drumming" with the help of his teacher/mentor Marv Dahlgren (Co-Author of 4-Way Coordination).
Dylan graduated Summa Cum Laude from McNally Smith College of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance.