Along with LaDonna Smith and Davey Williams, no group of musicians/artists has done more to perform, present, and preserve free improvisational music in the Deep South than Dennis Palmer and Bob Stagner of the SHAKING RAY LEVIS. A synth/drums duo who play "Ol'-Timey Avant-Garde" music  meshed with extended vocal techniques and storytelling, the Levis have been a cultural institution in their hometown of Chattanooga, TN for over twenty-five years and were the first American group to have a release on Derek Bailey's legendary Incus Records imprint out of England. The group have performed all over the world, including on the BBC and at Company Week in London, Newfoundland's Sound Symposium, Denver's ReThink Conference, Quebec's International Festival de Musique Actuelle, and Roulette in New York City and have shared stages with everyone from John Zorn, Fred Frith, David Greenberger, and Amy Denio, to Min Tanaka, Derek Bailey, Davey Williams, and Eugene  Chadbourne. In addition to their own performances, they have also put on several groundbreaking music festivals in Chattanooga- including the Shaking Ray Levi Festival and the WHO-FEST- that have brought some of the world's premier musicians to an area that might not have welcomed them were it not for their dedication to cutting edge music, dance and art. The list of notable artists who have appeared at these events include: Anthony Braxton, Rev. Howard Finster, Cat Power, Laurie Anderson, David Pajo, Olivia Tremor Control, the Tibetan Monks of the Drepung Loseling Institute, and Indian violinist L. Shankar.

In addition to all of these activities, they simultaneously run a one-of-a-kind, non-profit musical outreach program through the Shaking Ray Levi Society that was created "with the goal of helping students to develop valuable skills such as problem solving, group cooperation, active listening, and effective use of available resources," and has contributed to educational programs in schools and social institutions across the nation. The group have also received grants for their work from the British Arts Council, Meet The Composer, Canada Council for the Arts, Lyndhurst Foundation, and the Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga.

THE SHAKING RAY LEVIS will be performing with Col. Bruce Hampton and Evan Lipson at "DIXIE FRIED"  at the Bottletree on August 13 and have an educational drum workshop at the Pepper Place Farmer's Market on August 14.