What happens when a sober, high-desert troubadour collides with a fire-spinning, inn-keeping spawn of a gypsy -- in the café of a clothing-optional hot springs resort? They jam, of course, at open mic. Their sounds and styles fit so good together, they have no choice but to keep on playing together.

Today, Kaisa MacDonald and Arnold Mitchem are Bourgeois Gypsies -- a genre-bending acoustic band that pits slow-rocking, porch-setting music against poignant punk rock lullabies that make you tap your foot, clutch your heart, and shake your head all at the same time.

With two CDs to their credit ~ Bourgeois Gypsies and Blue Morning ~ Bourgeois Gypsies are best known for their hip gypsy performances throughout Lake Tahoe and other High Sierra venues, including Captain John's, Cutthroats, and the Lake Almanor Arts Show, as well as the Palm Springs Street Fair.

Kaisa MacDonald, gypsy spawn and self-trained musical intuitive, combines an inverted-style of folk-punk finger-picking with dreamy, crooning vocals that ramble with reckless assurance through the exquisite expressions of her twentysomething angst. Classically trained in piano and flute as a child, MacDonald's (odd) guitar-picking style has been compared to Bob Dylan's incomparable harmonica-playing technique.

Arnold Mitchem, clean-sober troubadour and air-conditioned gypsy, has played bass guitar with Jeff Buckley and Danny Carey of Tool in a band called The Wild Blue Yonder. He has recorded with Seals & Croft & Chris Whitley. As a solo artist he self-released two acclaimed instrumental guitar CD’s, Desert Dreams & Mojave Moon.

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