Intensely cinematic and entirely unique, the rare beauty of New York City and Minneapolis based instrumental combo The Fantastic Merlins begins with the group---s unusual blend of cello (Jacqueline Ferrier-Ultan), saxophone (Nathan Hanson), bass (Brian Roessler), and drums (Federico Ughi). Replete with stunning dynamics and melodies that range from playful to mournful, the resulting style encompasses avant-garde jazz and chamber music alike, as well as everything in between. This kind of genre-bending anti-pop typically caters to the jazz or classical crowd, but The Fantastic Merlins have already attracted the attention of a widely diverse audience. The group will tour in Summer 2005 behind their debut live EP The Fantastic Merlins.