Started by singer-songwriter JP Scesniak and hammered dulcimer player Joel Hanson, Seattle based Origami Ghosts has been a band since 2004. After adding members Ki Johnsen (cello), James van Leuven (drums), and Amir Estakhrian (drums, guitar) they released their first album "Solving My Own Puzzles..." in 2007. In 2009 they released their second album "Short Momentum" which featured Scesniak, Johnsen, and Estakhrian on drums. The album was well received on the college radio circuit, climbing up to #128 on the CMJ charts. The band has had many contributors and shake-ups throughout the years. The current lineup is: Scesniak, Kara Wiggert (accordion, vocals), Kelly Viergutz (drums), Shivani Patel (cello), and Jim Smith (bass). The band has done two full-length albums and three national tours. Other former contributors are: Brian "BKP" Parks (drums, guitar) and Jeremy Ward (drums, drum machine). Their light, playful, and thoughtful sound draws from folk, pop, and rock, among other inspirations. These are some bands people have compared OG to and some descriptive words people have come up with describing the sound: Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Pinback, Band of Horses, the Shins, anti-folk, americana, appalachian hip-hop, urban. OG is currently working on a new album which should be released in 2012 (summer).

On their 3rd release -- “it don’t exist” -- Seattle’s Origami Ghosts broaden their brushstroke with their current version of poppy alt-folk-rock. The album is a lo-fi home recording of 14 songs that travel to some new places in their inspiration: drawing from classical pieces from Russia and Europe, 50’s rock-n-roll, 60’s psychedelic, 80’s and 90’s alternative, and possibly even reggae. Singer-songwriter/guitarist John Paul Scesniak assembles a large crew of mostly new musicians to the band. Accompanied by Kara Wiggert (accordion/vocals/songwriting), Shivani Patel (cello), Jim Smith (bass), Kelly Viergutz (drums), and original members Amir Estakhrian (drums/bass/guitar), and Ki Johnsen (cello), “it don’t exist” has a certain charm to it. Scesniak and Wiggert’s softly layered vocals playfully reverb around fingerpicked and jangly guitars and guitar-banjo, accordion, cello, bass, drums, body percussion, tap dancing, and cat meows. The album is at once epic and minimalistic, big and cozy, and song subjects range from hats, cats, and ski men, and are drawn from such philosophers and writers as Jean-Paul Sartre and Wallace Stegner. The album was recorded/engineered by Scesniak, mixed by Kevin Suggs (Cat Power), and mastered by Rick Fisher (Pearl Jam, SubPop). more >>>