An unlikely collaboration between two roots music legends needed a proper introduction. Multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, and vocalist Sam Bush is second only to John Hartford the most influential player in creating the style of newgrass music. A progressive take on bluegrass that fused elements of rock, psychedelia, and reggae was developed in the late 1960s and became incredibly influential on generations of successors to come.

It’s free and restrained, naive and formulaic; it’s the trajectory of what’s to come in tune these days and going forward. Palenke Soultribe’s second entry in their recent audio trilogy, the foreign MAR, is right out of the textbook of the ethnic familiar-obscure.Lately, there’s been increasing notice given to these eclectic EDM-roots crossover acts. Everything needs a drop these days in the realm of pop, but the devil’s in the details and a lot of artists are emerging from the clutter dead to rites.

Can you seriously tell me that you can spin the mental Rolodex to a particular song or artist when I describe music as “Turkish influenced?” If so, stop reading now because you already know more about this style of music then I do and you damn sure know about 3 Trees. But if, like me, you are a Turkish music newbie, or are a fan of the traditional stylings of everyone from Ahmed Adnan Saygun to Zerrin Özer, but have overlooked the western band 3 Trees, read on.

As I ate the best sushi I had eaten in as long as I can remember, I had to keep looking over my shoulder, half expecting to see Keller Williams walk into the room.  In terms of our physical proximity to one and other, it wasn’t that big of a stretch. He was playing later that night in South Burlington. But Keller and I have a connection that runs much deeper than this superficial story.

One of the great joys of attending concerts is the never-ending exposure to new artists and the swift kick in the ass feeling of why you haven’t been listening to them. This isn’t usually the case with most headliners, as you know what you’re getting into, but when it comes to the opening band, all bets are off. It’s a crapshoot. You might as well bet it all on red.

Tonight, perennial Bay Area folk group TV Mike and the Scarecrowes (yes, the extra e is necessary) perform at Berkeley’s The Starry Plough. It’s an intimate venue, with a big, open stage, giving performers enough room to move around, but also close enough to feel like there isn’t a barrier. And while the Starry Plough may look more like a pub than a concert venue, make no mistake. It’s a place that’s perfectly suited for both.

Hailing from Virginia, The Gypsy Sons' debut album Whiskey and the Devil is a thunderous declaration of intent from this new outfit. The ten song collection, released through Spectra Records on May 7, benefits from gritty production that captures the considerable crunch of the band's live sound while still providing the listener with a thoroughly professional product. This is not rock and roll intent on refashioning the wheel.

When the opportunity to see one of the catalysts of a certain genre of music presents itself, the general inclination is to get up off of the couch and learn something while boogying down. Considered to be amongst the earliest purveyors of the ska movement born out of Jamaica, and directly influencing what has come to be known as reggae, The Skatalites are a treat of a band led by the sole surviving founder, Lester “Ska” Sterling on alto saxophone.

A PBS broadcast, two Independent Music Award nominations and a limited edition vinyl release are all on the spring calendar for "Thank You Les" - a recording and documentary tribute to music industry icon, Les Paul.

On the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, an unseasonably mild March night, EOTO put together an audiovisual party at the Boulder Theater that wasn’t scripted by shamrocks and, fortunately, green beer.