Musician/writer/author/broadcaster Sid Griffin rose to fame in Los Angeles as leader of Island recording artists the Long Ryders, one of the first bands of the alt-rock era to incorporate the influences of Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Byrds. Yet in recent years, he’s made his home in London, where he leads the Coal Porters. The band has played only a limited number of American shows since their formation in the ’90s.

This spring, the Coal Porters will return to the scene of the crime — Los Angeles and the West Coast — where they will play three shows in the L.A. area, one in San Francisco and a coveted spot at the Stagecoach festival on Sunday, May 1.

When the Ryders ended, native Kentuckian Griffin formed the Coal Porters, which initially had a fluid lineup, and relocated from L.A. to London, where he hooked up with Scottish stand-up comedian Neil Robert Herd (sound engineer on Wasp, Best Live Action Short Film winner at the 2004 Academy Awards). The duo started out playing electric, but quickly tired of hauling around amps and drums. As a result of a dare, the Coal Porters decided to play acoustic bluegrass versions of their material at a charity concert in London. The crowd reaction affirmed that the band had found its true calling and said goodbye to electric instrumentation forever.  En route from then to now they picked up Canadian fiddle virtuoso Carly Frey and London’s noted local attorney and doghouse bassist Andrew Stafford. In 2010 they were blessed to secure the services of one of Britain’s best young banjo players, John Breese. With this impressive lineup, the Coal Porters were ready to take on the world.

With a published author, a professional comedian and a barrister in their ranks they are the only band who can sue themselves over copyright and joke about it.

In April 2009, after traveling halfway across the globe, the Coal Porters arrived outside of Durango, Colorado, played two killer shows at the famous MeltDown Festival (Colorado’s answer to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco), and laid down the tracks to their first album in two years. Durango was recorded in two weeks in the Colorado mountains at the Kozy Tone Studio of legendary producer Ed Stasium (Ramones, Mick Jagger, Phil Spector, Smithereens, Belinda Carlisle, Jeff Healey Band, and the Long Ryders).∂ƒƒ The entire album was cut Basement Tapes style, with the same authenticity of Dylan and The Band. Everyone crowded in one room. Overdubs were few and laughter frequent.

Durango was released in January 2010. It faithfully represents the Coal Porters’ hot live act, and creates new moods of its own. This highly anticipated follow-up to 2007’s Turn the Water On, Boy! is a clear country-mile step forward, evoking the sounds of a bluegrass Clash, or a Bill Monroe for the 21st century.

David Fricke wrote in Rolling Stone, “The Coal Porters [have] been going for nearly two decades . . . and [have] evolved from a deeper mining of the country in the Ryders’ acid-tinted drive to a pure acoustic bluegrass written and played with natural — in Griffin’s case, native — flair on Durango.”

Fricke appeared with Griffin in a one-on-one interview panel at the Americana Music Festival & Conference, held in Nashville in September 2010.

Awarding Durango four stars in March 2010, MOJO magazine said: “The audio equivalent of a feel-good movie . . . recorded all in one room, with everyone as much intent on capturing the vibes as much as the undoubted quality of the music . . . gorgeous.”

Blurt noted, “Seven albums on, the Coal Porters have a reputation they can bank on. And with Durango this durable bunch has successfully added even more fuel to their fire.”

The Coal Porters are five musicians from four different parts of the planet who came together as an incredibly powerful fusion of talent, the world’s first “alt-bluegrass” act.

“For all the satisfaction of success in Europe and becoming the UK’s leading ‘alt-bluegrass’ ensemble,” says Griffin, “there is nothing to compare to the Coal Porters heading for my musical home in California. My days in Los Angeles with the Long Ryders were so wonderful and I was so blessed with so many friends that it is high time I took the band to the left coast to show ’em all what we can do. I am extremely proud of my time in the Golden State and extremely proud of the music my Coal Porters are making right now so to put the two together is gonna be a true, true week to remember.”

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The Spring 2010 West Coast Tour

Fri., April 29  SAN FRANCISCO, CA Hotel Crescent/Burrit Room Lounge
Sun., May 1  INDIO, CA Stagecoach Festival (3 p.m. stage time)
Mon., May 2  LOS ANGELES/CULVER CITY, CA The Cinema Bar
Tues., May 3  LOS ANGELES/ALTADENA, CA The Coffee Gallery
Wed., May 4  LOS ANGELES/ECHO PARK, CA Taix, 321 Lounge

Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist of The String Cheese Incident, is excited to announce a special "sneak preview" tapping of his first officially mass-produced beer, Hoopla - Festival Pale Ale. Hoopla is a collaboration between Boulder Beer and Kyle and will be available nationally in 22-ounce bomber bottles and on draft beginning in May 2011. To celebrate, Kyle will host a meet & greet and “sneak preview” tapping at 1STBANK Center at 6:30pm on Thursday, March 10, opening night of The String Cheese Incident’s three-night Winter Carnival run. The meet & greet and extremely limited tapping will take place directly inside the North Entrance of 1STBANK Center just off to the right hand side. For exclusive updates all week and to stay tuned for more information on Hoopla this Spring, follow Kyle on Twitter at @KyleOnKeys.

Following The String Cheese Incident’s Winter Carnival shows, Kyle travels to the Northwest for three shows with Kyle Hollingsworth Band in April. KHB will be joined by Acorn Project in Bellingham and Portland, and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will join in Seattle.

Tickets for all shows are currently on sale at www.kylehollingsworth.com and all venue outlets.

Kyle Hollingsworth Band

April 7 Wild Buffalo Bellingham, WA –with Acorn Project
April 8 Nectar Lounge Seattle, WA –with Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad
April 9 Bossanova Ballroom Portland, OR –with Acorn Project and Jesta

In anticipation of The String Cheese Incident’s Winter Carnival, Kyle provides a look into his day with the band in the following video:

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

30 years ago, Kyle Hollingsworth set out on a career in music. Since then, with a wealth of desire and incredible ability, Hollingsworth has established himself as a formidable and versatile music talent. Today, as a member of acclaimed jam masters The String Cheese Incident, Hollingsworth is revered by both peers and fans for his ability to write and perform in a mosaic of styles, from rock to classical, ragtime to bebop. Playing in SCI has allowed him unrestricted access to the world of music, and has bestowed on him the kind of fearlessness a composer needs to flirt with such disparate genres. Those who’ve seen SCI know the band can move from funk to bluegrass on a chord change. “In the jam world, where there are no set ways of doing things, we’re not afraid to move in and out of genres,” he says, “and because of that I’ve learned to be creative, not only on stage but in the studio. I can get on board with something pretty quickly. You have to.”

Hollingsworth’s 2009 release, titled Then There’s Now, finds the musician coming in to his own. With solid song material and a slamming new band, Kyle is making his mark in the new, always-evolving music scene. Then There’s Now delivers a blend of vocal and instrumental tunes and seamlessly displays his growth as a musician and as a songwriter.

For the first time in nearly 20 years, ZERO returns to the Great American Music Hall for a two-night special event: March 4th and 5th. Almost two decades ago, the quintessential Bay Area band recorded 'Chance in a Million' at the historic venue.

The band reunites to commemorate the music and to benefit band mate, Judge Murphy, who is battling liver cancer, awaiting transplant.  Tickets on sale now and selling fast. Thanks for supporting the cause to benefit a brother.

ABSOLUTE ZERO

Recorded at Avatar Studio in Santa Rosa, California in the early eighties, the studio recording Absolute Zero marks the inception of the ZERO instrumental repertoire.

Featuring Steve Kimock on guitar and bass and Greg Anton on drums and keys, this 80's recording is being released for the first time, available exclusively at the upcoming ZERO shows.

Featuring such songs as Tear Tags Off Mattresses, Severe Tire Damage and Theme From Nancy Germany, this 5-song EP will surely delight any ZERO fan. The album will be officially released after the GAMH shows.

KIMOCK'S SPRING NEW YORK CITY RESIDENCY

Steve Kimock has confirmed a three-week spring residency at Sullivan Hall in NYC on Wednesday, March 23th, March 30th and April 6th.

Kimock's NYC residency will have a very different musical feel & flavor each week, with some of the best musicians based in New York City and beyond joining him such as Henry Butler, Adam Deitch, Marco Benevento, Andy Hess, John Molo, Pete Sears, Marc Friedman and more! Expect some legendary collaborations...hope to see you there.

For line-ups and more info visit www.kimock.com

Hey Folks-

We're sorry to inform the Colorado folks that our three shows in Fort Collins, Breckenridge and Durango are canceled.  Vince's father has been extremely ill and he needs to be there with him right now.  We are all supporting Vince through this difficult time.  We are planning to pick up the tour in Park City on Feb 16th.  We are bummed to be missing these home state shows and plan on rescheduling all of them in the next month or two, we hope you all understand and please keep Vince and his family in your thoughts and prayers.  There's tons of Taxi rides coming up so check the calendar and find out where we'll be.  We hope this finds you all happy and healthy, let all those people in your life know that you love them.  We'll see you soon, best wishes.

Great American Taxi

The Mimi Fishman Foundation just launched a new charity auction.

The on-line auction is currently live with the bidding coming to close on Sunday, February 27.

The auction features posters from the 2010 Phish Fall tour as well as their New Years run. All the posters are numbered and have been signed by all members of Phish. In addition the auction features two String Cheese Incident 2011 Winter Carnival packages which include tickets to all three SCI March 2011 shows as well as a signed poster from the band.

To view and/or bid on the auction, as well as read about the charities the auction supports, please visit the Mimi Fishman Foundation Auction Page.