Reviews
Native Northern California musical gem Jackie Greene returned to another north state jewel, the classy stage of the Sierra Nevada Brewery Big Room in Chico for two sold-out shows on November 17 and 18 (this piece - photos and words - are about the 18th).
David Nelson’s long strange trip dates back just as far as the Grateful Dead’s. Nelson, Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter were all pals from the Dead’s humble beginnings in Palo Alto. He was there for the acid tests, he saw the San Francisco scene blow up only a few years later, and of course cofounded New Riders of the Purple Sage with Garcia and John “Marmaduke” Dawson.
Funk is an American tradition born in the same house as Jazz. Continuing this tradition are veterans Soulive. I had the pleasure of attending one of two shows this past snowy weekend at Cervantes in Denver. Supported by yet another long time vet George Porter Jr. of The Meters brought out his side project Runnin’ Pardners. This evening was filled with bright, colorful and energetic music.
Fruition rambled through the Front Range, high on the November 9th release of the new EP, Holehearted Fools. The Portland Americana quintet performed 4 of the new 5 song EP recorded with Colorado friends, Grant Farm. Fruition is Jay Cobb Anderson (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar), Kellen Asebroek (Piano, Vocals), Mimi Naja (Mandolin, Guitar, Vocals), Keith Simon (Electric Bass), and Tyler Thompson (Banjo, Stomp Box, Drums).
The Bluegrass Ball featuring The Travelin’ McCourys, Drew Emmitt and Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon stomped though Chicago to a rousing house of hardcore bluegrass fans took over dancing in the aisles. The stage as a whos-who of monster bluegrass instrumentalists. This ensemble was definitely having a great time playing together.
Last week Tuesday, November 10, southern California two-piece blues outfit Little Hurricane and Toronto, ON, 5-piece July Talk visited Grand Rapids, MI for the first time.
After a successful fall tour, Trout Steak Revival was welcomed back home to Colorado at Hodi’s Half Note this October. The Denver Bluegrass Band is planted firmly in the Colorado’s beloved bluegrass scene. In addition to their first album, Trout Steal Revival has won the 2014 Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition, placed in the 2012 Rockygrass Band Competition, and have won an Emmy Award for a soundtrack with Rocky Mountain PBS.
Dweezil Zappa does his daddy proud night after night performing extremely technical music at a very high level. From a young age, he promised his father that he would be a guitarist, but I’m not sure that anyone but Frank could believe that he would be as good as he actually is. Dweezil is one of the best guitar players alive, and people need to start giving him the credit that he deserves.
Never have I felt more back at home in the cow town, country music-listening, tobacco-chewing, horse-riding, bar-fighting town I grew up in than at the Sturgill Simpson concert at the Ogden Theater in Denver last Friday night. It causes me to wonder: why have country music and psychedelic drug use not met before the visionary Strugill Simpson?
Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo, MI received a heavy dusting of bluegrass last Saturday, November 7 courtesy The Infamous Stringdusters of Nashville, TN.
