Steamy keys, gritty six string, soul drenched stomp. Black Cadillac music, back ally marque blue. Greasy chops deep-fried in fatback. Kick drum with fist on the pulpit thuds, and a cymbal’s smooth splash…riding it…smoky with a hairy funk. That almost covers the sound of the Alan Evans Trio.

In 1996 Michael Goldwasser founded the reggae label Easy Star Records in New York City. Over the years ESR has produced records for artists including Toots & the Maytals, Steel Pulse, Matisyahu, Israel Vibrations and Sister Carol, and proved to be a force in the world of reggae music production. A year after starting ESR, Goldwasser helped found the reggae collective Easy Star All-Stars.

Adam Aijala, Ben Kaufmann & Dave Johnston of Yonder Mountain String Band took some time from their busy schedule to answer a few questions about the band's upcoming Kinfolk Celebration in Lyons, Colorado. This will be the first time in 10 years the band is playing the Planet Bluegrass grounds. It's obvious they're excited for the opportunity to put on a festival for their hometown fans.

Grateful Web recently had a chance to speak to lead guitarist for Widespread Panic, Jimmy Herring.  Jimmy talked about playing in numerous bands, getting ready to do a solo tour and Jimmy’s brand new studio album, his brand new studio album, Subject for Change Without Notice, due out August 28^th.

Back in May Grateful Web brought you coverage of the GrandMothers of Invention live at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado. The former members of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention have been touring the U.S. and Europe and will return to Colorado on July 31^st for an evening at the Bluebird Theater in Denver. These guys arethe Zappa reincarnate band to see!

On Friday night at All Good Festival in Ohio, Yonder Mountain String Band took the stage for a raging set of blue grass. Several hours before they hit the stage, guitarist Adam Aijala and mandolin player Jeff Austin sat down with Bobby Martin of Grateful Web in the backstage artist area.

MilkDrive delivers jam-grass to friendly Ft. Collins’ neighborhood Hodi’s Halfnote. Early July found this Austin string band out west touring familiar stomping grounds.

Saturday was the day that the looming threat of rain finally hit the festival.  A strong downpour from noon to four postponed the entire day back an hour, however, it didn’t shut down the event or cancel any performances. In fact, it provided a nice cloud canopy of protection from the sun for most of the day. Dedicated fans that stood in the rain for an hour waiting for the gates to open were rewarded with an impromptu acoustic performance by My Morning Jacket when they were finally allowed in.

Grateful Web was recently fortunate enough to speak with bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist, David Grisman.  Dawg was kind enough to share some of his history with bluegrass legend, Del McCoury, David & Del’s new release, Hardcore Bluegrass in the Dawg House, Davi