Interviews

Australian born and New Zealand raised, Sammy Johnson, is an interesting person to describe. From homeless to a household name, his story is inspiring, and his passion for his art shows in every facet of his life. With wisdom beyond his years and an over the top personality to match, there are not many who meet him who do not immediately form a strong opinion of him, far more often good than bad. An extrovert, to say the least, he makes it his mission to make his audience feel the same love for music that he does.

Grammy-nominated reggae act Raging Fyah has traveled far from their home of Kingston Jamaica to spread their message. One of modern-day Jamaica’s most popular and successful bands, they have had no lack of a platform to display their music. Their classic sound is a constant reminder of the roots that founded reggae music. An interpretation of a genre that is untainted and pure focusing on themes of spirituality delivered with an optimistic view.

When asking anyone the question “what is the most important thing in your life?” two of the most common answers one might expect to hear would be “family” or “music”. At their roots, New Kingston lives at this crossroads. Composed of members of the Panton family, their relationship brings an added layer to their chemistry to the band. The result is a show between band members who so clearly understand and care about each other on a profoundly deep level.

Grateful Web recently had the privilege of catching up with classic rock bassist Jack Casady. The seventy-four-year-old Rock’n’Roll Hall of Famer was inducted with Jefferson Airplane, but his musician partnership with Jorma Kaukonen as the celebrated revival blues group Hot Tuna goes back even farther. Many of our readers know the history surrounding the beginnings of Tuna.

It is impossible to see Tampa Bay Florida based band The Ries Brothers perform live and not get excited about their future. The young duo has spent the entirety of their lives pursuing their musical dreams and ambitions to get to the level they are now at. From sleepless nights to pursuing alternative means of education more conducive to a musician’s lifestyle, the two have devoted their lives to their art and are now seeing the results of their sacrifices.

What started as a small reggae project in Sydney, Australia, has turned into the amalgamation of genres now known as Ocean Alley. Formed in 2011, their love for performing their unmistakable brand of music has only grown as they have been gathering momentum. Releasing a deep and personal album (Chiaroscuro), embarking on a long tour half the world away from home, and drawing inspiration from every experience along the way, the band is aiming to truly make 2018 their breakout year.

One of Australia’s most unique ambassadors, Xavier Rudd, has always found a way to stay authentic and true to himself. A passionate musician, environmentalist, and cultural advocate, his ambitions carry an immense weight. Through his music, with a bold, resonant, and tribal sound he strives to pay tribute to his Aborigines heritage with every performance.

Con Brio, translated “with verve,” is led by singer Ziek McCarter, a 20-something with the soul of a 40-something, who is like a shot of James Brown, a dash of Sam Cooke, a touch of Freddie Mercury, all with a splash of Otis Redding while on stage.  His showmanship in a live setting is matched only by the band’s musicianship, much to the delight of those in attendance.  Their live shows have garnered world-wide attention, and their continual development in songwriting is expanding their catalogue by the

Aqueous is an improvisational groove rock 4-piece powerhouse band from Buffalo, New York. Grateful Web got the opportunity to sit down with Mike Gantzer of Aqueous to discuss the band, future albums, their summer/fall tour, and debut performance at Denver's Bluebird coming up on June 9th.

Prodigious progressive jazz guitarist Julian Lage at age thirty has been playing professionally for the majority of his life. In recent years, collaborations with other innovative virtuosic players such as Nels Cline, Chris Thile, and Chris Eldrige, have broadened his adoring listener base. Julian was gracious enough to catch up with Grateful Web’s Dylan Muhlberg in the midst of an already bustling year of gigs with dozens more across the globe to come.

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