The annual Fingerlakes Grassroots Festival held in Trumansburg, NY just north of Ithaca was an all-you-can-eat buffet of sounds, sights, and activities.  True to the nature of a buffet, if a concert goer tried to take in everything; including over 60 bands (and several collaborations between them), the various activities, dance troupes, and food they would surely make themselves sick and very very exhausted.

Held over four days, I originally went with the intention of returning to Ithaca every night after the music ended, however I realized the festival doesn't stop when the music does.  As a result I didn't go home until after it was over.

Late Thursday afternoon the festival got underway.  With the hot sun blazing down and the fact that it was still a weekday, crowds were much lighter, but the energy between the performers and the band was certainly not diminished.  Kicking off the festival at 1pm was the Bubba George String Band a locally based band with a rotating cast of members which has included members of Donna the Buffalo.   At about 5pm things started to really heat up when Your Momma's Big Fat Booty Band, a funk band from Boone, NC started at the infield stage.   At 9pm John Brown's Body took the stage, and everybody seemed to get up and dance, and they did not want to stop dancing. MP3 Following John Brown's Body is a tough task for any band, Donna the Buffalo had that tough task and unfortunately due to the nature of their performance, a slower more subdued one, many people started to drift towards other stages and disperse.

Friday festival goers were treated to milder weather, though only by a small degree.  For those awake enough at 8 am, the Dance tent hosted a Yoga workshop for anyone interested.  The result was an extremely diverse crowd, characteristic of the festival.  The day had many outstanding acts throughout but the band who in my opinion got the day going was the Winnipeg, Manitoba based band The Duhks who call themselves "Progressive Soul-Grass."  Composed of five members, the enthusiastic Leonard Polodak on banjo, Jessee Havey on vocals, Jordan McConnell on guitar, Tania Elizabeth on fiddle, and Scott Senior on percussion, this group put on an act that drew people to the grandstand stage and ensured they had a following for their next day's performance, as well as for future appearances.  Recently signed to Sugar Hill Records, this band has a promising future and has a wonderful shot at being the next bluegrass/hybrid band to make it big.   If there is one band that impressed me the most at this festival it was The Duhks, and one would be in remiss if you skipped on seeing them the next time they come to your town.

Following the Duhks were two festival favorites, Crow Greenspun on the infield stage and Jim Lauderdale on the grandstand stage.   Since I had seen both these acts before, I decided to experience a group I had never seen, and I was glad I did.  I made my way up the hill towards the dance tent I was welcomed by the gospel sounds of the old south.   Knowing nothing of this group before I was a bit surprised at this offering at grassroots, but nonetheless I was transfixed.   Initially I was curious as to why they would be situated in the dance tent usually filled with Zydeco rhythms and dancing feet, however in short time I understood why.  The Flying Clouds who I later learned has been together for the better part of four decades had a heartfelt and genuine belief in what they were doing.  They were so filled with joy and pride in their message that it passed immediately to everyone in the tent, and soon one might have thought that they were in a congregation in a southern Baptist church.  Since I am not a particularly spiritual person and I had preconceived notions about gospel, I probably would have never gone over to that tent if I knew what genre the Flying Clouds were.  However I did and I gained an appreciation for something new and completely foreign to me, and to me this seems to be one of the goals of Grassroots.

At about 9:45 pm everyone seemed to be migrating over to the infield stage, and I too went.  This was because Michael Franti & Spearhead were set to go on at 10.   One of the headliners this year, his recently released album Yell Fire! has been receiving critical acclaim for both its musicianship and its blunt and direct lyrics on centering on the controversial war in Iraq.  When Franti took the stage everyone in the crowd immediately seemed to be at awe with his stage presence.  Seeming to tower over his band and the crowd, Franti and his band launched into "Time to Go Home," the first track from his new album.   By the time he launched into his energy charged bridge of the song with the including lyrics:

"How many people were they running from?

How many people never heard the crying?

How many people never saw the doves fly?

How many people never said goodbye?

How many people never saw the wrong?

How many people till we end it all?

How many people never saw it all?

How many people did we drop the bomb on?"

People were up and dancing and the energy could not be stopped. MP3 After his second song, the title track Yell Fire, Franti had his audience where he wanted them, soldiers of his reggae themed message.  I highly recommend you check out Michael Franti and Spearhead on their upcoming tour with State Radio, another politically themed reggae rock group fronted by the former guitarist from Dispatch.

Unquestionably things toned down after Spearhead got off stage, but nonetheless the festival-goer had several great choices to check out after.  I chose to go up to the grandstand to take a rest in the seats and enjoy a great performance from the Sim Redmond Band, a local Ithaca favorite who always puts on a quality show.   Afterwards on the way back to my tent, I happened to wander into the Cabaret Hall and check out J-San and the Analogue Sons and enjoyed their performance immensely.

Friday night most people just wanted to sleep after an exhausting day; however Mother Nature had other ideas as she often does with festivals; and delivered a massive rainstorm.  Many people's tents were flooded out and the water by later that morning became so deep that it would not be uncommon to be wading through water up to your knees to get to a stage or the bathroom.   While this caused many people to pack up and go home and things to start later than usual, in the tradition of Grassroots the show did go on.

The Flying Clouds returned much to my delight to play the Infield Stage after the Dance of Peace.  It was unfortunate this time however due to the weather the crowd numbered only a handful.  After the Flying Clouds I took an opportunity to go move my car from the mud to higher ground and exchange my wet clothes for new ones.  I made a point however to return to the Infield Stage for the Duhks return at 4pm, but because they were running late, I was yet again surprised and introduced to another great artist at Grassroots.  Corrine West was her name and she is a singer/songwriter with a voice that draws you in and doesn't ask, but tells you to sit down and listen.   Immediately following her was the Duhks in their first appearance at the infield stage.  The crowd swelled when they came on and they played a mix from new material on their upcoming album as well as old favorites.

After a quick listen in the dance tent to the Red Stick Ramblers, I headed over to the grandstand to hear Mamadou Diabate and his Ensemble.  This was a performer whom I had heard great things about, but living where I do I never really had the chance to see him.  Described as a master of the Kora, a West African 21 stringed harp made out of a Gourd, Diabate and his band lit a fire underneath everyone watching and I have never been witness to such a great performance featuring traditional w orld instruments infused with Jazz.  It's no wonder he was nominated for a Grammy for best traditional world album of the year in 2005.  His performance was unquestionably one of the best at the festival.

Thankfully the infield stage was running behind schedule due to the rain (and the 40 minutes it took to sound check Tara from DTB's monitors) I was able to catch the entire Donna the Buffalo set.  On Thursday I was not very impressed with them, it seemed like they weren't quite connecting with the audience.  Saturday was a very different story, and the band had warmed up and played two very memorable sets closing the second set with a great version of Hot Tamale Baby that kept people dancing. MP3

Afterwards most of the veteran Grassroots crowd found their way to the Dance tent to hear Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band play into the early hours of the morning.   Those in attendance were treated to a lengthy guest appearance from Jeb Puryear from Donna the Buffalo.

It was a relief to find on Sunday much of the water had dried up and now there were only patches of deep mud instead of standing lakes.  Despite heading back to my tent at 4am the night before, I made a point to be up early to catch the Grassroots Chamber Orchestra, the only truly classical offering at the festival.  To my surprise there was quite an audience and they played a great set of music which was both energetic and recognizable to the casual classical fan.  Afterwards I caught a bit of the Bubba George Stringband and The Believers.  Unfortunately my time at the festival had come to an end, due to a meeting the next day in Washington I had to leave early and miss out on what reportedly were two of the highlights of the festival, the Turtle Duhks and Donna the Buffalo and Friends.  The Turtle Duhks are a combination of The Duhks, the Canadian bluegrass band which had played several times throughout the weekend and Trumansburg based Turtle Island Dream.  This rare combination only plays together every so often due to their geographic distances, and fans at Grassroots were privileged enough to witness one of these occasions.

Donna the Buffalo's set on Sunday is usually the big blowout close of the festival and from reports and listening to the recording this year was no exception.  The set saw guest appearances on nearly every song as well as a marriage proposal to a fan from another on stage.   Special guests included Keith Frank, Preston Frank, Keith Secola, and members of Musafir.  It's hard to pick out a highlight from this show so I'd have to recommend you listen to it all, it's free for download here, courtesy of Christos Georgacopoulos.

The Fingerlakes Grassroots festival is one of those festivals that is still about the music; you'll never find Radiohead showing up or fancy corporate sponsors.  What you will find however is; the most welcoming, diverse, and fun-loving crowd in the northeast.  I'd highly recommend you make the trip up to Trumansburg next year and take in a little of what the Finger Lakes has to offer, you will not be disappointed. I'd be willing to bet you'll keep coming back year after year.

On Thursday February 22nd, perennial jam band favorites Rusted Root made their return to the Washington D.C. institution the 9:30 Club. With hundreds of shows under their belt from coast to coast they've managed to garner a large fan base in the Capital area.  On tour with them came a little known band named Quintus from New York.  This young and very talented group utilized catchy guitar riffs, even catchier lyrics, and solid musicianship.  It's always refreshing when a young band takes the time to focus on quality song-writing, thoughtful lyrics, and harmonies instead of trying to emulate the bland top forty genre that is too prevalent today. The group's EP titled "The Shape We're In" is a quality six song offering which is well worth the price of purchase via Itunes.  Look for these guys to become much more popular in the years to come if they continue on their current path.

After a solid set from Quintus and with the crowd inside the club rapidly expanding, Rusted Root took the stage around 10pm.  This tour is likely to be a bittersweet one for both fans as well as the band due to the impending departure of longtime band-mate Jenn Wertz. Wertz contributes an invaluable dynamic to Rusted Root with her soulful bluesy vocals and signature harmonica playing. However if there was sadness in the room it was immediately forgotten with the first beat of the drum, and powerful strum of Michael Glabicki's guitar.  The cramped crowd immediately got into the music and the band seemed to feed off of their energy.  The band seemed so much more lively than the previous time I had seen them, I can only attribute this to a crowd which was into their music and not a festival crowd. Either way everything about the opening of their show was as vibrant and powerful as it could have been.

After a about 30 minutes, the band changed it up and went acoustic with bassist Patrick Norman bringing out an acoustic bass and John Buynak finishing out the texture with some fantastic jazz flute.  A highlight of the show was certainly an acoustic version of "Send Me On My Way" one of their most well known songs. However playing hit songs or not, Rusted Root is one of the few bands which has the rare talent to illicit the same energetic response from fans as if they were playing electric.

Last Thursday was just another occasion of Rusted Root proving that they're still relevant and deserving of your attention well into their second decade as a group. Their songs and tenure as a band have made them favorites of fans from across all generations. I for one hope they continue to make music and inspire new bands for years to come.

There is a new trend in the music industry today, bands which have been broken up for decades reforming suddenly in order to cash in on the pocketbooks and prosperity of their baby-boomer generation fans. Groups like The Police, Cream, and Pink Floyd have all appeared on stage together recently after years of absence, often times charging outrageous ticket prices for one-off concerts which have been disappointing performance wise.

While the New Riders of the Purple Sage had never quite enjoyed the success of the above bands, they are no strangers to the rock spectacle, having played to large audiences (including a 1974 Central Park concert for over 50,000 people) as well as having a long and successful career.   It would have been easy for them to come back and cash in on all the successful Dead Heads and baby boomers for just a few concerts; however they have done something much more impressive.  David Nelson and Buddy Cage have managed to reform the band with an outstanding lineup, continually giving excellent performances, and maintaining a touring schedule which would make many younger bands' heads spin. Their lineup of original members David Nelson and Buddy Cage, joined by Michael Falzarano on guitar, Ronnie Penque on bass guitar, and Johnny Markowski on drums are some of the finest veteran musicians.  As a result of this their skill and comfort levels with each other and the music is clearly nothing short of superb.  On this particular evening they were joined by keyboardist Mookie Siegel, a veteran of the David Nelson Band, Phil and Friends, as well as a top notch performer in his own right.

In between sets of their recent stop at the State Theater in Falls Church, VA, a suburb of Washington D.C. I had the chance to sit down with the band and talk candidly about the past, the present, the future, politics, and of course Panama Red.

Grateful Web: What inspired you to release a new live album and live DVD after not being together and not releasing anything for three decades?

David Nelson:  Well it's because we weren't together for 30 years. <laughing> That's the basic answer, but this most recent thing is really great because Bob Matthews and Betty Cantor offered to come out and brought the remote and bus and set the whole thing up and recorded the whole thing, and it was just great!  The whole three nights…. Two nights?   How many nights did we play?

Michael Falzarano:  But if you count the 4 sets we played until 4:30 in the morning

Buddy Cage: You played about 3, but 6 sets in two nights.

David Nelson:  Yeah, it was great, by that 4^th set only a select few stayed there and we were like, yeah this is great, there's only a few people.  Then tried to translate that but I don't know if it made it…  This is what we want.  This is for YOU, we don't normally do this.  This is why we played Reggae Ripple.

Grateful Web: So I've got to ask, is there any hope of a new studio record now that you've got both a live CD and DVD under your belts?

David Nelson: Oh, now you're talking some real dough.  Oh we'd love to do that, if anyone has some benevolent benefactors that would like to sponsor us.

Michael Falzarano:  All I can say is that it won't happen this year, because we're booked out until the end of this year. 

Buddy Cage:  I do a show called Jam-On on Sirius, and let me tell you man, they don't want to hear a whole bunch of studio stuff.  They want to hear mostly live stuff, so who the hell wants to make a studio album these days.

David Nelson:  I think I'd love to make a studio record, but then sometimes when you get back into the studio you think.  Ah now I remember…. and forget it, forget it.  It's a labor of love and a lot of work.  There's a lot of pressure on you when you're in the studio.   And you always end up staying there all night to fix what you did.  It just goes on and on…It's crazy.

Mookie Seigel:  Now you ask him a question!

David Nelson:  Okay, How tall is Mount Fuji <laughter.>

Grateful Web:  Tall, real tall.

David Nelson:  That's the right answer, REAL TALL.  Bingo!

Grateful Web:  Do you guys ever get copies of audience recordings from tapers, and if so do you listen to them?

David Nelson:  We try to make our own live tapes.  But once in awhile something gets back to us, but if its months and months later.  Or a long time later, it sounds pretty good!  But if it's the next night it sounds gahhhhh because all you can hear is the struggle you're involved in trying to accomplish something and it only half made it.  All you can hear is that, just bleeding bias because its still loud in your mind.  But if you go for a long time then you hear it with a fair position and viewpoint and it sounds ok.

Mookie Seigel:  But then I remind you what you did wrong!

David Nelson: Yes, then there's Mookie to remind you what you did wrong, he just sits there making my life a living hell. 

Grateful Web:  If you guys could put a band together with any living musician besides yourselves, who would you choose to play with?

Mookie Seigel:  Pick me! Pick me!

Michael Falzarano: Somebody different every night, take your pick.

David Nelson: We did jam with Pinetop Perkins in Texas.

Michael Falzarano: That's right 93 years old, two years after being hit by a train.

David Nelson: It was just great.  It was cool though.

Michael Falzarano: Yeah he'd be in the band

David Nelson: Say something for the audience Pinetop? "Wanna buy a cd?"

NRPS: <laughter>

Grateful Web:  How about the obligatory political question?  Being that we are in the Nation's capital, if you had a moment with President Bush what would you say to him?

David Nelson: I'd say, get out! OUT!

Buddy Cage:  He doesn't want to get that close to me to hear what I have to say to him…

David Nelson:  You know that's funny, because that reminds me of in the 60's in the backroom with the Dead we thought about that exact same topic.  We said what if we could actually talk to the President, what would we say?  And Phil I think it was said: "Now listen here asshole…." And that was when Presidents were good! 

Grateful Web: Johnny, so I hear you're writing a Children's book, what can you tell us about this?

Johnny Markowski: its name is Stan the Can, it teaches kids about recycling.  He goes out on all these adventures, each time he goes out to the recycling plant he'll come out as something new like a rim of a NASCAR, or an aluminum baseball bat that wins the little league world series.  So it teaches kids that it's not garbage, that this guy's got another job to do and to send him to the right place.

Michael Falzarano:  He could be the rims on Mookie's glasses on stage!

Mookie Seigel:  That's a happy ending right?

Johnny Markowski:  He could be the neck on your steel Buddy.

David Nelson:  I could be playing Stan the Can.

Grateful Web:  We could go on and on with that one.

Grateful Web:  Now I have to ask due to popular demand, have you guys seen Panama Red lately?

Michael Falzarano: A lot of people as that question and we see him regularly...

David Nelson:  About 10 seconds ago.

Toast: I don't run into Red that often but I see his friend Henry all the time.

Grateful Web:  That's all guys; it's been an honor and a privilege, thank you so much.

The Show:

As the show began, the band took a few minutes to get into the groove, and the crowd was not far behind them.  The opened with one of my personal favorites Sliding Delta Blues.  The crowd took a bit to warm to the music, perhaps because they were finishing up their dinner still.  This all changed though as soon as the New Riders busted into "I Don't Know You" the crowd was up on its feet and fully enjoying the evening.  The New Riders were rolling ahead full speed.  With Mookie on the keyboards it added and interesting and wonderful dynamic to the New Riders that served their playing style very well.  The highlights of the rest of the set was "What you Gonna Do,"  "Truck Trivin Man," and "15 Days under the Hood." 

After a most enjoyable set break, the band re-emerged and plunged right into a great rendition of Last Lonely Eagle with Mookie trading his keyboard for an accordion.  Keeping the crowds attention throughout, they showed that they weren't at all rusty despite this being the first show in five weeks.  Later they rounded out the set with a nice Garden of Eden into The Last time and back into Garden of Eden.  They finished out the second set with everyone's favorite Panama Red.  For the encore, NRPS came out and did a fantastic cover of the Rolling Stone's Let it Bleed that left the crowd asking for more.  Unfortunately it was now past 1 am and the New Riders bid us goodnight.

Anyone who might be questioning whether the New Riders are a still a relevant band should put that question far in the back of their minds and go see them for themselves.  They put on a fantastic show and with their non-stop touring schedule chances are that they are coming to a town near you.  I'm sure that you'll leave smiling and wanting more, the crowd that night in Falls Church did.

Be sure to check out their upcoming tourdates at TheNewRiders.com and listen to Buddy's show on Sirius, "Jam On."  This Friday he will be discussing the origins and meanings of 4-20 beyond that of what popular culture tells us.  He's assured us that it will be very interesting, and we have no doubt that it will be.  Also, you can find the New Riders new CD at:  www.nrpslive.com

--

The Setlist:

Set 1: Sliding Delta Blues, Instant Armadillo Blues, Contract, I Don't Know You, What You Gonna Do, Dirty Business, Sutter's Mill, 15 Days Under The Hood, Truck Drivin' Man,

Set 2: Last Lonely Eagle*, Henry*, Absolutely Sweet Marie, Garden of Eden >The Last Time >Garden Of Eden, Sing Me a Rainbow, Higher, Any Naked Eye, Take a Letter Maria, Panama Red, E:Let it Bleed,

Comment: Whole Show w/Mookie Siegel on Keyboards & Accordion on Last Lonely Eagle & Henry

Even the most die hard jam band fan will at one point crave something new and unusual, a step away from the traditional structure of lead guitar solos dragging on for minutes.  This doesn't mean that a fan of such musical structure needs to subject themselves to standardized pop music; it simply suggests that the listener might need to search for music made with more unconventional instruments.  The answer you seek lies not in a far away land but with Asheville, North Carolina's own Toubab Krewe.

Toubab Krewe is a rare sort of band, one who melds more traditional rock instrumentation with that of native instruments from around the world, most prominently West Africa.  Their liberal use of the kora (a gourd covered in hide with strings that resemble a harp), kamelengoni (a small 6 string harp), as well as a variety of traditional African percussion creates a sound which is unique and can be rivaled by few bands.  The obvious skill and dexterity that the band uses to create its music is not due to the members being natives of Africa but instead due to their diligent study and pursuit of perfection with these instruments.  It is because of their intense devotion to their music that they have been able to change traditional African rhythms and songs into a creation all their own.

Having never heard this band before; I showed up to their most recent Washington D.C. appearance with the usual mix of skepticism and timid optimism which I reserve for new music.  Within the first few seconds, it became clear that they were serious about their craft and about their performance, and when a band makes it clear that they are committed, they hold the audience's attention.  Needless to say I, like many others in the room who had never heard them before were quite impressed.

The show was a powerful flux of upbeat music with a healthy rotation of unique instruments I have rarely heard paired together.  The band ran through many of its songs on its self titled album "Toubab Krewe," including the wonderful traditional "Djarabi" and the tune "Hang Ten."  Other highlights included "Devil Woman" and "Bani."  Occasionally the band put down its African instruments and proceeded to play with "normal" instruments, however even their music stood out as heavily influenced by world music.  Being able to cross genres and prove your ability not only on the instruments which garner you notice but on more common ones proves mastery of their craft.  Undoubtedly the highlight for the night was the encore when the band set down all their stringed instruments and each picked at least one percussion instruments.  Then when they were all in a circle proceeded to play one of the most amazing percussion pieces I've heard.  The song which is also on their album is titled "Asheville to Abidjan" and starts out reminiscent of many parking lot drum circles, however soon it rapidly picks up pace and becomes so complex it is nearly impossible to figure out who is playing what part.

Toubab Krewe is one of the best bands you might never have heard of; chances are that they're touring near you.  Take the time out and go see them and I bet you'll be dancing before you know it.

The Warren Haynes Christmas Jam, an annual event to benefit Habitat for Humanity, brings some of the top musical talent in the world to the beautiful mountain city of Asheville, NC.  This year the lineup stretched further beyond its traditional jam band focused roster to include such musical greats as Jackson Browne and Peter Frampton. Additionally, Dead veteran Bruce Hornsby as well as Stockholm Syndrome, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, G. Love, and the headliner Gov't Mule kept the masses entertained for nearly nine hours.

The show started off with Warren Haynes joined by Bruce Hornsby and a Gospel Choir singing Soulshine before they were joined by Mike Farris for Trouble of the World.  After a brief intermission Grace Potter and the Nocturnals came out to open the show proper.  A relative newcomer to scene, Grace and her band have been opening for Gov't Mule for the past few months on tour and clearly are doing something right.  This is a band that knows how to rock, has a great stage presence, and writes fantastic songs.  They are an absolute must see band.

After the Nocturnals set came one of the most anticipated appearances of the night for myself and many other fans in the building. Stockholm Syndrome, the all star outfit comprised of Dave Schools (Widespread Panic), Jerry Joseph (Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons), Eric McFadden (P-Funk, Keb Mo', Les Claypool's All Stars), and Wally Ingram, who were joined by Danny Louis (Gov't Mule) on keys and Machan Louis on backup vocals took the stage to perform.  Their four song set was much too short and left the audience demanding more.  Stockholm Syndrome belted out a set comprised of Belt, Empire One, Bouncing Very Well, and Couldn't Get it Right with Warren Haynes guesting on guitar. Arguably they provided the most high energy set of the night, and rivaled Peter Frampton for the best performance of the evening. Everyone should seek out the recording of this, it'll be sure to please fans of any of these musicians and convert those who aren't yet.  This is one band which many would like to see tour more often.

Next up for the evening was musical legend Jackson Browne.  Many in the audience were very excited to see him, somewhat of a stand out in this heavily electric bunch.  An excellent songwriter, Browne played a great set, joined throughout by many of the stars of the night.  However, I couldn't help but feel his set was ill-placed; such a quiet group of songs shouldn't have been placed after one of the hardest rocking groups of the night.  Browne has one of the most expansive catalogs of songs to choose from, but he chose for this event to play many quiet and politically motivated songs. Perhaps if his set had been located before Stockholm Syndrome or after Hornsby then the audience might have been more focused.

Following Browne was fan favorite Bruce Hornsby. In a short set full of all-star guests, notably Warren Haynes and Jackson Browne, he played many of his radio hits. He also surprised the crowd with the tune he played with The Other Ones, White Wheeled Limousine. That song was easily the best of his set and one of the best songs of the night.

Anyone who takes the stage after Bruce Hornsby always has a tough act to follow.  The artist unlucky enough to receive that distinction on Saturday was G. Love.  G. Love is very much the type of artist you either love or hate, and it seemed that many in the audience fell into the latter category.  He really tried his best to get the crowd going with his rap/rock songs, but they fell short largely due to the demographic of the crowd.  A highlight of his set though was Jason Isbell, who formerly was of the Drive-by Truckers and now tours with his fantastic band the 400 Unit, coming out to lend his wonderful guitar work to the songs.  At this point G. Love should have ceded the microphone over to Jason and let him sing some of his songs from his new album, Sirens of the Ditch.

Finally it was time for the artist many people in the audience were dying to hear, Peter Frampton. This is one artist who can still rock and blow the minds of anybody. Frampton played an absolutely amazing six song set, stealing the show. Starting off with Four Day Creep with Mike Farris on vocals and Robert Kearns on bass, he got the crowd back "on it's feet" quite quickly. Afterwards Andy Hess, arguably the hardest working musician of the night came out to join him along with Ron Holloway and Bernie Worrell to play Shotgun. Then the set powered through favorites such as Blooze, I Don't Need No Doctor (both with Warren Haynes & Andy Hess), Do You Feel Like We Do, and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Frampton absolutely stole the show and was the highlight of my evening.

Peter Frampton then stayed out to introduce the evening's hosts, Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule (Andy Hess, Matt Abts, and Danny Louis) came out and played a set very heavy on their new material, but graciously working guests in through their set.  By this point in the night after seven or more hours of standing for many, people were drained, but Mule seemed to re-energize the audience. Opening with Beautifully Broken, and then moving into their new reggae themed I'm A Ram, Mule showed their diverse musical styles.  After that they segued into Streamline Women and Mr. High and Mighty, the title track from their new album. For the next song, Fixin' to Die, Col. Bruce Hampton, Jason Isbell, Bernie Worrell & Ron Holloway came out to join and trade licks and vocals throughout the song. Then Peter Frampton came out and joined Warren and the boys for I Believe to My Soul. Closing out Mule's set was a fantastic version of 32/20 Blues, and Going Out West to close the show.  You could hear fans from the show repeating the chorus from Going Out West for hours after the show. Those are just the type of shows that Warren and Co. put on every year.

This year's show was a bit different than past years but still very well received.  It would have been nice to see Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit play after their smoking pre-jam set and set on Saturday. Also I believe that it would have been fantastic to see Mule play a bit longer since they are the hosts.  Next year the Jam will be expanded to two nights for the 20th anniversary.  Anyone who can make the trek should be encouraged to go.  The combination of music, the beauty of the Asheville area, and the fact that it is for a good cause cannot be beat for a December weekend trip.

Last summer, shortly after Jason Isbell dissolved his ties with the Drive-by Truckers, I had the opportunity to catch him at another local DC venue, Rock & Roll Hotel.  The small space was packed with Truckers fans eager to hear one of the three voices behind the band, solo, and able to interpret songs as he deemed fit.  Needless to say nobody left disappointed, and the next time Isbell was to come through DC it was announced he would be playing at the much larger, much more famous 9:30 Club.

Friday night both Jason Isbell and Will Hoge played to a very crowded 9:30 Club and left an even greater impression on their individual fan bases.  I say individual because it seems that the crowd was not one crowd but rather two different ones.  When Jason finished his set it appeared that his fans largely exited the building or moved to the back and a large group of Will Hoge fans showed up.  In that sense it was a very segmented evening with two performers with different styles of rock music.  That said I think that fans of either musician might have done well by themselves had they stayed to experience the other.

Following the opener, Dawn Landes, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit took the stage.  His post-Truckers band is comprised of first rate musicians from the Muscle Shoals area of Alabama and two members of Son Volt.  The lineup is Jimbo Hart on bass, Derry DeBorja on keyboards, Browen Lollar on guitar, and Dave Bryson on drums.  Without a doubt these guys put every ounce of energy into their performance and it is clear from the first note to the last song.  It is worth noting that these guys can rock just as hard if not harder than the Truckers; and as Jimbo Hart told me the last time they were in DC, "You know I'm a huge fan of the Truckers myself, so when those fans come to the show I don't want to disappoint them."  Clearly they have all worked to exceed all expectations.

Jason started off the show somewhat unconventionally with a call for requests, perhaps a nod to the last show in DC where the requests became so frequent and loud he remarked something to the effect of "When you go to church, do you yell out your favorite passage during the service?"  The first request he took to open the show was "The Assassin" which was actually written by former Truckers band-mate Patterson Hood.  Hood no longer plays that song so it has since become a staple in Jason's live performances and fits in perfectly with his sets.  His next request taken was "Chicago Promenade" one of the tracks off his solo debut "Sirens of the Ditch."  Other songs played throughout the night were a mix of his solo and Truckers material.  Since his last appearance in DC, he has really honed his live show and the songs "Brand New Kind of Actress" and "Try" certainly showed this.  Another highlight of his set was "Into the Mystic" a song by Van Morrison which he was joined by a fiddle player from Will Hoge's band.  Finishing up the powerful set was "Danko/Manuel,"  Isbell's somber ode to life on the road as a musician.  I only wish the set could have been longer as there were several excellent songs Jason normally would play that were visibly missing, such as the powerful anthem "Never Gonna Change" off the Trucker's "Dirty South" album.

Despite my mild disappointment at the brevity of the set, something to be expected of a co-headlining tour, I left nothing short of blown away by Jason and his band.  It is very clear that these guys have a very big future for themselves and I hope he sees all the success that he saw with the Truckers.  Be sure to be on the lookout for a new CD sometime in the future, as Jason is writing songs and this will be recorded with his new band.  In the meantime you can be assured that these guys will be making a stop somewhere close to you, it is well worth your money to go listen to them.  While not a jam band these guys will impress even the most skeptical of listener.

I have to admit that the next performer, Will Hoge, was someone I had never heard of before this tour was announced, so I went into this with no expectations whatsoever.  My first observation was that his fan base was much more predominately female and his style of performance was much flashier than Jason's.  This aside I would have to compare his stage presence to Bruce Springsteen but his songs more as a strange mix of Tom Petty, Bob Seger, Gavin DeGraw, and The Counting Crows with a bit more grit, a harder edge to them.  Overall more pop-influenced rock than the 400 Unit, Hoge still put on a great show alternating between slower numbers and his higher energy songs.  He has also managed to put together a band of excellent musicians to work with him.  His band composed of Jefferson Crow on keys, Sigurdur Birkis on drums, Adam Fluhrer on guitar, and Adam Beard on bass, managed to switch it up from styles heavily influenced by soul into a country twanged song effortlessly.

While I don't know his catalogue well enough to judge whether he stacked up to previous performances or his abilities; I can say that I did find the music catchy and well performed.  It was obvious his good fans extremely enthusiastic about his performance.  After re-listening to a tape of his performance I find I am liking it much more after a second time, and I am starting to pick out songs.  Hoge is one of those artists I think that will grow on you.  I think if you are a fan of the aforementioned bands I compared him to, then it would be worthwhile to check out Will Hoge the next time he's in the area.

This tour seems to be an unlikely pairing, but if you break it down it really is just a difference on the same take on rock and roll, heartfelt genuine catchy songs being the uniform factor between the two.  Perhaps this tour would be an excellent opportunity to acquaint yourself with either one of these fine musicians.

Catch Jason Isbell and Will Hoge as they continue their tour for the last three nights in Knoxville, Louisville, and Nashville.  Jason will be playing acoustic shows throughout the Southeast, full band shows in Europe, and making an appearance at the All-Points West festival in New Jersey this summer.  Will is scheduled to be playing throughout the East coast and will be making a stop at the Langerado festival.  Both these artist put on a fantastic show I hope they get the widespread success they greatly deserve.

The word conventional will never apply to a band like Toubab Krewe, that is unless you consider a strange mix of traditional African instruments, electric guitars, two drummers, dancing, and touches of Southern Rock, Jazz, Reggae, and Latin sounds to be normal.  This highly experimental but infectious sound is what has propelled Toubab Krewe into the realm of fan favorites at festivals across America.  Once again I had the privilege to see them perform at a recent show in Falls Church, Virginia.

With a band like Toubab Krewe, you couldn't expect that the opener could possibly be more unusual, but they managed to find something few in the audience considered to be a normal opener.  Batala Washington is an all-female drumming troupe where the members, which numbered around 25, played one of only four types of instruments. Using the Snare, Repique, Dobra, and Surdo drums, members danced and drummed simultaneously creating both a visual and auditory effect which drew acclaim from the audience.  The most unique aspect of this group is that it's free and open to all women ages 18 and above.  According to their website 90% of members had no previous musical experience.  It was a unique and talented group that provided the perfect complement to the main act. 

Shortly after the opener, Toubab Krewe took the stage.  Starting out their act with a few songs from their debut album, the crowd took no time in cramming down to the open floor and starting to dance.  Soon however the band was eager to show off some of their newer offerings and they were well received by the audience.  Their sophomore album, scheduled to be released this year, is comprised of half originals and half reworked traditional songs.  One of the songs scheduled to appear on the new album is the traditional Keme Burema, which they have actually played in the past.  According to a recent interview in Relix Magazine, Toubab Krewe has reworked and transformed many older traditionals which have been a part of their set for years.  Judging by the few new songs we heard at the show, we can expect their new album to be every bit as fantastic as the first one. 

After a handful of new arrangements, Justin Perkins traded his Kora for an electric guitar and Toubab got down with a more electric set.  These songs allowed guitarist Drew Heller to really shine and really exhibit the skills he holds as a multi-faceted guitarist.  On several of the songs his guitar playing could have matched up in Lynyrd Skynyrd, on others we saw hints of Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd.  His ability to have a mastery of many styles is a huge asset to the band, especially on these songs when your attention is no longer focused on the Kora or kamelengoni.  

On a similar note, during these songs the interplay between Teal Brown on drums and Luke Quaranta on percussion was fantastic.  To be able to hold independent and often different beats together like they did is just one part of what makes Toubab such an interesting and engaging band to listen to.

After a good half hour, Justin returned to his seat at center stage and picked up the kamelengoni, which is similar to the kora, however instead of being made out of a gourd its body is that of a gas can.  Also there are no tuning pegs that I could see; instead the strings are simply wound at different heights on the neck.  With its sharp sound, Justin's playing quickly regained center focus of the show.  Eventually Luke took position behind some large drums in the rear center of the stage and a long jam ensued and at this point most of the crowd was so focused on dancing and lost in the moment, a fire could have started in the building and few might notice it. 

Toubab Krewe closed the night as it always does, with a healthy round of applause and genuine energy between the musicians and the crowd.  This was my forth time seeing them and I have yet to find one moment of their show to be the least bit pedestrian and I am already looking forward to the next time they come through town.

If you are on the West Coast you will be very lucky since Toubab is playing a long string of dates out there through the remainder of the spring.  Chances are they are coming to your town, and missing it would be denying yourself a great show.

I arrived in the small town of Wilkesboro, North Carolina on Saturday morning.  Wilkesboro is not the type of town you really notice or generally have any cause to stop in.  In some many ways the town's 10,000 or so residents probably prefer it that way, you don't live in this kind of town if you like hearing your neighbor's TV at night.  But last weekend was a weekend that you did want to pull off the highway, because just a few miles off the highway the country's top bluegrass and folk talents gathered to an adoring crowd that was more than triple the size of Wilkesboro.

For the past 21 years Doc Watson and his family have held a festival in this small town to honor his son Eddy Merle Watson who had passed in a tractor accident.  What started as a humble gathering to celebrate Merle's life and raise funds for a garden on the campus of Wilkes Community College, has grown to become one of the premier music festivals in the country and an economic powerhouse for the region.

Walking into the festival I was pleasantly surprised at the overwhelming friendliness of the staff and attendees and the overall family atmosphere.  From the friendly church group handing out free hot dogs, firewood, and water to attendees; to the Boy Scouts running the free busses, you could tell that this was an event where the community came out give festival goers a warm welcome.

Having never been to Merlefest before, I was excited at the prospect of seeing several of the headliners as well as many of the staple bluegrass acts I've come to know from numerous festivals. The Saturday morning the heat was already starting to be a factor and the dust was starting to rise from the well tread paths.  Having missed Thursday and Friday already I was eager to catch the first act I would be seeing that day, The Waybacks, but instead the rain came.

The weather was supposed to be horrible all weekend with thunderstorms throughout, but pulling into Wilkesboro it was all sunshine. Shortly after lunch though, it poured with a healthy side of thunder and lightning shutting down the stages for awhile.  As we took cover in the dealer demonstration tent, I was introduced to Rick Turner who was representing his company D-Tar: Duncan Turner Acoustic Research.  Rick Turner worked with the Grateful Dead from 1969 through 1973 and was also a co-founder of Alembic guitars.  He talked to me a bit about the science of the Wall of Sound and the comparisons to concert sound today as well as shared some stories the Dead.  He then showed me a fantastic acoustic guitar he had made as well as a Ukulele made from the wood of Bob Hope's bar.  I also go to try out one of their acoustic guitar pickups and watched him do some installations for people.  It's always interesting who you meet by chance at festivals such as this.

Once the weather let up we made a dash through the mud hoping to catch the Wayback's resumed set, but they were completely rained out and had only played one unplugged song for folks gathered there.  Seeing our disappointment they let us in on a secret, that they would be covering the entire Led Zeppelin II album with John Cowen on vocals and other friends, later that afternoon on the hillside stage.

With great anticipation for the Waybacks set later, we walked around taking in some other acts and came across Rhonda Vincent and her band "The Rage" playing on the main stage.  With a sweet distinctive voice, her band worked through numerous songs including the Martha White theme.  In the past, and a tradition that continues on today, bluegrass bands often were sponsored by a flour or baking products company and in return they sing their theme song at shows.  While in many genres this would be scoffed at (imagine Doritos sponsoring Phish and having to sing a theme song at Coventry and the mad rush for Doritos….) with the bluegrass crowd this is often a fan favorite and it became a audience sing along.

After Rhonda Vincent we headed over to Hillside stage to take in the Waybacks and Friends.  Since we already knew what the surprise album was, we took a perch high on the hill and watched the masses roll in.  We could see the guests milling about the stage and various instruments being set up and we took guesses as to what song they'd be used on.  Despite knowing what album was to be performed, we were still surprised as to how it was performed.  Instead of doing Zeppelin II as a bluegrass tribute, it was done electric, with bluegrass instruments, just like you might imagine Led Zeppelin doing if they had to improvise and were denied their electric instruments.  With John Cowan lending vocals that rival that of Robert Plant and James Nash taking his acoustic guitar with an electric effects pedal to rock star territory they really nailed the album. Joined on stage with drums, keys, several fiddles, banjos, mandolins, bass and everything under the sun, John Cowen and the Waybacks really outdid themselves.  I can honestly say that this performance was one of the highlights of any festival experience I have been to.  Currently there are several low quality clips on YouTube that will give you a taste of the show, and it should be available for download via official channels soon.  As an aside, the hillside stage can become a giant mud slide during the rain and it was equally entertaining watching the trials and failures of those who chose to ascend or descend from the hill during this set.

Topping that last set would have been impossible, and with that in mind we wandered around and took in several of the small stages. We were able to see a bit of Docabilly featuring Doc Watson, Sam Bush, T Michael Coleman, Jeff Little, Buddy Greene, and Richard Watson.  After that we returned to our vehicle to get dry clothes and set up the tent for the night.

We returned halfway through the Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby set.  Now if you aren't familiar with the fact that the two are good friends and have released an album together you might think to yourself that this is a joke.  In fact it's not a joke and the two work well together and blending their two different styles.  While I wasn't extraordinarily impressed by their album, perhaps because I was having trouble digesting the fact someone did a bluegrass cover of Rick James' Superfreak, I very much enjoyed the live show.  What started as an initial appearance on CMT's Crossroads has blossomed into a combination that has a lot of potential to help break down genre barriers and get more people introduced to bluegrass.

After a long pause, was the performer whom the vast majority of festival goers were excited to hear, myself included.  Levon Helm, the legendary drummer and voice of The Band had brought his Ramble on the Road band to Merlefest to delight the audience.  I have wanted to see Levon Helm in concert ever since being introduced to his Midnight Ramble when attending a party in Woodstock several years ago.  Since then I have been waiting for the chance to see someone whom I view to be an American musical treasure in concert.  Needless to say he did not disappoint.  Opening the show with Ophelia, it seems the sound crew had some trouble with feedback but I don't think that ruined the song for anyone.  He then ran through songs in typical "Band" fashion by bringing out several guests to sing.  Larry Campbell, a multi-instrumentalist who has worked with everyone from Bob Dylan to Cyndi Lauper and is a master at his craft and has a discography which probably ranges in the hundreds of albums added so much to the group.  Graciously taking turns with everyone for a lead vocal spot, Helm performed several songs from his new CD Dirt Farmer as well as traditional and staples from the Band.  The biggest highlight of the weekend for me was hearing The Weight live and being able to experience the closest thing to the Band I ever will.  You will be able to see Levon Helm and his Ramble on the Road opening for Phil Lesh and Friends on several dates this summer.

After the applause died down we were faced with a decision.  We could attend the Midnight Jam, go see Donna the Buffalo in the Dance Tent, or return to camp.  We decided to end the concert portion of the evening on a high note and return to camp.  At camp there was a lively assortment of individuals many of whom were jamming around campfires.  Newcomers were welcomed and offered a chance to play some licks on the stringed instrument of their choosing.  This merriment continued until dawn and was the perfect end to a wonderful day at Merlefest.

Sunday morning everyone awoke groggy, some stumbling out of tents still tired from the previous night.  We packed up our tent and then headed into the show again to catch a few more acts before the drive back.  The highlight for Sunday was easily Hot Buttered Rum whom we missed on Saturday due to rain and the Waybacks set.  A short but entertaining set for them was the perfect start to a Sunday morning.

The weather was appearing to hold out for us as we walked around the rest of the exhibitor tents and small stages.  We caught bits and pieces of performances by The Lovell Sisters, The Pine Leaf Boys, Hot Tuna w/ Happy Traum and the Allison Brown Quartet before we had to hit the road again.

About an hour down the road heading back towards Greensboro the skies opened up and sheets of rain came down.  The rain was back and it was a good time to be headed back towards home.

Merlefest is an experience and very much a community.  People bring instruments and jam along with each other.  There are clinics, workshops, discussions, and impromptu performances.  If you are a fan of bluegrass or even have an appreciation for it, Merlefest is the perfect place to become better acquainted and get up close and personal with your favorite artists.  Next year I'll try and make it down starting on Thursday, and this time I'll bring my mandolin.

Tired of missing an artist you wanted to see perform because it conflicts with another band you like?  Sick of wading through 80,000 people and not being able to see when you get there?  Wondering why Kanye is playing before your favorite jam band?  While it might not be able to solve all your festival problems, All Good Festival this year might solve some of them.

All Good Festival, held at Marvin's Mountaintop in Masontown, WV should be a destination for any music lover.  The location has no address, so you can't mapquest your way there (Don't worry they provide you directions on their site).  That should tell you something about the vibe of this show.  With no overlapping sets and an outstanding lineup you can find a good spot on the lawn and relax and listen to the music.  Ask yourself, when was the last time you relaxed at a music festival?

Headlining this year is Widespread Panic and Phil and Friends, two perennial favorites of the jam band scene.  Also featuring Gov't Mule, Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi, Mike Gordon, Dark Star Orchestra, and Grace Potter there is something for everyone.

Tickets are on sale now, and are going fast and will sell out.  I highly recommend allotting yourself enough time to get there Thursday night as there is plenty of action to be had then.   Plus make sure check out the late night acts. 

Overall, I can't promise it won't rain, or there won't be traffic, or that the grilled cheese guy won't run out, but I can promise you that this lineup and the way the festival is run will make for an enjoyable and great time had by all.  I look forward to reporting and see you there!

The complete lineup is below:

. Phil Lesh & Friends
. Widespread Panic
· Gov't Mule
· Michael Franti & Spearhead
· Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood
· Keller Williams w. Moseley, Droll & Sipe
· Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival
· Mike Gordon
· Dark Star Orchestra
· Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
· The Avett Brothers
· Railroad Earth
· Tea Leaf Green
· The Bridge
· SOJA
· The Join (Shields & Shearer w. Benevento & Russo)
· JJ Grey & MOFRO
· Brazilian Girls
· Perpetual Groove
· Lettuce
· Hot Buttered Rum
· Bassnectar
· Eric Lindell
· RAQ
· Bonerama
· The Wood Brothers
· Pnuma Trio
· Outformation
· Danielia Cotton
· All Mighty Senators
· Telepath
· deSol
· Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band
· Scrapomatic
· Basshound

Sanjay Suchak,

The Grateful Web

Sanjay Suchak is currently on-hand at this year's All Good Festival, at Marvin's Mountaintop in Masontown, West Virginia.   Check out Sanjay's photos and be sure to check back soon for his review of the weekend.  Also, keep your eyes peeled for Grateful Web's Bonnaroo and Rothbury reviews and photos soon.

Enjoy,

The Grateful Web

At the All Good Music Festival held this past weekend in Masontown WV, the motto by which attendees live by is also the name.  How convenient.  Despite the mantra that anything goes, the festival has been noted as one of the better organized, least problematic, and most entertaining of the summer.

This year it was hard not to notice the spectacular lineup.  In this reviewer's humble opinion, it was the best lineup of the summer with not a single act on the main stage that should have been missed.  If you are a guitarist, this festival offered you the chance to hear some of the most prominent guitarists in the scene today: Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Jimmy Herring, and John Scofield.  If you're a bassist then it's hard not to notice that Phil Lesh, Mike Gordon, and Dave Schools were all on the lineup.  Beyond that even; the talent as a whole present in the acts this weekend was much better than I had anticipated.

The weekend at All Good starts early, usually on Thursday.  I left my Washington, DC apartment at 8:30 am on Thursday, for the three and a half hour drive.  I was rather surprised to find out that although the music did not start until later that evening the line of cars to get in was substantial.  With a bit of help from a friend I was able to dodge that line and set up my tent in a prime central location for the rest of the weekend.  As I sat up on the hill from my vista I couldn't help but be amazed at the city slowly building beneath me, I knew I was in for an enjoyable weekend.

That evening as the sun set, the show was opened by a Pittsburgh band that had won the Sonic Bids contest, Jazzam.  I'd be lying if I didn't admit that this band was one of my absolute favorites for the weekend; and many people I spoke to agreed that they were outstanding.  They're funky, jazzy, jam sound is distinct, complex, and extraordinarily well executed.  It's my sincere hope that I see these guys return next year.  Following Jazzam was Perpetual Groove.  The consummate Jam Band they worked through their set drawing larger crowds into the area.  While they've never been one of my favorite groups, the addition of John Hruby on keyboards was a fantastic move and I found myself enjoying their music as I had not before.  The Brazilian Girls were next after Perpetual Groove.  A band I had discovered at Bonnaroo, I find myself being drawn to singer Sabina Sciubba's sultry voice and the dance/house beat of the keys and drums in the background.  At one point Sciubba climbed down into the photo pit and brought members of the audience over the barrier to dance with her.  It would be an understatement to say that this group knows how to captivate the audience like few others do.  For a band whose sound might be a little different for the target crowd of this festival they were received extremely well and I look forward to seeing them again soon.

The second major highlight of the weekend came with the closing act for the night, the Join.  I have to state that I've never been a huge fan of the Benevento Russo Duo or the New Deal, but the format of two keyboardists and two drummers playing high energy jazz and jamming was something I am eager to hear again.  The join consists of the Benevento Russo Duo and Shields and Shearer from the New Deal, and I'd have to say that it would be a perfect match.  The interplay between the respective instruments was clearly enjoyable to both the musicians and the fans, while the dual drumming playing variations off of each other created a fantastic beat which kept even the most timid in the crowd dancing.  The Join's set was one of those sets that seemed to be over before it started, it was just that enjoyable.  I couldn't think of a better lineup to kick off a festival.

The worst thing about festivals, and everyone who has attended one can attest to this, is that while the music may go until 5 am, the sun waits for nobody.  The night before it was frigid as I crawled into my sleeping bag, but by 8:15 in the morning I awoke overheated and dehydrated, my tent had turned into a greenhouse.  Realizing that sleep was not going to happen I decided to introduce myself to my neighbors.  A very friendly group of guys (and one girl) from Waynesboro, Virginia they kindly welcomed me into their screen tent and welcomed my friend and I in as one of their group.  It's that kind of friendliness, which while fading from other festivals, seems to still exist at All Good.

Friday was when the festival started officially, and the lineup was perfect.  The first act of the day was the highly talented Wood Brothers.  Chris Wood from Medeski, Martin, and Wood and his brother Oliver Wood played their folk tinged music for the crowd as they ambled into the festival.  Oliver whose voice is reminiscent of British singer songwriter David Gray showed that he can bring just as much talent to the stage as his better-known brother.  After what seemed to be a too short set, the MJ Project took a short 20-minute set while the main stage prepared for RAQ.

Crowd favorites RAQ went through a powerful set of old favorites and some newer songs, showing off the engaging stage presence that they are well known for.  The afternoon heat kept rising but as soon as the Avett Brothers took the stage any discomfort the crowd had seemed to dissipate.  The highly energetic, constantly dancing Avett Brothers kept the crowd entertained, closing with their popular song, Will You Return.  This was my first time seeing the Avett Brothers and I was very impressed with their songwriting as well as performance.

Following a band with such engaging stage presence would be difficult for any band, but Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band did it with a unique songwriting style as well as a look that just has to be described as unique.  High energy, the band consists of Rev. Peyton on a flat top Gibson guitar, rusted to perfection, Breezy Peyton on a washboard with an attitude, and Jayme Payton on Drums.  Their sound can best be described as Southern Rock and Blues with the attitude of a mean dog.  I highly recommend catching them the next time they travel into your town.

Following this was something a bit sweeter but with just as much attitude.  Rising festival favorites Grace Potter and the Nocturnals brought their blues/rock/soul sounds to the All Good Festival.  While many in the crowd were at first focused on lead singer Grace Potter's undeniably good looks, those quickly become secondary to the musical talent and energy this band emanates.  Going through such catchy songs as Ah Mary, and Stop the Bus, The Nocturnals jammed out and left the crowd asking for more.  Without a doubt they were one of the highlights of this weekend.

Medeski, Scofield, Martin, and Wood brought the speed of the day down a bit as they started out with slower and more complex jazz based pieces.  Slowly though they opened up the throttle and the crowd got to see guitarist John Scofield at his best.  Each time I see them play I am not only amazed by the complexity of songs they play, but the ease and perfection with which they work through each one.  These guys are a musical treasure and are a notch above most anything out there today.

Phil Lesh and Friends was the group I was looking forward to the most this whole weekend.  Rumors were buzzing about who might guest with them.  At one point, I turned around to see Mike Gordon behind me at the side of the stage, so that led me to hope we'd have Mike and Phil trading licks.  Alas those hopes did not come to pass.  There were no guests, however Phil and his Friends certainly were able to impress nonetheless.  Guitarist Larry Campbell, who now works with Levon Helm's new band, was the multi-talented centerpiece of the evening.  Phil and Friends never disappoints, but I didn't enjoy this group of friends as much as the last time I saw him where he had John Scofield on guitar and Chris Robinson on vocals.  It's a shame that John Scofield played only an hour before him and they couldn't play together.

Despite the persistent technical difficulties frustrating both the band and crew, Gov't Mule started up around 2:30 am and played until the sun was about to rise.  A fantastic set with covers of No Quarter by Led Zeppelin and a perfect rendition of Creep by Radiohead, those who chose to stay up long enough were rewarded with probably one of the best Mule sets I've seen in years.  It was a perfect way to end the evening.

Once again on Saturday morning the sun awaked me at an ungodly hour of the morning.  With maybe 3 hours of sleep I went to find some showers.  The one complaint I might have about the weekend is that it seemed that utilities were lacking compared to other festivals of this size.  There was a marked shortage of porta-johns and the showers had a line about 40 deep all morning.  I was able to procure the use of a Sun shower and was therefore granted a new batch of energy to face the day with.  The weather had gotten hot by this point so I laid low in camp listening from a distance to Eric Lindell and Outformation.  Hot Buttered Rum, one of my favorite bands which I'd first seen earlier at Merlefest, was a must see.

The five members of Hot Buttered Rum seem to enjoy playing together so much and their unique form of bluegrass appeals to all types.  They seem to honestly enjoy playing and it shows to through their songs and the jokes being traded on stage.  Hot Buttered Rum was followed by another San Francisco area band, Tea Leaf Green.  The entertaining band fronted by charismatic Trevor Garrod went through some of their newer and older songs, keeping the crowd entertained an engaged.

Mike Gordon was up next.  His new band that included Scott Murawski from Max Creek tried out some new songs as well as a couple Phish favorites.  Since Rothbury with speculation about a Phish reunion there was no hint of Trey or any mention of a reunion, disappointing many and keeping the puzzle going.

Another highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi's Soul Stew Review.  Having never heard this husband and wife team play together I didn't know what to expect, however being familiar the Derek Trucks Band as well as Susan Tedeschi's work I expected it to be nothing short of fantastic, and it was.  Working through a variety of songs with a fantastic band, this was the one set that I feel stole the show for the weekend.  I think if this group becomes a regular touring act they have a future as bright as the Allman Brothers ahead of them.

At this point I needed to take a break and sample some of the food available to festival-goers.  I did make it back in time however for the start of Bassnectar and more importantly Widespread Panic.  For most people this was the reason for their attendance this weekend.  While I've always been lukewarm to Widespread Panic, I think that Jimmy Herring has made me much more interested in the band.  What happens though when you add Derek Trucks to Widespread Panic though?  The answer: the best band out there.  When Derek and Susan joined panic for a few songs early in their set it completely transformed and the group into a southern rock powerhouse.  Panic played their entire set without a break and it was a fantastic performance.  For someone who wasn't too into Panic before, I left much more enthused about their music.

Following Panic was the Dark Star Orchestra.  Each time I hear this group I am amazed and somewhat terrified by the eerie similarity to the Dead, in everything from their voices to the perfection in which they replicate the famous Dead sets.  Unfortunately I could only stay awake for a few songs and had to retire to my tent, but by all accounts they were fantastic.

Sunday brought the festival to a close.  As people slowly streamed out, the music played on.  Starting the day was a band I hadn't heard much about, Bonerama.  A band known for their large trombone section and covers of famous rock songs, they jolted all in attendance awake.  Formed by members of Harry Connick Jr's Big Band, the New Orleans based Funk Rock band started the day with a lot of hot air.  Their songs, including a Zeppelin cover, were a unique fresh take on New Orleans music and a great start to the day.

Later perennial favorite Railroad Earth brought their bluegrass/roots sound to the main stage.  Starting out with some of their newer stuff, they also brought out some old favorites and were a nice mellow sound to the afternoon.  The last act I saw at All Good this year was DeSol.  I have rarely seen a band with such an entertaining persona to them.  Their percussionist at one point found himself crawling on the stage banging on a cowbell.  This was a nice end to the weekend for me and we decided to pack it up and head back down off the mountain back to our jobs and responsibilities.

This was the first time I've experienced All Good, and I'll be sure to return again.  It's one of those festivals where the lineup is constantly fantastic and the majority of the people are always nice.  Combined with the fact it's only three and a half hours from home, it's a perfect situation.  See you next year...

In many ways the Grateful Dead's music was destined from the beginning to be a symphony, much as the band itself was an orchestra with core members and a rotating cast lending a hand.  When I was a kid and my father would listen to them I would immediately be able to draw similarities due to the complexities between their music and classical.  Perhaps that's why it's fitting that finally after all these years someone has finally written a symphony which is based on and inspired by the Grateful Dead.

Unlike so many other bands whose work has been simply transcribed and presented as fodder for increasing concert revenue for struggling orchestras, the Dead Symphony #6 is reflective of the music but not a mirror.  Lee Johnson, the fantastically talented composer who wrote this symphony, used subtle traces and snippets of the Dead's work with a touch if improvisation to weave a symphony which stands alone in its orchestral merit and at the same time pays tribute to the genius of the Dead.  Perhaps it's because Johnson was not originally a Dead fan that this work is so unique and so original.  It took ten years of exhaustive research from the point it was commissioned for the symphony to come to fruition with the Moscow recording, and during that time Johnson immersed himself in the Dead's music and attempted to learn its darkest secrets.

The bounty of Johnson's labor was seen on August 1st 2008, when the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra had the honor of playing the symphony for the birthday of Jerry Garcia.  Although it had previously been recorded with the Russian National Orchestra in Moscow, this would be the first time an audience would be able to hear it, a full twelve years after it had been originally commissioned.

As anyone who has played in an orchestra will tell you each composer can, to an extent, interpret a piece differently, which is exactly why the Dead Symphony was so perfect.  As no Dead show was the same, neither will any performance of the symphony.  Johnson wrote passages in the music which allowed the performers to improvise to a certain extent, thus creating a unique performance each and every time, and with Lucas Richman conducting this evening it would be no different.

The symphony itself was one piece with brief pauses between passages.  Each passage was inspired by a different Dead song.  Although they were only supposed to be brief pauses in order to let the listener transition out of one song and into another, the rousing applause often prolonged this pause to a much longer break.  Opening with the Dead Overture which brought back memories of the crowd, the tuning and testing of Jerry's guitar, the sound of drums being tuned, essentially bringing us back to the excitement preceding start of show.  Adding to this is that Dead Overture was based on the Italian tune Funiculì, Funiculà which as sort of an inside joke for Dead fans, was an often played song before shows.  It truly was a flashback moment.  Then without notice and unexpectedly, the orchestra started into the piece inspired by Saint Stephen.

With the first notes of Saint Stephen you realize that this will not be a simple transcription.  Johnson's influence was not drawn from the strong and recognizable melody but instead from the more subtle and often neglected harmony parts.  While the most recognizable parts were there in some form, all together it seemed as though Saint Stephen was much sadder and believe it or not, freer flowing than the Dead would perform.  However one must keep in mind throughout the entire symphony that the songs were merely meant to inspire, not provide the structure.

The next three passages were inspired by Here Comes Sunshine, Mountains of the Moon, and Blues for Allah.  These songs were particularly well suited to be an inspiration for a symphony due to their structure as well as the fact they are not the most beloved songs from the Dead. Due to their somewhat less popular nature, significantly more liberty in re-arranging and drawing inspiration could be undertaken without alienating the listener.  Would this have been tried on a song as recognizable as Casey Jones or beloved as Dark Star then there might not have been such a favorable reception.  These passages stand strongly on their own and as interpretations and I feel strongly that if one put them in front of a classical aficionado they would garner acclaim on their own.

Sugar Magnolia followed with the orchestra paired down to the essential instruments.  This passage was much closer to a transcription, however not quite.  Up to this point the symphony was very heavy and somewhat darker.  Sugar Magnolia was presented as an overture which allowed the mood to lighten and the listener to relax and process the passages they had just heard with a much simpler fare.  It was a heavy contrast to the offerings so far and I feel that it was necessary and well placed.

In sharp contrast to the light and cheery Sugar Magnolia, The passage inspired by To Lay Me Down was again slower and much darker.  It was somewhat disappointing that the mood turned dark yet again, but given the song and the overall theme it was not ill fitting.

Immediately after was another overture, inspired by If I Had the World to Give, and once again it was lighter and happier.  Perhaps this can be attributed to the lack of horns and the light staccato of the violas and cellos throughout.  This was the other passage which was much more recognizable and followed much truer to the Dead's version of the song.

Stella Blue followed, starting dark and quiet, and then erupting into a loud chaos and one of the signature improvisational segments.  Eventually the mood settled and evolved into something reminiscent of a 1920's jazz hall, before slowly coming to an end and transitioning immediately into Bird Song.  Bird Song was a welcome change from the start, with a much lighter tone and having clarinets and a harpsichord prominently featured in the melodies.  Towards the end in the last few moments it assumed an almost regal march like sound.

The last passage was inspired by China Doll and it once again was very solemn, but this time it had a hopeful air to it.  To me it very much would seem in place at the end of a film score where it is revealed that society has persevered and will once again flourish.  Perhaps there is a message in this as the last passage for every Dead fan.  Although Jerry is gone, and the Dead have appeared to be content with their current pursuits, music is still evolving and great things have risen from the ashes.  Dead Symphony #6 is one of these great things.

The show ended with a reprise of the Dead Overture and scores of applause.  Lee Johnson and Conductor Lucas Richman came out for no less than 4 rounds of standing ovations and overall response was enthusiastic.

As I exited I heard people discussing their reactions.  Overall it was positive, for some transcendental, but for others they seemed to miss the message presented.  Perhaps they didn't read the fine print and where it said the symphony was inspired by the Dead, but not an orchestral version of the songs.  It is extremely hard to have the type of interplay which the Dead so excelled at in an orchestral setting, and I think Johnson's composition and allowance of improvisation and vocal interjections accomplished this with style and a uniqueness which is rare.  Without a doubt there is plenty of room for more symphonies based upon or inspired by the Dead. With such a vast and varying catalogue of inspiration, how could there not be? (Phil are you listening?)  Lee Johnson though has set a very high bar for other composers to meet, and I applaud him for creating what I view to be a remarkable piece in a genre where classical music based off popular modern music is often easily discounted.

The Dead Symphony can be purchased from Amazon.com, iTunes or from deadsymphony.com.

Michael Falzarano is like a hidden hand, we've all heard his music, but many would be surprised by his musical resume. So it might be helpful to start with Michael's past in order to explain how his new album came to be. For over 35 years Falzarano has been a member of some of the more influential groups in jamband history. He founded his own band, The Memphis Pilgrims, but also has been a member of Hot Tuna, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and has played with everyone from members of the Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers to Dr. John, Trey Anastasio, and Bruce Hornsby. The influences of these musicians are clear in his new album We Are All One (streets 10-28-2008).

Considering his impressive resume, it's no surprise to learn that he's assembled a cast of legends to contribute to the recording process. Don't get me wrong, it's Falzarano's songwriting and performance that makes this album a gem, but the cast of musical visionaries simply adds that extra layer of shine. Some contributors include the late Vassar Clements, Melvin Seals (JGB), Buddy Cage (NRPS), Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna/Jefferson Airplane), Garth Hudson (The Band), Professor Louie, Pete Sears, and over a dozen more top notch musicians.

The album is potluck of various genres and musical styles. While this can be a risky proposition for many musicians, Falzarano handles this with precision and grace crafting the entire album as a gradual transition from style to style. It's a method which I think serves his style of songwriting very well.

With that said picking highlights of this album is quite a challenge since the entire album does not have one song which caused me to reach for the fast forward button. However there are a few songs which I find myself liking more each time I listen to them. "Sweet Marie" with its catchy yet simplistic lyrics, contagious organ and guitar riffs helps add to the strong start of the album. "Candy Man" a more basic stripped down song has the majority of the song being carried mostly by Falzarano's vocals and Vassar Clements' fiddle creating a duet between man and instrument.  "It's Just My Way" is a great tune which standalone would have been fantastic, but adding Jorma's lead guitar and Dave Castiglione's saxophone give it that extra polish and make it extraordinary. Other highlights include "When There's Two There's Trouble" and "Crazy Days."

To be honest though, my favorite song on the album has to be "To Let the Fire Die." This is the one song on the album that reached out and made me completely stop what I was doing and just listen. This song is a bit slower and more reflective than all songs up this point and it speaks to something all of us have experienced at one point or another in our lives, making a strong connection with the listener. Not only does it make that connection but it was well crafted with just the right amount of solos and instrumentation but with engaging lyrics and vocal intonation.   With such a distinctly different type of song than the rest of the album, perhaps Falzarano stepped out of his comfort zone with this one, but whatever he did, he's doing it right.

The album rounds out with a thoughtful acoustic number which is also the album's title track "We Are All One," which as the title suggests implores us to realize that we aren't that different than each other and to get along with each other for once.

The thirteenth track is a tribute to Allen Woody, the late bassist for Gov't Mule, and was previously recorded in 2005 for his solo project The King James Sessions. The album ends with the only instrument song on the album "Gonna Power Down Now" which just as the title suggests lets the listener unwind and think about all that's been said on the album.

Picking out highlights of this album was a very hard thing to do, not because there were none, but because the whole album was consistently a very listenable one.  We've all heard albums where there are only a few decent songs and the rest is filler, this is clearly not the case here.  The album is a grower; it's the type of album that each time you listen to it you hear something new that you'll love.  Unfortunately the album's greatest strength is also its biggest weakness.  With being such an even album with only (in my opinion) one song that jumps above the rest, the casual listener might dismiss it as generic and at times it can.  Lyrically Falzarano falls a bit short on a few songs, however this is not an album carried solely on its lyrical prowess and therefore it is not really a huge shortfall.

I'm going to give Michael Falzarano's album We Are All One four stars out of five, for being an extremely well produced, well written, and exceptionally performed album.  The shortcomings that I saw were minimal and I certainly look forward to hearing more from Michael.  The album is released on Woodstock Records and can be purchased directly from them or through your favorite online retailer or local music store.

Branches on the tree of music will never stop growing. As soon as someone pioneers a new sound, five others have radiated from it, creating what they see as their own unique niche, slightly different form their predecessors. Unfortunately, such constant divergence creates an intricate web of music where nothing is original and no two sounds can be grouped exclusively under one heading. This has lead to bands describing themselves with more stylistic differences than those listed at a record store. "Rock infused funk with folk and indie influences." What the hell is that? You think I jest, but bands are like politicians- they want to please everyone so they make themselves non-committal. Consequently, their music lacks backbone. It lacks strength. Not Trampled By Turtles. On their latest effort Duluth, it is clear that these 5 young men have been influenced by an array of styles- punk, rock country and folk to name a few. But this music is truly bluegrass. It is modern, but it descended directly from the harmonies of yesteryear. This is music with a story that's sad to hear. This is music that was written from the vantage point of somebody's back porch in Middle America. Yeah, that view has grown to encompass more global topics, but this is the music of Bill Monroe, Del McCoury and Earl Scruggs. Its bluegrass with attitude and its music that's not afraid to blaze a singular path.

As any album assembled before the day of the single-song-download age would have had to do, Duluth not only tells the individual story within each song, it tells a collective story of the band and the view inside their collaborative heads at the time these songs were written, recorded and artistically arranged from 1 to 12.

Duluth begins with 3 tracks that assure you what Dave Simonett lacks in vocal range, he more than makes up for with vocal passion. In the vein of singers like Brad Barr, Jim James and Jeff Mangum, Simonett is the master of his limited vocal instrument, getting every bit of gusto he can from inside. A singer like this may turn off some people, but what you will hear, if you give it a chance, is a voice tailor-made for bluegrass.

The albums opening cut paints a picture of a cold man during a cold time of year and the melodic harmonies within each chorus assure the listener that these voices belong together. And yet, from the playful Eastern Bloc outtake at the beginning of the song, you know these boys don't take themselves too seriously. Still, the instrumental playing is far-reaching and flawless.

In December of 2004 I saw Béla Fleck & the Flecktones at the Water Street Music Hall in Rochester.  At that show Béla made a mention of his plans which at that time included traveling to Africa to research the roots of the banjo.  This intrigued me as I had just been to Morocco and seen banjos being played out in the square, a sight I was not expecting, and as I also have a large amount of family in Africa.  After the show while signing autographs I let him on to what I felt was a little-known secret.  “Visit the island of Zanzibar,” I said, “you’ll be amazed at the musical, natural, and cultural beauty.”  I might have been a bit biased as that is where my family is from; but I felt if anyone could appreciate the music there, he would.

Five years have come to pass since that show, and since then Béla Fleck has ventured to Africa and returned with something marvelous.  A collection of music performed and recorded on location with musicians from across Africa.  Additionally, his travels and experiences were filmed for a documentary which is currently screening across America. The final part of his work was assembling some of the finest musicians that Africa has to offer for a short musical tour of the United States.  This was the event which left this writer, and I suspect most in the audience, in amazement from the opening salvo of Béla’s banjo to the final group collaboration.

I’ll never know if he remembered my advice about visiting Zanzibar, but I was pleasantly surprised last Thursday when he introduced Anania Ngoglia, an amazing blind thumb piano player and vocalist who happens to be from Zanzibar.   Accompanied by guitarist John Kitime (who also happens to be president of the Tanzanian Musician’s Union) we were treated to a wonderful sampling of music in the Wagogo style.  Ngoglia and Kitime were then joined by Fleck for some playful numbers in which the banjo and ilimba (thumb piano) danced back and forth while Ngoglia scatted over the melody or in unison with it. The final song was a number which praised Tanzania, the country both of them had come from.

After this, Fleck produced a cello banjo from the road case behind him and began to do a song on his own.  The cello banjo, an instrument which was “re-discovered” recently, is a deep low-sounding variation on the banjo and is tuned the same as a cello in the CGDA range.  It is very reminiscent of the banjos which can be heard in parts of Africa.

Once he had done a few solo songs he introduced the artist D’Gary from Madagascar.  A musician in a musician’s family, D’Gary had only rediscovered his interest in the cultural music of the Bara people at his father’s funeral.  Since then he has become one of the most prominent African musicians, partially as a result of being recorded by David Lindley.  He was accompanied by the percussionist Xavier-Martial Francois who played what appeared to be a half soup can filled with beans on the end of a stick.  While the instrument seems simple and was undoubtedly handcrafted, Francois did more with that can than 90% of the percussionists I have ever witnessed are able to do with all the instruments they desire at their disposal.  This percussion as well as D’Gary’s warm vocals and finger style guitar playing was a nice match for Béla’s banjo when it came to the group portion of the segment.

After they had done a few tunes together we were treated to a true musical legend.  The great Vusi Mahlasela was welcomed on stage to sing and play guitar.  From the Mamelodi Township in South Africa, his name literally means, “The Voice,” and he truly has taken on that role for the people of South Africa.  Even if you do not recognize his name, you surely will recognize his voice.  He has contributed vocals on the Dave Matthews Band song “Everyday” and appeared on stage at Bonnaroo with Warren Haynes singing Soulshine.  Additionally, he has accompanied performers such as Xavier Rudd, Jem, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo and appeared during Live 8.  He not only has the most incredible depth of vocal range and ability I have ever seen; his voice can go from a growl to a high pitched serenade, but his songs are poignant and sung with a purpose.  Mahlasela mesmerized the crowd with his songs as well as his stories of life during apartheid and his message of forgiveness.  He played several songs solo and then was joined by Fleck for a few songs while they each took turns soloing off of each other.

The last performer of the show was Grammy award winning Kora master Toumani Diabaté.  From Mali, Diabaté is the undisputed master of his craft, the tradition of which has been passed down for 71 generations in his family.  As Fleck put it, “He carries it well.”  The Kora is an amazing instrument because you can play all parts of music with it, devoting one finger to each.  It is possible to play the bass line, the melody, and the harmony all at once.  Diabaté held court and mesmerized the audience through several songs before being joined on stage by Fleck for a few songs together.  The banjo and the Kora, especially when played by two masters share such a close connection it seems almost criminal that they are not more often played together.

Finally, the entire ensemble regrouped (with special guest Casey Driessen from The Sparrow Quartet) and performed a song by Mahlasela and then one by D’Gary and closed out the night to thunderous applause.

Are you a fan of Delta Blues, Rock, or Jam?  Do you have an affinity for Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and a good live show?  If by now you haven’t heard of the North Mississippi All-Stars, please emerge from your cave this instant.

Perhaps one of the hottest bands (in this writer’s opinion) to emerge from the South, more specifically Mississippi, they have been exploding in recent years due to the sheer power and talent behind their music.  Brothers Cody and Luther Dickenson along with Chris Chew have all learned from the greats and their music is no exception.

I was able to catch them last month in Falls Church, VA.  No stranger to loud rock, they blew the doors of the State Theater.  Playing cuts from their latest album “Hernando” as well as some of their older material, the All-Stars kept the crowd on their feet.

Although Hill Country Revue (Cody and Chris’s side project) opened, it really felt like one flowing show.  The  All-Star’s show proper started with “Write Me A Few Lines” and went right into “Drop Down Mama.”   From there it was a power set of at least 25 songs stretching far into the night.  Highlights for me included “Shake ‘em On Down,”  “Poor Black Maddie,” and “Joyful Sounds” the instrumental from the supergroup The Word (NMAS, Robert Randolph and John Medeski).

About halfway through the show, the remaining members of Hill Country Revue rejoined the All-Stars and continued to jam.  Fact: Luther isn’t the only Dickenson brother who knows how to rip great guitar solos.

There’s not much I can write that can do justice to a live NMAS show, I suggest you check into the Internet Archive and find one to listen to.  Then find out when they’re coming to a music hall near you and go see them.  This show is perfect for anyone who wants to see some good blues, or good rock, or both.  Be prepared for a late night whenever NMAS comes to town.

It’s a curious sight; the art on the cover is by Stanley Mouse. The liner notes include songs written by David Nelson and Robert Hunter.  The first song clocks in at nearly eight minutes.  When I opened the envelope that contained “Where I Come From” I admit I was a bit puzzled.  Surely this had to be a best of compilation or a live recording?  However to my surprise, it was neither, it was a new studio album from the New Riders of the Purple Sage.

Why was I surprised?  Flash back for a moment to 2007 when they had this to say:

Grateful Web: So I've got to ask, is there any hope of a new studio record now that you've got both a live CD and DVD under your belts?

David Nelson: Oh, now you're talking some real dough.  Oh we'd love to do that, if anyone has some benevolent benefactors that would like to sponsor us.

Michael Falzarano:  All I can say is that it won't happen this year, because we're booked out until the end of this year.

Buddy Cage:  I do a show called Jam-On on Sirius, and let me tell you man; they don't want to hear a whole bunch of studio stuff.  They want to hear mostly live stuff, so who the hell wants to make a studio album these days.

David Nelson:  I think I'd love to make a studio record, but then sometimes when you get back into the studio you think.  Ah now I remember…. and forget it, forget it.  It's a labor of love and a lot of work.  There's a lot of pressure on you when you're in the studio.   And you always end up staying there all night to fix what you did.  It just goes on and on...It's crazy.

So overcoming my obvious surprise I immediately had to listen and in my CD player it has remained ever since.  It is undeniably classic New Riders.  Wikipedia says the band peaked in 1973, but by the sound of this record they’re just getting warmed up after 38 years together. 

Opening with the title track “Where I Come From,” an unapologetically rambling biographical ballad written by Nelson and Hunter which has long distinctive guitar solos from both Buddy Cage and Michael Falzarano. This song is pure New Riders.  At just under 8 minutes, it certainly isn’t a pop standard, but at this point in their careers I don’t think the New Riders were looking in that direction.

The following two tracks “Big Six” and “Barracuda Moon” are extraordinarily reminiscent of the early New Riders songwriting with Dylan-esque lyrics and delivery that rivals or exceeds what Garcia did with the first incarnation of the band. “Higher” is arguably the most country-flavored track on the album.  Written and sung by drummer Johnny Markowski it is one of my favorite tracks on the album.  The twangy guitar solos prove that the New Riders can adapt to many sounds while still sounding fresh and interesting.

With “Them Old Minglewood Blues” the New Riders offer their take on this classic piece of musical Americana while leaving plenty of room for a slice of Buddy Cage’s dynamic pedal steel solos.

With other standout tracks including “Olivia Rose”, “Blues Barrel” and “Carl Perkins Wears The Crown” there is honestly no bad track on this album. The basis for a studio album was conceived when last year upon his return from a tour, David Nelson found song lyrics in an email from Robert Hunter.  The collaboration between the two grew and eventually “Where I Come From” was born.

Produced by Michael Falzarano, who last year released his fantastic solo debut “We Are All One,” the album is meticulously crafted with each band member having their own distinctive voice and mark on the album.

Buddy Cage was quoted as saying “Everything we’ve done together over these 38 years has come to a sweet point with [this album].”  I would have to agree wholeheartedly with that statement and without a doubt this album is a must have for any New Riders fan, or even any fan of southern rock, jam bands, or even country. This is a good down-home listen in an era where that is becoming harder and harder to find.