Bob Weir & RatDog
There may never have been a band that has evolved more dramatically than RatDog. It began as a laid-back blues ensemble in 1995, but now in 2007 it has become a snarling rock band that has a fabulous jazz trio at its heart. Of course, all those forms are simply different facets of Bob Weir's unruly musical personality.
Even when his first band, the Grateful Dead, was playing close to 100 shows yearly, Weir needed other outlets, and he developed a solo career that began with albums like "Ace" and "Heaven Help the Fool" and continued through his sidebands "Kingfish" and "Bobby and the Midnites." He then settled into a special duo partnership with the distinguished bassist Rob Wasserman.
As their music evolved, they reached out into musical realms that required more players. RatDog was born, and began to grow. First came the drummer, Jay Lane, one of the Bay Area's best, a member of the Freaky Executives and the Uptones. He introduced to RatDog the incredibly gifted jazz/blues/rock pianist, Jeff Chimenti. Guitarist Mark Karan came to Weir's notice in the summer of 1998 when they played together in The Other Ones, and proved far too good to let go. The Lane/Chimenti jazz pipeline gave RatDog another addition in the person of Bay Area reed man Kenny Brooks, a New England Conservatory of Music graduate and a long-time member of the Charlie Hunter Quartet.
Finally, early in 2003 Rob Wasserman decided to concentrate on his various personal projects (his duo relationship with Weir endures), and RatDog went sniffin' for a new bassist, finding him in Bay Area veteran Robin Sylvester. The London native has been a Bay Area fixture for more than 20 years, and is best known for his long-time close association with the legendary (and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member) saxophonist Steve Douglas, which put Robin in recording and performing situations with Phil Spector, Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys, and Ry Cooder. Robin is a vital addition to a band that's ready to explode.
In the summer of 2007, Mark Karan took a leave of absence to treat his throat cancer, and the band was fortunate to find as a substitute Steve Kimock, former member of the Other Ones, as well as Zero and the Steve Kimock Band. Steve will continue in that role through the fall '07 tour.
RatDog's music covers the majority of the Grateful Dead songbook, including Garcia classics like "Standing on the Moon," "St. Stephen," "Terrapin," and "Touch of Grey" and Pigpen's "Lovelight," as well as Weir's complete solo repertoire from blues like "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" to the psychedelic stylings of his Grateful Dead classics like "Playing in the Band," "The Other One," and "Throwing Stones," to his own Dead rockers like "Cassidy," and "Sugar Magnolia."
The 2000 release of the band's first studio album, "Evening Moods," added a bevy of hot tunes to the song list, including "Odessa," "Bury Me Standing," "Two Djinn," and "Ashes and Glass."
2001 saw the release of "Live at Roseland," a double-CD collection from a Portland, Oregon show, and a big favorite among Dead Heads.
Hybrid Recordings released "Weir Here," a two-CD career retrospective of Bob's complete oeuvre (one disc studio, one live) in 2004.
Bob Weir & RatDog. It'll grab hold and not let you go. Launch Bob Weir & RatDog website.
Umphrey's McGee
The ascension continues for Chicago’s Umphrey’s McGee, not only in terms of their commercial success but in creative accomplishment and instrumental achievement as well. Their performance on Live at the Murat (SCI Fidelity), their first official live release, is as impressive as anything they’ve recorded to date, with the power and finesse, the yin and the yang, that have come to characterize their by-now classic material.
Recorded in Indianapolis in April 2007 and produced by long-time “sound caresser” / honorary seventh member Kevin Browning, the two-disc set features fan favorites like “Push the Pig,” “The Triple Wide,” “In the Kitchen,” and “Nothing Too Fancy” along with rare tunes like the set-ending “Padgett’s Profile” and the brief but torrid “Angular Momentum,” centered on the combo of drummer Kris Myers and guitarist Jake Cinninger. The band also dusts off tunes like “Hajimemashite” from ’98s Songs for Older Women, and the Yes meets Little Feat-influenced “40’s Theme,” a live favorite for the band and its fans.
Throughout the show, UM’s invention brings the progressive instrumental chops of Zappa and the stylistic savvy of Steely Dan. It is innovative without being indulgent, exhilarating without losing control, and there are plenty of improv passages that keep the band and their fans off-balance. As David Fricke notes in his four-star review of Live at the Murat in Rolling Stone, Umphrey’s McGee “always have destination on their minds, even when they fly free.”
Live at the Murat is the latest feather in the cap of the dazzling sextet. The magical odds and sods The Bottom Half, released in the spring of this year, followed their highly touted spring 2006 studio release Safety In Numbers. Contrary to its name, The Bottom Half is a top-rate sequel to Safety In Numbers. The double album is full of spontaneity and intrigue, fresh ideas, and the kind of dazzling musicianship we have come to expect from Umphrey’s. With its outtakes, alternate versions, and other nifty bits, The Bottom Half reached #26 on Billboard’s coveted “Heatseakers” Chart and received high marks from the music press. HARP magazine noted “…[The Bottom Half delivers] creamy studio work infused by diabolical skill.”
UM has — since forming in the late ’90s in the South Bend, Indiana area — cultivated an impressive presence both live and in the studio, quite an accomplishment when considering their humble roots. Cummins, Bayliss, bassist Ryan Stasik and original drummer Mike Mirro all studied at the University of Notre Dame near South Bend, Indiana, while percussionist Andy Farag at the South Bend branch of Indiana University. Cinninger, from Michigan, had a South Bend-based band called Ali Baba’s Tahini — as well as an open invitation to join Umphrey’s, which he accepted in the Fall of 2000. His addition, along with Kris Myers’ arrival in 2003, proved critical to the band’s success. Together, the gifted collective elevated its game.
Just a few months after their first gig in 1998, the band released their first album, the cleverly titled live document, Greatest Hits Volume III. Songs for Older Women and One Fat Sucka followed — as did their first ever DVD, Live from the Lake Coast. Building a reputation with the critically favored studio recording Local Band Does OK (not to be confused with Local Band Does Oklahoma — a live EP released soon after) and honing their groove as a stellar live act, by the time 2004’s Anchor Drops was released to raves, the buzz on Umphrey’s had grown loud. Rolling Stone tipped them in their Hot Issue and the Washington Post named the band “rock’s undisputed lord of sonic shape-shifting.” And if you need further convincing, one look at their second DVD—2005’s Wrapped Around Chicago: New Year’s at the Riv says it all: Umphrey’s had arrived.
The jam crowd hoisted the band up on their proverbial shoulders as heroes, heirs to the Phish throne. Fans reveled in Umphrey’s flair for inventive improvisation, incredible covers, and unpredictable moments. The band had also developed an uncanny visual language onstage that includes dozens of unspoken cues — a happy face, for example, symbolizes a major key, while a sad face indicates a minor one — that make their signature “jazz odysseys” and “Jimmy Stewarts” legendary on the jam scene. These cues manage to keep things tight and prevent their improv interludes from spiraling into hippie jam orbit. The band retains space, breath, and patience in performances, yet maintain masterly control in the process. These days, Umphrey’s spends half the year on the road habitually flooring audiences. Their anything-goes musicianship, humor, and good-nature all make remarkable entertainment. The band shuttles between styles with precision, from straight-up pop and rock to jazz, prog-metal, and classical. If you can name it, chances are Umphrey’s can play it. Launch Umphrey's McGee website.
The Wailers
Together with Bob Marley, the Wailers have sold in excess of 250 million albums worldwide. In England alone, they’ve notched up over twenty chart hits, including seven Top 10 entries. Outside of their groundbreaking work with Marley, the Wailers have also played or performed with international acts like Sting, the Fugees, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, and Alpha Blondy, as well as reggae legends such as Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Burning Spear. As the greatest living exponents of Jamaica’s reggae tradition, the Wailers have completed innumerable other tours, playing to an estimated 24 million people across the globe. They have also been the first reggae band to tour new territories on many occasions, including Africa and the Far East.
Their nucleus formed in 1969, when Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, and Peter Tosh recruited the Barrett brothers – bassist Aston “Family Man” and drummer Carly – from Lee Perry’s Upsetters to play on hits such as Lively Up Yourself, Trenchtown Rock, Duppy Conqueror, and many more besides. Inspired by Rastafari and their ambitions of reaching an international audience, this is the line-up that pioneered roots rock reggae, and signed to Island Records in 1971. Bunny and Peter left two years later. It was at this point that the in-demand Barrett brothers – whose rhythms also underpinned innumerable seventies’ reggae hits by other acts – assumed the title of Wailers, and backed Marley on the group’s international breakthrough album, Natty Dread. Under Family Man’s musical leadership, they then partnered Bob Marley on the succession of hit singles and albums that made him a global icon, winner of several Lifetime Achievement awards, and Jamaica’s best-loved musical superstar.
Drummer Carlton "Carlie" Barrett died in 1987, leaving his brother as the main beneficiary of the Wailers' mantle. Subsequent line-ups have revolved around Family Man, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest bass players. Modest and unassuming, he was present on all of those unforgettable performances by Bob Marley & The Wailers from the seventies. He and lead singer Elan Attias form the main axis of the current Wailers – a group that’s one of the last, great reggae institutions, yet which refuses to live off past glories. That’s because whereas Family Man represents tried and trusted roots authenticity, Elan injects fresh excitement into a show that continues to attract enthusiastic audiences from around the world.
Hailing from Los Angeles, Elan was discovered by Wailers’ guitarist Al Anderson, and first sang with the band in 1997. After a brief hiatus to record his acclaimed debut album Together As One, produced by No Doubt’s Tony Kanal, he was soon called home by the Wailers’ mesmerising rhythms, and the opportunity to revisit those landmark reggae hits. Since reuniting with them, Elan has seamlessly worked some of his own songs into their repertoire, and also formed a joint production venture with Family Man that’s designed to extend the Marley legacy yet further, and branch out into all areas of contemporary music. By way of example, their first project – which promises to be a revelation – is a new Wailers’ album featuring some of the biggest names in popular music. Prepare to be amazed! Launch The Wailers website.
The Everyone Orchestra
Conducted by Matt Butler
featuring Jon Fishman
THE EVERYONE ORCHESTRA is a revolving cast of stellar musicians brought together by conductor Matt Butler for concerts, festival super jams and special benefit events. EO performances are designed to create space for each performer's musical personality to shine, engage the audience as participants in the jam and to facilitate a massive celebratory coming together featuring the conductor directing both musicians and audience alike in high energy, participatory, danceable movements.
The Everyone Orchestra has performed its shows nationally and has featured members of The Grateful Dead, moe., ALO, Disco Biscuits, The Derek Trucks Band, Fishbone, Los Lobos, String Cheese Incident, and Steve Kimock, G. Love, Julia Butterfly, Adrian Belew and painters, dancers, hula hoopers, firespinners, stiltwalkers, activists, a presidential candidate, storytellers and hundreds of others.
The EO lineup for Up North features Jon Fishman (Phish), Cub d'Elf 's Mike Rivard, Mr. Rourke and Geoff Scott, Dan Archer, members of Ryan Montbleau Band and more. Launch The Everyone Orchestra website.
Soulive
No Place Like Soul
Stax is back with Soulive’s No Place Like Soul, a bold new statement from New York’s preeminent groove machine and the first new-artist release from the Concord Music Group’s relaunch of the legendary Memphis soul label. Since forming Soulive in 1999, guitarist Eric Krasno, organist Neal Evans and drummer Alan Evans have developed a reputation as one of the most sought after instrumental soul-funk trios around, a hard-touring live act that’s thrown down everywhere from small rock clubs to opening arena shows for the Rolling Stones. Yet an interesting thing happened when the three veteran musicians hooked up last year to begin work on the follow-up to 2005’s critically acclaimed Break Out: They discovered that rather than extend their past achievements, they were more interested in racking up some new ones.
“We all show up at our rehearsal spot, and we’re sitting around looking at each other,” Alan remembers. “No one brought any tunes. So we’re like, ‘What’re we gonna do?’” The drummer laughs. “Slowly we started working on some stuff. I threw something in, Eric threw something in, Neal threw something in. And it all ended up being vocal-based.” Vocals aren’t entirely new for Soulive: Featuring appearances from soul-music luminaries like Chaka Khan, Ivan Neville and Corey Glover, Break Out found the trio beginning to push its music in a less improvised, more song-based direction. But this time the band—experienced collaborators who’ve recorded with Dave Matthews, Talib Kweli and Meshell Ndegeocello, among others—craved bigger change.
“We’ve been playing instrumental music for eight years,” Alan says, “and we love doing it. But we’ve always strived to reinvent ourselves; none of us wants to hear the same old thing all the time.” The drummer cites in particular his and his bandmates’ varied solo and side projects (including Krasno’s production work with the Fyre Dept.) as having fueled their desire for a makeover. So for the first time, Soulive increased its ranks, inviting singer Toussaint—a versatile Boston-based vocalist who’s spent the past several years touring the East Coast with his reggae outfit the China Band—to join the group on a permanent basis. After nearly a decade as a trio, Soulive is now a quartet.
“This isn’t the three of us featuring a guest singer,” Alan says. “It feels like it’s a new band. All of us wanted to go in a different direction; outside of Soulive, we were all doing more song-based stuff. So we just figured, Why don’t we go in that direction inside the band? It’s just music. We don’t wanna get caught up in what genre or style it is. If we wanna get up there and play death-metal polka, it’ll still be Soulive playing it.”
For better or for worse, No Place Like Soul, Soulive’s sixth studio full-length, contains no death-metal polka. What it does feature is the band’s sharpest, most mature songwriting to date, with thoughtful nods to funk, soul, rock, hip-hop, reggae and old-school R&B. “Waterfall” kicks the album off in fine style, Toussaint expressing his need to “wash my mind clean” while his new bandmates chew up a deep Memphis-soul riff. In “Comfort” a head-nodding beat stirs in the flavor of the street, and in “Bubble” Alan pays tribute to Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. “Outrage,” one of the disc’s two instrumental tracks, charges along on Krasno’s fleet-fingered guitar work, while “Mary” slows things down a bit; it’s a laidback acoustic soul tune that should soundtrack backyard barbecues all summer long. Throughout the expansive, wide-ranging 13¬track disc, Soulive navigate this new sonic terrain with the expert abilities they’ve honed by logging countless hours on stages across the world. Guys who know what they’re doing but retain an appetite for the unknown, they’ve managed to produce that rarest of musical accomplishments: a record that sounds classic and forward-thinking at the same time.
The quartet spent the latter half of 2006 recording No Place Like Soul with producer Stewart Lerman, who’s also worked with such disparate talents as Loudon Wainwright III, Dar Williams and Vinicius Cantuaria. Alan explains that when the band first set up shop in Lerman’s Greenwich Village studio, the Shinebox, the plan was to write and demo at the same time, then take the best material to a different studio to track the album. But everyone ended up happy with what they laid down at the Shinebox. Alan says he and the band dug the personality and the spontaneity they captured in Lerman’s space and didn’t want to risk sacrificing those qualities by rerecording the music elsewhere.
It’s a mindframe that demonstrates the perfect fit between Soulive and the relaunched Stax. “I’m so excited,” the drummer says of the band’s affiliation with the label. “When I get the final version of the album with the Stax logo on it and everything, that’ll be a huge accomplishment for me. Back in the day, everyone on Stax had their own thing: Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, the Bar-Kays, Carla Thomas—they were real individuals. There’s character in that music, and we’re ecstatic to be doing our thing as a part of that lineage.”
For more information, please contact Carla Sacks or Ross Clark at Sacks & Co., 212.741.1000, or carla@sacksco.com and ross@sacksco.com. Launch Soulive website.
rjd2
It’s 2007, and as usual, popular music finds itself stagnant. A cadre of important records slated to change the game forever join queue alongside a frequently replenished fresh faced roster of newcomers poised to champion new sounds and take their spoils. Purists in each camp decry the newcomers, citing the respective death of each genre and yearning for the days of yore, when records were judged by their innate qualities alone and not the amount of blog buzz garnered on the hot new band of the day. What’s to be done about the current state of things? Don’t ask RJ. He’s been in the basement.
Before delving into “The Third Hand,” its important to note the many accolades attached to RJ. Catapulted to notoriety, fame, and uber-serious hip-hop credibility with 2002’s Dead Ringer LP, 30-year-old Philadelphia resident and multi-instrumentalist RJD2 has enjoyed a thoroughly prolific career, following that debut album with 2004’s critically acclaimed Since We Last Spoke. In the last year alone, RJ produced records for his group Soul Position and Aceyalone, wrote scores for video games and DVDs, in addition to various remixes for artists such as Astrud Gilberto.
For The Third Hand, RJD2 seemingly abandons all the notions and titles that have been placed upon him over the past six years. Underground hip-hop super-producer to many, virtuoso sample-based instrumental wizard to some, RJD2 embodies all of these things on “The Third Hand” but placates none who seek more of the same. Recorded, performed, arranged, and produced entirely himself in his basement studio, RJD2 commands his trusty MPC 2000XL sampler/sequencer alongside a pantheon of analog synths, electric pianos and guitars, not to mention his own voice. Most notably, live instruments come in to play ? RJ adds another dimension to his music, no longer satisfied with recording directly off of a sampler.
The result is a cohesive pop album in the most classic sense, a sound more akin to Phoenix than, say, Prefuse 73. In essence, this is RJD2’s entrance into the pantheon of enigmatic songwriter/producers (see Jon Brion, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder) capable of creating a record so full of rich songwriting, complex arrangement, and clever production that they transcend genre distinction and warrant an intent listen every time. The current state of music? As long as RJD2 keeps refining the sound of today with records like The Third Hand, we should be just fine. Launch rjd2 website.
Assembly of Dust
ASSEMBLY OF DUST makes its studio debut with the artful Recollection, out March 6, 2007, on Hybrid Recordings. Since the release of their 2005 live disc, The Honest Hour, AOD has earned the respect of their peers and has racked up an impressive roster of support slots and sold-out club dates, in addition to marquee dates at Carnegie Hall (in honor of Joni Mitchell), Bonnaroo, and World Café with David Dye. Recollection marries the quintet's musicianship with a focused song craft that recalls the intricate looseness of canonical recordings such as The Band's Music From Big Pink, Steely Dan's Pretzel Logic and even Paul Simon's Graceland. There’s not a track on the Recollection that doesn’t resonate as genuine, timeless, and substantive, with finely drawn characters that stick in your mind and stories of life lessons learned the hard way.
Led by singer/songwriter and Strangefolk co-founder Reid Genauer, Recollection is the perfect summation of the band's career to date: ten road-tested songs about love, loss and living, as on the album standout "Telling Sue," a deceptively upbeat song about the drudgeries of the nine-to-five world. “I think any art form is most successful when it reflects or replays elements of life that people can relate to,” says Genauer. “You may not have an epiphany listening to our music, but odds are you will find a reflection of your life experience or an emotion that you can own hiding in the recesses.”
While Genauer and keyboardist Nate Wilson handle the primary songwriting duties, AOD is a collaborative affair. Lead guitarist Adam Terrell, bassist John Leccese and drummer Andy Herrick each put their stamp on the group's songs with their instrumental virtuosity and extensive experience, with all five players blending effortlessly in a way that recalls the intuitive feel of fellow touring acts such as the Black Crowes, Drive-By Truckers and My Morning Jacket. At the same time, there's a tasteful simplicity to the arrangements and an intimate feel to the recordings, such as Genauer’s pure vocals on "The Honest Hour," a beautifully stripped-down track that recalls the fragile tenderness of Josh Rouse coupled with the careworn quality of Ray LaMontagne.
The five men, along with longtime collaborator Josh Pryor, recorded Recollection at Thundering Sky studios during six weeks of a stark Maine winter. In that isolated, comfortable atmosphere, Pryor and Assembly of Dust recreated the organic and emotional atmosphere of their live shows, injecting energy and a sense of immediacy to these recordings. The result is a soulful and sincere collection that will foster more than a few recollections among fans of honest and authentic music.
Genauer explains, “If I were to find one consistent theme of all the music we enjoy and try to emulate, it’s that it walks the line between beautiful and bad-ass. Granted, it’s a fine line. I think, or at least I hope, that we have found the balance.” Launch Assembly of Dust website.
Railroad Earth
It's been said that “there’s no place like home;” a sentiment that really rang true with Railroad Earth during the recording of their new album, Amen Corner. Compared to the sterility and stress of a commercial studio—where the cost-clock ticks and the pressure of performing under a budget looms large—recording at home is like heaven on earth… and Amen Corner captures that feeling from beginning to end.
“This recording experience was a dream,” says Todd Sheaffer, singer, songwriter and the musical fulcrum of Railroad Earth. “It was the kind of thing I’ve been waiting to do my entire life.”
Amen Corner (June 10, 2008 / SCI Fidelity Records), the band’s fourth studio album, was written and recorded at Sheaffer’s 300-year old farmhouse in the rural New Jersey countryside. In November 2007, the band moved their gear in and started doing what they do best: making music. “We thought, ‘Let’s get in there and see what happens,’” says Railroad Earth bassist, Johnny Grubb.
Amen Corner may be the early creative pinnacle of a gifted young band, and has all the makings of an Americana classic. It’s a collection of crisp and crafted Americana and acoustic roots sides that resonate in all the right places. Each of the tunes breathe both on and between the notes. They hit you immediately, but then linger like a good buzz.
“Normally,” Sheaffer explains, “you come home after six weeks on the road and jump into the studio, all frazzled because you don’t have much left in the tank. This time I feel like we’ve invited our friends into our living room and that’s basically how we recorded it. We wanted for years to try working this way and I’m so happy we were finally able to do it.” Amen Corner is, literally and figuratively, the rustic sound of a band happy to be at home. There’s lots of spontaneous creativity accompanied by a modicum of tinkering. Overseen by the band’s longtime live engineer, Mike Partridge, who was careful to ensure that everything the band played was caught properly on tape, Amen Corner was produced by the band with the express intent of capturing the six of them simply having fun playing together.
“The musical part was almost effortless,” says Grubb. “It was the easiest labor of any record that I’ve ever been around for with this band.”
Speaking of labor, another element impacted the album significantly. Half of the band members had babies during the year leading up to the recording process. The family way refocused the band members’ collective energy away from over-thinking the recording process, which allowed the spirit and playfulness of Railroad Earth’s music to fully emerge. “Having babies has given us a entirely new perspective on things,” says Grubb. “Instead of obsessing over a single note, we let the music and songs play themselves ."
“The changes in our lives brought about a peacefulness that is reflected in the music,” says Sheaffer. “We consciously tried to take the approach of ‘less is more’ in how we arranged the songs.” To help achieve the final sound of the album the band brought in Grammy Award-winning engineer/mixer Phil Nicolo, who mixed and mastered Amen Corner. He recommended the band prune its material back to the stump, so it could grow back again fuller and more beautiful.
Throughout the album, organic songs unfurl gently, like a canvas sail on a sweet summer day. On the shimmering opener “Been Down This Road,” and the beautifully thoughtful tracks “Little Bit O’ Me” and “Lovin’ You,” the band captures a poignant simplicity and charm, while the haunting masterpiece ballad “All Alone,” takes you on a journey to unexpected and emotional places. But, of course, this band can burn some acoustic rubber with tracks like “Crossing the Gap,” “Bringin’ My Baby Back Home,” and “Waggin’ the Dog,” proving they’re wicked instrumentalists too. And, finally, they meet somewhere in the sublime middle on deeply felt tracks like “Hard Livin’,” “You Never Know” and “Right In Tune.”
Without a doubt, Sheaffer-the-songwriter produces his personal best on Amen Corner, and his band buds agree. “In my opinion Todd has to be one of the best songwriters ever in the history of songwriting,” says Grubb, only half joking. “Right now, I feel like this is the first record we’ve made that’s truly great.”
If the perfectly crafted songs on Amen Corner are any indication, there are plenty more choice works to come. Everything on Amen Corner comes together like pieces of a perfect whole, derived from a single, freewheelin’ session of inspired soulfulness. “We have gotten so tight and so good at reading each other and doing what needs to be done,” says Grubb. “And this is the first time we’ve hit that stride on record.”
It’s only taken the band a few years to hit that stride. Railroad Earth started out in 2001, a bunch of talented friends interested in strumming some rootsy music together. It began rather informally, but then picked up the pace when their five song demo earned them a spot at the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival that June. Taking advantage of the opportunity, they quickly recorded five more songs, combined it with their demo tracks and released it as their debut, 2001’s The Black Bear Sessions. That debut piqued the interest of Sugar Hill Records, who signed them and released two highly acclaimed albums, Bird In A House in 2002 and The Good Life in 2004.
Since then, they’ve cultivated a huge fan base, wound up by the band’s unique acoustic hybrid sound. Railroad Earth has come to thrive in a live setting; as evidenced on their 2006 live album Elko, which essentially served as an emphatic end of Phase I for the band.
Amen Corner is the brilliant opening salvo of Phase II. This time out, Railroad Earth went into the recording process in search of vibe over perfection; six players with widely diverse musical interests and backgrounds brought together to explore the uplifting feelings of being “right in tune” and embracing the spirit of transcendent material. “It’s that intangible quality that each guy in this band is going for,” says Sheaffer. “That’s how we connect and that’s what makes our music fly.” Launch Railroad Earth website.
Ryan Montbleau Band
Averaging over 200 gigs per year for the past few years, Ryan Montbleau Band has generated the kind of buzz that only surrounds a talented artist on the verge.
Emerging onto the national music scene from his home base of Boston, Ryan Montbleau has been described as something of a Martin Sexton by way of Van Morrison and Stevie Wonder. Yet Ryan Montbleau Band’s music is difficult to pigeon-hole or neatly categorize. It is original yet familiar—a fresh sound full of firmly-rooted ingredients, including Americana, folk, blues, ragtime and ’70’s R&B and soul. Whereas the band’s intriguing instrumentation and arrangements (not to mention top notch chops) help to create this unique sound, all is firmly anchored by Montbleau’s water-tight lyrics and unmistakable voice.
Having begun his career playing Boston’s coffee shops and folk venues as a solo artist with an infectious, percussive, fingerpicking guitar style, the charismatic Ryan Montbleau has evolved into the front man for the eclectic ensemble that bears his name. Make no mistake—this is a band in every sense of the word and is powered by the dynamics of Matt Giannaros (acoustic upright bass, electric bass, vocals), Laurence Scudder (viola), Jason Cohen (piano, organ, clavinet, Rhodes, Moog) and James Cohen (drums).
Their first collective album, One Fine Color, was released on Valentine’s Day, 2006 and shows a cohesive vision rarely seen among young artists today. Several thousand copies have sold so far and the album has been raved about by music lovers of all types and, perhaps most notably, all ages (from senior citizens to infants and everyone in between). One Fine Color showcases the timeless songwriting, invigorating energy, and humble, honest sincerity that has allowed Ryan Montbleau Band to expand its passionate fan base one show, and one listen at a time.
This combination of art and personality creates that magical bond between performer and audience that Ryan Montbleau Band is fortunate to have in these cynical times. Sustaining the band through the years as they toured incessantly, virtually living on the road, they have already established a large, passionate following throughout the country. Launch Ryan Montbleau Band website.
Lettuce
Lettuce, the seven-person all-star collective originally formed in 1992, returns to the funk jazz forefront with its third album, RAGE!, a hyper-charged outing of tunes that are equal parts artsy and party. The CD is a tantalizing tribute to funk music — paying homage to all stripes of funksters, including James Brown, Sly Stone, Herbie Hancock, Tower of Power, the Meters, Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament Funkadelics, J Dilla—music that reflects “our way of life,” says bassist Erick “E.D.” Coomes, who is joined in the groove onslaught by his co-ragers: keyboardist Neal Evans, saxophonists Sam Kininger and Ryan Zoidis, guitarists Eric Krasno and Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff, and drummer Adam Deitch.
Lettuce sprouted in the fertile environment of Berklee College of Music in Boston where all members met at a summer music program when they were in their teens. “I hate to sound cheesy, but I fully feel it was destiny that this band came together,” says Krasno. “We were all in the same place, all the same age. None of the friends I grew up with were into music like I was. Then I went to Berklee that summer, and all these guys were into music the way I was, and it happened that we were all playing the right instruments to put together a band.”
All the members brought to the group different funk-styled influences. For example, Krasno was into the new jazz funk of Herbie Hancock, Deitch was raised on Tower of Power and Earth Wind & Fire and introduced that sound through his compositions to the band. Zoidis recalls, “We all lived in the same dorm and we each brought music to the table that the others hadn’t heard before. There was an ensemble room downstairs that we began playing in.” Krasno adds, “We did a lot of jamming after we did a lot of listening.”
Two years later, in the fall of 1994, all Lettuce members, who had remained in contact with each other, returned to Berklee as full-fledged undergrads and picked up right where they left off. They were fond of showing up with their instruments at underground jazz clubs like Wally’s (usually at other musicians’ gigs) and asking, “Will you let us play?”— hence the birth of the name Lettuce. “We never thought that name would stick,” says Krasno, “but we just never got around to changing it.”
“We knew we had an great musical chemistry, and sure enough, when we finally got up on stage, the party starting getting incredible,” says E.D. “We didn’t really plan on taking over, but by the end of the evening all the Lettuce guys were up on stage and all the guys from the other band were gone. And then we’d play until close.”
It was onward and upward from there, with Lettuce issuing various tapes sold at their live shows and eventually recording two CDs (2001’s Outta Here on Velour and 2003’s Live in Tokyo, released on Velour in Japan and stateside on Kufala Records). Strong fan bases grew up in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Tokyo. “It became pretty happening,” says Zoidis. “Not bad for a band that didn’t have any TV or radio play. Pretty much all of our success came by word of mouth.”
While the collective has been playing consistently since its founding, averaging three or four times per year, each member of Lettuce has branched out into various other projects. Krasno and Evans founded the band Soulive, and Kininger and Zoidis toured with band as the Soulive Horns. Kininger fronts his own group, while Zoidis is in the successful Portland, Maine-based rock band Rustic Overtones. Deitch works as a session and touring drummer and producer, with his support-team resume including John Scofield and Wyclef Jean. He’s gone on to produce songs with Krasno for top artists such as 50-Cent, Talib Kweli and Redman. Shmeeans plays with Robert Randolph and the Family Band, and E.D. has laid down bass lines for The Game, DJ Quik, Britney Spears and others.
“We all have different projects, but Lettuce is an outlet for all of us,” says Krasno. “It’s a great excuse to hang out and have fun. It’s always been that way. Plus, we all challenge each other in ways where we all get better. We play new tracks; we learn new things. We inspire each other.”
On Rage!, the band’s collective sensibility has taken on more depth. “Being apart from each other as much as we have, we’ve come back together with a new maturity,” says Shmeeans. “We’ve grown as writers and players and we’re much better when it comes to using space.” Krasno concurs: “If you listen to our early recordings, there’s so much going on all at once. With the newer stuff, there’s definitely more space, more relaxed playing, more skill. On Rage! no one’s overplaying. It’s all tasteful.”
Krasno also points out that with Outta Here, there were no rehearsals. They all just showed up at the studio and played. This time, the group spent two days rehearsing, with different members bringing in music to experiment with. Then there was the sound factor. “We wanted the record to sound like the old stuff we were paying tribute to,” says E.D. “So we recorded with an old board, old mikes, old tube compressors.”
As for the wide range of funk Lettuce dives into on Rage!, E.D. cites two factors: the deaths in 2006 of both James Brown and J Dilla. “That’s when we decided to tip our hats to every style of funk,” he says. In addition to groove-steeped originals, Lettuce delivers two covers: Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up,” with guest vocalist Dwele, and “Express Yourself,” with vocals by Kininger. It’s music that represents “a new era,” says Krasno. “We blend the old school with the new. We take solos but we also vamp on two-bar loops.” Lettuce is a group that takes its dedication to the music seriously – as Deitch says, “Know your history and take it somewhere.”
What kind of expectations does the band have for the new CD? “Hey, it’s all about having fun,” Krasno says. “It’s all about good friends getting together to play the kind of music that made us all want to become musicians. We don’t have any real expectations. DJs can play this. Jazz fans will like it. People will hear it and hopefully dig it. We’re just hoping that this album will appeal to a lot of different kinds of people, and the funk will live on.”
John Brown's Body
John Brown's Body is in the midst of its tenth year of performing, supporting its latest studio album, Pressure Points (Easy Star Records). The eight-member group (from Ithaca, NY and Boston) has developed a strong reputation for its originality and superb, energetic live show during its ten-year career.
Pressure Points has spent nearly every week on Billboard's Reggae Chart since being released. The Beat wrote: "Confident and humble, edgy and easygoing, Pressure Points is a brilliantly realized step forward for John Brown's Body, for American reggae and for reggae in general." The band has drawn respect and admiration across the music world, sharing the stage with the likes of Jurassic 5, The Dave Matthews Band, and Broken Social Scene as evidence of their universal appeal. The Village Voice called them "the most authentic purveyors of 'Truth and Rights' music around" earlier this year.
After self-releasing their first album on ITown Records, they were subsequently signed to Shanachie Records and released three albums (Among Them, This Day, and Spirits All Around Us). The Boston Herald called them "one of the world's best roots-style reggae bands" after the release of This Day (2000). This led to an appearance at the Bob Marley Day Festival in Miami, FL., alongside Lauryn Hill and others. In the following years, the band has played many of the major U.S. Festivals and performed an average of over 100 shows a year for the past 8 years. In the past year, they completed a wildly successful tour of Hawaii and were featured on the USA SurfRoots Compilation, alongside Damian Marley, Long Beach Short Bus, and Michael Franti. In the fall of 2007, the band stepped back in the studio to record its most anticipated release to date. Launch John Brown's Body website.
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad is relentless reggae sound. Roots reggae and experimental dub. North American International Body Music. From New York City to Jamaica; throughout the entire continental United States - Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad is bringing heavy vibration to well pleased rooms. In music halls, schools, bar rooms, and basements... indoors & outdoors, night & day, GPGDS is performing original music for all to find ground in. Giant Panda's explosive live show and impeccable musicianship are a force to be reckoned with. Consistently rewarding weekly events and endless touring have earned GPGDS a strong following.
Giant Panda played 180 shows in 2007. In November they completed a six week national tour, including ten west coast dates. Giant Panda is honored to have shared bills with reggae greats Toots & The Maytals, The Wailers, Lee Scratch Perry, King Yellowman, Morgan Heritage, The Meditations, Mad Professor, and Edi Fitzroy.
GPGDS has been joined on stage by members of John Brown's Body, Brazilian Girls, Thievery Corporation, Umphrey's McGee, and String Cheese Incident. Giant Panda continues to put on concerts in their hometown of Rochester, NY featuring other modern American powerhouses such as Dub Trio, and Toubab Krewe. The band's first album Slow Down was recorded at Ithaca, NY's legendary Pyramid Sound Studio. Featuring Nate Richardson (formerly of John Brown's Body, Sim Redmond Band) on keyboards, "The album's 12 cuts work on a nearly physiological level to calm you down and cheer you up" says Tim Karan of Rochester Insider.
GPGDS is receiving regular airplay on Sirius and XM Radio's reggae station "The Joint" as well as several college and indie stations all over the world. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad is a fully growing independent unit of friends, family, & truth seekers - committed to connecting great people with great music. Roots & dub for your meditation.
The Breakfast
THE BREAKFAST is ready to be served if your appetite calls for some of the finest progressive funk rock on the scene today! With the addition of Matt Oestreicher on keyboards THE BREAKFAST is looking to wake the world with its sound. Their latest album Moxie Epoxy released in November 2006 is a testament to the style and energy of these souls from New Haven, CT. Moxie Epoxy recorded in Wilmington, VT and at Horizon Studios in West Haven, CT features the brilliant musicianship and raw talent of guitarist Tim Palmieri, bassist Ron Spears, drummer Adrian Tramontano and former keyboard player Jordan Giangreco. This is THE BREAKFAST's second release for HMG Recordings and their fifth overall.
In 2003/2004 THE BREAKFAST accepted their 1st Jammy award for best emerging artist at The Madison Square Garden Theater aong with Phil Lesh, Umphrey's Mcgee, Dr John and other distinguished honorees. Since their Jammy win THE BREAKFAST have been traveling the country. Currently you can catch them on the road supporting their last release, Moxie Epoxy.
THE BREAKFAST's national tour and non-stop schedule have seen them support the likes of The Wailers, Moe, North Mississippi All-Stars, Gomez, and others. In addition to their "road warrior" status THE BREAKFAST have played the 10,000 Lakes Festival in Minnesota twice, featuring other bands like Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio, The Black Crowes and many more. Summer Festivals like moe.down, Gathering of the Vibes, Camp Bisco, High Sierra, and other notable events have also invited THE BREAKFAST to share their sound. After celebrating 1000 shows and eight years on the road, Keyboardist Jordan Giangreco left and the band continued on as a power trio with guitarist Tim Palmieri pulling double duty on guitar and keys (not that you'd know it). Today THE BREAKFAST has rounded out its sound with virtuoso Matt Oestreicher on keyboards. Together they rage forward with renewed mission and commitment. Tighter, funkier, and more versatile than ever before THE BREAKFAST are turning heads with each show. Launch The Breakfast website.
Spiritual Rez
Spiritual Rez, the Reggae Horn Funk Party is a 7 piece band who has tirelessly toured the country promoting positive music and attitude. Having released two independent records, the band has played with international acts like Jimmy Buffett, Culture, Israel Vibration and Buju Banton as well as have founding Parliament Funkadelic member Bernie Worrell sit in on their live shows.
Nominated for a Boston Music Award, the band provides a unique blend of Reggae, Funk and Afrobeat to give one of the most energetic live shows around. Theres no stopping Spiritual Rez! They tour tirelessly all over the US promoting positivity and great vibes. Hitting the festival circuit, the band is scheduled to play the Vermont Roots Reggae Festival in August and the famed LEAF Festival in North Carolina.
Spiritual Rez is now recognized as a band with "a higher consciousness of respect through music" and will continue to grow in the hearts of music fans across the globe. Launch Spiritual Rez website.
The Indobox
Incendiary guitars, full, rounded harmonies, thumping grooves, spectacular song-craft, and an unearthly ability to turn anyone on; The Indobox is clearing a path for the next generation of Rock, with a big nod to those before them. Hailing from Boston, MA, with its roots in Northeast PA, this band is quickly reaching across the East coast, captivating listeners, growing fans, and starting dance-parties everywhere they go, bringing something we call Dance-Rock... something between Pink Floyd and Smashing Pumpkins mixed with more contemporary dance beats. Without exception, every Indobox show inevitably turns into a wild dance party. Even first-timers are driven to hooting and hollering amidst the rollicking performance and frantic dancing. Launch The Indobox website.
Sam Kininger Band
"A saxophone legend, Berklee alum, and all-around funk genius, Sam Kininger is building his fan-base and repertoire simultaneously at clubs across the country. Kininger has been in legendary funk/soul groups since the beginning, including, but not limited to Lettuce, Soulive and the Brotherhood of Groove."
As a solo artist Sam Kininger has developed a distinctive, organic sound on the saxophone that is strongly expressive. He consistently demonstrates his technical dexterity and rhythmic precision while maintaining an honest and innovative exploration of musical improvisation.
His debut album includes completely original instrumental funk/jazz compositions. The grooves are intense and the solos are aggressively rhythmic and deeply soulful. Loaded with guest musicians, Sam Kininger’s album features some of the most talented musicians on the scene, including Eric Krasno (guitar) and Neal Evans (organ) from Soulive, the legendary Fred Wesley (trombone) from George Clinton’s Parliament and James Brown’s JB’s, and Adam Deitch (drums), a member of guitar legend John Scofield’s band.
Sam Kininger’s original funk band, which also features Amy Bowles on Key’s, Aaron Bellamy on Bass and Nikki Glaspie on Drums (as well as an assortment of other rotating musicians), has been blowing away audiences with their high-energy funk for about 3 years now, and their musical evolution and popularity is exponentially growing with each show. They have performed at many festivals throughout the country, including The New Orleans Jazz Festival (LA), The North Beach Jazz Festival (CA) and Berkfest (MA). They have also had successful shows in clubs such as The Blue Note (NYC), The Mercury Lounge (NYC), The Elbow Room (CA), Tipitina’s (LA) and many others.
Don't be surprised if some heavyweight players make sit-in appearances, and be less surprised if you find yourself dancing like a maniac. This is a must-see show, so grab your friends and make it a night out of dancing, drinking and funking.
Sam Kininger is currently in the process of recording his sophomore album which is scheduled to be released on the BMG-Japan lable. Launch Sam Kininger Band website.
Peter Prince & the Johnny Trama Unit
Peter Prince
Moon Boot Lover... invigorating, awe-inspiring, and reminiscent of the comic storylines that spin fantastical super heroes. Founded in New York City in 1993, the name reflects the imagination of their leader, Peter Prince, the magician in the moon boots who fuels this rocketship of soul. Unlikened to anything in the known galaxy, the band continues its mission of delivering their own brand of 'Rock-ET Soul' -- an electrifying blend of the enchantment of Al Green, the guitar wizardry of Jimi Hendrix, the spellbinding songwriting of Jim Croce, and the rock grandeur of Grand Funk Railroad and Led Zeppelin -- to the people of Earth.
Since Moon Boot Lover's inception, Peter Prince has remained the source of the band's musical gravity, piloting the ship with an ever-commanding presence and fearlessness. As the band's perpetual front man, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, Peter has been orbited over the years by an all-star crew that has included such notable talents as Alan and Neal Evans (Soulive), drummers Andy Herrick (Assembly of Dust) and Mike "Slam" Dunkle, bassists Jon Hawes (formerly of Percy Hill), Nate Edgar (John Brown's Body), Owen Yost (Broadway productions such as "Movin' Out" and "Aida"), Jeremiah Hosea (James Blood Ulmer, Gigi, and Earthdriver), and guitarist Johnny Trama (Jiggle the Handle, and formerly of Rockett Band). The current missions feature Peter Prince along with drummer Eric Imbrosciano and bassist Ben Carle.
Having toured the country many times over in the last dozen years, Peter Prince has shared the stage with such diverse musical talents as Derek Trucks Band, Dave Matthews-collaborator Tim Reynolds, moe., longtime Frank Zappa vocalist/guitarist Ike Willis, Keller Williams, Umphrey's McGee and Maceo Parker to name a few. As a result, the Peter Prince & Moon Boot Lover fanbase has grown to include music lovers from many different walks of life... all of which though, so far, appear to be human. With heavy year-long touring, including dates at popular summer festivals such as Gathering of the Vibes, moe.down, Berkshire Mountain Music Festival, Wormtown Music Festival, and Strangefolk's Garden of Eden festival, Moon Boot Lover has continually drawn the attention of new fans wherever they land. Peter was even tapped to co-host the first annual Jammys, an awards ceremony presented by the folks at Jambands.com and Relix Magazine, with Jambands.com Editor-in-Chief Dean Budnick. The Home Grown Music Network, which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary with a weekend of performances in Raleigh, NC, spotlighted a Peter Prince solo acoustic set among their musical lineup. Both Peter Prince and Moon Boot Lover have also appeared to benefit others in need; most recently at a Tsunami relief concert held in upstate New York last year.
After spending two years fronting Peter Prince & The Trama Unit, a Muscle Shoals-influenced project that featured members of the Benevento/Russo Duo, Deep Banana Blackout, Jiggle the Handle, Schleigho and Ron Levy’s Wild Kingdom, Peter Prince resumes the mission he first launched back in 1993, and at the same time is preparing the release his self-titled debut solo album. Peter is also currently at work finalizing a Peter Prince/Johnny Trama collaborative effort, while formulating plans for the release of not only a 5th edition of the Moon Boot Lover saga, but the release of the much-anticipated 3rd edition of the Moon Boot Lover saga, an album entitled Catskill Martian Dogs, which features the trio of Peter Prince with Soulive’s Alan and Neal Evans.
Above all else, Peter Prince embodies the theatre and soul of Rock 'n' Roll at its very finest. His performances bristle with raw emotion, romance, deep-hearted soul, and a trademark sense of humor that puts him in a class all by himself. Peter's distinctive songwriting voice, mixed with his onstage antics and unbridled energy, makes for an experience that can only be described as "out of this world!" Whether performing solo or as the Moon Boot Lover power trio, seeing is believing. Launch Peter Prince website.
Johnny Trama
Johnny Trama has been an integral part of the Boston music scene for many years having spent time with John Brown's Body, Entrain, Peter Prince, Toussaint and the China Band, as well as holding down a semi permanent spot at Matt Murphy's with Public House and the B3 Kings, among others.
Johnny was born on a August morning in metro New York City. His passion for music was noticed immediately and attended a performing High School. He studied under the legendary Dave Burns. Burns is best known for his days as a trumpeter for Dizzy Gillespie. Johnny also studied with Rodney Jones who worked with Maceo Parker and Etta James.
The academic world thought highly of him - Berklee offered him a full music scholarship. It seemed like a good idea at the time, however studying got in the way of performing.
Boston discovered him as a guitarist for "The Daddy's." Later, he became integral to "The Rockett Band" and Ron Levy's "Wild Kingdom." Many of you remember Ron Levy from his days as the keyboard player for B.B. King and the proud owner of two Grammys. Johnny and vocalist Peter Prince got together and created "Peter Prince and the Trama Unit." Music fans and critics in Boston, NYC and all of New England rave about their amazing recreation of the Stax sound.
Trama's guitar also helps out John Brown's Body, one of the best touring reggae bands not related to the Marley family. If that isn't enough, he's also played lead for Toussaint & the China Band.
In addition to his professors, Johnny's early influences include Jimmy Page, George Benson, Grant Green, Otis Redding, Mark Ford and many others - which is why it is hard to categorize his playing and song writing. We encourage you to check out Johnny's music on this site, at MySpace, and best of all - in person! Go to show and experience it yourself! Launch Johnny Trama website.
The Brew
Hailing from Massachusetts' North Shore, The Brew formed in 2002 when longtime friends Dave Drouin (guitars/vocals) and Kelly Kane (drums) teamed up with brothers Chris (keyboards/vocals) and Joe Plante (bass/vocals). It was clear from the start that together they forged a special musical relationship.
In 2003 and 2004 the group recorded a pair of demos with producer/musician, Bobby Keyes. The first, titled Tea Time (2003) introduced the band's concise songwriting style with three to four minute songs. The follow up, Deja Brew (2004) showcased the bands improvisational skills, often keeping the first take to give the recording a live feel. During this period The Brew played out 4 to 5 nights a week. They carefully honed their skills by playing local bars and small theaters that they would rent out in order to produce their own all-age events. The result was a unit possessing that indefinable "IT" and a loyal and eager fan base that follows them show-to-show. On any given night fans are left feeling that they are part of something truly special.
Their crowd entered a noticeable growth spurt in 2005, and by the years' end had expanded throughout New England. They went from an impressive opening act to a captivating headliner at small clubs and began to move up the depth charts of New England festivals like The Harvest Fest in Maine and The Wormtown Music Festival in Massachusetts.
In 2006 The Brew continued building Northeast markets and solidifying a base of rabid fans. They were invited to open for Bruce Hornsby and were subsequently voted Best Opening Act of 2006 by Bruce Hornsby fan site Bruuuce.com. That year they also won Relix Magazine's "Jam-off" and released their first full-length album titled, The Key. This album features trademark Brew harmonies found in the album's single, "Hunters Moon" and contains aggressive guitar driven jams highlighted by the album's closing track, "Radio Swiss."
The overall sound of The Key is marked by carefully crafted songs with poignant, thought-provoking lyrics, combined with easy access music that hooks the listener. Both in the studio and on stage The Brew appeals to rock, funk, jam, jazz, reggae, and pop enthusiasts alike, and it has been said that their music summons the spirits of artists such as Peter Gabriel, Queen, and The Police.
In 2007 their reputation broke local boundaries and started turning heads as a buzz began to spread throughout the Internet, etching The Brew a place in the independent, improvisational rock scene. They were invited to participate in Moe.'s Snoe.down festival alongside moe., The Disco Biscuits, The Brazilian Girls, and Little Feat. Elsewhere, throughout the year, they shared the stage with acts like State Radio, Strangefolk, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Tim Reynolds, and Stephen Perkins' Banyan project. They joined the Home Grown Music Network, added new merchandise, and continued to sell thousands of copies of The Key.
At the tail end of 2007 they spent over a month in Virginia recording their next studio album with famed producer/musician Bobby Read. This album titled, Back to the Woods, is scheduled for an April 2008 release.Launch The Brew website.
Eddy Dyer and the Walking Shoe Revival
Eddy Dyer
Eddy's plans for 2008 include the release of '...INTO DOVES OF GREY' on Rootsucker Records...recorded near a portal on fourth of July weekend by The Mighty Acorn, '...Into Doves Of Grey' is a return to the solo acoustic format of 1999's 'EXPLOSION ALONE'; only this time mixed and mastered by Kramer, the innovative producer behind such artists as Daniel Johnston and Galaxy 500, and whose collaborations include Sonic Youth, Ween, Lou Reed and The Butthole Surfers.
Also on the horizon is the realization of 'TEARDROPS MADE OF MELTED CRAYON', the second album by the Walking Shoe Revival, featuring contributions from guitarist Earl Slick (Bowie, John Lennon fame), legendary avant-garde jazz pianist Mike Garson (also of Bowie fame, not to mention Stan Getz, Stanley Clark, Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins and most recently The Polyophonic Spree).
By the way, be sure to check out 'OUT OF BALANCE', a documentary about Exxon/Mobil by Joe Public Films and featuring two songs from 'BUTTERFLY MEDICINE'; the title track and 'FAR AWAY LOVE SONG'...
Dyer remains coy about the release of the followup to 2004's breakout 'EDDY DYER AND THE WALKING SHOE REVIVAL', saying 'it will be out when there are the right channels available, and the right distribution...if you wanna hear it so bad then find me a label that won't dick me around!' Fortunately, we can hear snippets of the next record, 'Teardrops Made Of Melted Crayon'
Eddy Dyer released his debut album, Explosion Alone, on Bostons That Promising Seadog Media label in 1999, an intricate landscape of sound combining blues, folk, and Beat poetry with the spare, psychedelic sounds of Syd Barrett's solo work. His second album, 'BUTTERFLY MEDICINE', released in 2001 on Smokin Moon Records, showcased Dyer's sense of dark whimsy, born of Brian Wilson and The Flaming Lips...
In 2004, Eddy released 'Eddy Dyer and The Walking Shoe Revival', featuring Eddy's most prolific collection of songs to date, from the simmering, colossal funk of 'RUNNING FROM THE RUMBLE' (eerily enough written on September 11, 2001, hours before the terrible events of that day) to the jeering, snot-nosed political punk of 'AMERICAN MESS', to the gratuitous emotion of 'CAN I GET AN AMEN?', with a stellar, Stax Records-worthy lead vocal by Lowell songstress Jen Kearney .
With a disdain for the industry almost as famous as his music, Dyer has been making a name for himself on the festival circuit, with and without The Walking Shoe Revival, to RAVE REVIEWS FROM EVERY DIRECTION. With the appeal of an outsider, Dyer has been making tiny waves with real reverberations, and is sure to take his musical statements somewhere as fresh and eccentric as fits his reputation as an adventurer... Launch Eddy Dyer website.
The Walking Shoe Revival
The Walking Shoe Revival came about in early 2001 when drummer Brad Clark and singer/guitarist Eddy Dyer were introduced by Lawrence artist Che Arrajj. That year, Eddy had released his second solo album, Butterfly Medicine, a glorious mess of acoustic psychadelia...Clark, a veteran of both hip-hop and grindcore acts (including a stint with the now legendary Disrupt), had always been a fan of Donovan and the Beatles, and gravitated towards the more obscure stylings of Eddy's world, bringing those songs somewhere unthought of before with his distinctive, heavy tribal signature. Along with Chris Drosdic on bass guitar, Katie Donovan on vocals and percussion, Bonnie Rovics on flute, Eddy Dyer and the Walking Shoe Revival began to record their first, self-titled CD at After Midnight Studios with producer Jeff Hall at the helm.
Soon after finishing his bass tracks, Drosdic relocated to the west coast - enter the great Van Lawton. After seeing Van perform at the Gaelic Club in Lowell, Eddy set out to stalk Lawton until he agreed to be the band's new bass player. The plan ended up working, and Van, in addition to vocal contributions to the disc-in-progress, would re-define the sound of the band, his bass serving as a lead instrument.
In September, 2004, Eddy Dyer and the Walking Shoe Revival was released,, though, eager not to stagnate, the band welcomed percussionist/vocalist Derek O'Sullivan and guitarist/pianist Ed Newton, both of the ambient acoustic music act simply known as Untitled.
Together, this new lineup has been blowing the roofs and doors out of any events they appear at, playing throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire and elsewhere in New England.
The band has also begun recording it's sophomore effort, tentatively titled Teardrops Made of Melted Crayons, which promises to bring the band into a more tribal, psychadelic sonic realm.
Incus
"Incus is a combination of light and dark. Under the powerful vocals and drums that drive Incus's music is a soul that is rare. If Incus is dark, then it is dark like the woods under a full moon: unexpectedly bright, full of brilliant stars, inviting, warm, natural and seductive." -J. Bonni
Incus's full sonic spectrum has moved audiences from Boston to Miami to LA and back. An article in Boston's Weekly Dig suggested that they would be better suited performing in the woods around a fire in front of thousands, than on stage at a bar. Strangely enough, the band took up the idea and has since been a major headliner at fire festivals all across the country.
Drawing on influences from Middle Eastern, Native American, African and Eastern European musical traditions, Incus is redefining the American Tribal music movement. In addition to five national tours and an independent CD release ("Burning Thread") with guest vocalist Yanka Rupkina, vocalist/composer Jason Cohen is also known for his work developing the "Forestdance Gatherings". Yanka Rupkina, is best known for her work with "The Bulgarian Women's choir", Kate Bush, Linda Ronstadt, and George Harrison.
The band/tribe is currently made up of composer Jason Cohen on vocals, keys, accordion and percussion, Jacob Sirios on drums and percussion,Chris Baum on violin, and with special guests SJ Tucker and Kara Trott on vocals, Carlos Kampff on upright bass, and Katy Georgio on trombone and vocals. Incus also frequently performs with some incredible dancers, including Jezebel from Phantomime and others. Incus often travels with an accompaniment of beautiful fire spinners when playing venues that allow the art form.
There is certainly a magic that is almost impossible to describe about the band's live show. In both their music and ideology, Incus embraces darkness and embodies light. Experiencing Incus can be deeply emotional, uplifting and joyous. With their "music for fire worshippers", Incus's fiery energy has been gaining national recognition.
"Burning Thread", Incus's first full length self released album (Dragonfly Disc), came out in 2004 and is now selling more units then ever. The band is also currently hard at work on their second studio album. Their latest release, "live and acoustic at the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors" was recorded from a performance at Alex Grey's COSM in NYC.
During the last four summers, Jason Cohen and Incus toured over 20,000 miles, making music at over 100 fires, and at various festivals and venues. Incus's future has never looked hotter. Launch Incus website.
Jimkata
Jimkata is a concept that has been brewing for much longer than is first year of road exposure in 2007. Influenced by the 90's childhoods of its members the music calls upon the likes of The Police, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ween, Dr. Dre and the Chemical Brothers. Now they are on an endless pursuit to find a sound that is both new and timeless.
Although inspired by the world of improvisational music, Jimkata focuses on song structure, textures, layers and vibrant lyrics. By the end of a Jimkata show you will leave feeling explosive, powerful and alive. Launch Jimkata website.