Nectar’s, the mecca of Vermont’s music scene celebrated it’s 40th birthday with a re-union of the Unknown Blues Band which also marked the tenth anniversary of the passing of bandleader Big Joe Burrell. This famed band reunited with it’s crack Kilimanjaro brilliant core of Paul Asbell on guitar, Chas Eller on organ, Tony Markellis on bass, Lucas Adler on drums with Terry Younk and Dave Grippo on saxophone. They were joined vocally by soul man Dave Keller and the stellar Dwight Ritcher and Nicole Nelson as well as honored harmonica hosts Charlie Frazier and Bob Stannard. It was a night of great music recalling the past songs of Big Joe Burrell with shakes and solos to a crowd that swung to the groove and called for more.
Big Joe and the Unknown Blues Band first performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and then toured the world in the 1990’s as well as backing up the legendary bluesman Paul Butterfield. Musical celebrities passing through Burlington would frequently join the band such as B.B. King and Betty Carter.
An association formed with Phish guitarist’s Trey Anastasio, who said he moved to Burlington largely because of the Unknown Blues Band and the quality of live music they put out. Paul Asbell, the UBB guitarist’s became Trey’s guitar teacher, and later on bassist Tony Markellis began playing with Trey in Trey Anastasio Band and keyboardist Chas Eller partnered with Trey at his personal recording studio, The Barn.
After this great show, people are hoping that the UBB will be back on the scene and bringing the blues back to Burlington and beyond.
Potter, originally from Waitsfield, has found success on an international level in recent years, topping iTunes charts and even collaborating with The Rolling Stones. Light rain on the first day of the weekend festival did little to dampen the spirits of an enthusiastic crowd who traveled from both near and far to see acts that also included The Flaming Lips, Shakey Graves, and Mike Gordon of Phish. As Potter walked onto the stage, her skin glistening from raindrops, the audience went wild. Potter, now a solo artist after disbanding Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, put on an astounding performance, showing off her piano, guitar, and bluesy vocal skills. Crowd favorites included “Paris (Ooh La La),” “Low Road,” “Runaway,” “Stop the Bus,” “Hot to the Touch” and “Delirious.”
When Potter sang a passionate rendition of “Stars,” having prefaced the performance by explaining that the song was about losing someone close to her, some in the crowd were moved to tears. The surprise of the night came when special guest Kenny Chesney joined Potter to perform their single, “Wild Child.”
They have funk, improvisation jams and sound larger with a higher level of groove reminiscent of bands like Phish. Their songs are original with instrumental breaks and an underlying trance/dance rhythm. Nominated for ’s 2014 Bands on the Rise as well as Upstate Album of the year with“Edging on Catastrophe.” Formula 5 is a band that is accelerating fast, sure to be on the festival stages this summer and definitely not to be missed.
All transplants to the area, they now define progressive bluegrass in the Adirondacks. But with two album’s, Rabble Rousing and This Train is Made of Wood and Steel, they have been spreading their blind owl wings to festivals and towns throughout the Northeast. Their musical style is blue-streak fast and furious tempos with impressive instrumental dexterity, then fall back into old-time string band stanzas. Experienced live, they move, twist and turn, fingers a flying, bass a spinning and the audience pressing closer to the stage, dancing and feeling the joy of what is The Blind Owl Band. Hoot!
Funky, wild, free yet so organic is the groove that the only primal thing you can do is move. Let other bands do covers, this band has captured a unique sound that has propelled it from busking on subways to hitting the top numbers on Billboards jazz charts and packing dance halls around the country. Picked up by Mike Doughty (formerly of Soul Coughing) when he saw them play in the subway and liked them so much that he had them open for him on a national tour. The Moon Hooch phenomena has just grown from festivals, to pastures, to museums, to cooking vegan in the van, to inducing alpha brain waves in the audience. They just released their second Album, This is Cave Music, and they are an act not to be missed. Photos from their show at The Waterhole at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival as well as prior to the show,with a giraffe.
One can see why they have been welcomed with such great acceptance in blues-aware England and played with T-Model Ford in the Delta. They have been awarded first place in the On The Rise competition at the 2014 Floydfest and are currently number one across the board on