Category: Funk/Soul/R&B

The Motet Brings the Funk at The Warehouse

The Warehouse at FTC in Fairfield, CT was alive with jive on Saturday August 13 with The Motet and special guest Mammal Dap lighting up the stage. The pit was near filled to the back wall with fans and every single person having the time of their lives. It would not have been the party that it was without newly added Motet frontman Lyle Divinsky, amping up the crowd and maintaining an inhuman amount of energy throughout the two set performance.

The opener Mammal Dap was a unique group that brought a big sound to the venue. The four mammals out of Massachusetts combine rock, EDM hip-hop and funk to make a sound that isn’t too avant-garde but was without a doubt an exceptional and intriguing performance.

At the start, there were several people in the front of the stage, most talking amongst themselves, distracted by friends and drinks with people of all ages and attire scattered across the venue. It was an unexpectedly diverse crowd with some kids, 18-year-old at least, wearing tattered Converse shoes, fishnet stockings, band t-shirt and a Hello Kitty backpack. Meanwhile upstairs, several men wearing three piece suits are sipping on mixed drinks talking and laughing with friends.

Most of the crowd’s attention was drawn to the stage when Mammal Dap performed their first song, “I Want To Be Your Friend.” The track had recognizable sounds from all different genres: a hip-hop drum beat from Colin Jambert, rocking guitar riffs from Killian Karlsson, the EDM aspects from the keys and synthesizers played by Zak Cross, and funky grooves from the bass performed by Rhees Williams. Picked apart instrumentally, the sound isn’t all that interesting. The drumming can be a tad bit repetitive and the main riff from the keys can get a little old as well, but take the music as a whole and it can really start to be appreciated. Saturday night was a party, and a party needs some background music. This is not to say the music wasn’t appreciated, and that there weren’t interesting drops and riffs, but picked apart player by player, the music loses its purpose. This is not to say the musicians aren’t talented. There’s a decent amount of improvisation and they mess around with some pretty challenging time signatures, like in their second song of the night, “Starbirth.” The performance is just appreciated better as a whole.

They jammed on for about an hour, accruing more and more attendees from the upper level and really setting the scene for the night. Some other hits from the setlist were ambient still, but tracks like “Lost” had more of a direction to them, unlike “Starbirth” which felt stuck in the same groove at times, although the beats were very grabbing. Nevertheless, it got the room moving and got people excited for the main event, The Motet.

“Good God,” was all anyone could say when the funky bunch hit the stage. They were simply electric, a constant flow of energy and power. And it wouldn’t have been the same show with Divinsky. His passion for the music was just infectious and one couldn’t help but feed off of his energy. He and Garrett Sayers were recently added to The Motet’s line up and fit in seamlessly. Someone naive to the band’s history would have no idea they weren’t the original members.

The group from Colorado defines themselves as having roots from funk, afrobeat, disco, electronic music and soul, while putting a modern jam and improvisational feel to their songs that gets the crowd moving and the party started. Their sound is tight, but very powerful, much like the styles of funk bands in the late 1970’s and early 80’s. These classic groups are what band leader Dave Watts used as inspiration when he first started to toy with the idea of creating a funk band. Their sound is like a mixture between Earth, Wind and Fire and James Brown: tight, funky and moving.

Their first song was, predictably, very much just a funky, 10 minute jam. Everyone had their shot to flaunt a solo or two, along to a tight, but open groove that had a fun, unpredictable direction to it. Their second song of the night, “Like We Own It,” had the same feel to it, with a little less improvisation to it and more typical song structure, but was still a blast to listen to. The keys, played by Joey Porter, really started to shine here because of the use of the main riffs of the song in his solos. That’s something that takes some great talent to do and it’s something that the crowd can really appreciate. The trumpet player, Gabe Mervine, struts his stuff as well, playing a more jazz like solo with long flowing riffs, as compared to the keys quick jabbing notes. Both solos were very fitting though and a huge hit with the crowd.

“Know It Too Well” came up next, off their recently released album Totem. It had more of a Parliament feel to it, in other words, it wasn’t as tight and fast as other tracks. The feeling is very laid back and flowing but still upbeat and hard hitting. There’s some more work from guitarist Ryan Jalbert, who has a little bit of fun but stays fairly reclusive, but only to really shine in later tracks.

“Power” came up next, and one can really start to see how much this band relates to James Brown, especially Lyle. His dance moves alone are reminiscent of The King, as he scooted and shuffled his feet across the stage, dripping with sweat only a half hour into the show. The band puts their own, very jam band influenced twist on the tight and funky song, bringing the song down to a tamed, quiet drop to allow members to screw around on their instruments. Mervine got a little dissonant and jazzy during his solo but still retains a good chunk of melodic notes. He rides on the groove for sometime before the band jumps into a “Fame” tease to give saxophonist Drew Sayers some fun on his mic followed by Dave Watts pounding away at his kit for the first time of the night. His set was fairly small but he used crazy amounts of color to make a hell of a solo. They ran through a few more off their new album including “Truth” and “Fool No More” before they made their way onto the second set of the night.

The second half started off with “Damn” from Totem and Jalbert really started to get wild on his frets. The crowd went wild when he would fly all the way up the neck and when Lyle would scream all the way to the top of his vocal range. They sounded incredible together and they really connected on this song. Up next was “Back It Up,” a laid back, swinging kind of groove, highlighting Porter once again, followed by “So High” and “Rippin’ Herb.” A highly anticipated cover, “Serpentine Fire,” finally came around and it was uncanny how much it sounded like Earth, Wind and Fire. The classic 70’s funk band and The Motet differ in so many ways, especially in size but they sounded impeccably close to the original, of course with their own jam twist on the track. The chorus requires Lyle to really stretch his pipes and he does so with ease. They finally wrapped up their night with one last Earth, Wind and Fire cover “Mighty Mighty.” They perfectly closed their set with something to showcase every person on stage and to give the audience something super catchy to sing along to with Lyle.

It seemed no one was expecting such an energetic performance from The Motet. The group was drenched in sweat and so was the audience with smiles stretched on everyone’s face as they walked out.

September 1, 2016
LOCKN’ Opens With Scorching Performances

Last week the world’s greatest athletes wrapped up their quadrennial competition competing on the world stage in Rio de Janeiro. The Olympics showcased the greatest talent humans have to offer in achievements of physical performance.

This weekend, on a farm in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, the most talented musicians in rock are gathering to showcase the greatest talent humans have to offer in achievements of aural performances – it truly is like the Olympics of jam, or in LOCKN’ parlance, the Jam ‘Lympics.

Welcome, #LOCKN! Safe travels to everyone. Infinity Downs is now open for coffee, tasty breakfast, lunch, or just relaxing cool brews. If it’s a lay in a hammock and play some games type of morning… Infinity Downs is the place to be. Show field opens at 5PM, and until then, please be mindful of traffic during this busy time and respect your fellow campers. We’re so excited to have you.

A photo posted by LOCKN’ Music Festival (@locknfestival) on Aug 25, 2016 at 5:31am PDT

LOCKN’ pushed the festival into late August this year, up from early-mid September previously. If the move was made to ensure better weather, it is paying off, with hot and dry conditions that allowed for efficient entry to the festival grounds for the 25,000 fans arriving from Wednesday through Thursday.

Who better than Umphrey’s McGee, back for their third straight LOCKN’ appearance, to carry the torch in to kick off this year’s festivities. Like any good opening ceremonies, Umphrey’s set provided a feast for the eyes, with sprays and splashes of lights constantly bathing the stage in a kaleidoscope of color. This year LOCKN’ is featuring a rotating main stage. So, as opening act Vulfpeck played the last notes of their set, Umphrey’s two guitar attack blasted immediately before the band was even visible. The stage fully rotated, and just like that, Vulfpeck had transitioned seamlessly into Umphrey’s McGee, without a wasted second of silence.

Sometimes it is fun and games. #Umphreys #Lockn

A photo posted by LOCKN’ Music Festival (@locknfestival) on Aug 25, 2016 at 4:42pm PDT

Between the opening notes of “Nipple Trix” and the closing sounds of “All In Time,” Umphrey’s set featured explosive guitar work and bombastic full band improvisations, a relentless assault of over-the-top rock theatrics. Like a DJ scratching on the turntable, the next band to turn around the table, Ween, got remixed into Umphrey’s set, as Gene Ween sat in for a cover of Billy Joel’s “The Stranger.”

The opening ceremonies provided by Umphrey’s McGee was sandwiched between qualifying rounds by Vulfpeck and Ween. Both bands advanced to the medal rounds, and continued with sets Friday.

Who’s ready for Ween? #WeenMe ?: @jayblakesberg #LOCKN #ween #theboognishrises

A photo posted by LOCKN’ Music Festival (@locknfestival) on Aug 25, 2016 at 3:15pm PDT

Relative newcomers to the scene, and riding high over a year that has seen their popularity skyrocket, Vulfpeck properly opened up the performances for the 2016 edition of LOCKN’ with their infectious and slinky funk. At a festival that is sure to feature many sit-ins and a good share of covers, they delivered on both counts, with Antwain Stanley sitting in for a few tunes and secondly with their nifty cover of Steely Dan’s “Peg.” Bassist Joe Dart showed off his gymnastic skills quite literally as he cartwheeled across the stage while getting the crowd involved in a “Christmas in LA” singalong.

Ween closed the main stage Thursday with a career spanning set that in typical Ween fashion completely disregarded rock convention. When at the Jam ‘Lympics, its best to show off your jamming chops, and Ween delivered with a whacked out free form romp through “Poopship Destroyer” that had the band completely bathed in red, with some perfect trippy echoed images being displayed on the big screens and Gene Ween’s voice getting spookily modulated. They segued right into a more spritely “Zoloft” before ending after midnight unceremoniously with “Pandy Fackler.” But as Ween reminded the crowd, “Tomorrow is game day.” Even after the over two hour set, it felt like the show wouldn’t be complete without their impending Friday night set.

The day’s competition may have concluded, but back at the ‘Lympic village the party was just getting started. In the secluded Woods stage EOTO was digging into their electronic groove while the forest flashed hypnotically in reds, greens and blues. Behind a wood door that bore Jerry Garcia’s unique hand print, Garcia’s Forest featured an endless stream of historic Grateful Dead jams. While at the Blue Ridge Bowl, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead reinterpreted the very same music to a packed audience of blissed-out groovers. The music never stops.

Like a two-sport wonder, Dave Dreiwitz, who had just performed with Ween on the main stage, pulled off the magnificient multi-band feat as he immediately appeared on stage with JRAD,the first on stage in fact. JRAD’s set opened with a spacey jam that dissolved into a long drawn out take on “Truckin’,” and then the set just spiraled into a tie-dyed blend of Grateful Dead colors, mixing and remixing the Dead catalog to thrilling effect, with takes on “St. Stephen,” “The Eleven,” “The Wheel” and “Estimated Prophet” peppering the set before a night closing “Terrpain Station.” The band served as the bridge between the ancient Gods of jam and the more modern styles and techniques of today. A perfect summary of what the celebration continuing at LOCKN’ is all about; the perfect way to end the first night and a look forward to the next three jam packed days.

JRAD #LOCKN

A video posted by pete mason (@phanart) on Aug 26, 2016 at 6:47am PDT

August 26, 2016
Ladies Sing the Blues: The 24th Annual Chenango Blues Festival

In 1956, Billie Holiday wrote her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues. Sixty years later, Holiday would be pleased to know that ladies still sing the blues most impressively, as four female band leaders wowed the crowd at the 24^th Annual Chenango Blues Festival, held August 19-20 in Norwich, New York. Davina Sowers of Davina and the Vagabonds, singer/saxophonist Vanessa Collier, sisters Tierinii and Tikyra Jackson of Southern Avenue, and Carolyn Wonderland all displayed powerful vocals and musicianship, as well as overwhelming stage presence that was met by thunderous applause from more than five thousand fans in attendance over two days.

Festival attendees enjoyed perfect weather in a comfortable outdoor setting, and were treated to a variety of roots and blues music styles from more than a half dozen other outstanding acts, leading up to the headliner, New Orleans’ Anders Osborne.

The festival began Friday evening, with the traditional free performances on the tent stage. The crowd grew quickly, with hundreds of fans setting up chairs and pop up tents on the lawn for the following day, as Central New York’s Funky Blu Roots played the fest’s first notes. Fronted by the husband and wife team of guitarist Mikal Serafim and bass player Nancy Giannone, the group included Tom Townsley on harmonica and vocals, drummer Phil Leone, and special guest George Rossi on keyboards. Serafim and Townsley traded lead vocals, backed by Rossi, on primarily original material of blues, light rock, and up-tempo numbers.

Flying in from London the night before the show, exuberant Englishman Laurence Jones next took the stage for his first performance in the United States with his own band. Just twenty-four years old, Jones led his power trio, including bassist Roger Inniss and drummer Phil Wilson, through a high energy seventy-five minute set, featuring his brand new Ruf Records release, Take Me High, produced by the legendary Mike Vernon. Yet again, the Chenango Blues Festival secures its reputation for presenting the very best emerging artists for their Central New York debuts.

Returning to the Chenango Blues Festival was Friday’s featured act, Davina and the Vagabonds. The group was a smash hit on the main stage in 2012. Due to return last year for Norwich’s Thursday Summer Music Series, that performance was canceled after the band was involved in a tragic accident on the day of the show. A man named John lost his life in that incident, and an emotional Davina Sowers dedicated her set Friday night to his memory. Piano, stand-up bass, trombone, trumpet, drums and four vocalists combine for rollicking, barrel house piano songs, a show-stopping cover of “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and her own crowd favorite tunes, including “Pocket,” “Start Running,” and “LipsticknChrome,” all from her release Black Cloud.

Following the tent stage show Friday evening, fans were treated to a jaw-dropping preview performance by Saturday’s opening act, Noah Wotherspoon, at a small local tavern.

At high noon on the main stage, Noah Wotherspoon, the 2015 International Blues Challenge Best Guitarist winner, led his trio through a set that included “Going to Mississippi” from his debut release Mystic Mud, and a handful of cover tunes. The diminutive Wotherspoon, who appears to be much younger than thirty-four, proved that a small band and a small guitarist sure can make a mighty big sound. In addition to gaining new followers, Wotherspoon and bandmates Rob Thaxton (bass) and Brian Aylor (drums) were unabashed fans of the other musicians, chatting up old friends and making new ones. Thaxton commented that he couldn’t believe all the talent he got to hear, and Wotherspoon had a smile a mile wide while talking to Carolyn Wonderland following her set.

Acts alternated between the main stage and the tent stage throughout Saturday’s schedule, and first up under the big top was Berklee College of Music trained singer/saxophonist Vanessa Collier. She started off with a funky tune that easily won the crowd over, and toward the end of the set, had one of the festival’s highlights, a walk through the crowd during an extended rendition of Joe Zawinul’s “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” made famous by his bandleader, Cannonball Adderley. Collier made a point of making eye contact with members of the audience, a very effective technique to keep fans engaged. It is up-and-coming debut acts like Collier, Jones, and the next act, Southern Avenue, that made the 24th Annual Chenango Blues Festival so special to its fans. Collier’s sax, vocals, and award-winning songwriting can be heard on heart soul & saxophone.

Immediately following Collier’s set, Southern Avenue took to the main stage. Sisters Tierinii (vocals) and Tikyra Jackson (drums, backing vocals) along with Ori Naftaly (guitar) and Daniel McKee (bass) showed tremendous versatility playing blues, gospel, soul, funk, and more. Tierinii Jackson is a compelling vocalist, as showcased on a slinky tempo-changing cover of Prince’s “Kiss,” and accompanying McKee’s infectious bass on Bill Withers’ “Use Me.” The band spent time last month recording at the Zebra Ranch in Independence, Missouri, in anticipation of their debut release in 2017 on the prestigious Stax Records label.

Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons presented a unique glimpse of much older musical songs and styles, as the duo explained the origin of many of the songs, performed with combinations of guitars, banjo, fiddle, and harmonica, performed with a vintage microphone. Under the tent, the IBC award winners made listeners feel as though they were transported back to the early twentieth century.

Curtis Salgado is a favorite vocalist of many blues/soul aficionados, and his voice paired wonderfully with the Hammond B3 organ handled masterfully by his keyboard player. The 2013 Blues Music Award Entertainer of the Year, singing to his ex in the time-honored blues theme of love gone wrong, explained “I learned more about the blues in two weeks with you than twenty years of B. B. King.” His latest recording, The Beautiful Lowdown featuring “Walk a Mile in My Blues,” is available from Alligator Records.

Duke Robillard played a stripped down set of semi-acoustic material, accompanied by Bruce Bears on keyboard, and Brad Hallen on stand-up bass, in support of his 2016 Blues Music Award winning album, The Acoustic Blues and Roots of Duke Robillard. He will release Blues Full Circle, with special guests Jimmy Vaughan, Sugar Ray Norcia, and Kelley Hunt in September 2016.

Canned Heat hit the main stage and got the crowd boogieing to the familiar strains of “Goin’ Up the Country.” Original members Fito de la Parra (drums) and Larry “The Mole” Taylor (bass, guitar) were joined by John Paulus (guitar, vocals, bass) and Dale Spalding (vocals, harmonica, guitar.) The band is touring in celebration of their fiftieth anniversary, and concluded with an extended version of their hit “Let’s Work Together.”

Although she has played several times throughout New York State, Carolyn Wonderland’s first appearance at Chenango was eagerly anticipated, and she delivered a dynamic set to a raucous, sweaty, appreciative crowd. Backed by Bobby Perkins on bass and Kevin Lance on drums, Wonderland blew the roof off the tent early in her set with “Judgement Day Blues.” She was demonstrably thrilled to have guitarist Eric McFadden from Anders Osborne’s band (who sported a pink daisy shaped small scale guitar) join her for a couple of tunes, including “Two Trains.” The Austin, Texas based Wonderland paid tribute to her home state’s Freddie King, concluding her evening’s show with an incendiary version of his “Palace of the King.” I will go, and I have gone, a long, long way to hear this woman play guitar and sing. You should too.

Anders Osborne stalks the stage like a party looking for a place to happen. Expressive, energetic, and engaging, it’s hard not to feel good when Osborne and his top notch band start making noise. Carl Dufrene on bass and vocals, Eric McFadden on guitar, and Tony Leone on drums are all renowned musicians with impressive resumes. Highlights of Osborne’s set included “Different Drum,” “Flowerbox,” “Fools Gold,” “Mind of a Junkie,” “Higher Ground,” “Lafayette,” “Back To Mississippi,” and “Louisiana Gold.”

Two days, twelve acts, thousands of fans, a small army of critically important volunteers, and tremendous community support add up to twenty-four years of “Keeping the Blues Alive.” Congratulations to the 24th Annual Chenango Blues Festival for another unsurpassed success! I can’t wait ‘til next year.

August 25, 2016
Around the World in One Song: The Cross-Continental Story Behind Holy Forest “Africa Calling”

From the lush green wilderness of Gambia to a Chelsea studio, here’s a story behind a 21^st century cross-continental roots song by Holy Forest.

Members: Jon Fine (Guitar, Bass, Keys). Ed “Preachermann” Holley, Sparlha Sparlha Swa, Morley, Tata Din Din Jobarteh, I’kyori Swaby, No Surrender and S.T. (Vocals). Tata Din Din Jobarteh, Youssoupha Sidibe (Kora). Morgan Harris (Guitar). Ebon Moss-Bachrach, I’kyori Swaby, Jesse Hofrichter (Keys). Jordan McLean (Trumpet). Martin Perna, Freddy Deboe (Baritone Sax). Stuart Bogie (Tenor Sax). Pierre Davis, Taagen Swaby, Sean Clete, Steven Heet, Sebastian Bauer (Drums). Matt Hauser, Marcus Burrowes (Percussion). Kristine Kruta (Cello).

Have you seen a list of personnel this long and eclectic since Paul Simon’s Graceland?

Recorded over three years in studios across Africa, New York City, Woodstock and San Francisco, Holy Forest is an ensemble is a melting pot of sonic and cultural abilities. And it adds up, too: only people of different religions, ages, ethnicities, nationalities and professional backgrounds can come together to make genre-bending music so whole, so variegated yet so astonishingly coherent. Unlike Graceland, not even one golden Hollywood party is brought into question. No, Holy Forest stays close to the matter in focus: love and distance.

The genesis of Holy Forest takes you back to the lush green wilderness of mangrove swamps of that line River Gambia. Almost four years ago, musician and documentary filmmaker Jon Fine (the force behind Herbie Hancock’s Possibilities and Still Bill) took a trip down to Makasutu Forest, a woodland reserve in West Africa. Over the course of his visit, Fine connected with Tata Din Din Jobarteh, Gambia’s legendary 21-stringed kora player. When Fine heard Tata Din Din’s modernist approach to the strings, he immediately recognized the potential. Holy Forest was born. Since, John Fine has been the primary guardian of the ensemble, fully immersing himself in production, performance, songwriting and collaboration for their self-titled debut. Fine used his career-long knowledge and connections to reach out to a number of critically acclaimed musicians, including members of Antibalas, singer-songwriter Morley, the Grammy nominated kora master, Youssoupha Sidibe and rising Gambian star ST. Among nontraditional musicians Fine tapped were the Brooklyn-based afro-punk band No Surrender, Bay area singer Sparlha Swa, and Harlem’s resident soul singer Ed “Preachermann” Holley.

Photographer/director Andrew Zuckerman, who had been working with Jon for years, allowed Holy Forest’s live band to rehearse in his Chelsea studio. Andrew then brought old friend, musician and music creative David Hoffman into the picture. Because of Hoffman’s connections in the indie-rock world (Hoffman is also the manager of chart-topping indie/alt rock band Joywave), he proposed the idea of an “Africa Calling” remix. Jacob Asher of Joywave (aka Benjamin Bailey) jumped at the opportunity.

The result? Asher doubles down Preachermann’s vocals to add a near-visual depth to the track. He refines the sound unobtrusively, waxing on a resinous layer that doesn’t detract from the soul of the “Africa Calling.” Instead, the DJ and Joywave keyboardist lets the generous, woody warmth of the holy Gambian forest fall through onto a waterbed of trap beats, sealing it for radio and clubs alike.

“Africa Calling” has traveled the world, filtering through the woods aligning narrow coastlines, to the speakers of boutique vinyl shops of East London only to find its way on to BBC Radio 6. Who knows where the destiny of “Africa Calling” lies? All we know is that it’ll continue breaking musical barriers, diving headfirst into Afrofuturism. And Asher’s remix is only another chapter to the Holy Forest story.

Listen to the Jacob Asher remix of “Africa Calling” below:

August 24, 2016
Festivalgoers Let Their Soul Shine During Second Half of The Peach

Saturday and Sunday at The Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA was more of the same weather wise with scorching heat, humidity and powerful storms that would delay several sets in the evening. Despite the elements, festivalgoers all across Montage Mountain appeared to be in better spirits for the later half, perhaps due to an acceptance and understanding of these factors, but more likely due to the outstanding music delivered to their eyes and ears. Headliners like Trey Anastasio Band and Umphrey’s McGee delivered top notch sets on Friday and Gov’t Mule and new supergroup “RB&B” brought the festival to a truly satisfying close on Sunday.

New York’s own Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds swooped onto the main stage early in the afternoon. Arleigh Kincheloe and brother Jackson, along with the rest of the birds energized the mountain with their soulful yet funky performance fans have come to love.

The afternoon also welcomed back Tom Hamilton to the Grove Stage with his band American Babies. Hamilton is a talented songwriter and although his presence in Thursday night’s Pink Floyd Electron set was nothing short of jaw dropping, the change of pace with the lively Americana feel to his afternoon set is exhilarating as well. Also during this time, metal rockers Brown Sabbath slayed over on the Mushroom Stage. Their frontman is as comical as he is talented, addressing the crowd as “motherfuckers” in between sets. As the name suggests, the Austin based band covers the catalog of Black Sabbath, but they do so with horns and Latin-style percussion for a unique experience both metal heads and hippies can appreciate.

The darlings of the festival scene, Twiddle, brought a massive crowd to the Mushroom Stage mid-afternoon on Saturday. This would likely have been a massive pool party like that of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong the day before, but the wave pool was closed. No matter though as fans packed the area to witness the rising stars welcome Russ Lawton on drums and Ray Paczkowski on keys, both from Soule Monde and TAB, join the band for “White Light.” Bassist Zdenek Gubb proved himself to be MVP of the set with powerful and funky bass playing that could be felt at the very top of Montage Mountain.

The highlight of Friday afternoon was Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Because the Grateful Dead means so much to so many people in the community, it’s no wonder their set drew such a massive crowd to the main stage. Joe Russo and friends bring a thrilling and welcomed update to the classics so many of us have come to cherish. Their set included greats like “Eyes of the World,” “The Wheel” and a full and powerful “Terrapin Station.”

As was the trend each evening at Peach, Mother Nature made her presence known with continuous flashes of lightening that would come with strong winds, rain and thunderstorms forcing The Lennon Claypool Delirium to prematurely end their predictably spacey yet original set. Fans took cover under the Pavilion as the first part of the storm passed overhead flooding the floors under their feet. Once passed it was finally time for the great Trey Anastasio Band to hit the stage. The pavilion, now packed with fans, housed tunes like “Cayman Review,” “Magilla,” “Gotta Jibboo” and “Money Love and Change.” As soon as “Sand” started to pick up, Anastasio was forced to tell fans to once again seek cover due to more severe weather. Once given the all clear, TAB returned to the stage to pick up “Sand” where they left off. Later in the set, Trey shared the story of how former TAB trombonist Jeff Cressman left the band to play with Santana. When Trey asked him who might replace him, Cressman suggested his daughter Natalie. Jeff was then welcomed to the stage and the father-daughter team thrilled the crowd together during “Push on Til’ the Day” to close one of the best sets of the entire Peach weekend.

Umphrey’s McGee gave the best musical nightcap of the weekend with their latenight set on the main stage Saturday night. The lightshow in the Pavilion was spectacular and the music was on point. The progressive rockers from Chicago played older songs from their catalog such as “Wappy Sprayberry” as well as a cover of Prince’s “Controversy,” a song they first covered in Minneapolis the day after the legendary singer’s death. “Puppet String” included Hall and Oates’ “I Can’t Go for That” and Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” teases. Fans beat on the back of the seats within the Pavilion; the sound dragging the band out for a thrilling encore of “In the Kitchen” into “Glory” and ending with a reprise of “Puppet String.”

Sunday was the return to struggle city for many campers packing up their belongings to hike off the mountain and return home. Lines seemed to move faster and despite it being the fourth day of the festival, people were in good spirits.

Sunday began with a special ‘Wake up With Warren Haynes’ acoustic set that featured Gov’t Mule numbers “Beautifully Broken,” “Raven Black Night,” and “In My Life.” The set would not have been complete without the delivery of some Allman Brothers Band tunes to commemorate the festival’s beginning. Haynes played “Old Friend” and “End of the Line,” two ABB songs he contributed to. Warren returned for a two-song encore beginning with Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” and Gov’t Mule favorite “Soulshine” to the delight of thousands.

Not more than a year since the Black Crowes called it quits, founding member Rich Robinson is taking his solo career to new heights. The Rich Robinson Band performed Sunday at The Peach. In addition, Robinson was welcomed to the stage to join Blackberry Smoke and later on with Gov’t Mule.

Blackberry Smoke is a southern rock group with bluesy guitar riffs and country music undertones not unlike that of the Allman Brothers Band. The set featured originals as well as a down home version of Led Zeppelin’s “Your Time is Gonna Come.” Robinson joined the quintet for The Black Crowes’ “Wiser Time,” in which he delivered a thrilling guitar solo.

With Gregg Allman canceling a week prior to The Peach due to illness, a supergroup was formed to fill in the time slot he was scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The group consisted of Joe Russo, Marco Benevento and Oteil Burbridge. The trio delivered a unique set that was largely a jazz-fusion jam in which the talents played off one another with ease, a nice segue to the headlining guest packed performance by Gov’t Mule. After a few Gov’t Mule tunes including “Mule” and “Game Face” with a “Mountain Jam” tease, Rich Robinson was once again welcomed back to the stage for a Crowe’s signature song “Sometimes Salvation.” The encore included “Come and Go Blues” with Charlie Starr, Brit Turner and Brandon Still of Blackberry Smoke before Oteil Burbridge joined the stage once more to aid in Allman Brothers’ classic “Dreams,” before ending the festival with a triumphant “Whipping Post.”

The fifth annual Peach Music Festival was legendary in its own right with world class musical acts, a stunning yet difficult venue, and memories fans would take with them for the rest of their lives. The spirit of the Allman Brothers Band was alive and well and we are happy to hear Gregg Allman is on the mend.

August 22, 2016
The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival Exceeds Expectations

The 7^th annual Werk Out Music and Arts Festival at Legend Valley Music Venue and Campground was stacked for success with a powerhouse line-up.

Taking place in Thornville, Ohio, August 4-6, it was more than just the music that fueled the success of this year’s festival. Anchored by moving tributes in honor of former Werks’ keyboardist Norman Dimitrouleas, as well a plethora of artist sit-ins and breakout performances, this year’s festival was marked with emotion and surprises.

The Werk Out’s biggest surprise literally fell on STS9 drummer Zach Velmer, when a female fan managed to bypass festival security. Once onstage, the fan made Werk Out history by attempting a trust fall onto Velmer and his kit. STS9 left the stage to regroup and returned for a high energy second set that closed out the Main Stage on Friday Night.

Friday afternoon was highlighted by the Big Damn Jam’s performance of the Beatles’ classic album Abbey Road. The performance was dedicated to Dimitrouleas, who passed earlier this year. As a member of Big Damn Jam, Dimitrouleas always wanted to perform the album. After his passing, BDJ decided to honor him posthumously with the performance at this year’s Werk Out Music Festival.

The Abbey Road set included a rotating cast of musicians most notably Dino Dimitrouleas (The Werks), Todd Stoop, Alex Delk (Octopus’ Garden), Marcus Cornwell (The Vibe) and Justin Robb (Litz) as well almost a dozen other musicians throughout the afternoon set. Most of the musicians participating had played with Dimitrouleas in various projects over the year. During the set, fabric flowers fashioned from Dimitrouleas’ old shirts were passed out in his honor. Fans and musicians wore them on hats, backpacks and various pieces of clothing throughout the rest of the weekend.

The tributes to Dimitrouleas continued throughout the weekend including The Werks’ Saturday night encore with a dedicated performance of “Carry Me Back Home.”

“I’ve never been so emotionally touched by a musical performance as I was during the Werks encore tribute to Norman on Saturday night,” said Zachary Burns of Grand Rapids, MI. “Everything from the crowd chanting ‘DINO! DINO! DINO!’, to Dino’s speech before the song starting, to seemingly every member and a good portion of the crowd crying during ‘Carry Me Back Home.’ That was the definition of being happy and sad at the same time.”

The Werk Out’s most talked about performance came in the form of the Twerkapod “Tribute to the 90s.” Featuring members of Twiddle, The Werks, and Dopapod, the Friday night late night set was packed with a mix of obvious choices (Green Day, Blink 182, Sublime, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine) and stunning surprises (Britney Spears, Hanson and TLC). Highlighted performances from the set included “Gangsta’s Paradise” which featured a perfect reproduction of the song’s ending choral arrangement and Twerkapod’s word perfect performance of TLC’s “Waterfalls.”

Fans of The Werks weren’t in agreement on which of the weekends multiple sets were the band’s best. Most found that each of the weekend’s set contributed a different experience for the weekend.

“I really enjoyed the first Werks set on Thursday,” noted Tyler Raymond of Michigan. “I’ve seen the Werks more than any other band and the sound and production was top notch from them. The way the light show was coordinated with the band was seriously next level. You could really tell that they were putting the shows on for us and that the guys really love us.”

Dino Dimitrouleas, currently on a hiatus from bass duties with The Werks, joined his band mates on several occasions for sit-ins throughout the weekend starting Friday night. “When Dino came on stage in the tent everyone was so happy” Raymond told NYS Music, “Definitely a moment to always remember.”

Vermont based quartet Twiddle continued to create a buzz about their unique brand of jam. Raymond also noted that the band’s Saturday night sunset performance on the Side Stage was among his favorite non-Werks set of the weekend. “They are moving up the list of my favorite bands quickly because what they bring to the take is so fresh and different than anyone else out there right now.”

The weekend also featured several breakout performances. New York’s Mister F and Teddy Midnight created a buzz in the Big Tent Stage. North Carolina’s Big Something capitalized on their first Werk Out appearance on the Side Stage with a high energy afternoon performance on Saturday afternoon, while Maryland based band Litz turned heads during their Big Tent Stage set, which featured a sit-in from Twiddle keyboardist Ryan Dempsey.

In fact, the weekend was full of sit-ins including Twiddle’s Mihali Savoulidis and The Werks’ Chris Houser performing with Greensky Bluegrass and Dopapod’s Rob Compa shredding during Twiddle’s “Apples.” And according to Derrick Webber of Ypsilanti, MI, these sit-ins add a new element of musicianship for some of his favorite musicians. “It blows me away to hear such clean performances from guys that don’t typically play together, and the passion they still have is inspiring.

The weekend’s ultimate sit-in featured members of the Werks, Twiddle, Greensky Bluegrass and Big Something in Matt Butler’s Everyone Orchestra. Butler finds a way to coordinate a variety of musical sounds, while leading his EO members to create unique and one time only jams. Twiddle bassist Zdenek Gubb stepped on stage to lead the EO to the highest energy, grooved out dance party of the set. However, Houser received the set’s MVP award for showcasing a variety of styles, genres and face-melting solos throughout the performance.

Beyond the music, the Werk Out featured a large number of vendors, giving attendee’s a variety of food, beverages, merchandise and crafts to choose from over the weekend. Vendors for the weekend all were competitively priced, creating a fairly priced and active marketplace throughout the weekend.

Nick Augustine, a first time Werk Out attendee from Maryland, noted that his favorite non-musical part of the weekend was the fire spinners and propane dance floor set up near the late night stage. “What a cool addition to the atmosphere!”

The Werk Out looks to return to the Legend Valley Music Venue and Campground for its eighth installment next August. The venue has plenty of space for the festival to grow without the inconvenience of having to move locations to accommodate its growing popularity. What the Werk Out does right is that it cultivates an environment of friendship and community while packing its line-up with musicians and artists that clearly have solid working relationships and mutual respect for their fellow musicians.

Augustine, who told NYS Music that he will be making the Werk Out an annual addition to his summer festival plans, said it was the overwhelming sense of community that made the festival a stand-out event. “The staff, the crew and the people were all adding to making this festival fun, beautiful, exciting and safe. From the decorations to the sound and lights to the amount of good vibes and vending, this festival was one of the best I’ve attended!”

August 19, 2016
Vulfpeck Announces New Album ‘The Beautiful Game’ with Unique Kickstarter

Funk band Vulfpeck announced their newest album ‘The Beautiful Game’ today in unique fashion. Sending out only the artwork and a link to a Kickstarter, with a goal of $1, the band offers up a download of the upcoming album for only $10, available in October 2016.

As of this writing, the Kickstarter has raised over $17,000, after only a few short hours since being announced.

Watch the video announcement of the album:

August 18, 2016
Arise Festival Stands Tall Among Giants
There is an ancient Eastern ritual cycle known as Jo-Ha-Kyu which has been applied to tea ceremonies, martial arts rituals, and even theater performances. The cycle was created to create intention and awareness to the different stages of life. From August 5-7 outside Loveland, Colorado, a family-run, independent music festival, called Arise, enacted the spirit of that intentional cycle through its three-day event. The festivities opened with a beautiful opening ceremony that included a series of “Jo”-like songs, chants, and prayers aimed at infusing festival-goers with an air of respect and care not often found at music festivals.

The ritual “Ha” concept emphasizing the activity of becoming, often referred to “the swirl of days,” spun its way through the Arise weekend with a constant parade of live and electronic music acts including Jurassic 5, Colorado’s own, Elephant Revival, the Hard Working Americans, and Papadasio. The Area 51 stage hosted a bevy of bass-thumping EDM acts throughout the weekend. Still, mixed into the swirl were a number of self-reflective activities including yoga, philosophical discussion groups, and environmentalist workshops, including one led by the world-renowned activist, Julia Butterfly.

Certainly there are other festivals attempting to infuse self-reflective elements of artistic expression with art structures, live painting, play spaces, and spiritual growth workshops into the music scene. However, it is a testament to Arise organizers that they continue to grow as a family-run event in a saturated festival market that is increasingly being dominated by large-corporately-funded events. Arise grew this year even as a new festival, backed by a music industry giant, sprung up in a nearby location the same weekend.

The Arise weekend closed with rousing performances by the likes of Ziggy Marley, the New Mastersounds, and the Old World beats of Dirtwire, an EDM project founded by members of Beats Antique. A final ceremony closed the festival early Monday morning. “Kyu” rituals are designed to acknowledge the collections of communal experiences with the hope that participants have created a singular experience that is more than just another multi-day party. As the sun peaked over the rust-colored hills, and festival-goers slowly gathered in a circle to join hands, the sight was enough make one’s heart grow three sizes too large.
August 15, 2016
The Evolving Evolfo at Shea Stadium Brooklyn

The night was dirty, loud, revolutionary, beer-soaked and pleasantly dark. I’m not only describing the inside of indie Brooklyn’s sacred sanctuary, Shea Stadium, but also the band behind the interior madness, Evolfo. As the band entered the stage, their UFO style of music was introduced to the crowd with a thunderous instrumental intro highlighting everything from the keyboard and bass to the drums and horn section.

One of their newer installments, “Bloody, Bloody Knife,” had a familiar, almost White Stripes meets 60’s punk sound and included a guitar solo by Matt Gibbs. During the solo, his hair completely covered his face while he melted our faces. The crowd favorite, “Mechanicals,” created an infectious dance party with a late night lounge feel. The whirling keyboard effect used by Rafferty Swink sounded like something Dr. Dre may steal for his next album while Matt Gibbs’ creative lyrics were politely screamed in a Shakespearean manner. As soon as it feels like the song couldn’t get anymore genre blending, the bursting horns march their way into the room like an impromptu parade down Bourbon Street. Gibbs gave the crowd a minute to catch our breath as he highlighted how ecstatic the group was to play in such an iconic, underground sonic space.

After boogieing through “Love Like a Freak,” Evolfo kept the most recent songs coming with “Rat City.” Imagine David Bowie’s “Suffragette City” played with a faster tempo by a psychedelic garage band like The 13^th Floor Elevators, but with just the perfect amount of brass to shackle it to the ground. Next up was “Let’s Carry On” which saw bass player Ronnie Lanzilotta stomping back and forth like an air guitarist on Red Bull. His energy was so intense he cosmically summoned one of the members from the opening act, Mobile Steam Unit, to jump on stage and rage with him equally as hard. The momentum spread like the Zika virus and before you knew the entire crowd was infected; one of the highlights of the hour long set.

Judging by the “Herbie and the Headhunters” t-shirt worn by their bearded saxophonist, Jared Yee, this gnarly crew were no strangers to the realm of funk. They have no shame in fronting as a “funk band” even though they consider themselves “garage-soul.” One of the best tunes that display their thrilling, chilling funk talent is “Wild Man” which Evolfo played with delightfully terrifying precision. I had a moment to speak about the visually freaky yet addicting music video for “Wild Man” with Gibbs before the set, inquiring about the first music video regarding any correlation to the imagery in the video compared to what he thinks about while on stage. He replied:

“Well some things in the video do quite literally have a place in our show. Some of the outfits and the demon mask and other small things have made their way onto the stage over the years. And then, of course, I hope that we portray some of that raw animal magnetism. I would love for real life to be as crazy as “Wild Man.” If we’re in the zone and we’re getting the energy from the audience I believe we can really live up to that fun with reckless abandon. As far as what’s on my mind while I play, I pretty much always wish I could pour some ambrosia on the audience and make them turn into animals. That would be ideal.”

After the “Wild Man” lit up the room with aerobic weirdness, they were ready to give us what we wanted, the title track to the newly announced EP, Last of the Acid Cowboys. The lyrics are coming from a place of pure spacey madness. Swink’s keyboard is projecting a surfin’ synthesizer sound while he sings in an eerily familiar Jim Morrison tone. If this song doesn’t wind up on the next Quentin Tarantino soundtrack, someone isn’t doing enough research.

Gibbs shed some details about the new EP and it was time for one more classic Evolfo tune for the brass-aholics in the crowd. Loaded with sexual innuendos, tantalizing bass lines and mod soul-funk, the climax during “You Light Me Up” is definitely the horn (or horny, sorry, I had to) section. Their time on stage was short and sweet, but the memory of that performance will last a long time, even for the fans in the booziest of states.

Musical evolution has been as much a staple of New York City as pizza, or more recently, Pokemon Go. Much like the global sensation of walking around with a smart phone and searching for rare creatures from a different dimension, a new species of music is evolving right before us. Label it whatever you want, but for those of us lucky enough to discover the rare Evolfo at Shea Stadium on a Wednesday night, we have a new band that is about to morph. After the release of their new EP, a tour is sure to follow and if they continue to put on shows with that sort of allure and creativity, I gotta catch em’ all.

August 12, 2016
A Milestone at 10: Pondfest Continues to Innovate

For any festival to survive – let alone thrive – for 10 years is an impressive feat. Bonnaroo and Coachella are two names that immediately pop into mind, but now it’s time to add Backwoods Pondfest to that list.

This past weekend at Twin Ponds Campsite in Peru, N.Y., Pondfest, which is put on by northern New York band Lucid, celebrated its 10^th birthday by throwing a truly cohesive party melding the fun of camping in the middle of the forest with live music.

The lineup mixed the best that the Adirondacks has to offer, with some of the bigger acts of the festival circuit. Lucid, a band straight from the heart of the Adirondacks, has been a staple of the weekend since inception, and while this year was the same, it was also very different. Last year, the band announced it was taking a long break, but not officially breaking up and would continue to play events like Pondfest.

And just to put any rumors to bed, bassist Chris Shacklett gave me a brief interview on Saturday afternoon to discuss the state of the band. First off, Lucid is not breaking up.

“We are totally shifting our focus,” Shacklett said. “Instead of continuing to hemorrhage money, we are being smarter about what we do. There’s not going to be much in the way of touring anymore, but we’re going to do more things like this (Pondfest).”

Along with Lucid, the other headliners were Melvin Seals and JGB, Pink Talking Fish (is Bowie), the Blind Owl Band and Twiddle’s guitarist Mihali Savoulidis and his ‘Frends’, who brought the surprise of a Twiddle set. NYS Music contributor Chelsea Wright was in attendance and gives us a first hand account of how it went down:

“I received a message from Lowell, letting me know that there would be a special surprise Thursday night. I made the last minute decision to travel the two hours from Vermont for the ‘Mihali & Frends’ show, knowing that if Lowell promised a surprise, it was bound to be extra special. Having seen Mihali & Frends the weekend prior as a part of Twiddle’s first major event, Tumble Down, I knew that some amazing collaborations were going to happen – at his sold out Higher Ground show, he brought together musicians from Nahko & Medicine For The People, Twiddle, and the Kitchen Dwellers for two full hours of incredible jams.

Arriving just on time, I approached the stage and Mihali was just getting it started by inviting a few good Frends up to join him. It was like revolving doors, including some of my favorite musicians; Ryan Dempsey on keys, Jamie Armstrong on Sax, Joshua West on drums, to Kevin Sabourin on guitar and vocals. At one point Brad Hester from Annie in The Water came up and had a back and forth match on a kazoo, with Jamie’s sax. Then they switched it up to Chris Shacklett on bass, Lowell Wurster on percussion and vocals, the beautiful Meadow on vocals, and then the big surprise of a total shift into a set by Twiddle. After Twiddle finished, Mihali remained, and invited members of Capital Zen up to join him. It was an all-around party, with special moments that no one could have anticipated.”

Arriving on Friday, I was greeted by multiple ambulances and state police cars with lights flashing all over. I was not allowed to enter for nearly two hours as the entrance was blocked for any cars getting in or out.

When pressed for a reason, a State Police officer said, “We’re here because of some overdoses. Make sure you’re safe when you go in.”

Derek Haviland, the press and marketing man for the festival, said there weren’t any overdoses in the sense that you’d think of, but rather that someone had simply imbibed a bit too much and just needed a little help. He hinted at a bit of an overreaction by local first responders.

“Little towns like this aren’t really used to stuff like this, so I think they just took any and every precaution while they were here,” Haviland said, adding that the individual was fine by the following morning. “We are safety first; we took all the right precautions.”

With my delayed arrival killing any chance at seeing Hayley Jane and the Primates, Bella’s Bartok, Thunder Body and Lucid, I arrived just as Melvin Seals was taking the stage. The longtime keyboardist for Jerry Garcia had a nice groove going for “Cats Under the Stars,” before starting right up into a Grateful Dead regular, “Sugaree.” “Strugglin’ Man,” “Rhapsody in Red” and “Money Honey” perfectly captured the essence of a JGB show, with swirling, noodly guitar and the big church organ sound. “Sisters and Brothers” and “Deal” were my personal favorites, with the latter coaxing an uproarious applause from the crowd of beards, sun dresses and dreadlocks.

Right after, on the Woods Stage, Syracuse hip-hop trio Sophistafunk took the audience on a positive mental trip with lyrics of encouragement, happiness and elation.

Spiritual Rez then started the late night sets and there seemed to be a large congregation of fans in attendance mainly to see this band. After a set with some sit-ins, Rez gave way to Tweed on the Woods Stage at around 2:25 a.m.

Tweed could be categorized as a jamtronic act, but I thought the set was more dreamy than anything else. Because of the downpour, I made the decision to hear the set from my tent which was about 300 feet from the stage. I drifted right off into blissful slumber.

Waking up in the woods when the weather is hot but still pleasant, is everything I want in a festival morning. This morning was special as some of my favorite live acts were slated to perform. Making my way backstage to interview some folks, I bumped into Formula 5’s bassist and the young Gregg Allman-lookalike James Woods, who was energized and pumped for the band’s set later that afternoon.

After grabbing a sausage, egg and cheese, two coffees and water (thanks to my editor), I made my way to catch some of Doomf#@k, a band with some of the Lucid guys. I can only describe this act as a talented, humorous joke band.

The Honey Smugglers were slated to perform on the smaller stage, but because the members of The Brummy Brothers, scheduled to perform on the main stage later, got into a car accident and were unable to make the trek, the Smugglers were asked to move from their slot and play on the main stage later.

Formula 5 comprises young men from the Adirondacks, led by guitarist Joe Davis who totes a red Gibson SG, a guitar he loves with all his heart.

“This thing is a beauty,” he said before loading in his gear.

F5’s set consisted of some of the tightest jamming I have ever heard from the group. Matt Richards, who recently took over keyboard duties, displayed the energy and enthusiasm he brings to the band. Woods and Davis are a natural team, with Davis typically weaving his speedy licks around Woods’ boisterous bass lines.

Mister F’s insane pace and tempo made them perfect for the late afternoon slot before Lucid and The Blind Owl Band satiated the crowd’s thirst for jams, before leading into Pink Talking Fish’s set in honor of David Bowie. The band weaved in songs from Bowie, Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd seamlessly while guitarist Dave Brunyak shredded uncontrollably.

Gang of Thieves, The Nth Power and Subsoil finished off the music with abandon and there wasn’t an unhappy soul in attendance.

With 10 years under the belt, Pondfest shows no signs of slowing down, even a bit. Attendees often speak of the weekend as “going home” to see their friends and make new ones. With a great philosophy and positive outlook, Pondfest stands to be around and rocking the Adirondacks for years to come.

August 11, 2016