ALL Interviews Episodes

It’s getting harder and harder these days to figure out what genre any band fits into. Take Lotus for example. Are they Electronica, Jamtronica, a jam band, a disco band? Who the hells knows. One thing is for certain though, they are wicked good at what they do, and their forthcoming release Free Swim is an absolute sonic delight. I don’t just throw that out there, I’ve listened to Free Swim several times, and I have to say it truly is one of their best albums to date, and perhaps one of my favo...

LaMP is named for the three members of the band, drummer Russ Lawton, guitarist Scott Metzger and keyboard player Ray Paczowski. Each are very active musicians in the Jam Band community. Russ and Ray perform with the Trey Anastasio band, and their own outfit Soule Monde. Scott is involved with Wolf!, The Showdown Kids, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and more recently Circles Around the Sun. All three as you can imagine are veteran improvisers who are really good at their craft. Back in December 2018, t...

Rebelution's latest album Dub Collection features 15 dub versions of the band's hits, and another five tracks, is absolutely a fun listen. I've been a fan of Rebelution's message, and their music, and so being reintroduced to some of their more popular tunes in a dub format is just great. More to the point, I've been listening to dub music since high school, and so this feels like home in many ways. We tracked down Eric Rachmany, Rebelution's lead singer, and guitar player to get a sense of why ...

On July 25th, 2020, Fans.com will be streaming a historic and timely 16 hour event that will pay tribute to the very rich history of Black American music. Those 16 hours will include an eclectic mix of music throughout the ages, ranging from blues to funk to hip-hop. The event itself is the brainchild of concert promoter and entrepreneur Peter Shapiro and Steve Jordan the artistic director of the Jazz Foundation of America. In fact, the event is specifically geared to raising awareness of Black ...

Mike Dillon, is without a doubt a gifted percussionist, that mostly at this point in his career dabbles in mallet instruments like the vibraphone, xylophone and marimba. In fact as you'll soon hear, not only does he play a multitude of these instruments, he has quite the collection of tools at his disposal that he has built up over the years. He has, as you could imagine, played with a whole host of musicians who have sought out his very specialized craft including, Les Claypoool, Rickie Lee Jon...

Alex Jordan has been involved in the music scene in the Bay Area for a few years now, and you’ve heard his work with Midnight North. Now as he sets out on his own, he’s released a very impressive solo record that needs to be heard. So we caught up with Alex to talk about the subtitles of being an exhibitionist and putting out a record. Our conversation started when I asked Alex what the impetus was for making this record, and how things got started back in November 2017. To keep up with Alex che...

A quarter century since releasing their debut, West Coast Boogaloo, the Greyboy All-Stars are set to release their first record in almost 7 years, Como De Allstars. The title track is everything you've come to expect from this jazz and funk outfit with their boogaloo blend. While there is some timely chanting on the title track which we'll get to in our interview with Robert Walter of the band, make no mistake, this band is still the Greyboy Allstars, with even greater musical chops and prowess. I can't tell you how excited I was when I got a notification that the new single existed and indeed when I followed up and listened to it, I was giddy dancing in my condo. So it was with that, that I tracked down Robert Walter the keyboardist in the outfit to talk about the decision to put out new music even though they aren't the once active touring band they were in their hay day with each member moving on to more full time jobs. And that is exactly where the conversation started when I aske…

The world could probably use a lot more positive energy in it right now so there is probably no better time for a new album from Iration, which typically exudes good vibes and good feelings. Such is certainly the case with Coastin', and though it's a little more introspective and collaborative then their past 6 albums, make no mistake about it, this album will uplift you with its rock reggae sound. Aside from Eric Rachmany of Rebelution, and Stick Figure, the album also boasts guest spots from Common Kings and Eli-Mac. We caught up with Micah Pueschel to talk about the record, and our conversation started when I asked what made making this record, their 7th record in 15 years, so special. You definitely should check out the video for Right Here Right Now on youtube and the entire record when its out in just a few weeks. For more on Iration visit irationmusic.com. 

On June 26th, LoHi records will be releasing On the Road: A tribute to John Hartford. For the uninitiated John, a musician, and a bonafide artist, was a genre bending genius who many credit for planting the seeds of the current jamgrass movement, and what many consider Americana music. His accomplishments are vast, and his contribution to roots music are well documented. So it just makes sense that LoHi records, put together this tribute, filled with so many prominent artists who have Hartford to thank for setting up the scene of which they are a part. Bands like Leftover Salmon, Railroad Earth, The Infamous Stringdusters, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades have all contributed covers to this collection that includes many more great bands and artists. I’ve been listening to the collection for what feels like months since I begged the publicist to share it with me, but only recently did I catch up with Chad Staehly the man responsible for curating the sonic deliciousness that is On the Road:…

Omagah! Guster with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra was released to fans via the band’s website and bandcamp page in early May. It features 11 songs spanning the bands almost 30 year career and includes a few tracks from their last album "Look Alive", released just last year. We’ve followed the career of Guster seemingly from day one, and have always been impressed with their music. They aren’t by the way a nostalgic act by any means. They’ve fairly consistently put out new music and are extremely active touring. We caught up with Ryan Miller to talk more generally about the band’s career to date and quite specifically about Omagah!

In March of 2018 we got word that two stalwarts in the Jam Band world, Tom Hamilton and Holly Bowling were joining forces with a few other musicians to create something new called Ghost Light. Of course we got Tom and Holly on the phone and talked at great length about the project, and where things were heading. Just over two years later, after an album release, and several tours, they are releasing their first ever official live album taken from their performance March 30th, 2019 at the Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver Colorado. The album, like most Ghost Light shows is filled with original songs, covers, and exploratory jams that you just have to hear. Back when we chatted in March of 2018, Tom and Holly were both really excited about how the band came together in the process. Now some two years later, I wondered if that same excitement and cohesion still existed, and that's what I asked as I started my conversation with Tom Hamilton Jr.

Song List:

Everyone in the Jam Band scene has some idea of who Mihali is. In case you don't, he's the front man for Vermont's Twiddle. Twiddle have been around since 2004, and since that time, Mihali has been the principal song-writer for the band. What you may not know is that Mihali has also spent a lot of time gigging as a solo act, but has never released his own album. As you'll soon hear, it's a project he's been thinking about for quite some time, and it really came together over the last few years. His music, as you'd probably expect, is rooted in reggae sounds and vibes. To produce the album he enlisted Eric Krasno, and invited a few friends to record as well. We caught up with Mihali fresh off his solo show at the Live from Out There virtual festival, to talk about Breathe and Let Go which he performed in its entirety and much more. 

We've been following the decade long career of Real Estate since the beginning. Now in their tenth year, they recently released their fifth album The Main Thing. The album comes at a time when the band previously in personnel flux has solidified their line-up and are set for a new beginning of sorts. It's always hard, as a band, to figure out where they want to go sonically as they mature as an act, if the circumstances afford them that opportunity. The Main Thing while still rooted in poppy hooks, vocal harmonies and solid songwriting does denote a new kind of sound for the band. So we caught up with Martin Courtney and Alex Bleeker of Real Estate to talk about the new album, a few interesting projects and a whole lot more. Stick around for the whole show and hear two great solo performances of Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter tunes as Martin Courtney tackles Stella Blue and Alex Bleeker handles Dupree's Diamond Blues, performances taken from a special Live from Out There tribute to Garcia…

The Steep Canyon Rangers have been busy over the last little bit, releasing two projects in wide release. The North Carolina Songbook is a re-release of sorts, having released the live album from their performance at Merlefest on Record Store Day originally on vinyl, it has now found its way to the digital sphere. They’ve also released a pseudo greatest hits record Be Still Moses that was recorded with the Asheville Symphony. We’ve never chatted with the band who are bluegrass stalwarts not only in their home state of North Carolina, but pretty much all over the country. So we got in touch with Woody Platt to talk about these two releases, and is usual the case, our conversation wandered into different subjects including the current state of bluegrass, the band’s history with comedian and banjo player Steve Martin and well, much more.

We’ve watched Nicole Atkins’ career blossom in front of our eyes. I was a big fan of her debut Neptune City back in 2007, and with each subsequent record, she has impressed and matured, and now is no longer just a musician but a bonafide artist. Her latest release, Italian Ice which comes out May 29th is a pot pourri of lush sonic landscapes and musical influences. All of it though, in some way, harkens back to her days in New Jersey, as a young musician, who sought her own voice in the music business. And so our very detailed conversation began when I suggested to Nicole that while you can take the girl out of Jersey, since now lives in Nashville, you can’t take the Jersey out of the girl, and thus I wondered how much she thinks about those old days on the Jersey Shore. For more on Italian Ice visit nicoleatkins.com. Also, do follow Nicole on social media for details on her live Saturday night performances during this Covid19 mess.

I first heard Mike Mattison’s voice, like so man my of us did, listening to Derek Trucks Band records, but truly, the break through was a song called Sweet Inspiration. But Mike is more than just a singer as his now with the Tedeschi Trucks Band, he is a musician, a songwriter, an incredibly talented artist. He’s made records with a project called Scrapomatic, which is, as you’d expect rooted in blues, but After Glow a solo record,  shows his breadth as a songwriter, and the palette of sounds at his disposal. After Glow, his second solo record offers more than what you’d probably expect. It’s filled with Americana, Country and more, giving us some insight into the singer songwriter and artist Mike actually is.

You may not instantly know the name Shira Elias, but you will recognize her voice from her work with Turkuaz, and while that is an important piece of her career, her new solo EP Goods is her big focus right now. The EP will be released May 29th and available wherever you listen to music, is inspired by her time in New York and in many ways represents a career path she had always intended. She teamed up with producer MEGA to create a 6 song EP that is soulful, personal and harkens back to the kind of music she grew up listening to. For more on Shira Elias' solo work, follow her on Instagram at shirashirabangbang.

Pacific Range are a new band out of Los Angeles that we are really digging. In fact, their new album High Upon the Mountain is one of our favorite records of the year so far, and for good reason. The band's sound is a throwback to stuff we really dig, like the Allman Brothers Band, The Grateful Dead, The Byrds, and Crosby Stills and Nash. The four piece uses harmonies, sweet grooves, and great guitar licks, to bring you into a very laid back west coast vibe. All kinds of people we have talked to in the past were involved in the project so we were stoked to learn more about the band. So we contacted Curation Records, a new label also out of LA and got in touch with Seamus Turner, the band's principle songwriter, vocalist and lead guitar player.For more on Pacific Range visit pacificrangeband.com. 

For many, like myself, Lettuce are one of the favorite bands in the Jam Band community. They are this massively awesome hybrid of funk, jazz, soul, R&B, hip-hop and much more. The truth is, the band is almost impossible to categorize, but many put them in the funk category. And if it's funk that you're after Lettuce delivers on every version of funk imaginable. It's the jams, the horns, the tight rhythm section, all of it, is just outstanding. They've been sitting on this gem of a new album for a couple of months now, but I can tell you, having listened to Resonate in its entirety a few times, it delivers where their Grammy award winning Elevate left off, and in many ways, goes deeper and farther. It's that legit. We've had several members of Lettuce on the show before including Ryan Zoidis, Adam Dietch and Eric Benny Bloom, but it was time to hear from Jesus, Erick Coomes this go around, and our conversation was just great. To learn more about Resonate, hit up lettucefunk.com and do …

Andy Frasco’s story has been well documented. His live antics are well known. But behind all of that is a gentle guy who deals with depression, insecurity and much more. On his last album Change of Pace, we were all exposed to his personal struggle and on Keep on Keepin’ On that very authentic human condition is exposed once again. He is an excellent showman, front man and prolific digital media content maker, but he is way more complex than all of that. So though he isn’t currently on tour, he is still putting out his podcast, a weekly live stream and tons of content. When Andy and I hooked up and got to talking I was curious to understand how he finds the time to do everything.

We’ve been in the Goose hunt for quite some time. In fact, back in 2018 both Peter and Rick joined us to talk about the band and their opening slot on Spafford’s spring tour. Ever since then, we’ve been heaping tons of praise on them and scurrying around to find their music, buy their music and share their music with you. Today, the guys release their first live record, a collection of tunes from the past year, a really important time in the bands evolution.  “Alive and Well” is more than just a compilation. It’s a really solid collection if you’re a fan, but also extremely accessible for people new to Goose. We caught up with Peter, Rick, Trevor and Ben to talk about a bunch of topics, and as you’ll hear, they were candid and somewhat humbled by their current circumstance as being one of THE bands on the scene right now.

We're big fans of Leslie Mendelson. She is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter who is quite talented and varied in her presence in various scenes both in and out of the jam band community. She's played with Bob Weir at TRI Studios, worked on a project or two with Steve Kimock, and has opened for The Who in NYC at MSG. Her debut release was nominated for a Grammy, and her follow up Love and Murder remains one of our favorite albums since we started this podcast. Now she is set to release "If You Can't Say Anything Nice" which delves a little deeper into the human condition, more specifically hers, and offers up a fairly eclectic view of her as an artist. So, of course, we had to get Leslie on, to talk about the new record, cause we dig it quite a bit. 

We’ve had John Lovero of The Higgs on before and in the time since, their prominence as more than just an LA jam band has certainly grown. They’ve added new management and have opened for Twiddle and other well known Jam Bands on the scene. Rose Will Fall is an unbelievable mix of live music from The Higgs. Exciting stuff ahead for The Higgs and you know we’ll be following their story and bringing you updates as we hear or get them. For more info visit thehiggsmusic.com.