All Jazz/Funk/Soul/R&B Episodes

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.

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 make sure you grab it on May 8th. 

The forthcoming, Central City is John Papa Gros' third solo record after fronting Papa Grows Funk in the early part of the century. With some heavy hitters from the New Orleans scene joining him on the record, it's a conversation I have been looking forward to for quite a long time. John Papa Gros is amongst probably the next line of musicians coming out of New Orleans that really pay close attention to the heritage of New Orleans music scene. Like other musicians from that town, few hesitate to be ambassadors for the city. Our conversation started when I asked John what it is about New Orleans that makes everyone want to be an ambassador for the city. Sadly, with the Covid19 action hitting everyone, The New Orleans Jazz Festival has been rescheduled for the fall. The good news though, is that Central City is still scheduled for release April 17th, so you can listen to the record and soak up New Orleans then. For more info visit johnpapagros.com. 

We were sent some new music from a publicist who is very supportive of our show and often connects with great bands so we can bring them to you. A few weeks ago, she sent along a link to check out Crowd Company's latest release "Lowdon". Initially heard this band was based in the UK. Having said that they are immensely talented and have some true funk chops but also a few friends who helped make this record. In fact, the record was produced by Alan Evans, a member of Soulive in his studio in the Boston area. Also, you may not instantly recognize the horns, but they are in fact, Lettuce's Ryan Zoidis and Eric "Benny" Bloom. They are absolutely outstanding. So obviously we wanted to learn more about this band and got in touch with Rob Fleming, the lead vocalist and guitar in the band and for all intents and purposes, the band's leader. You can learn more about Crowd Company by visiting crowdcompanyfunk.com. 

Antibalas has been making music now for some 20 years. Their Afrobeat sound, which has continuously expanded beyond its origin is influenced in large part by Fela Kuti, but that’s certainly not where their sound ends. On Fu Chronicles, the Antibalas ensemble explores even more sounds, with the aid of Amayo’s lyrical borage this album becomes an interesting melange or even more sounds and ideas. Martin Perna is the baritone sax player amongst on other instruments in Antibalas and is one of the band’s ring leaders with Amayo. We caught up with Martin who has been on tour with Antibalas. Our conversation started when I asked Martin about the unusual blending of Kung Fu and Afrobeat together to make this record. For more on Antibalas including tour dates visit Antibalas.com.

Ripe is a fairly young pop funk rock seven piece outfit, but their sound is big and their chops are quite mature. So to is Ripe frontman Robbie Wulfsohn who was in town earlier this week with Ripe. We’ve chatted before, but what made this conversation so interesting is that we did it in a room Robbie had been in many times before as a fan. Make sure you follow Ripe on social media or check out their site at ripe.band.

While we've had Moon Hooch on the show before, their new album "Life on Other Planets" created an opportunity to once again explore this trio of musicians, who are making incredibly impressive music that is certainly undefinable. There are odes to Jazz, R&B, rock and EDM, but when you put that all in a blender, the sound is more robust than those genres. Then when you think about the instrumentation of the band, which includes two horn players and a drummer, not to mention a whole bunch of synths and midi sequences being fired, well, there is a lot to discuss. So we got in touch with Mike Wilbur, a third of the trio and half of the writing team, to discuss Moon Hooch, where they are at and where they are headed.

The Kudrachrone EP marks a rebirth of sorts for Turkuaz, taking the band back to a more soulful R&B sound more similar to the Stereochrome EP.  In fact, they’ve also shelved the colorful outfits of the last several album cycles in favor of just four colors for their on stage presence; white, black, tan and grey.  Dave Brandwein has always been really great about joining us on the podcast to explain what is going on with Turkuaz, but this time we also invited Dani, his wife, and the band’s creative director on to help explain this new chapter. 

The New Mastersounds are a Funk/Soul/Blues/Rock outfit that blend all of those sounds and more into a really brilliant mix that you have to hear. The band has always added extra pieces here and there from horns to extra percussion, and this album seems them add vocalist Lamar Williams Jr.20 years in, this four piece continues to evolve and led by Eddie Roberts there is no end in sight. We caught up with Eddie to talk about New Mastersounds, Shake It and his label Color Red, based in Denver, Colorado. To learn more about New Mastersounds visit newmastersounds.com, and do yourself a favor and check out Color Red Records at color-red.co

The Adam Deitch Quartet is a side project for one of the busiest drummers on the go. Aside from his work in Lettuce and Break Science, Deitch is always matching up with other players, and in fact producing music. We get into some of those details during our conversation, but suffice it to say, this dude is talented beyond measure. Perhaps the only thing that is bigger than his talent, is his appetite to play music that inspires him. Such is certainly the case with the Adam Deitch Quartet's debut record Egyptian Secrets. Is it a hip-hop record, a jazz record, a soul record, or straight ahead funk. The answer is "yes" to all of the above. For more information on the Adam Deitch Quartet and all things Adam Deitch visit deitchbeatsdontquit.com or or fanlink.to/egyptiansecrets.

We’re big fans of Holly since her debut of Tahoe Tweezer piano composition. For the uninitiated, Holly takes songs by both Phish and The Grateful Dead, transcribes each members parts and then builds out a new composition where she plays everyone’s parts. It’s phenomenal stuff. Aside from her solo work, Holly plays keyboards in Ghost Light another band we love, and is always around for guest spots. To say she’s busy doesn’t do her calendar justice. So we're delighted that she made time to chat about Live at the Old Church and much more. Our conversation started when I asked Holly how she keeps up with everything she’s up to. You can learn more about Holly’s solo work at hollybowling.com and for Ghost Light info visit ghostlightband.com.

Turkuaz recently released Afterlife Vol. 2, a collection of songs that didn't make their last album, Life in the City or the first EP Afterlife Vol. 1 and it features tracks that continue to see the band evolve and experiment. "Better Get Ready" as an example stretches the boundries of funk into what can only be described as a rock sound. We're impressed that they are bold enough to take chances and try new things. Thats brave. So we caught up with Dave "Blue" Brandwein to talk about the second volume of Afterlife to see what the band has going on, and what their plans are for the future. Our conversation started when I suggested to Dave that this final Afterlife EP puts a nice two year bow on all the band has been working on. To find out more visit turkuazband.com. 

Wanted to tell you about a new Jazz trio called Spaga.  They make interesting stripped down acoustic jazz music, and feature Aron Magner on piano. Of course, you know Aron from his other prominent project The Disco Biscuits, but as luck would have it, he has carved out some time to get back to his original passion, jazz piano. He created this project as an ode, to his humble beginnings, and wanted to test the limits of his abilities and those of his co-horts on this project. For my ears at least, sounds like they've done a great job. For more on Spaga, visit spagaband.com.

To describe Lettuce, in any specific genre would in itself be as silly as their name. They are a genre-busting six-member funk/jazz/soul/jam/psychedelic/hip-hop/art rock/ambient/avant-garde/experimental collective formed in 1992 by four alumni of the prestigious Berklee College of Music. But you probably knew that already. They've released a series of a records, but it's been a while since 2017's Witch's Stew a tribute to Miles Davis came out. They are constantly on the road, trying out new jams, and even played some Jerry Garcia Band tunes at Lockin' festival last summer. So with all that in mind, we wanted to catch up with Ryan Zoidis the sax wielding maniac of the band, to get some insight into Elevate and more. Elevate is going to blow the roof off your car, home, or frankly your noggin' once you hear it. I can tell you, first hand, it's a burner, and you'll love it all. Good thing it's out June 14th. For more on Lettuce and their tour schedule visit lettucefunk.com. 

Gnomes and Badgers is the forthcoming record from Karl Denson due out March 8th. This record, is a significant departure for Denson in that it has very strong political overtones, something he truly has stayed away from until now. Aside from the usual Tiny Universe players, Chuck Leavell, Anders Osborne, Ivan Neville and Lukas Nelson also contributed in parts to the making of Gnomes and Badgers. It’s a powerful record both sonically and thematically, one that we were excited to talk to Karl about. Gnomes and Badgers is a poignant turning point perhaps for him, one that may see him sing more in the future, and one that may inspire more great writing. For tour dates, and more visit karldenson.com.

We’ve been big fans of Galactic dating back to 1998 and Crazy Horse Mongoose. They’ve always been a band that’s hard to describe blending New Orleans funk with R&B, soul, rock and several other sounds. In fact it’s almost impossible. What we appreciate most, aside from the music though, is the ambassadorship for New Orleans this band has taken on, no matter where they go, or what they do. They not only share the passion for the music from that town, but they’ve put their name behind the notion of curating music from all around North America with their recent acquisition of the famed Tipitina’s. With Already Ready Already Galactic continues to push both music boundaries while maintaining a very authentic funk sound. Stanton Moore the drummer of the band, who himself comes with a great degree of pedigree and prowess has always been one of our favorite personalities in the scene. Luckily we had the opportunity to chat with him about Already Ready Already, and way more. You can check out Already Ready Already wherever and however you listen to music and you can visit galacticfunk.com for tour dates and more.

When I first met Phil Tessis at a Jam Labs event here in Toronto at a local bar, he was a quiet, unassuming, gifted guitar player. What I didn’t know at the time, or rather immediately is that Phil is indeed part of an amazing Funk quartet that although local to Toronto has found some success across Canada and indeed the United States. So when we heard After Funk was releasing a new record, we had to get him on the show to talk about the band, their success to date, and where they are headed, figuratively and literally. For more on After Funk including tour dates all over North America and to pre-order Santa Barbara visit afterfunk.ca.

We’ve all been listening to the Disco Biscuits forever. We always keep an eye out for Marc Brownstein’s work, since we appreciate his work on bass, and he has similar taste in music. So when we read that he started this new project called Star Kitchen, a Funk type thing, we were jonesing to hear exactly what was going on. Luckily there is some music floating around, and we’re fortunate that tapers like Eric McRoberts who make awesome live recordings was at Stageone in Fairfield, Connecticut to catch Star Kitchen last week. Once we heard the music, we had to get Brownie on the line, to ask what was going on with Star Kitchen.

The Motet have been on our radar for a long time. We like their version of Funk, Soul and R&B quite a bit. They have a new record "Death or Devotion" which is dropping January 25th, so it just made sense to sit down and talk with someone from the band before they hit the road. Luckily, we tracked down Lyle Divinsky a fairly new member to the group. In fact in 2016 three new members were added to the line-up, Lyle, Parris and Drew. The Motet also have an extensive tour coming up, and you should definitely check them out on the road at themotet.com.

While John Medeski fronts Mad Skillet, an interesting four piece borne out of New Orleans jams, the project is certainly a sum of its of it’s parts. The band includes the under appreciated Will Bernard on guitar and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band rhythm section featuring sousaphonist Kirk Joseph and Terence Higgins on Drums. It’s a very cool project, one that I certainly would love to see live. I caught up with John Medeski fresh off a stint in Japan. I can’t begin to tell you what a thrill it was to talk to John, who is a freaking musical genius. Like you, I have been listening to Medeski, Martin and Wood since day one. Mad Skillet’s debut is a tremendous record, and when you do listen to it, make sure you tune everything else out, and pay close attention to the production, the instruments, and the passion with which each of the players play. Oh, and I know you will want to get up and dance. For Mad Skillet tour dates visit johnmedeski.com or find the band on Facebook.

If you’ve part of the jam band scene for a while, you’ve no doubt heard the name Erik Deutsch. He’s been somewhat of a fixture dating back to his days with Fat Mama, solo pursuits and now part of Leftover Salmon. He is an extremely talented keyboard player and lends his talents to a multitude of projects. We recently caught up with Erik to talk about his solo record Falling Flowers.

Attempting to define the kind of music Ghost Note plays, would be near impossible. They are a jazz hybrid that play funk, r&b, soul, hip-hop and yes, they rock. Started by Snarky Puppy’s drummer Robert “Sput” Searight and percussionist Nate Werth. Rather than just telling you about this band that has complete blown my mind, we got in touch with Sput to talk about the Ghost Note Project. For more on Ghost Note check out Ghost-Note-Official.com.

Magic in the Other is the brainchild of drummer Ezra Lipp, who’s name may be familiar from the San Francisco Jam Band scene. He’s toiled with Phil Lesh and Friends, often hangs at Terrapin Crossroads and plays with ALO as well. Actually ALO bassist Steve Adams is also in the band, as well as guitar wizard Roger Reidlbauer. It’s an interesting project, blending solid instrumentals, with thought provoking songs. For more on release information, tour dates, and some cool videos, check out magicintheother.net.

MMW’s forthcoming release Omnisphere featuring Alarm Will Sound, is something definitely a little different for our audience and those that love Medeski Martin and Wood, but certainly not for guys themselves. Both John Medeski and Billy Martin are classically trained musicians who while dabbling in the jazz music we’ve been accustomed to hearing from them, always have sought opportunities to work on more complex arrangements. Alarm Will Sound is a chamber orchestra that focuses on contemporary pieces. Since I’m not even close to an expert on Classical music, we asked Billy Martin to come on the show and talk about the project since we’re big MMW fans, and give us an update on other MMW goings on. For more information on MMW visit medeskimartinandwood.com. You can also check our our MMW playlist at tsp.show/ECMMW or our MMW playlist on youtube at youtube.com/thesoundpodcast.

Though the record won't be out until September 28th, I did have a chance to sample it, and have to tell, you it might be their best to date. You can tell that the band, fronted by Dave Brandwein has really coming together and matured on this record. As you'll soon hear, this record was more collaborative then past efforts, and sonically you can tell that this band is hitting their studio stride. Long known for awesome live performances, I suspect Turkuaz will take another giant leap forward with their brand of funk, R&B, rock, and psychedelia. We chatted with Dave Brandwein about recording the new record, the song writing process and some other cool things. You should definitely check out turkuazband.com for tour dates, to pre-order Life in the City and much more.

The thing about being a talented musician is that you are often are in demand to play with many different people, and doing so, you aren’t necessarily afforded the time to work on your own projects. Such is the case for keyboard wiz, Robert Walter. He’s been touring extensively and making records with Mike Gordon, and is always is ready to jam with whomever asks. So when I heard that he had a new project inspired by space, comic books and science fiction I was psyched to check out. Robert and the 20th Congress will be playing a select number of dates around Spacesuit’s release, and to learn more visit robertwalter.com.

We’re big fans of all of Cory’s projects including his work with Vulfpeck, and had no idea until recently the physical and indeed mental crossroad he faced when he was just sixteen. Almost two decades ago, Cory suffered a concussive head injury which created a scenario where his right arm kept going numb. Unsure of what exactly was causing the numbness, doctors suggested that it was a blood clot that could potentially reach his brain, and ultimately kill him. His diagnosis was an ominous one, either he would die in a short amount of time or he would be fine. Luckily, his own gumption and perseverance guided him, and eventually the numbness and any thought of a blood clot faded. To learn more about The Optimist, and Cory’s upcoming tour schedule visit corywongmusic.com.

Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Five Alarm Funk has just one thing on their mind, creating music that makes you get up and dance, and SWEAT a lot. With a wide variety of influences from Antibalas to Zappa, this organically shaped funk outfit brings more than just the traditional sounds of James Brown and Tower of Power to the party. We caught up with drummer, vocalist and original member Tayo Branston to get the low down on the band, and their various collaborations. There is no disputing that Five Alarm brings the funk, and they do it all over the continent. Their shows are a party, one, you don’t want to miss. For more on Five Alarm Funk visit fivealarmfunk.com

Nolatet a jazz quartet from New Orleans, that features vibraphonist Mike Dillon, pianist Brian Haas, bassist James Singleton and drummer Johnny Vidacovich. Blacksheep is actually taken to their sophomore release, No Revenge Necessary, but these musicians are hardly just getting around to making a second record. Each have individual resumes that are significant, and the blending of rhythms, and sounds is quite evident on this record. I’ve always wanted to chat with Johnny Vidacovich the accomplished big easy drummer who has toiled on the scene for over 40 years. He’s about as New Orleans as beignes, crawfish and mardi-gras. With the world famous Jazz Festival well underway, we caught up with Johnny to talk about his drumming, Nolatet and much more. For more info about Nolatet and “No Revenge Necessary”, please visit Nolatet.com and for more info on Mr.Vidacovich’s universe, visit facebook.com/neworleansdrummer.

One of the things I enjoy most about The Sound Podcast project is bringing you new artists and bands that are on the cusp of really big things. I spend a lot of time reading about up and coming bands on-line, and listening to all kinds of music. I’m kind of your filter for whats good, and what isn’t so strong. As for what’s good, I recently came across Ripe, a band based out of Boston, that combine rock, funk, and fun into a tight little package of lively songs. They also feature a small but powerful horns section, which contributes mightily to the band’s overall sound. Ripe recently began a 30 city plus North American tour, and have also released their first full length record, Joy in the Wild Unknown. I caught up with Robbie Wulfshon the band’s lead singer, to get the scoop on their sound, their aspirations, and much more. For more on Ripe visit ripetheband.com and if you plan to see one of their shows, don’t forget to take a toy to the show for their toy drive.

Moon Hooch makes more noise than anyone I think I’ve ever heard. For those of you who don’t know, Moon Hooch is comprised of drummer James Muschler with Mike Wilbur and Wenzl McGowen on various saxophones. There are also some synthesizers mixed in for good fun and to keep the beat, and the electricity going! Now only 8 years into a professional career that started with busking on New York city streets, these cats are on fire, having recorded 4 full length albums and a couple of EPs in that short time. I find their live presence extremely intricate but totally interesting. I’m not sure anyone truly understands how all that stuff works, but Mike and the boys do, so good on them. They sound great, and we’re looking forward to hearing more from them, and seeing them on the road. For more on Moon Hooch and some tour dates in North America visit moonhooch.com.

Soulive has been a part of the quote unquote Jamband scene for quite some time now. The trio fuses hip-hop grooves, R&B melodies and jazz playing to deliver a unique sound onto its own. Each of them are terrific musicians and have gone on to busy careers in the larger music industry. Many of us have kept our eye and our ears on them, and have been waiting since 2012 for new recorded music from. They'd play the odd festival, their bowlive series at the brooklyn bowl each year, but the trio never committed any new music to recordings, as Soulive. Towards the end of last year, the trio went to Japan where they have a huge following to play some dates. While their they too came to the epiphany that they hadn't recorded in some time. As the story goes, thats what got them back in the studio. Recently I sat down with drummer Alan Evans to talk about just that.... and thats how our conversation started. While, Cinamtics Vol.1 is a great EP. I wish it was way longer. I am thrilled that they have developed a new formula for making music, and will hopefully make some time to record more.

  You’ve likely heard of Karl Denson, the flutist and saxophonist who began his career with Lenny Kravitz, was involved in the Greyboy All-Stars and has guested with several other musicians both in a live and studio setting. He continues to expand his horizons with his own group, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and the Karl Denson 3. He is currently experimenting with a project he calls “Eat a Bunch of Peaches” where Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe sprinkle their own versions of Allman Brothers songs into their set.  Karl is just back from playing in Europe with the Rolling Stones. When we sat down, the conversation started when I asked what it was like to play with the Stones….   You’ll definitely want to check out karldenson.com for music, upcoming tour dates and more.   Show Notes:    00:49 - Sweet Melissa 11:47 - Interview  34:11 - Seven Nation Army

Lettuce a funk collective known for their infectious live performances, took a sonic turn last year at the Catskill Chill in Lakewood Pennsylvania and completed a set of music, a tribute to the late great Miles Davis one of their most beloved influences. Seven tracks from that performance will be released on October 13th, as part of a hand-picked live record called Witches Stew. During a break in Lettuce’s tour schedule I had the chance to catch up with trumpeter Eric Bloom to discuss the Witches Stew project, Miles Davis’ impact on the music he and Lettuce make, and much more. I started by asking Eric about filling the shoes of Reshawn Ross, one time trumpeter of Lettuce who now hangs with the Dave Matthews Band….  For more on Lettuce visit lettucefunk.com and be sure to check out Witches Stew when it becomes available on October 13th.  More Links:  Lettuce on Youtube. Lettuce on Spotify. Lettuce on Facebook. You can listen to this episode below, or by connecting and subscribing to one of the podcast platforms here or search your favorite podcast platform for “The Sound Podcast”; Itunes: http://bit.ly/sndpodi TuneIn: http://bit.ly/sndti Stitcher: http://bit.ly/sndsti GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/sndplay Check out The Sound Podcast on Youtube, and subscribe today.  Get The Sound Podcast App: http://bit.ly/TSPAPPS Notes:  00:41 - Shhh Peaceful - taken from Witches Brew  11:07 - Interview  31:07 - Mt. Crushmore - taken from a live performance in Dallas, Texas 9-22-17   

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong are all about raw, emotional fun. I really dig their sound and you will to. Like most jam bands today, they blend all kinds of genres but they are rooted in a very sassy funk groove. We recently sat down with front man Greg Ormont to talk about their upcoming release Pizazz and a whole lot more. The conversation started just after I watched their Lockn’ set, and I asked Greg to recall how awesome that set was…… You can listen to this episode below, or by connecting and subscribing to one of the podcast platforms here or search your favorite podcast platform for “The Sound Podcast”; Itunes: http://bit.ly/sndpodi TuneIn: http://bit.ly/sndti Stitcher: http://bit.ly/sndsti GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/sndplay Get The Sound Podcast App: http://bit.ly/TSPAPPS

This band’s name in and of itself should evoke fun and frivolity, but giving Organ Freeman a listen will no doubt get you up and dancing. The three piece organ based trio brings a frenzied soul and funk attack that I’m sure you’ll appreciate. We recently had the chance to sit down with Trevor Steer the chief protagonist given that he’s the keys and organ player in Organ Freeman recently, to get his take on the project and their new album Respect My Art. We started by asking him how their sophomore release’s sound was so different from their first record…. 

I know you’ve heard Cory Wong play, because who isn’t a fan of his full time project Vulfpeck. With time away from the band, and deciding to stretch his creative muscle, Cory put together a pretty neat project called The Green Sc   reen Band. We recently sat down with Cory to get the low down on the Green Screen project, but I started with asking him how he liked Toronto since he was recently here with Vulfpek.   You can listen to this episode below, or by connecting and subscribing to one of the podcast platforms here or search your favorite podcast platform for “The Sound Podcast”; Itunes: bit.ly/sndpodi TuneIn: bit.ly/sndti Stitcher: bit.ly/sndsti GooglePlay: bit.ly/sndplay Get The Sound Podcast App: bit.ly/TSPAPPS

With the proliferation and abundance of music at an all time high, it’s almost impossible not to find something new and exciting on the music platforms we listen to. It’s also easier than ever to go back and listen to stuff you may have forgotten about or put aside years ago. That was certainly the case for me, when I remembered the name Antibalas, and the Afrobeat music this ensemble makes. Different incarnations of the band or individual performers have literally played with a who’s who of the music industry, but remembering the band’s name got me in the mood to check them out again. I recently sat down with the ring leader for lack of a better word of Antibalas baritone sax player Martin Pera. You can listen to this episode below, or by connecting and subscribing to one of the podcast platforms here or search your favorite podcast platform for “The Sound Podcast”; Itunes: http://bit.ly/sndpodi TuneIn: http://bit.ly/sndti Stitcher: http://bit.ly/sndsti GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/sndplay Get The Sound Podcast App: http://bit.ly/TSPAPPS

Since his debut record for this project “Beathoven” put out, Reed Mathis has assembled a hot band dubbed Electric Beathoven and taken his latest project on the road. To be clear, Electric Beathoven is an improvisational rock band that is guided by the works of Beathoven and for the debut record they are particularly inspired by his Symphony #3 and # 6. There isn’t anything more I can say about this project but wow, so I was psyched to sit down and chat with Reed who offered all kinds of interesting takes and insights…..

Describing Turkuaz as a pure funk band doesn’t do the musicians in this band enough justice, they play it all. Favorites on the Jamband Festival scene, these guys know how to bring the party wherever they go. I had a chance to sit down with Dave Brandwein the front man for the group just before they left for Bonnaroo……..

Inspiration can come from all kinds of places. When Adam and his brother Matthew decided to put together Jazz is Phish, they weren’t only inspired by the music of Phish, but also the Jazz is Dead project. The idea to bring a jazz sensibility to Phish’s music seemed like a natural way to tackle the band they love and the music they make.

You may know her name from her work with The Trey Anastasio Band, but Natalie Cressman’s work with that group, only scratches the surface of her ability and story. We had a chance to sit down with her to talk about this trombonist solo work, her time with TAB and much more. 

Imagine being so curious and transfixed by a live performance of a song by one of your favorite bands that you spend hours, transcribing and re-conceiving that song into something equally spectacular. Holly Bowling’s story takes a huge shift on July 31st, 2013 after experiencing the Tahoe Tweezer from Phish and her new journey begins. You can pick up Holly’s music here: CD / LP: http://bit.ly/blulp iTunes: http://bit.ly/hoboblu Spotify: http://bit.ly/hoboblu16 Catch Holly on tour: http://bit.ly/hobotixs