Episodes

What a LONG STRANGE TRIP is the title of the new Amir Bar-Lev authorized documentary of the Grateful Dead that I caught at the HOT DOC’s screening here in Toronto just a few nights ago. To say it’s a trip doesn’t do this four hour long look at our beloved band justice. The film takes you from the v…

Though they aren’t a household name yet, I predict big things for Southern Avenue, a Memphis based Blues, R&B, Gospel, Soul quintet, who have burst on the scene virtually out of nowhere. While their sound is tried and true, their story is a little less conventional.I sat down with Ori Naftaly to ge…

I sat down with Neal Casal guitar player extraordinaire for the Chris Robinson Brotherhood to get his take on what the Betty Blends project, an update on CRB’s forthcoming release and a few other items including information on a potential new Circles Around the Sun release. We started though talkin…

I would imagine innovating a sound, or rather pioneering a sound and then making your own by mastering it night after night can be a tiring task. That isn’t to say The New Deal, a live electronic band got bored of what they were doing, rather, they decided to improvise another career path. So in Ap…

I’ve been following the trajectory of Tom Hamilton’s career ever since his Brother’s Past days in the late 90s back at the Wetlands in New York. Since that time he has moved on to form a new band American Babies and is one of two guitar players and vocalists in Joe Russo’s Almost Dead . I’ve always…

If there was ever a musician’s musician, a spiritual leader for the likes of Phish, Blues Traveler, Derek Trucks and the like, that individual is Col. Bruce Hampton (Retired). He has had a storied music and movie career, and is absolutely a genius for those who know and understand. His tutelage and…

Imagine living in the shadows of the world’s premiere jambands. That’s the case for Twiddle who hail from Vermont and often compared to Phish pioneers in the improvisational jamband scene. The truth though, is that the only thing worth of comparison is the extensive touring and playing the bands do…

Show opens with an interesting take on The Grateful Dead’s Bertha. Though they are relatively fresh on the jamband scene Aqueous has quickly built up a reputation as a solid groove band who has toured and played many festivals around North America. Hailing from Buffalo New York, the quartet has sha…

The Dark Star Orchestra in it’s 20 year existence has become the premier Grateful Dead tribute band. Playing a show from the band’s history each night, has rekindled a fan base’s love for the music and it’s community. Jeff Mattson has played the role of Jerry Garcia for 7 of those years. We sat dow…

Given his lineage, prowess and ability, it’s no surprise that teaming with his equally gifted wife Susan Tedeschi was bound to create an extremely rewarding project for Derek Trucks. 7 years in The Tedeschi Trucks Band has proven to be a musical tour de force (pun intended) and is now his sole focu…

When blues musician Susan Tedeschi joined forces with her ace guitar playing husband Derek Trucks to create the Tedeschi Trucks Band 7 years ago, it was a matched made in musical heaven all over again. With the Tedeschi Trucks Band set to release their second live album and first concert film Live …

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 …

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. 

We started The Sound Podcast to give rise to music and musicians inspired by the Grateful Dead and the Jamband community. In my little Deadhead community, Mars Hotel is doing just that. Friends? Sure. Musicians? Positively. A great vibe? Absolutely. We sat down with Mars Hotel last week after a reh…

Blackberry Smoke are a rock n roll band out of Georgia, that contend with an old notion that a band, of its stature needs to fit into some neat marketing box of yesteryear. Charlie Starr the band’s front man knows exactly what they are, and thats how our conversation started…  

Living beyond the borders of where your favorite bands make and tour their music can be a touch annoying. Sure there are always opportunities to travel, but being able to hear the music you love with your community in your own town is also easiest. Those were the thoughts of Rich Grossman who front…

You may recognize Marco’s name from his work with the Benevento/Russo duo, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and countless other projects. It’s his solo projects that Marco Benevento though may be most excited by. When you are as accomplished as Marco Benevento is, making records and touring is just part of …

David Gans is a radio host, a writer, a musician, a lecturer and a historian. Few people have lived a professional life inspired by the Grateful Dead and their fans. You probably recognize his name as the host of the syndicated radio show the Grateful Dead Hour or his Sirius XM Show with Gary Lambe…

Scott Metzger has played guitar with a diverse group including Trixie Whitely, Phil Lesh and Trey Anastasio amongst others. Aside from also participating in Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Metzger fronts Wolf! A trio that came to be after he and the other two guys now in Wolf were left stranded without a …

You’ve heard of supergroups before, like bands that are formed by musicians from other groups. But what if an entire band’s repertoire was formed by other groups. Yes, that would be SUPER. Pink Talking Fish is that band, a group that fuses the music of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish. It’s craz…

Scott Sharrard isn’t a household name, and thats definitely a mistake. Being the music director and lead guitar player for the Gregg Allman Band is in fact only the tip of the iceberg for this very talented musician. This guy has learnt his craft with some of the great bluesman like Pinetop Perkins…

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s debut album, Rhino Records have released a special re-issue of the album, coupled with a live as yet unreleased recording of the Grateful Dead’s appearance at the Trips Festival in Vancouver in July 1966. We had a chance to sit down with Grat…

A friend of mine, who's opinion I trust implicitly when it comes to music, encouraged me to give The Marcus King Band a spin. What came out of my speakers almost immediately was a sound all too familiar, raging guitar, pleasing horn lines and the sweet sound of the Hammond b. I got up, I danced and…

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. In fact, if you do, you may miss Levi Robin’s sound entirely. This up and coming singer-songwriter needs to be heard. His songs are beautiful, combining mindful lyrics, a soulful sound and very distinct guitar player. We sat down with Levi to learn more. You can li…