The 2014 fourth annual Rock and Roll Resort was another spectacular one filled with spontaneous adventures. An all-inclusive festival, with reasonable prices, the weekend musical excursion took place all under one comfortable roof at the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa in Kerhonkson, New York, conveniently located just over 200 miles from Boston and a 2 hour jaunt from New York City. With over 50 varied acts to choose from including the finest in funk (Motet, Dumpstaphunk, Turkuaz), bluegrass (Cabinet), reggae (The Alchemystics), jam (Everyone Orchestra, Tauk), artists-at-large (Jenn Durkin, Bobby Paltauf), DJ sets and an abundance of quickly-ascending acts across varied genres, the respected festival offered a unique palette of musings to choose from and bask in. There is a reason why festival veterans offer such high praise to the annual soiree and it is one not to be missed!
Like an old Agatha Christie story or the movie, Clue, where strangers are invited to an ominous castle in the middle of nowhere to solve a mystery, the one to be solved here is discovering what the next musical surprise will be. The main allure of the Resort is not knowing what will happen next. A professional musician may be seen at any time commiserating with fans in the corridors or pop up in a random hotel room to partake in the festivities. Having musicians be so approachable allows fans to feel more part of the action and offers an opportunity to share questions and anecdotes with your favorite stars.
An assortment of activities, including extensive vending, a miniature golf-course and ample food offerings, provide an array of stimulating options when one is satiated from the musical presentations. With approximately 1,000 attendees, the intimate size fosters a cohesive feel among participants as one will see the same people all over the venue throughout the weekend.
Highlights:
FRIDAY, April 4th
The theme was decade of decadence. Conehead Buddha brought their genre-bending jam rock, Alchemystics shared the reggae grooves, Kind Buds played Grateful Dead classics, Nephrock All Stars energized the late night crowd, Jen Durkin and BRYAC Funk All-Stars rocked the house and Dumpstaphunk superbly headlined the night.
Tauk :: Empire Lounge :: 1:30am-3:00am
Tauk have been building momentum for some time and it’s always a treat to catch this instrumental juggernaut at a festival. Currently on tour, with rotating acts like Consider The Source, FiKus and Aqueous, the intricate musings of Tauk were best served at the last night slot on the opening night. There is not a weak leak in this talented band with all four adept at solos, fills and a unique personalized sound. Look no further than the band’s take on The Beatle’s “She’s So Heavy” to witness how they leave their indelible mark on a tune. Slated to perform 14 festivals this summer including Floyd Fest, Domefest and Barefoot, one should relish an opportunity to catch this firecracker of a band. Their album, Homunuculus is now available.
Set List: In The Basement, Sex panther, Energy Muff, Afro Tonic, Dead signal, Sweet revenge, Weenus, I Might Be Wrong*(Radiohead cover), Mokuba, Dirty mouth, She’s so Heavy* (Beatles Cover), The Chemist
SATURDAY, April 5th
The theme was superheroes and villains. The Hornitz brought brass musings, Rebecca Jean Smith shared her angelic voice with Emil Nomel picking the right notes, Everyone Orchestra provided improvisation jams with a stellar line-up and The Motet played hours of funkified upbeat jams.
Bobby Paltauf with Pappy :: Hotel Room 1610 :: 4:15pm-5:30pm
Everyone loves the newcomer – the underdog – especially when they are a teenager. 14 year old guitar phenom and artist-at-large, Bobby Paltauf, secured a spot to sit-in with bluegrass juggernaut Cabinet for Saturday night. In anticipation, banjo virtuoso, Pappy, of Cabinet, asked that he adjourn to a secluded hotel room in order to musically get to know one another. Gracious Pappy initially led Bobby into the jamgrass arena – a medium in which he had little exposure. Although Paltauf has played with an impressive list of luminaries, this was a new experience for him. It wasn’t long through a 10-minute rendition of “Nashville Blues” where Bobby impressed his elder with his precise finger picking and meticulous strumming. The magic was not lost on Pappy who smiled whenever Bobby followed a challenging section or countered with a powerful call and response. The duo seamlessly segued through a variety of songs and styles including three Grateful Dead covers and it was a tease for the moment that would occur later in the night under the bright lights.
Cabinet :: Empire Lounge: 11:30pm-1:00am
Cabinet is a bluegrass band that has been quickly-ascending the ranks for some time and this performance further proved they have arrived. In the coveted 11:30pm slot on Saturday night, the band did not disappoint a burgeoning crowd ready to hoot and holler and get down on the dance floor. Buoyed by the stellar recent album releases, “Leap” and “This is Cabinet II”, the band is in fine form and they demonstrated their wares with authority for a 90 minute set full of intensity. The band opened with arguably their most popular tune, “Eleanor” which proved an incendiary fire that permeated the room. The meshing of clear and layered vocals were supported by exemplary violin fills that ultimately reached an exciting climax. The most crowd adulation occurred when Bobby Paltauf appeared for “Nashville Blues”, a roller coaster of mastery guitar work and a band working closely as a cohesive unit. The band presents its own Susquehanna Festival on May 10th in Pennsylvania.
Set List: Eleanor, Dove, Mysterio, Nashville blues (with Bobby Paltauf), Of My Mind, Susquehanna Breakdown, Caroline-> Shady Grove, Ma Gypsy, Ain’t Gonna work, Heavy rain
Jordan Simms : Acoustic Stage :: 1:30am-2:30am
Jordan Simms has been a keeper of the keys for more than two decades. Having shared the stage with the likes of Keller Williams, Perpetual Groove and Steve Kimock, he is a well-respected performer in the scene. Most recently, he manned the ivories for the jam band, Mother’s Wine. After a spectacular sit-in with The Everyone Orchestra, Simms brought his unique talents to the small acoustic stage located off the main lobby. It was refreshing to see a band leader guiding his troops from an actual piano and the sound it emitted was glorious. The original pieces were contagious and refreshing but the varied and engaging set list was buoyed by an impressive list of covers. Highlights included, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and an epic take on Sly’s “Thank You” with an all-star lineup including Jen “Pipes” Durkin, Nephrock, and Bobby Paltauf on guitar wearing Durkin’s hat. After such a memorable set, one can only be excited to witness what Simms has up his sleeve for his next performance. Simms exclaimed, “It was an incredible experience. It’s taken me years to truly find myself in this whole amazing world of music, and I am glad you were all there to share it.”
Set List: E jam, Chameleon (Herbie Hancock), Voices they call again (original), Porch (original) Brown Second w/Bobby Paltauf> Twist (Phish)>You Can’t always get what you want (Rolling Stones w/ Bobby Jen Durkin, Kit Holiday) > Feeling alright (Traffic), Thank you (Sly & Family stone), Bring It on Home (Sam Cooke) with Nephrock
SUNDAY, April 6th
Akashic Record shared their unique brand of funk and soul music, soulful singer Michelle Sarah Band garnered new fans, and Virginia’s Kings of Belmont blew minds.
Turkuaz :: Grand Ballroom: 9:30pm-11:30pm
It was no accident that the most loud, in your face and bombastic band of the weekend was saved for last. David Brandwein and Taylor Shell have formed an intense auditory experience and the band conquered closing the festival with flying colors. A large line-up of professional musicians, the Brooklyn-based powerhouse has seen remarkable growth in the last year with sold-out houses becoming the norm. Highlights included the deeply layered and textured, “Chatte Lunatique” which displays the vocal prowess of background singers, Williams and Garrett, in exemplary fashion. Shell delivers the thick beats on the bass as the brass section provides luscious depth of sound. Josh Schwartz continues to impress when called upon for a guest vocal spot as evidenced by “Shape I’m In.” They recently performed a “Stop Making Sense” set and “Slippery People” proving they are adept at the task.
2nd Set List: Typa-Lika, Chatte Lunatique, M’Lady, Future 86, Snap Your Fingers, Tip Toe Through the Crypto, It’s Hard, Feelin’ Alright, Twenty Dollar Bill, Slippery People, Electric Habitat, The Shape I’m In, Monkey Fingers
