Bear Creek Music Festival 2011: The Photos

Now that attendees of the 2011 edition of the Bear Creek Music & Arts Festival have been home for over a week, photos, videos and stories from the five-day event held in Live Oak, Florida have helped paint of picture of why jam fans rave about the complete Bear Creek experience each November. Sit-ins happened at a fast and furious pace and they weren’t gratuitous as most artists put plenty of thought into who they were welcoming to their stage and what song(s) would be played.

[All photos by Nick “Phrazz” Fitanides]

Our friend Phrazz had a front row view for Bear Creek and has allowed us the pleasure of sharing 40 of his best shots with our readers. He also put together a list of all the sit-ins he saw, so please let us know of any he missed in the comments section.

Partial Sit-In List:

Anders Osborne Trio + George Porter Jr. on bass, Billy Iuso on guitar, Stanton Moore on drums, Jamie McLean on guitar
Break Science + Topaz on sax, Nikki Glaspie on drums
Dr. Klaw + Ivan Neville on keys, Robert Walter on keys, most/all of Dumpstaphunk (+Will Bernard, +Nikki Glaspie, etc)
Dumpstaphunk + Matt Grondig, Billy Iuso, Eric Krasno, Zach Deputy (all on guitar all at once) ; Freekbass on bass, Louis Cato on drums, Skerik on sax, Ryan Zoidis on sax, Corey Glover on vocals
Funky Meters + Ivan Neville on keys, Ian Neville on guitar, Nikki Glaspie on drums, Billy Iuso on guitar

Galactic + Boots Riley and Chali 2na on vocals
Garage a Trois + Johnny Vidacovich on drums
Gravity A + Khris Royal on sax
Hairy Apes BMX + Nikki Glaspie on percussion and drums, Johnny Woodstock on congas, Will Bernard on guitar,
Jennifer Hartswick Band + Nigel Hall on keys, Zach Deputy on guitar, Taylor Williams on drums, Snarky Puppy horns 
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe – played entire Sticky Fingers Rolling Stone album + Roosevelt Collier on lap steel, Anders Osborne on guitar
Lettuce + Pee Wee Ellis on sax, George Porter Jr. on bass
Marco Benevento Trio + Robert Walter on keys,
Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood + Johnny Vidacovich on drums
MMW + Pee Wee Ellis on sax, Stanton Moore on drums, Will Bernard on guitar, Johnny Vidacovich on drums

The New Mastersounds + Ivan Neville on keys, Michelle Sarah on vocals, Will Bernard on guitar, Marco Benevento on keys, Robert Walter on keys, Zach Deputy on guitar,
Russell Batiste Band + George Porter Jr. on bass, Jason Neville on vocals
Snarky Puppy + Roosevelt Collier on lap steel, Louis Cato
Soulive + Corey Glover on vocals, Ryan Zoidis on sax
Spam All-Stars + Pee Wee Ellis on sax
Turkuaz + Chris St. Hillaire on drums, Eli Winderman on keys

Cheesehead Productions’ Bear Creek 2011 Hi-Def Vids:

• Anders Osborne Trio: Cortez The Killer w/ Billy Iuso, Sugaree w/ George Porter Jr. and Billy Iuso, On The Road to Charlie Parker w/ Billy Iuso, Burning On The Inside, Ya Ya w. Jamie McLean & George Porter Jr., I’ve Got The Funk,

• Breakestra: 11/12/2011
• Chapter 2: Get Back,
• Dopapod: Black and White,
• Dr. Klaw: The Lost Rager, Instrumental, Higher Ground w/ Shady Horns & Jamie McLean,
• Dr. Lonnie Smith: 11/11/2011,

• The Funky Meters: The World Is a Little Bit Under The Weather, Love Slip Upon Ya, Fiyo On The Bayou w/ Billy Iuso & Nikki Glaspie, Cissy Strut – People Say – Ain’t No Use, Funkify Your Life,
• Jennifer Hartswick Band: Blame It On The Boogie w/ Snarky Puppy Horns, You Haven’t Done Nuthin’, Here We Go Again w/ Nigel Hall, 11/12/2011 w/ Zach Deputy, You Got The Love, On and On,
• Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe: Bitch w/ Roosevelt Collier, Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ w/ Roosevelt Collier, Brown Sugar,
• Marco Benevento: RISD, 11/12/2011, Atari, Jam w/ Robert Walter,
• Medeski, Martin & Wood: Jam w/ Pee Wee Ellis, Where’s The Music w/ Pee Wee Ellis, Think, 11/11/2011,
• Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood: A Go Go, Little Walter Rides Again, Hotentot, 11/12/2011- Video 1, 11/12/2011 w/ Roosevelt Collier – Video 2, 11/12/2011 Video 3, 11/12/2011 Video 4, 11/12/2011 Video 5,

• The New Mastersounds: Coming Up Roses, 11/12/2011 w/ Zach Deputy and Robert Walter, 11/12/2011 w/ Roosevelt Collier, 11/12/2011 w/ Johnny Vidacovich, Take What You Need,
• Orchestra At Large: Paul Levine Intro, Doctor Watson, Slow Jamz,
• Orgone: Cosmic Slop, 11/11/2011,

• The Pimps of Joytime: Jantxa Funk,
• Snarky Puppy: Jam w/ Roosevelt Collier,
• Soulive: Manic Depression w/ Corey Glover, Eleanor Rigby, I Want You (She’s So Heavy) w/ Corey Glover, Tuesday Night Squad, Come Together, Flurries w/ Ryan Zoidis, 11/11/2011,
• The Trio featuring George, Johnny and Jennifer: Jam 1, Jam w/ Freekbass, Jam 2 w/ Freekbass, Don’t Be Squeezin My Heart w/ Freekbass,
• Trey Anastasio Band: First Tube, Simple Twist Up Dave, Ooh Child, Sand, Clint Eastwood, Heavy Things, Gotta Jibboo, Push On Till The Day, Devil Went Down to Georgia, Cayman Review, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Gotta Jibboo, Small Axe, Mr. Completely, Money Love and Change,

• Zach Deputy: Twisty Twisty, Stayin’ Alive – Got Me Workin’ Day & Night,

While we’re at it, we’ll catalog the Bear Creek clips from our pal Sunil…

• Catfish Alliance: Just Another Day
• Dr. Klaw: Rat Race w/ Jamie McLean and Robert Walter,
• Galactic: Chali 2na and Boots Riley, Think Back w/ Chali 2na,
• Marco Benevento: You Know I’m No Good w/ Robert Walter,
• Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood: Little Walter Rides Again,
• Treehouse Jam: Deitch Warms Up, Jam #1, Jam #2, Standing On Shaky Ground, Use Me,
• Trey Anastasio Band: Gotta Jibboo, Cayman Review, Banter, Magilla, Black Dog,

Randy Bayers has been dropping exquisite footage on Funk It…

• Russell Batiste Band: Cissy Strut w/ George Porter Jr., First Song,
• Snarky Puppy: Last Song w/ Louis Cato,
• Treehouse Jam: Parts 1 – 6

Teaser of What’s To Come From Funk It

And here’s a full gallery of Phrazz’s photos…