Following in a tradition of fusion era artists, Marco Benevento has blurred the lines between these two traditions with his heralded experimentation in The Duo, and currently The Marco Benevento Trio, featuring bassist Reed Mathis and drummer Matt Chamberlain.
You might know him as Mr. Telluride, the King of Newgrass, or just the curly haired red-head who never stops a wailing on that mandolin – unless of course to wail on the fiddle or howl at the moon. As we gear up for the heart of festival season and that special little bluegrass jamboree just north of Durango, let’s get down to business and chat with one of the brightest sounds and smiles of every summer.
Every indie label has its niche, but Parks & Records also has a mission. They've combined a commitment to great music with the broader purpose of making the world a better (and greener) place.
Yoav…a star yet to be so named. This young musician, who until earlier this year hadn't released a full-length album, has already had quite the trajectory, including scoring the opening slot for Tori Amos.
Accolades don’t seem to stick to Doug Martsch. The singer, guitarist and songwriting force behind indie rockers Built to Spill has seen his share of praise in close to two decades with the band. He is often touted as one of the genre’s best guitarists, and the group has released six albums to critical acclaim – most recently 2006’s You in Reverse.
Mason Jennings has always done things his own way. Jennings forged a loyal cult following as one of the most talked-about new independent singer-songwriters, while selling his homemade CDs out of the back of his van without the help of a major label publicity department.
What do you get when you mix bluegrass, butter, and biofuel? Hot Buttered Rum – a band that blends traditional Americana music with modern musical influences and a shot of progressivism. As pioneers of the music industry’s biofuel revolution and lyricists of social and environmental change, they are among the growing cadre of artists who are holding a microphone for the Earth.
Although most music fans are only familiar with Claude Coleman Jr. as the drummer for Ween. Little do they know that he’s created an intriguing body of work with his soul-rock group Amandla. The band’s sophomore release, The Full Catastrophe, is the result of a four year journey for Coleman following a 2002 horrific car accident that left him having to reacquire his abilities and motor skills to play instruments again.
With four albums, Jackie Greene, 27, hasn’t really come out of nowhere, but he reached a whole different level of visibility when he joined Phil Lesh and Friends in the summer of 2007. Greene’s diverse skills have allowed him to become this group’s de facto front-man, a role to which he has conveyed a commanding stage presence as he sparks both his band-mates and the audiences who come to see them.
The price is steep, for the secrets we don’t keep,” sings Matthew Ryan on “Meet Me By the River,” just one of the stellar tracks off his new album, Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State (MRVSS). Ryan doesn’t keep many secrets on the 11 tracks that make up the brilliant piece of work—he lays it out for the listener, warts and all. And it’s quite a journey.
