Sleeping Bear Dunegrass & Blues Festival

moe. is the preeminent progressive rock band on the music scene today. In a remarkable career that's touched upon three decades and produced 17 albums, the quintet of Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey on guitars and vocals, Rob Derhak on bass and vocals, Jim Loughlin on percussion and vibes, and Vinnie Amico on Drums, continues to push the standard for performance art.

Critical acclaim and a solid national and international fan base has built a dedicated following that grows each year. Whether touring across the globe, headlining music festivals, or sharing the stage with such celebrated acts as the Allmans, The Who, or Robert Plant, among others, what keeps moe. at the forefront of the music scene is not only the energy and vitality of their music and songwriting, but the showmanship in which it is delivered.

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STEEL PULSE have been perfecting their original and distinctly high-energy style of reggae music for a quarter of a century. As the only British reggae group to win a Grammy Award (for Babylon the Bandit in 1985), their international success continues to inspire audiences of both new and long-dedicated fans. It has also earned them subsequent Grammy nominations for Victims, Rastafari Centennial, Rage & Fury and, most recently, for Living Legacy, in 2000.

STEEL PULSE tours worldwide with an eight-piece ensemble including co-founder Selwyn Brown on vocals and keyboards, Clifford "Moonie" Pusey on lead guitar, Alvin Ewen on bass, Sidney Mills on keyboards and Conrad Kelly on drums and percussion. Beloved ex-drummer Steve "Grizzly" Nesbitt's health has continued to prevent him from touring with STEEL PULSE since the 2001 Living Legacy Tour.

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Arlo Guthrie was born Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York in 1947. He is the eldest son of legendary folk pioneer, Woody Guthrie, and Marjorie Mazia Guthrie. His mother was a professional dancer with the Martha Graham Company and founder of The Committee to Combat Huntington's Disease. He grew up surrounded by dancers, musicians and philosophers: Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Fred Hellerman and Lee Hays (The Weavers), Leadbelly, Cisco Houston, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, all of whom were significant influences on Arlo's musical career.

Arlo gave his first public performance at age 13 and quickly became involved in the music that was shaping the world during the 1960s. Arlo witnessed the transition from an earlier generation of ballad singers to a new era of singer-song writers. He learned something from everyone and developed his own style, becoming a distinctive, expressive voice in a crowded community of singer-songwriters and political-social commentators.

Arlo Guthrie's career exploded in 1967 with the release of his album, Alice's Restaurant, whose title song premiered at the Newport Folk Festival and helped foster a new commitment to social consciousness and activism among the '60s generation. Arlo went on to star in the 1969 Hollywood film version of Alice's Restaurant, directed by Arthur Penn.

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Abigail Washburn never set out to be a songwriter or a recording artist. Five years ago when she found herself on stage in a smoke-filled Beijing club playing her banjo and singing old-time Appalachian mountain music in Chinese to a packed house, she was as surprised as anyone. "A daring, definite talent, whose feel for the folk idiom results in moving material. Soulful is the word,” hailed the Wall Street Journal in 2005, during that same tour of China. “On stage, her voice resonated with the power of a seasoned performer and her poetic hill tunes sounded all the more evocative in Chinese.”

As an “artist who best embodies the notion of Americana as a worldwide musical language” (The Tennessean), Abigail has created a new sound – a sound that challenges traditional notions of country and culture, embodied in the raw, transcendental music of the Sparrow Quartet.

Often considered the premiere banjo player in the world, Béla Fleck has virtually reinvented the image and sound of the banjo in a remarkable performing and recording career that has taken him all over the musical map. Aside from his long time group, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, he recently journeyed across Africa to explore the origins of the banjo and record and shoot a documentary, ‘Throw Down Your Heart,’ premiering at festivals nationwide this year. A 10-time Grammy winner, Béla has been nominated 25 times in the most diverse categories of any artist in Grammy history.

Close Window Del McCoury Band

Del McCoury is a very grateful man, and nowhere is that gratitude more evident than in The Promised Land , the first gospel album in a career now spanning five decades. Just a cursory look at the titles--and the copyright dates—will tell you much about the man: Cannaan’s Happy Land (1937), Led By the Master’s Hand (1936), It’s Really Surprising (What the Lord Can Do) (1948), and Ain’t Nothing Going to Come up Today That Me and the Lord Can’t Handle (2006—co-written by Del). Could his peace of mind or optimism, his abiding respect for God, or his reverence for tradition be more clear? His only regret—not making this album before his mother passed away in 2002. “The fans have been asking for it for several years, and so did my momma, but it just did not feel right before now. During the last couple of years I’ve been able to slow down a bit and take stock of my life. When I look at how my family has been blessed, the real purpose of making a gospel recording is pretty clear—a chance for all of us to say thank you to the One who has given us this wonderful life. I think the cover lets everyone know who we made this album for.”

While the accolades and awards are appreciated, Del McCoury will tell you—and mean it—that he was happy when he was cutting timber alone in the woods during the week and playing music on the weekend. “I used to travel forty miles and make seven dollars to play a night of bluegrass,” Del McCoury says. “I always loved playing, always loved the road.” He earns a little more and travels a little further nowadays, but the essential truth remains: Del McCoury plays and sings because he loves making music for a living and appreciates the people who have made that possible.

His love for life and this music is contagious. Regularly drawing SRO crowds which run the gamut from tie-dyed’n’patchouli neo-hippie jammers to button-down Yuppies to suspendered good ol’ boys, The Del McCoury Band may well boast the broadest, most inclusive fan base this side of the Grateful Dead. They are undeniably one of the most talented, revered and vital groups in bluegrass history (and one of the most potent bands in any field today). No less than The Washington Post recently called Del “a national treasure”, while numerous music publications have credited The Del McCoury Band with increasing the bluegrass “hip factor," generating much of the genre's steady upswing in popularity with a more youthful crowd. He’s equally welcome at traditional bluegrass festivals, jam band gatherings, and the most prestigious music venues in America—from Merlefest, to Bonnaroo to Carnegie Hall.

The band’s leader/patriarch/namesake is one Delano Floyd “Del” McCoury, a nimble, inventive guitarist and a master of the ‘high lonesome’ vocal style that is the foundation of the bluegrass sound. The band’s top-drawer instrumental and vocal firepower combined with deep-rooted dedication to hallowed bluegrass heritage have kept them at the top of their field in the hearts of traditionalists, while their consummate showmanship, high spirits and willingness to incorporate writers from eclectic sources into the fold have continued to spread the boundaries of their influence.

Close Window Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals grew from the roots of rock & roll in what some might call the old-fashioned way; For the first two years, Potter and the band teamed up with friends to run their "Ragged Company" label from her dad's old sign shop, handling everything from CD graphics to booking the tours. In 2005 they joined forces with indie911 founder Justin Goldberg after reading his music industry book suggesting new artists should tour instead of look for record deals. The group turned down their first label offer and chose instead to sign on with booking agent Hank Sacks, now with Monterey Peninsula Artists, and began playing a countless number of music festivals and opening slots until gradually building great word of mouth. Their sound? They're a neoclassic rock & roll band possessing bona fide chops, a natural sense of dynamics and a palate containing all the useful colors, and these qualities allow them to stretch out onstage, to riveting effect. Perhaps their greatest asset is the ability to transcend genres, never content to settle into one predefined sound. GPN were once the up-and-coming darlings of the modern jazz and blues scene, receiving incessant comparisons to Norah Jones and Lucinda Williams. Yet their magnetic live shows and dedication to the road earned the band a warm welcoming from the jam-band community, leading to two nominations at the 2006 Jammy's. At the same time, This is Somewhere is a testament to the band's true roots in pure rock music. The influence of predecessors The Band, The Rolling Stones, and Little Feat is clear. Still, GPN's raw passion and uncompromising politics more directly evoke the memory of the great Neil Young & Crazy Horse, whose Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere served as one of the inspirations for the album title.

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The ever mysterious and amazingly talented guitarist/theme park manager Buckethead has opened the doors to his famed Bucketheadland once again, and this time, he has asked his friends to help him provide thrills and chills to his guests. Produced by Serj Tankian of System of a Down, Enter The Chicken, the latest and greatest musical attraction by Buckethead & Friends is set to take riders aboard beginning October 25.

As the arcane story goes, Bucketheadland was opened back in 1989 as a refuge for himself and the chickens that had raised him in a coup from an early age. To keep the chickens entertained, Buckethead learned to play the guitar while growing up, but as the mystifying story unfolds, a string of harrowing experiences and mistreatment from the farmers on-site drove the masked axeman to burn down the coup and flee with his feathered friends to a new sanctuary. That safe haven, Bucketheadland grew into a world where both dreams and nightmares intertwined into a creative force that drove the guitarist to channel that energy into some of the most unique and innovative music to ever be created.

Over the past 16 years, Buckethead has not only managed his theme park, but has also had time to exercise his love of guitar playing and music by traveling all over the world playing in front of audiences and has recorded over 13 records. Most of his discography is as a solo artist, but he has also contributed in bands like Guns N Roses, the Deli Creeps, Praxis, Giant Robot, El Stew and Cobra Strike.

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Railroad Earth started out in 2001, a bunch of talented friends interested in strumming some rootsy music together. It began rather informally, but then picked up the pace when their five song demo earned them a spot at the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival that June. Taking advantage of the opportunity, they quickly recorded five more songs, combined it with their demo tracks and released it as their debut, 2001’s The Black Bear Sessions. That debut piqued the interest of Sugar Hill Records, who signed them and released two highly acclaimed albums, Bird In A House in 2002 and The Good Life in 2004.

Since then, they’ve cultivated a huge fan base, wound up by the band’s unique acoustic hybrid sound. Railroad Earth has come to thrive in a live setting; evidence of that can be found on their 2006 live album Elko, which essentially served as an emphatic end of Phase I for the band.

Amen Corner is the brilliant opening salvo of Phase II. This time out, Railroad Earth went into the recording process in search of vibe over perfection; six players with widely diverse musical interests and backgrounds brought together to explore the uplifting feelings of being “right in tune” and embracing the spirit of transcendent material. “It’s that intangible quality that each guy in this band is going for,” says Sheaffer. “That’s how we connect and that’s what makes our music fly.”

Close Window Peter Rowan and Tony Rice Quartet

Initially inspired by the possibilities and flexibility inherent in classic bluegrass, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice have helped reinvent American roots music over the course of their respective solo careers. The history of Peter Rowan and Tony Rice is the history of the continuing evolution of bluegrass and its blossoming into a wider range of progressive acoustic music.

Rowan began his career as guitarist and lead singer in a particularly potent ’60s incarnation of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, and then lent his soulful vocals and rich, spiritually-informed songwriting to a series of ground-breaking progressive roots-music outfits, including Earth Opera (with David Grisman), Sea Train, Muleskinner (with Grisman, Bill Keith, Richard Greene, and Clarence White), and Old and In the Way (with Vassar Clements and Jerry Garcia). Subsequent solo and group projects have proven him to be a visionary creative force, unconcerned with the constraints of boundaries and genres.

As one of the premier exponents of flat-picked acoustic guitar, Tony Rice parlayed his initial inspiration from Clarence White and Doc Watson into a legacy of innovation. His early stints with the Bluegrass Alliance and J.D. Crowe and the New South introduced a guitarist with a classic bluegrass sensibility matched with a thirst for experimentation. He was a member of David Grisman’s groundbreaking first quintet, and then set out with a series of solo albums that saw him integrating bluegrass music with elements of jazz, folk, country, and other contemporary forms.

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Since forming in the fall of 2000, Particle has enjoyed a successful ride that has taken them to eight countries for over 850 shows including Europe and Japan. After a whimsical San Francisco boat cruise, a musical bond was surged that was would take core Particle members Eric Gould, Steve Molitz, and Darren Pujalet on a sonic adventure that’s strong to this day.

Particle forged its signature sound playing late night parties and high profile festivals across the country including Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Festival, Coachella, and New Orleans Jazzfest to name a few. The band has also appeared at Bonnaroo three times where they played a legendary five plus hour set beginning at 3AM. Once dubbed the 'late night kings', Particle has garnered a lot of hype for creating a series of out of the box special events across the country.

Close Window Punch Brothers Feat. Chris Thile

At the conclusion of The Blind Leaving the Blind, the 40-minute, four-movement suite that is the heart of Punch Brothers’ Punch—the band’s Nonesuch debut—composer-singer-mandolin player Chris Thile conjures up the image of a heartbroken young man nursing his psychic wounds at a bar with his friends. In real life, the 26-year old Thile, who was recovering from his own tattered marriage as he developed the piece, took a more constructive approach, joining four of his own musical buddies to form a kind of super group/support group. The quintet did visit some bars along the way, but, more importantly, over the course of two years, these performers helped Thile to realize the most conceptually daring, emotionally cathartic work of an already impressive career.

The line-up of Punch Brothers—whose name is taken from the Mark Twain short story, Punch, Brothers, Punch!—is formidable. Thile released the first of five solo albums when he was just thirteen and, by the time he was 20, he was attracting a following among pop, country, and alternative-rock audiences as a member of the Grammy Award–winning Nickel Creek. A Washington Post critic recently said Thile “may well be the most virtuosic American ever to play the mandolin.”

His equally youthful, prodigiously gifted band-mates are among the most in-demand performers in the worlds of bluegrass, folk, and traditional music. Guitarist Chris Eldridge was a founding member of the Infamous Stringdusters and occasionally sits in with his dad Ben’s band, The Seldom Scene; bassist Greg Garrison has played with trumpeter Ron Miles and Leftover Salmon—along with banjo player Noam Pikelny. Pikelny he has performed and recorded as a solo artist and has collaborated with acoustic music heavyweights John Cowan and Tony Trischka. Violinist Gabe Witcher, a life-long friend of Thile’s, is a sought-after session man whose fiddle-playing has been featured on the soundtrack of films ranging from Toy Story to Brokeback Mountain. Witcher also has recorded with a range of artists from Willie Nelson to Beck to Randy Newman and played in dobro master Jerry Douglas’ band for six years.

Close Window Melvin Seals & JGB

Melvin Seals has had a powerful presence in the music industry for over 30 years, playing with the likes of Chuck Berry, Charlie Daniels and Elvin Bishop. The powerful keyboardist was playing with Bishop one memorable night back in 1980:

“This big guy, he was just playing a Fender Rhodes. But he was playing it so tasty…He was just playing the tastiest little stuff, I thought, This guy is just too much! I asked him what his names was. He said Melvin Seals.”

Jerry: It was early 1980 and the Jerry Garcia Band was looking for a new keyboardist. “Melvin started playing with us, and he was just a monster. He turned out to be the guy that we were looking for all along.”

For the next 18 years, Melvin played alongside of Jerry Garcia ripping on the Hammond b-3 and keyboards. Ten years after Jerry’s untimely passing, Melvin and JGB are keeping true to their signature sound with a 2005 summer tour accompanied by the release of a new JGB album of all Jerry Garcia Band songs in honor of Jerry Garcia to keep the music alive; as Keepers Of The Flame.

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Richie Havens is gifted with one of the most recognizable voices in popular music. His fiery, poignant, always soulful singing style has remained unique and ageless since he first emerged from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 1960’s. It’s a voice that has inspired and electrified audiences from the Woodstock Music & Arts Fair in 1969, to the Clinton Presidential Inauguration in 1983 -coming full circle with the 30th Woodstock Anniversary celebration, “A Day In The Garden”, in 1999.

For over three decades, Richie has used his music to convey messages of brotherhood and personal freedom. With more than twenty-five albums released and a touring schedule that would kill many a younger man, he continues to view his calling as a higher one. As he told The Denver Post, “I really sing songs that move me. I’m not in show business, I’m in the communications business. That’s what it’s about for me”.

For Richie Havens, making music is a continuous journey, and one that advances a step furtherwith each album. “My albums are meant to be a chronological view of the times we’ve come through, what we’ve thought about, and what we’ve done to grow and change. There’sa universal point to which we all respond, and where all songs apply to everyone”.

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17-year career.

100,000 records sold.

100 gigs a year.

15,000 attendees at the 2004 Grassroots Festival.

No, this is not a MasterCard commercial. It's just that numbers don't hold a lot of value for Donna the Buffalo. For this eclectic upstate New York band, success isn't quantitative. It isn't being in constant rotation on Top 40 radio stations or video networks. It isn't how much money's rolling in or even how many people are in the band.

"We just do what we do. And it's a very natural thing. It's a thing we find joy in and it's a lifestyle that we've pursued for... ever," says guitarist/vocalist Jeb Puryear, one of the band's two primary songwriters. "We don't manipulate any of our circumstances for the market."

That includes the band's sound, which piles reggae, rock, country, zydeco, Cajun, and folk on top of old-time fiddle music to create a combination best described as original American dance music.

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Formed in 2003, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk was initially put together by keyboardist Ivan Neville on a whim in order to perform a solo gig at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Ivan called in cousin Ian Neville (guitar), the double-bass bottom of both Nick Daniels and Tony Hall, and drummer Raymond Webber to round out the show. Named after a song Ivan had recently written, Dumpstaphunk's informal performance became that of immediate legend. The project has since grown from chance side-project into what is now widely considered to be New Orleans' most popular musical export. The band was recently voted 2007's “Best Funk Band” by both Offbeat Magazine and Gambit Weekly, and performs at some of the nation's largest music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Voodoo Fest, 10,000 Lakes, and High Sierra.

Founders Ivan Neville and Ian Neville (sons of both Aaron Neville and Art Neville respectively), along with Nick Daniels, Tony Hall, and Raymond Webber, were brought up in an atmosphere of sounds that have arguably become the most defining in all of New Orleans music. But don't let the pedigree of lineage from the Meters and Neville Brothers fool you either. Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk now stands on its own as the legitimate torchbearer of all things funky both in New Orleans and beyond with the release of their debut EP, Listen Hear.

Close Window Peter Rowan and the Free Mexican Air Force

Peter Rowan was one of the major cult bluegrass artists of the '80s, winning a devoted, international fan base through his independent records and constant touring. A skilled singer/songwriter, Rowan also yodeled, and played numerous stringed instruments and the saxophone. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts; his parents and many of his relatives were musicians, and it seemed only natural that Rowan too would become one. When he was a teenager, he frequently hung out at the Hillbilly Ranch, where he heard such bluegrass and old-time bands as the Lilly Brothers. He also enjoyed listening to the blues.

Close Window Todd Snider

Keith Richards said humor was rock and roll’s greatest weapon, Bob Dylan proved it and Snider takes it to heart. For twelve years, Snider has been a satirist, class cutup and the rare artist who understands and celebrates the connections between the Stones, Dylan, Bill Hicks, John Prine, Mitch Hedberg, Kris Kristofferson, Hunter S. Thompson and Randy Newman. Snider’s records are fun even when they aren’t being funny, funny even when they’re sad, and no less truthful for the laughs.

Certainty of religion, of politics or of much of anything is a grasp-slipper for Snider, whose life to this point has known few bedrocks. By the time he was 18, he’d spent three years in tired and hungry places. The Woody Guthrie phase of his life culminated with the time he was told by a cop, through a bullhorn, to get off a roof.

“I thought, ‘Jim Morrison. I’ll be Jim Morrison,’” he said.

Todd Snider is not Jim Morrison, thanks in part to the influences of folks like Jerry Jeff Walker, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson and Billy Joe Shaver, troubadour luminaries who at this point look to Snider as the next in their peculiar line. Shaver likes to say of his younger acolyte, “He reminds me of me,” and that statement reflects well on both men. These days, Snider sells out theatres, and sells out the large clubs he plays if the owner will agree to put chairs down for people to sit and listen.

“I think I’m doing okay,” said Snider, who is the only folk-singing fellow of his generation who has earned both the blessings of his esteemed inspirers and the career path that is allowing him to fill their rooms. Shaver writes about Snider’s talents in his autobiography. Kristofferson calls him “A true songwriter,” Walker says “Of all the young songwriters out there, I think Todd Snider is the best,” while Prine calls him “great.”

Close Window Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus Of Dreams

Formed in Sleepy Hollow, New York in the late 90's, Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams is one of the best known and loved bands in their home state, singled out as Hudson Valley Magazine's "Band of the Year" for the past 3 years. On stage they create an enchanting atmosphere, using traditional folk instruments, tasty electric guitar and the distinctive singing and songwriting of Joziah Longo.

Citing influences as diverse as Hank Williams, Dylan, Bowie, Incredible String Band and early Pink Floyd, Longo describes the band's music as "punk-classical-hillbilly-Floyd", a mental rollercoaster of whimsical, thought-provoking songs.

The Circus' live shows are where the real magic comes down, earning them critical acclaim as well as a fiercly loyal following.

"Gandalf Murphy and The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams have the requisite skill and taste to inspire actual awe in even the most jaded of listeners ...simply one of the finest American bands out there on the road."

ALLMUSIC.COM

Super And Natural...I love this band!

Gene Shay WXPN, Philadelphia

"This band is a wonderful surprise - great songs and a whole lotta heart."

Meg Griffin, Sirius Radio

"Whenever I watch The Circus it reminds me to write and perform with my whole heart and soul."

Dar Williams

Close Window Culture

Formed in the rich tradition of harmony trios in 1976, Culture quickly became a part of the vibrant, politically charged Jamaican reggae scene of the day. Originally known as the African Disciples, the line-up consisted of Joseph Hill (lead vocals), Albert Walker (backing vocals) and Kenneth Dayes (backing vocals). Hill was the only member of the trio who had prior studio experience – having worked at Coxsone Dodd’s legendary Studio One as a percussionist with the Soul Defenders group in the early 1970’s. It was also at Studio One that Hill first recorded as a vocalist.

Shortly after Culture came together, they began working with the ‘Mighty Two’ – producer Joe Gibbs and engineer Errol Thompson. While at Gibbs’ studio, the singers recorded a series of powerful singles, many of which ended up on their successful debut album ‘Two Sevens Clash’. This initial release was hugely popular in both Jamaica and England. The lyrics demonstrated Hill’s keen awareness of the connection between Jamaica’s history and its current social climate. While the songs may have been dealing with serious issues, at the same time the group always recognized the value of a catchy beat – a sensibility shared by U.K. punks at the time. At once Culture became part of a wave of vocal groups (including the Mighty Diamonds, Black Uhuru, the Meditations and countless others) that ruled the reggae scene for a brief while in the late 70’s.

In 2005 Joseph Hill was inducted into the Reggae Walk of Fame, and was presented an Independence Award by the Jamaican Prime Minister. In 2006 the group performed a number of concerts including the 'Bob Marley 61st Birthday Celebration' in Ghana and Reggae Sunspash.

Joseph Hill suddenly became ill while the group were on tour in Europe and passed away in Berlin Germany on August 19 2006. The group decided to finish the European tour with Kenyatta Hill (Joseph's son and Culture's audio engineer) singing lead vocals as a tribute to his father. On September 8th a tribute concert took place in Kingston Jamaica and featured an all-star line-up of artists that ranged from Luciano to Bunny Wailer. A memorial service for Hill took place in Kingston the following day. Tentative plans are for Kenyatta Hill to continue to tour and record in his father's place with Culture.

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Your head would spin adding up all the miles the members of Great American Taxi have traveled individually, and in just over two years together they’ve added a whole lot more to their travelogues. From their home in the high country of Colorado to the shores of the Pacific and back again through the grain belt of the Midwest heading further east to the Atlantic Ocean, Taxi has ridden the highways and biways spinning yarns and delivering high octane music to all who show up at their live shows and consume their 21st century Americana sound. From the bars, clubs and theaters to the main stage of Wakarusa to late night sets at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, up north to the 10,000 Lakes Festival via Summer Camp, and out west to the High Sierra Music Fest, the band has carved out their own territory in a very short time. Audiences are instantly immersed in their their folk and country sensibilities while they are fed large doses of improvisation and rock and roll. Touring relentlessy in 2007 supporting their debut CD release “Streets of Gold,” and with over 200 plus shows behind them in their short time together, Great American Taxi has built a hefty following the old fashioned way. With front-man Vince Herman at the wheel people will recognize threads of the Leftover Salmon fabric all the while being driven by original songwriting and musicianship from guitarist/vocalist Jefferson Hamer and keyboardist/vocalist Chad Staehly. The rhythm section and axles of the ride are supplied by well-seasoned veterans Jake Coffin on drums/vocals and Edwin Hurwitz on bass guitar. Jake spent years on the road with Dan Bern and Edwin clocked many miles with 90’s jambands Shockra and Skin. Great American Taxi traffics their collective past helping create their new Americana without borders brand of music.

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Moonalice is a Native American tribe that dates back to the beginning of time. According to Moonalice legend, the tribe descends from Piltdown Woman, or possibly from a couple of naked, snake-charmed gardeners who liked to hang around with friendly dinosaurs. In later times, the tribe evolved into two major clans. One was agricultural, the other nomadic. The farmers were known as hippies. They cultivated many things, but their specialty was a native American crop: hemp. Over the years, the hippies found many uses for hemp and built an advanced culture around it.

The nomadic Moonalice clans were known as bands. They wandered the continent, surviving on their wits and music. Their specialty was low tones. The clans coexisted for millennia, living in harmony (and counterpoint) with all creatures.

From time to time, the Moonalice hippies and bands would gather in pow wows that were known as gigs. A precursor to modern county fairs, these celebrations brought together the best agriculture and music. More Woodstock than livestock, Moonalice gigs were quintessentially American, combining the vibes of New York, San Francisco and all points in between.

Then came the 20th century. White people got all uppity about sex, drugs, and music. Next thing you know, they outlawed hemp. They tried to outlaw rock ‘n’ roll. And they nearly wiped out the Moonalice tribe, the remnants of which were forced underground.

Fortunately, a new day has begun. A daring sextet of nomads has emerged to revive the tribe, its music, and its legend. The new Moonalice crosses the land, spreading good vibes and giving new hope to millions whose culture had been laid waste by the prohibition of hemp. With each gig, the tribe grows. There is Moonalice in everyone.

It is said by those who say such things that the day will come when all members of the tribe will play bass together. And on that day the notion of low will be taken to new depths. Or possibly the notion of depth taken to new lows. As with all things, it’s really a matter of perspective.

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The Meditations are among the most beloved and respected harmony trios to emerge from the roots era of reggae during the 1970s. Now they are back and better than ever with GHETTO KNOWLEDGE, their first album of brand new material since 1992. The group was formed in 1974 by three talented singers and songwriters: Ansel Cridland, Danny Clarke and Winston Watson. A quarter-century later The Meditations remain one of only two groups from the golden age of vocal trios to record and perform with its original line-up intact.

At the time the group was formed, Ansel (from Westmoreland) had been recording with The Linkers, Danny (from Trenchtown) was a member of The Flames, and Winston (also from Trenchtown) sang with Lloyd Parkes and the Termites. In the early 70s, the three friends made the rounds auditioning for producers. They would often provide back-up singing for each other; which led to a number of singles recorded under their individual names but featuring all three. In 1974, their most enduring and popular song to date, "Woman Is Like A Shadow," was recorded by thegroup at Channel One, though it would not be released until 1976.

In 1977, The Meditations came to the attention of reggae's most famous artist, Bob Marley. He heard in The Meditations echoes of his own group, The Wailers, when they were first starting out. He tapped The Meditations to sing backing vocals on a number of songs, including "Blackman Redemption," "Punky Reggae Party," and "Rastaman Live Up." He also invited them to open the historic One Love Peace Concert in April 1978, where they shared the bill with Marley, Peter Tosh and others. The Meditations also provided background vocals for a number of artists including Gregory Isaacs, Jimmy Cliff and The Congos (for most of the legendary HEART OF THE CONGOS album which was re-released by Blood & Fire in 1997 to great acclaim).

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Harry Manx has been dubbed an “essential link” between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. His unique sound is bewitching and deliciously addictive to listen to.

Born on the Isle of Man, Manx spent his childhood in Canada and left in his teens to live in Europe, Japan, India and Brazil. He honed his hypnotic live show on street corners, in cafes, bars and at festivals. But it was Indian music that captured his attention and in the mid 80s he began a five-year tutelage with Rajasthani Indian musician Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Grammy winner with Ry Cooder for A Meeting by the River). Receiving the gift of Bhatt’s custom-made, self-designed mohan veena (a 20-stringed sitar/guitar hybrid) was the catalyst for Harry to forge a new path with his now signature east-meets-west style of music. While the mohan veena itself is beyond exotic, Manx uses it within traditional Western sound structures.

A successful touring performer, Manx has brought his “breathtaking” solo shows across Canada and into the USA, Australia, and Europe. He has appeared at many prestigious festivals, world-class theatres, concert halls and infamous Blues clubs around the globe. Playing the Mohan Veena, lap steel, harmonica, stomp box, and banjo, Manx quickly envelops the audience into what has been dubbed “the Harry Zone” with his warm vocals and the hauntingly beautiful melodies of his original songs.

It’s in the live setting, Manx says, that the bridge between “heavenly” India and “earthy” American blues is most effectively built. “Indian music moves inward,” he explains. “It’s traditionally used in religious ceremonies and meditation, because it puts you into this whole other place. But Western music has the ability to move out, into celebration and dance. So when we play the Indian stuff on stage, it has the tendency to draw people into something really deep; they’ll get kind of quiet and spacey. Then we’ll play some more Western music, and it grounds them once more, they sort of come out of the mood the Indian music had put them in and get into the performance. I love to see that working — that effect on the audience. My goal has always been to draw the audience as deep as possible into the music.”

Blend Indian folk melodies with slide guitar blues, add a sprinkle of gospel and some compelling grooves and you’ll get Manx’s unique “mysticssippi” flavour. It’s hard to resist, easy to digest and keeps audiences coming back for more.

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Winners of the 2006 Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition, Michigan's own Greensky Bluegrass is earning recognition nationwide as a growing force in acoustic roots music...

Performing at festivals, theaters, clubs and listening rooms all over the US, their rare traditional sound is piquing the interests of not only bluegrass enthusiasts, but lovers of musicof all genres. It is their unique "fusion of tradition and enthusiasm for improvisation" that has come to define the band's creative and tangible compositional style.

Live performance is central to Greensky Bluegrass’ presence in today’s eclectic acoustic scene. Touring extensively since 2005, Greensky has developed great versatility in the performance arena, earning audiences nationwide. The mixing of original compositions with traditional bluegrass numbers gives the band a broad spectrum in which to display their driving technical chops, vocal abilities, and lyrical insight. A spirit of improvisation remains evident in live shows, which contributes to an ever-growing population of returning fans and avid show traders.

On-stage collaborations have paired the boys with Railroad Earth, The Hackensaw Boys, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge and Steppin’ in It. The band has also shared bills with influential acts including Ralph Stanley, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice Quartet, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sam Bush, New Monsoon, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Keller Williams, Hot Buttered Rum, Vince Herman, The Mammals, The Avett Brothers, Darrell Scott, King Wilkie, David Grisman Quintet and more.

Close Window Papa Mali

Born Malcolm Helm Welbourne in Vicksburg, MS, Malcolm then moved to Clearwater, FL and on to Shreveport, LA at the age of 3. This was so his mother could be closer to her parents and family, who lived in New Orleans - Malcolm lived in Shreveport, on Bayou Pierre for 14 years and visited his family in New Orleans every chance he got, which was often. While spending time in New Orleans, Malcolm developed an early attachment to Crescent City funk , listening to artists such as the Wild Tchoupitoulas and the Meters.

Several live music experiences including the likes of the Allman Brothers Band, Dr. John and hearing Jimi Hendrix recordings, inspired Malcolm to pick up the guitar. After being introduced to his teacher/mentor John Campbell (A Delta Blues legend), he embarked on a journey that included several projects and musical styles (Funk, Soul, Gospel, Blues, Reggae, Swamp Boogie, Rock and beyond). By the time he was 17, he was playing professionally and he has been devoted to music on many levels since. Malcolm then returned to Shreveport and formed the internationally renowned band, The Killer Bees. It was during this time that he received his nickname “Papa Mali” from Burning Spear while on tour with the band.

Anybody who belonged to Papa’s inner circle knew that swampy funk and delta blues had always been his passion and his inspiration for a life in music. “It was a natural move for me to write the songs that would become Thunder Chicken (Fog City, 2000), a critically-acclaimed return to the music of my native Louisiana. It was as if I had never left... and it felt good to be home!” Although Papa Mali is a solo artist, (also touring in duo, trio and full band settings) he is also a renowned producer working with Lavelle White, Ruthie Foster, and Omar and the Howlers. If you’re ever lucky enough to sample some of his culinary delights, you will see that the bayou runs thick in his veins and still influences every aspect of his life.

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Cornmeal continues to forge a path all their own, pushing the boundaries of bluegrass, Americana and folk for a whole new generation of music lovers. Steeped in the tradition of musical acts such as Old and in the Way, John Hartford, and New Grass Revival, Cornmeal has proven to be an influential presence in the world of roots music. Cornmeal has consistently evolved its sound and stage performance using bluegrass as a springboard for long improvisational work.

In addition, Cornmeal has employed a vigorous college, AAA and internet radio campaign, including their recent addition to the Home Grown Music Network, helping to broaden their reach to listeners from coast to coast. Feet First has employed a staple position on the Jambands.com top 20 radio list since August 2006.

Heavily influenced by American roots and folk music, Cornmeal was started as a side project over seven years ago only to watch it grow into a Chicago institution. Known for their vast musical repertoire, lightning fast tempos, and impeccable harmonies, the five-piece acoustic-electric band prides itself on the energy it puts forth each night creating an unrivalled live performance that continues to shape itself into a truly unique experience.

Close Window Daisy May and Seth Bernard

Born into a family of musicians (her dad was a blues musician in the 60's, her uncle is a guitar maker, etc.), May Erlewine has been playing music all her life. She learned to sing and play piano at an early age, and her acoustic guitar is seldom far from her side. Erlewine, who was home schooled, paid her singer-songwriter dues in her late teens with several years of hitchhiking back and forth across the U.S., even riding freight trains, and always writing songs and playing her music.

Seth Bernard was raised by northern Michigan's music scene. Maybe this is why he is so at home on stage, or why his songs seem to be stories of his life, his growth and his work. His song writing didn't stop here in the Michigan folk scene, however, Seth has traversed the many worlds of music collecting hints of jazz, blues, traditional folk, straight up rock and even old spirituals carving a unique place for himself in the Americana music of today. His lyrics are compassionate, truthful, loving and hilarious, touching on everything from the beauty and irony of living on earth as humans, to the troubles of the world and the journeys we take through time and understanding. His sound is rusty and refined, his playing thoughtful and powerful, sung with potent heart-felt honesty that leaves you with a feeling of hope.

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Backyard Tire Fire, who emerge from a fertile Midwest music scene that's introduced America to some of its greatest new rock bands over the last decade, fully embrace the best characteristics of their generation's genre-bending, influence-melding approach to creating music. Incorporating rock'n'roll, folk, pop, alt-country, Southern rock, and R&B influences, however, only serve as means to a greater end for Ed Anderson, the sublime songwriter who's the voice and vision behind BTF.

Further illuminating the dizzying reach of this three piece band's abilities is its live show. On stage, BTF sheds some of their more subtle and introverted studio dynamics to create a sound that can rival the best power rock trios in music today. The classic slide guitar tones Anderson coxes from his guitar, combined with the muscular rhythm section of brother Matt Anderson on bass and Tim Kramp on drums, delivers on the glory that rock music once promised in its heyday.

Via extensive touring (from clubs to festivals), BTF has built reputation as a compelling, remarkably flexible live act, sharing stages with such diverse luminaries as Son Volt, Clutch, James McMurtry, JJ Grey & Mofro, Alejandro Escovedo, Jackie Greene, The Mother Hips and Dan Bern—and gathering a hard-won fan-base along the way. Clearly, the boy could be an all-world air-guitar poster-child, but the lyrical content herein and the band’s attendant, sublime attention to making the music ‘serve the song’ holds sway.

Whether delivered in the first or third person, Anderson’s tunes continue to eloquently address regret, disconnectedness, internal demons and the dark end of the street, in general—just witness this brain-pan-spinner from the outwardly-placid title cut:

“Vagabonds and hooligans are beating down the door of the house that burns on a hill inside my head…”

Yikes!! It’s not all heavy-lifting, though, as the spirited, tongue-in-cheek rock-star romp on “Tom Petty” underscores, but most of Anderson’s hunting takes place in the tall, tall grass, simply because that’s where the biggest beasts are…

Big-hearted, jarringly direct and riding a powerful, upward arc, Backyard Tire Fire is a happening thing. Wake up and smell the burning rubber…

Close Window Steppin' In It

Toting an ample supply of vintage instruments and a sound that brings listeners back to the days of old-time radio, Steppin’ In It is determined to make a dent in the roots community. Hailing from Lansing, Michigan — the heart of Factory Town, USA — these young men pound out their own brand of roots combining old-time country, swing and blues. Together, they achieve the seemingly impossible task of making the most traditional sounds contemporary playing what Performing Songwriter Magazine calls "some of the liveliest and most rocking acoustic roots music around." Upright Bassist Dominic Suchyta and multi-instrumentalist brothers Andy & Joe Wilson compliment the strong songwriting talents of singer/songwriter Josh Davis, who's haunting vocals paint a picture of rural and urban Michigan breaking its blue-collar back under troubled times.

The group features a variety of instruments and showcases many styles of music, both traditional and original. Steel guitars, tin whistles, trumpet & trombone, upright bass, resophonic guitars, harmonicas and dobros adorn the stage, while woeful waltzes, western swing, bluesy ballads and Cajun two-steps are found on their set-lists. These boys are carrying the torch for the next generation. "Anyone who's worried about the future of traditional roots music and its place in a society that watches shows like American Idol can rest assured: things are in very good hands."

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The Ragbirds began in 2005 with songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Erin Zindle and world percussionist Randall Moore in their search to create fresh, original songs sprouting out of their common love for world music and their desire to weave these distant sounds into more familiar genres. With the addition of guitarist/vocalist Matthew Melody, bassist Dan Hildebrandt, and percussionist Tim Dziekan, who share the vision of creating honest, creative, and original music combining these global and local elements, The Ragbirds fully realized their unique sound.

Led by the energetic and fiery front woman and songwriter Erin Zindle, who skillfully switches between violin, mandolin, banjo, accordion, and percussion, in addition to singing lead vocals (all while dancing!) The Ragbirds musical roots are firmly embedded in the soil of rhythm, ancient and new, incorporating Americana, Gypsy, Celtic, and Latin influences with drums from all over the world, mixing African poly-rhythms and Afro-Cuban tumbao, over sometimes rock, hip-hop or reggae style drum-kit, all designed to get people both listening and up and dancing!

In live performances the band incorporates variations on traditional African drum pieces, each member trading their instrument for a nearby hand drums. The band has a strong belief in the lyricism of poetry and positive music, and the power of dance-able rhythm. Described as "Astounding International Eclecticism" by Reveal Arts Magazine, The Ragbirds are one of the most touring popular bands in their home state of Michigan, and can also be seen performing all over the mid-west and beyond, growing a loyal fan base in cities and towns all over the country. /p>

One of the hardest working bands to come out of Michigan in years, The Ragbirds have averaged well over 200 shows per year for the past two years, and show no signs of slowing down. The Ragbirds have performed to enthusiastic and fast growing audiences in 13 states, including major markets such as New York City, Nashville, Chicago, Denver, Cleveland, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and many, many, more, and have been featured at some of the mid-wests largest music festivals. They have shared the stage with Tony Rice, Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna), Iris Dement, Alvin Youngblood Heart, Donna The Buffalo, Tea Leaf Green, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Mamadou Diabate, New Monsoon, The Duhks, Jeff Daniels, Wookiefoot, and many, many more.

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Don’t touch that dial! This phenomenally versatile trio, created in Dec 2005 by R&B/Funk band and Detroit Music Award nominees (2005, 06 & 07), FUNKILINIUM, will blow your socks off. This 100% improvisational band features FUNKILINIUM members Chef (D.M.A Urban/Funk Best Lead Vocal winner 2007) on drums, Boone on keys (also performs & tours with Ready For The World) and GT (D.M.A Urban/Funk Best Instrumentalist nominee ’05, ’06 & ’07) on bass. The music is nothing less than spectacular, and no audience believes that it’s being created on stage and completely unrehearsed! Imagine: Weather Report meets Funkadelic!

The Fffellaz have been hosting an all genre jam on Tuesdays at the Aloha Lounge & Jazz Club in Flint, MI since Feb 2006 and always look forward to presenting their unique style of musical creativity to all true music lovers world-wide!

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Ultraviolet Hippopotamus blends strong songs and tight licks with improvisation and spur of the moment tactics that convey their sense of humor while keeping their fans dancing for the entire set. Ultraviolet Hippopotamus' original music ranges in inspiration from Americana and bluegrass themes to cream flavored soda pop. Their original sound is found where their progressive aspirations meet their audience's thirst for funk; you can ask them when they stop dancing! In addition to their originals, Ultraviolet Hippopotamus enjoys reinterpreting the country rock styling of artists like The Allman Brothers Band or The Grateful Dead, as well as chasing down the latest trance, dance, and psychedelic electronica grooves, or warming up cold Michigan winters with a Bob Marley cover.

The members of Ultraviolet Hippopotamus also regularly lend their talents to raise money for such causes as AIDS research, food drives, voter turn-out, public school fine-arts programs, United Way, cancer research, and more. So if you are looking for a very talented, energetic music-minded band, if you are in the mood as a venue owner to not only pack the place, but also have a great time, UV Hippo is the answer. "I've been thinking about that strange name, after hearing them, I realize ultraviolet isn't a color it's a wavelength. As for the hippopotamus ... ENJOY THE RIDE" Bill Beckwith 100.9 FM Big Rapids, MI

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The Macpodz are an electrified jazz quintet from Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the traditions of Miles Davis and Frank Zappa, this ensemble pushes the boundaries of rock, jazz and fusion music. Drummer Griffin Bastian and percussionist Nick Ayers drive the rhythm behind bassist Brennan Andes, keyboardist Jesse Clayton and trumpeter Ross Huff. The band coined the term “Disco Bebop” at their first gig in early 2006, after playing a four on the floor roller rink remix of the Charlie Parker tune, “Dewey Square.”

The Macpodz self released their debut album, Genius Food for Super Heroes, on January 2, 2007. Described as lush, daring and incredibly solid, the music has been well received by jazz lovers and those who just love to dance. “The crowd dances, bobs and claps unfazed when the music veered into odd meter,” said James Manheim of the Ann Arbor Observer.

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Based in Ann Arbor Michigan, My Dear Disco has gained a strong following for their innovative sound, a new genre they have labeled “DanceThink Music,” described by CD reviews as "at once a psychedelic exercise and a grasp at the Top 40." Their show is truly one-of-a-kind, featuring electronified Irish Bagpipes, and multiple instruments that were invented, designed, and hand made by their guitarist. The beats never stop, taking the listener though a dance-matrix of grinding funk, blazing drum and bass, pop techno, contagious disco, raw house, pulsing hip-hop, afro-beat rhythms, jazz improv, punk rock, and the indefinable spaces between. The line-up features a 2-time International Acoustic Music Award winning composer, a 3-time World Champion instrumentalist, a 1st place Michigan Idol winning singer, and two 1st place M-Block Records “New Music on the Block” winning recording artists.

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Rachael Davis has been singing on-stage since she was two years old. Being born to parents who never intended to keep her very far from music for very long seems to have made all the difference in the world. Before she could walk Rachael would be set in a car seat and placed in the middle of a song circle, and with silver bells on her ankles she would shake her feet to the rhythm. At one-and-a-half Rachael was singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to anyone who asked, and at two she started performing with her parents on stage. In September of 2001, Rachael moved to Boston and within the span of seven months was awarded a Boston Music Award for Best New Singer-Songwriter. Her influences range from the jazz stylings of Ella Fitzgerald to the soulful pop vocals of Patty Griffin -- with many more in between. She is a contemporary songwriter but is equally at home singing anything from traditional ballads to Cole Porter to Joe Henry.

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Jill Jack has dominated Detroit’s folk/rock scene for the past decade. A woman with a strong drive and ambition, Jill has a voice with a distinct timbre that sets her apart – each year and each album, her voice becomes more clearly defined as uniquely her own.

Her genre-jumping sound doesn't slide easily into any one format and keeps her free to write and sing what she wants, the way she wants, to create her own sound. "I am a folk artist and I'm proud of that. The luxury I have with writing my music is that it can't be boxed into one genre ... it has the freedom to blur the lines from folk, country, rock, a little blues, etc., to form a great melting pot of pure Americana music."

Jill Jack grew up in Michigan, and her interest in playing guitar and musical tastes were hand-me-downs from her older sisters who cultured her in the music of the times. Jill has worked relentlessly for years – everything from playing hole in the wall clubs, to large venues like the 17,000 seater DTE, to singing commercial jingles – and has risen to the elite of Detroit's music scene while building a large and loyal fan base that literally stretches from coast to coast (with her website receiving thousands of hits each week). For this singer/songwriter, performing countless shows, working on independent movie soundtracks and dabbling in the world of acting in 2007, while balancing all the risks involved between her music career and raising her teenage daughter have really paid off. Jill received 3 more Detroit Music Awards in 2007, bringing her total DMA wins to 21 across three different genres (Acoustic/Folk, Country, and Pop/Rock) for vocalist, songwriter, album, and artist.

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Formed in the spring of 2005 with Seth Bernard on guitar and lap Steel, Dave Bruzza on Drums, and Jake Robinson on guitars as an improvisational rock band playing mostly original music the trio has since expanded to include Luke Winslow-King on Bass Guitar and Organ, Dustin Edwards on Rhodes organ, Susan Fawcett on Violin and Harmonica, Daisy May on Violin and Viola. The group recorded its first studio album over the course of a week this winter in Hoxeyville its set or release sometime this summer.

A blend of rock and Alt country styles their influences include Bill Frisell, The Allman Brothers Band, Neil Young, Ekoostik Hookah, Sonny Landreth, and Richard Buckner to name a few. They will be appearing at Hoxeyville, as well as at Farm Fest, and Earthwork's Harvest Gathering later this year.

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Claustrophobia sets in. Your eyes crave color; a sharp sliver of green promising to push itself upward through the snow, the speck of a blood-red cardinal sitting atop the highest of trees, a burst of brilliant blue swallowed by thickening gray clouds. Your ears long for the unordinary; the rush of waves, the chattering of gulls, a choir of frogs and crickets singing a night picture. Just to smell the grass growing or the hay mowing or to feel the tightness of sunscorched skin seems impossible! Windows are thrown open. Mudcrusted rugs shaken. Seed catalogs held sacred. Arms, legs, whole bodies are stretched toward the sun begging release from the dreaded CABIN FEVER!

"Piblokto Madness" is what they call it above the Artic circle" relates Cabin Fever bandmember, Tom Keen when asked how the band got its name. "It was back in the winter of '82 and I was reading this book by Morris Ferlingetti that described this sickness that would cause people, even animals, to go crazy and do stupid things like rip off their clothes and go running over the ice, maybe jump in, maybe never come back. And I thought , wow, maybe it could even make two guys play the same music for years, over and over in 3/4 time. That must be what we call cabin fever. And we had it real bad that year! It seemed a fittin' name for a Northern Michigan two-man guitar army where everybody knew at least three chords."

There's no time for cabin fever to set in these days. Things have gotten brighter as the music's gotten tighter.This well-seasoned group of bluegrass musicianaries (a term invented by Paul Kirchner's wife, Jean) features Tom Keen on acoustic guitar and vocals, Tom Fordyce on harmonica and vocals, Kurt Westie on mandolin and vocals, Paul Kirchner on banjo, fiddle and vocals and Jim Curtis on electric bass and vocals.

Third Coast bandmember, Chris Skellenger, sums up the band's talent with a sports analogy by saying, "When these guys decided they were going to get back into music, they made a shameless raid on the free-agent market of pickers that were available and scared the &*@! out of the rest of us!" Their first cassette, "Too Much Fun" features everything from Bill Staines' "Loggin' Song" to Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire!" And those of us lucky enough to have seen this fine band perform at any number of festivals have heard cover tunes by the likes of Grandpa Jones, Laurie Lewis, Seldom Scene and originals like Junkman Jim.

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Pollution, crime rates, and economic despair aren't the only effects of growing up in the outskirts of the Motor City. Within the grey solitude there is beauty, hope and a budding bouquet of creativity and invigorating new music. Bump is the NEW Detroit sound. Bump combines the hard-hitting essentials of the world-famous Detroit electronic music scene with the soulful influence of one of the most famous musical generations of all time, the Motown Sound, to create their own brand of electronic science fiction rock.

While many would be self-conscious or discomfited with wearing the badge "New Detroit Band," Bump wears it proudly, preaching their gritty roots through their unique brand of intelligent art rock. Not only has the band embraced their hometown, Detroit has reciprocated, coming out in masses in support of Detroit's largest underground act. Thanksgiving Eve 2006 saw the band sell out the Majestic Theatre. Over 1,300 fans danced, grooved and helped bring in the holiday season.

With an unrelenting touring schedule and over 600 shows played, Bump continues to turn heads throughout the country. Having recently completed a 22 day Midwest Tour w/ The Samples, their reach is extensive and continues to grow as they've had the pleasure of sharing their music in 35 states. Bump receives critical acclaim from such national publications as Relix, Hittin' the Note, and Glide Magazine. The band is currently distributed through Home Grown Music Network, and appears on Home Grown 7. In 2006 the band matured and discovered a sound they call their own, a sound that is the NEW Detroit sound.

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An earthy Michigan duo with roots in indie, classical and traditional music, breathe owl breathe has cultivated a musical landscape that is at once playful and reverent, silly and heartfelt, mysterious and familiar. Micah Middaugh and Andrea Moreno-Beals experiment with an array of stringed instruments (most notably the cello and guitar) and vocal harmonies to texture their original songs. They were raised by rivers and gardens and their instruments tell the tales. They traveled to cities and islands and their voices tell the tales. They are here for you, Breathe owl Breathe.

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Patrick Niemisto hails from Pelkie near Baraga in Michigan's upper peninsula. He is a Northern Michigan University graduate which is in Marquette. Patrick moved to the Leelanau County area in the early 1980’s, and has been a part of the music scene ever since. Playing a variety of instruments with an assortment of musicians, Patrick has enjoyed sharing the stage with some very cool people in some very cool places. In addition to being in N3C, he plays with Luunappi, a children’s and family music and stories duo with Norm Wheeler, as well as other varied ensembles for special events on a regular basis. Patrick now teaches music at Glen Lake Community Schools. He also spends considerable time as proprietor of the Holy Wah! Recording Studio and Brewery in Maple City. Most of the regional musicians find their way into his studio. Patrick plays Bass, Fiddle, Mandolin, Guitar, Percussion, Piano, you name it - he probably plays it.

John Kumjian's roots are in southeast Michigan, but he's spent enough time in the UP to be afforded the title of Honorary Yooper. He graduated from Northern Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. John is currently teaching band and general music at Glen Lake Community Schools. Along with his teaching, “Mr.K” (as his students refer to him) is a highly sought after session percussionist/drummer who can frequently be found "filling in" for area ensembles. John spent a number of years touring regionally and nationally with various groups and artists. He plays pretty much everything! On the most recent recording he plays Guitar, Electric Guitar, Drums, Percussion, Bass, Harmonica, Accordian, Piano, and Amazingly High Vocals.

Bryan Poirier is the newest member. He grew up in Grand Rapids and is a Yooper once removed via his father. Bryan earned his BA in Music focusing on Theory and Composition from Grand Valley State, did some teaching and Grad work in Music at Ohio University, and his MBA from Michigan State. Bryan's "day gig" is as a Certified Financial Planner with Centennial Group in Traverse City. He worked in a popular area duo with David Cisco for a number of years. Their performances took them as far away as Bermuda. Bryan left for the Detroit area in 1987 taking some time off from music, but returned to Leelanau in 2000. He started up a solo career again before being asked to join N3C in late 2004. He plays Guitar, Keyboards, some Banjo and Bass.

All of these boys share songwriting duties.

Close Window K. Jones and the Benzie Playboyz

K. Jones & the Benzie Playboyz are bringing the roots sound of southwest Louisiana's Creole, Cajun, and Zydeco scene to ya'll up here in the hinterlands of Michigan.

The Playboys are dedicated to keeping the Cajun/Creole music alive with live performances for two-steppin', waltzing, and smoking red hot zydeco dancing.

Cajun/Creole French lyrics are common in many of the tunes we sing in the tradition of Amede Ardoin, Bois Sec, Canray Fontenot, Boozoo Chavis, John Delafose, the Balfa Brothers, Iry LeJune, Dennis McGee and many others.

The 10 button diatonic accordion of K.Jones is the driving force of our music, with Jonah on fiddle to intertwine seamlessly into the melodies. Scott Sholten remains our steadfast drummer, relentlessly keeping the time, with Bill Brown back with his funky smooth bass lines on the bottom end. Mark Stoltz is our man on the scrubboard and tit'fer driving the beat.

Close Window Like Water Drum and Dance

Like Water Drum & Dance has been directed by Ryan Edwards since the groups founding in September of 2000. Now 12 members strong, the groups 6 drummers and 6 dancers combine their talents in an “other-centered, not self-centered” style – so fundamental to the art of drum and dance. A truly athletic art form, the performers maintain a rigorous rehearsal and study schedule, continuously honing their craft and elevating their game.

The drummers of Like Water contribute specific traditional (as well as original rhythms inspired by) rhythms from West Africa, Brazil, America and elsewhere, in a “serve the dancers” spirit. Like Water’s repertoire draws on the worldly experience of its members and director to evoke both an authentic traditional sound, as well as a decidedly original essence. These elements fly through the percussionists as they perform with open hearts, smiles, and an inspirational performance not soon forgotten.

Directed by Dori Edwards and Julie Kouyate, the dancers of Like water bring a wide range of dance experience to the ensemble; from extensive African dance study – in America and in Africa, to hip-hop, modern, jazz, and competitive dance teams. The Like Water dancers are the physical expression of the music as much as the music is an audible expression of their dance – this theory being the cornerstone of “selfless-performance.” From the attitude and style of each individual dancer, to the ever – changing shape of the choreographies and formations, a powerful, sharp and captivating performance is guaranteed. What does this all mean? An ensemble not only free of computers – free of electricity, dancers just as important as the music…..? Is the world getting smaller, some new planets lined up? Or could it be a new bridge is being built, a new era in cultural and personal sharing and expression. We miss something about the lives many of us left generations ago…Like Water is a powerful reminder those days need not be lost forever.

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In Errol Flynn's 1938 film, "The Dawn Patrol," a band of doomed marauders prowl the skies over Germany, hunting the Red Baron with machine guns blazing from their biplanes.

Cut to the present and you'll find Northern Michigan's newest band, The Dawn Patrol, hoping to generate a similar level of heat from their home base in Traverse City.

The Dawn Patrol plays a blend of dance-pop music that borrows from many traditions: rock, reggae, funk, R&B, blues, jazz and worldbeat.

"It's basically 'urban' music, meaning dance-rock coming from a lot of different directions," says singer-guitarist Bob Downes. "A song might have an afro-pop riff stitched to a hip-hop break and rock vocals. We do a lot of of mix-and-match songwriting."

Downes founded the group with rock/funk guitarist Jim Moore. Rounding out the band are Bill Brown on bass and harmonies and Dave Dewey on drums and percussion.

"We work hard on our harmonies to generate a fuller sound," Downes said. "A commitment to harmonies is how bands of the '60s, such as The Beatles, were able to generate a lot of excitement with few players."

To that end, the band is indebted to the harmony coaching of Bill Brown who performed as a professional musician in the late-'60s Detroit rock scene with Ormandy, opening for Cream, Vanilla Fudge and other titans at the legendary Grande Ballroom. Today, Brown is a court-appointed youth services officer.

Dave Dewey's background includes serving as a drummer with many Northern Michigan groups in addition to his day job in the fruit harvesting industry. Jim Moore administers the Northern Michigan's Agency for Independent Living. Downes is editor and co-publisher of the Northern Express Weekly alternative newpaper and a prolific songwriter.

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It's been quite a ride for Aphrodesia since their birth in 2003: a pilgrimage to the legendary Shrine nightclub in Lagos, Nigeria in 2006, a cross-country voter-registration tour in a vegetable oil-powered bus in 2004 and accolades everywhere from National Public Radio to USA Today. Through it all the San Francisco-based 11-piece ensemble has won audiences over with an eclectic, unique sound- a blend of rich, female lead vocals and slamming horn-laden polyrhythmic funk that Global Rhythm Magazine called “a Pan-African mash-up.”

While the members of Aphrodesia are admirers of West African styles like afrobeat and Highlife- enough so that the group spent a month performing and living in Ghana in 2006- in the process journeying through Togo and Benin to Nigeria to perform at the Shrine with Femi Kuti- the group's sound has always included touches of funk, dub, Zimbabwean trance, hip-hop and global pop. The band's new studio album- “Lagos By Bus” (Cyberset Music), packed with songs written during and about their month in Africa- further solidifies their diverse sound.

Birthed in 2003 in the backyard shack of bassist Ezra Gale, Aphrodesia quickly recorded “Shackrobeat Vol. 1”, a disc heavily influenced by singer Lara Maykovich's experience living in Ghana and Zimbabwe which was picked as a top record of 2003 by the East Bay Express. The following year the politically outspoken group launched the “Just Vote Tour”, a cross-country swing-state voter registration tour undertaken in the group's vegetable oil-powered bus that landed in New York City during the Republican National Convention. The group's second album, “Front Lines”, was recorded soon after and featured the layered lead vocals of Maykovich and Maya Dorn, several bold originals penned by the group and eclectic guest performers ranging from Tom Waits sideman Ralph Carney to former Sierra Club president Adam Werbach. Featured on National Public Radio, the album was also ecstatically reviewed by outlets from Global Rhythm Magazine to the Village Voice.

Meanwhile, the group's reputation as a show-stopping live act continued to spread. With a lineup that includes singers Mayokovich and Dorn, bassist Gale, guitarists David Sartore and Chris Mulhauser, the horns section of Henry Hung, Liz Larson, Mitch Marcus and Sylvain Carton, percussionist Paul Sonnabend and powerhouse drummer Jason Slota, Aphrodesia delivered stunning, high energy sets at the 2004 and 2005 High Sierra Music Festivals, the 2005 Earthdance Festival, the 2005 and 2006 Aspen Jazz Festival, the 2006 and 2007 Harmony Festival and many more. The group's near-constant touring saw them build a fan base all over the U.S., playing venues from San Francisco's Fillmore to New York City's S.O.B.'s, while opening slots for Maceo Parker, Steel Pulse, the String Cheese Incident, the Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars, Konono no. 1 and several others broadened their reach even further. Aphrodesia’s music carries with it a strong sense of social justice, and the band’s commitment to social change extends offstage as well. Having headlined numerous benefits for causes ranging from AIDS prevention to Tsunami Relief to anti-Iraq War organizations, the group has also made a point of traveling on alternative fuels like biodiesel and recycled vegetable oil. It may be a small start, but the group believes that its actions, like its music, can have a huge effect.

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Raised between the homes of a Detroit School Teacher and an Upper Peninsula Outdoorsman, Joshua Davis is the product of both city and country. An early interest in songwriting, country blues and finger-style guitarists pave the way for his original material, which is a seamless union of new and old. After six years and three albums as the primary songwriter and vocalist of the Michigan quartet Steppin'In It, Davis tracked his first solo record Fool Rooster in the winter of 2005. The album is a collection of original compositions, many with longtime collaborator and lyricist Aaron Allen. Recorded entirely live and in a few short days, the songs are placed in a modest setting with little attention to detail, leaving listeners convinced they were written about their own lives.

“Davis' Fool Rooster is a slice of Americana. With songwriting reminiscent of Woody Guthrie, Davis sings about tender recollections of the past, farm towns and steel towns filled with memories of friends, family and strangers.” -The Noise, Lansing MI

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Soul Patch is a Traverse City, MI based band with members as versatile as its music. In 2003, Soul Patch was formed by Wink (Christopher Winkelman) – rhythm guitar, lead vocals and also includes Mando (Michael Peck) - mandolin, guitar, slide guitar, dobro, back-up vocals; CB (Christopher Belanger) – bass; Adam T - guitar, banjo, harmonica, moog; Animal (Marc Alderman) - drums, percussion. A Soul Patch show is a ride through a land of make believe. They don't even know what They are going to play next. Look for them all around the Traverse City Area and wherever you see the name SOUL PATCH, 'cuz they'll probably be there!

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Come one come all, and join in the psych-folk rock circus that is Boroughs! Evolving from a tight knit group of friends and musicians in Murfreesboro, TN, Boroughs is a fresh burst of live entertainment breaking out into this year’s music festival scene. With multi-instrumentalists abundant, Boroughs spans music genres, from show tunes to folk to rock & roll, delivering unparalleled live performances that never stand still. Boroughs draws inspiration from many varying artists, such as the Beatles, Avett Brothers, and Sound Tribe Sector 9, and that list is always evolving. Do yourself a favor and see what these exciting young men mean when they say, “It’s life, it’s love, it’s music, it’s Boroughs!”

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The Deep Fried Pickles pride themselves on making juggabilly music that would make Hee-Haw's Grandpa Jones shake, rattle and roll over in his grave. Founded in '00 as a jug band, 'DFPP' now embraces other American roots music forms as well. Hokum, Bluegrass, Folk, Rockabilly, Blues and Honky-Tonk tunes pepper their set lists. The recent musical phenomenon's performances include hillbilly-style punk-rock covers and rollicking original tunes. Fans are known as "gherkins". Their style has been compared to "The Sex Pistols meet the Beverly Hillbillies". "The music is "a snapshot of America's Heartland", says the South Bend Tribune. According to the Kalamazoo Gazette, DFPP's family performances "leave parents and kids pickled pink."

Besides performing for children the "DFPP" perform adult venues too, where their stage presence is altogether spicier. Recent performance venues and festivals include Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Wakarusa and Northwest String Summit. The Pickles have shared the bill with Bela Fleck, String Cheese Incident, Gov't Mule, Wilco, and many other bands that inspire the Pickles.

The band was featured in an episode of 'Postcards From Buster', a spin-off of "Arthur" on PBS Kids, which has millions of viewers worldwide. "We immediately fell in love with them," said (Buster) series producer Natatcha Estebanez of The Deep Fried Pickle Project. "They're fun, they're funky, they represent an interpretation of American Culture where you can throw a bunch of cool things together and make music out of it."

The Pickles are available for low-key acoustic duo sets as well as concerts with the whole band includeng guest fiddlers and banjo players. DFPP also likes to perform for children. The Pickle Boys present instrument making workshops and concerts for kids in pediatric hospitals, community concerts and benefits. If you know a group of young people that would benefoit from a Pickle concert, and DFPP will be in your area, why not get ahold of them and see if they can donate a bit of their time and talents?

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This is a great little band from right here in Empire Michigan.

2008 Schedule

Thursday - Main Stage

Thursday - Side Stage

Thursday - MV North Stage

Thursday - MV South Stage

Friday - Main Stage

Friday - Side Stage

Friday - MV North Stage

Friday - MV South Stage

Friday - Lacore St. Stage

Saturday - Main Stage

Saturday - Side Stage

Saturday - MV North Stage

Saturday - MV South Stage

Saturday - Lacore St. Stage

Sunday - Main Stage

Sunday - Side Stage

Sunday - MV North Stage

Sunday - MV South Stage

Sunday - Lacore St. Stage

2008 Festival Lineup