Concert Reviews, Interviews

Roosevelt Collier Throws Hendrix Funk Party at Pearl Street Warehouse [Photos/Interview]

Sacred steel virtuoso, Roosevelt Collier, brought his trio back to Pearl Street Warehouse at The Wharf DC on Saturday, June 16 for another round of "Jimi Meets Funk." (Our coverage of the band's previous jaunt to DC can found here.) The power trio displayed their cohesiveness on Hendrix cuts including 'The Wind Cries Mary,' 'Hey Joe,' 'Who Knows,' and 'Power of Soul.'

Collier's musical connection with Matt Lapham (bass) and Anthony Cole (drums, vocals) could not be more visible than it was on Saturday night . Their unique takes on Hendrix classics at times defied genres, at one time going into a rendition of Sly and the Family Stone's 'Sing a Simple Song.' The band transformed the (sometimes) sitting venue into a massive dance party, wowing the crowd with their sound and energy.

Our very own, Karin McLaughlin, was able to sit down with Collier for an extensive interview before the show and touched upon a range of topics including his recent album release (our review can be found here), growing up in church, Bill Withers, and the time he jammed with Bob Weir (without even knowing he was at the time!) Check it out.

Karin McLaughlin: Sitting down with Roosevelt Collier right before the Pearl Street Warehouse show. So, you’ve been to D.C. before – played at Gypsy Sally’s and...

Roosevelt Collier: Yes, so I’ve played Gypsy Sally’s a few times and love that place.  They’ve got some great people over there.  I’ve also played at, there’s another spot, forgive me, I can’t think of the name of it, it’s more downtown.

KM: Hmm, 9:30?  U Street Music Hall?

RC: No, I can’t remember the name of it.

KM: Well, you’re familiar with D.C.

RC: Oh yeah, yeah, I’m familiar with D.C., yes.

KM: Well, I don’t know if you’re familiar with this area.

RC: This is the Wharf, right?

KM: Yeah and it’s pretty brand-spankin new!

RC: Right, right.

KM: This used to be the fish market area.

RC: Yeah because the last time that I had played here in, I think, December, they had just opened this up.  I mean the paint was brand new, you could still smell it.

KM: Still get high off it (laughs).

RC: Right, right (laughs).

KM: And you played here at Pearl Street?  Because there’s also Union Stage right across the street.

RC: No, yeah it was here.

KM: I’ve never been here so I’m excited to see you here.  Ok, so you’re real familiar with the area.

RC: Yeah, love it here, just the traffic is crazy!

KM: Funny you say that, I was going to text you because I was in traffic and thought I might be late for this interview.  It’s bananas.  You came from Philly?

RC: Yeah, we drove from Philly this morning.  The GPS said 157 miles but it said 3 and a half hours.

KM: That’s because you have to drive through Maryland and they are the worst drivers in the whole world (laughs)

RC: Yeah (laughs).

KM: So I am really excited to talk to you because you’ve played with so many people, my one question that I always ask is what’s on your music bucket list and usually, it’s about who someone wants to play with.  You’ve already pretty much done it all though, is there anyone left on that list?

RC: You know what, that question is starting to become, for me, like ‘what’s your favorite food?’  For me, I’ve been able to play with so many phenomenal players, I mean, in so many genres, from punk rock to country to bluegrass to funk.  So I’ve been blessed to play with so many people and there’s so many amazing artists out there that my bucket list would be endless just because of the fact that you always find somebody that’s amazing.  I mean if you go overseas, there’s gonna be a whole nother bucket list.  I try not to have a bucket list no more just because I’m gonna always be inspired by something new.

KM: What about a venue?  Is there somewhere you want to be able to play?

RC: Yeah, of course – Red Rocks

Roosevelt Collier playing his sacred steel guitar 

Karin McLaughlin and Roosevelt Collier

KM: I knew it!  Or rather I had a feeling.

RC: Well, as far as with my band.  Red Rocks I would definitely love to play.

KM: You’re going out to Denver soon aren’t you?

RC: I’m going out to Denver in August.

KM: Where are you playing?

RC: I’m playing at Cervantes

KM: Cervantes is a good venue!

RC: Yeah, I’m playing at Cervantes and Boulder Theater too.  I mean, of course, listen, there’s so many amazing spots.  Oh wait, there’s this cave that everybody’s been playing at.

KM: A cave?!

RC: Yeah a cave, it’s really a cave, but it’s a venue, you know?

KM: Where’s it at? It’s in the U.S?

RC: I’m gonna look it up because of the fact that ummm

KM: Hm, I wonder what the acoustics are like in there.

RC: Yeah all the bands are playing there now.  I’m just not sure the name of it.

KM: Well, I’ll look it up and it will go on my bucket list (laughs).

RC: Yeah, an actual cave.  Crazy, right?

KM: So when you do something like you’re doing tonight, where you’re paying tribute to Jimi Hendrix, how do you prepare for something like that?

RC: I’m engulfed in Jimi.  I mean I’m a fan of the music and of him period but that’s just any music that I’m playing that isn’t mine, I’m engulfed in it to the point where it’s a part of me for that time frame.  It makes it easier to just play.

KM: You feel it.

RC: Oh yeah!

KM: How do you pick who you’re going to do?  Didn’t you do a Bill Withers one a while ago?  Obviously, they’re both amazing artists.

RC: Bill Withers was actually put together by a guy named Jerry Stone but that was an amazing tribute you know, I mean it’s Bill Withers.  But again, the same thing, if I’m doing another show like that, I’m engulfed in it.  The whole goal is to try to be able to think like they were thinking back when they were playing the song and know the background of it.  Then it makes it a lot easier.

KM: So you grew up in the church?

RC: I was born and raised in the church, I could not get away from it if I wanted to.   It’s just a part of me.

KM: How did the transition go?  I know that the instrument you play was born in the church but changing over to playing music by mostly jam bands, what was that like?  Were they like, ‘What?’

RC: No, no, no. You know what, when we started touring, the jam band family and people in it were the ones that embraced us and welcomed us the fastest.  I come from a church that basically is a jam band because we just rock out.  So playing out here wasn’t no different except for being out here on the stage and playing in clubs.  Our church was basically 70% music and 30% everything else.

KM: I feel like that’s typical for most African American churches, my Catholic church was boring.  We’re singing psalms, not somewhere you wanna hang.

RC: Yeah, totally.  A basic church may hold service, 45 minutes or an hour.  Great, you come in, sing a hymm, listen to the preacher.  Then they sing another hymn then you’re gone.

KM: Yeah, gospel church you’re in there all day!

RC: Yeah, our church start at 11:30, we didn’t get out til 2:30 or later.

KM: Yeah, I remember going to church with some friends growing up and was like ‘How long are we gonna be here?’ But it was fun!

RC: You couldn’t even tell how much time was passing.  Sunday night, Wednesday night.  But that was my up bringing and that’s where I got all my stage stuff was church.  It’s a performance, every Sunday and you know, if you can move the church crowd, you can move anybody because they’re the hardest (laughs).

KM: Is it ever hard for you to stay seated for a whole performance?  Aren’t you just like ‘I gotta get up and dance for this one!’?

RC: Maaaaaan that’s a good question.  Let me say it correctly.  You know what, it’s very hard.  Even if I’m not standing, I’m not seated either because I’m so deep in the music, you know what I’m saying?  It’s as if I’m out there jamming with the people and I’m so gone already.  I’m deeply gone.  So, yeah, physically I may be seated but spiritually, I’m somewhere up there flying and dancing.  I mean, yeah, I’m here and you can see me but I’m up there getting down.

KM: (laughs) That’s funny.

RC: Yeah picture that (laughs).

KM: Feel the spirit.

RC: Yeah, that’s what it is - feelin it. 

KM: I tried to find the meaning, what is Exit 16?

RC: (laughs) Ohhhh, we talking about my record now huh?  I’m so proud of this album.  It came out in March.  500K Spotify streamers almost.

KM: Nice, I was one of em.

RC: Oh were you?  Nice, yeah we’re close, we’re at about four hundred thousand something.

KM: Well we’ll spread the word, we’ll get you there.

RC: Once we hit that 500K we’re gonna do a big post about it.  I mean that’s amazing.  That’s people that have viewed and listened to your album.  Exit 16 is simple, that’s the exit where I’m from born and raised.  So, Exit 16 is basically where it all started, it’s where I’m from, that’s my home.  If you take the turnpike down south towards Miami and get off at exit 16, that’s home. 

KM: You’re giving it away, people are gonna come find you now.

RC: Yeah, but they don’t know what house (laughs).  So that’s the record, basically showing you who I am and where I’m from.  You know what, exit 16 can mean whatever.  For some people it can be the exit of hope or the exit of love.

KM: Or where the party’s at (laughs).

RC: (laughs) Well, that too.

KM: So how long did this album take to come together?

RC: Oh man, we’ve talked about it for a while, with Mike Lee, he did it at his studio in Brooklyn.  Bobby and JT Thomas, took about a weekend.

KM: I think you did an interview about your first exposure and playing it but 'Sugaree' is your jam, right?

RC: Oh, the Dead music?  Yeah, my first exposure was before I even knew the Dead really.  I mean, I just knew the song.

KM: One of my personal favorites too.  You’re familiar with LOCKN' Festival right?

RC: Yeah yeah, LOCKN'.

KM: I was there a couple years ago and Susan (Tedeschi) got up on stage with Phil Lesh and did a version of Sugaree that’ll make you cry.  You gotta check it out!

RC: Oh, for real?

KM: But I also read somewhere that you were playing a festival and a certain someone got on stage with you and started playing and you had no idea who it was and it turned out to be…?

RC: Bob Weir.  That was Merle Fest.  Had to be back in 2006 I wanna say, maybe 2005.  This is us still fresh out of the church scene, so I mean, we were green.  We were playing the festival and it was a nice timeslot - it was daytime.  I still have the pictures from it. We were playing, we were jamming hard.  There was probably about 600 people scattered, everybody’s up dancing, we were the new kids on the block, and maybe mid song – we literally look up and over this little hill, we see 4 or 500 people coming over this hill like ants like ‘Yeah yeah yea!!’.  SWOOOSH.  Here they come and we don’t pay them no mind, we’re like ‘Oh, let’s bring it!’  They are at the stage and they are going BANANAS!  I happen to look back and see my uncle in the back and we see this guy bringing up an amp on stage and this other guy plugging in.  We have no idea, haven’t got the foggiest idea who it is.  Us being the guys that we are, we were like ‘Come on, bring it on, let’s get it!’  This dude came and stood right next to me and was jamming. When I say the crowd lost their mind, I mean they lost their mind!  Then we went up even further and he was wailing, just jamming with us.  After that, I remember the guy left the stage and once we were done, our manager goes, “Hey do you know who that guy was?”  We were like, “No, but this guy was just jamming with us but it must’ve been somebody huge because a whole slew of people just came running.”  He was like, “Yeah that was Bob Weir from the Grateful Dead.”  And I said, “Grateful Dead, like 'Sugaree' Grateful Dead?”

KM: (laughs) Like the THE Grateful Dead?!

RC: (laughs) Yeah, that was the only thing I knew.  Then I was like, ‘Holy crap!’ and then, I mean, after that, we all met him and talked to him.

KM: That’s so cool!

RC: Yeah, he was just the coolest man.  I think that Rat Dog was playing.  Yeah, that’s my first real experience with The Grateful Dead was with Bob Weir.

KM: Pretty cool first experience.

RC: Yeah, yeah.  My ego, that day whoa, we were jamming with Bob Weir.

KM: I have to ask, because you have played with so many people and done so many festivals and shows, do you have a favorite?

RC: Oh why you gonna do that?  How you gonna do that (laughs).  That is just asking for trouble…

KM: (laughs) Ok, how about the wildest?

RC: Now, see, that’s different.  The wildest, hmmm, the wildest show or – what’s the question again (laughs)?

KM: Ok, we’ll say wildest collaboration.

RC: Oh man

KM: It’s a hard one I’m sure.

RC: Yeah, you’re killing me (laughs).  I’d say for sure, this one that I’m in right now - BoKante.  That’s an amazing group of people.  It’s like afro beats meets like French singing meets…

KM: Like Creole?

RC: Yeah like West African meets Led Zeppelin.

KM: Ohhhh, where they do that at?  (laughs)

RC: (laughs) Yeah, yeah, exactly!  By far a very, very, very cool thing.  So as far a wild and different, I do so many get downs, those are always good but this is by far, this is the kind of the most out there kinda thing I’ve been doing.

KM: Ok, last question.

RC: Bring it on, I’m ready.

KM: You have a playlist, it’s a ‘Get Hype’ play list.

RC: I do? On Spotify?

KM: (laughs) This is a hypothetical.

RC: Ohhh, ok, ok, let’s do it! Oh, we’re fittin to go there?  Are we doin 3 songs or 5 songs, artists, I mean artists?

KM: 5

RC: 5 artists – this is my ‘Get Hype’?

KM: Yeah, this is ‘Bands that Make Her Dance’ (laughs).

RC: Now wait, wait, see that’s different because I’m from Miami so you can’t say that or I’m gonna go a whole nother route.

KM: Say, you’ve got a show and you’re dragging a little bit.  This is what you put on to be like, ‘I’m ready!’

RC: Ok, this is my…

KM: This is before you come out of the tunnel at the Super Bowl.

RC: Ok, I’m going Jimi Hendrix all day long.  I’m gonna go Robert Randolph. I’m going Derek Trucks.  I’m also going Snarky Puppy.  Then I’m gonna have to go with Lettuce.   You know, that’s not fair, though!

KM: I know – my friend did that Facebook challenge recently where it’s ten albums that you listened to back in the day that you still do from start to finish and it was impossible.  I went Otis Redding, Third Eye Blind, Wyclef, Wu Tang, I was all over the place.

RC: No but that stuff will get me hype quick.

KM: Well, I appreciate the time and I’m excited to see you live.

RC: Yeah, that was a good time, thank you.

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Enjoy photos by our photographer Josh Brick  of Josh Brick Graphics.

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Houndmouth lead singer, Matt Myers
Concert Reviews

Houndmouth Delights In Charm City With A No Frills Performance

The unforgiving humidity smacked the citizens of Baltimore, MD right in the face on Saturday, June 16th. But inside of Rams Head Live!, the air was filled with far less moisture, and far more excitement. Primed by the energetic shredding of Liz Cooper & The Stampede, the members of Houndmouth took to the stage  enveloped in a chorus of cheers. 

Houndmouth Bassist

Composed of Indiana natives Matt Myers (guitar, vocals), Zak Appleby (bass, vocals), and Shane Cody (drums, vocals), Houndmouth truly understands the power of "less is more".  Accompanied by four additional band members, who play a variety of instruments ranging from the saxophone to drum machines, the band jumped straight into their opening number. It was clear that this would be an evening focused on good music, not frills and shiny objects.

The Charm City crowd needed no convincing; With grins resembling that of the Cheshire cat, the audience belted along to an eclectic mix of songs. Flowing from their latest synth heavy single, "This Party" to their beloved indie hit, "Sedona", the band artfully blended together their distinctly different sounds, never losing the crowd.

Houndmouth singer Matt Myers

With the majority of the band exiting the stage for what is typically the time a band would tease an encore, frontman Matt Myers softly explained,

“We’re not going to do the thing where we leave and then come back out...I’m just gonna play you some more songs”.

It is perhaps this blatant disregard for the norm that makes Houndmouth stand out from other bands under the indie rock umbrella and keeps their fanbase loyal as they continue to evolve sonically. Follow Houndmouth's melodic journey by listening to their  their third full length album, Golden Age, which releases August 3rd.

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Enjoy the following photos by our photographer Ana Medvedeva. 

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Gangstagrass at Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival
Interviews

Interview with Rench from Gangstagrass

Karin McLaughlin: Talking with Rench from Gangstagrass.  We’re gonna start by talking about your performance at Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival.  How did you guys like headlining that festival and shutting it down there last weekend?!

Rench: We absolutely loved it – it was a wonderful festival and we had a show the night before in Chatanooga, which is about a 9 hour drive and when we got offered the chance to headline at Kingman, we’re looking at this drive thinking ‘is this even possible?(laughs) But we couldn’t pass it up. You know, hearing some of the things that they were doing, and actually Dan, our banjo player, had played in last years festival with his other band, Man About A Horse.  But hearing that Don Flemons was a resident part of it, putting some things together and the chance to interface with him and just knowing, through Dan, that it was such a cool festival, we decided to do it and we were thinking about doing the drive and then staying somewhere near by and then going and then getting there just in time to play.  As it got closer and our excitement was, kind of, to be there, we ended up driving straight through overnight and taking a couple hours (laughs) and then getting to the festival and in time to go around to see some of the other bands that were playing which were really, really wonderful.  Just such an amazing lineup all around.  And then the thing that Don Flemons was doing, with the Songster Revue was so great, I really enjoyed it.  A lot of the people that he was bringing on the stage were people that we were familiar with and we had run into on other occasions.  In fact, Kamara Thomas is somebody we’ve worked with before and had on the Gangstagrass track on one of our albums.  So that’s just one example of how we’re already familiar with some of the people that he was bringing up, but to see them put together as a group like that was so exciting.

KM: I don’t know if you’ve been back to DC much, and don’t even know if you recall this, but I remember seeing you guys years and years and years ago at a place called Artisphere.

R: Yeah, we loved Artisphere!

KM: Yeah, it was Record Store Day or something like that and you guys got to play and that was my first exposure to Gangstagrass.  I bought the CD and I played it in my car and people would be like ‘What is this?  Is it bluegrass? Is it hip hop?’ So we were definitely glad to have you back.  Now that was way back in I don’t even know when, so you guys have been around for a while, over 10 years ago.  You guys have been doing a lot since then.  I’m curious to know between your gigs and tour dates, how you’re received in the north and the south and if there is a significant difference if any on the reaction to the music.

R: Hmm, well, at our shows, we’re always received well because most of the people coming to the shows are familiar with us and what we do and are excited to see us.  There’s different people, so the audience changes but the enthusiasm is there.  That’s part of what is so exciting and sort of gives us hope about seeing people with the same kind of enthusiastic reaction for this, who otherwise, wouldn’t see themselves as having any common ground.  So we play in Texas or Kentucky for people who would be proud Rednecks and we go into places where there are Trump supporters and conservative is kind of the majority there and then we’ll play in Brooklyn or Portland or LA or somewhere and we’ll play for hipsters, you know, city folks and we’ll see the same kind of enthusiasm.  Part of what’s exciting about this project is the chance to have a platform that can speak to, sort of, across the divide and focus on ways that we might be able to find some common ground.

KM: So you are a producer and you produce hip hop tracks and put on country shows.  You’ve worked with some great, great hip-hop names, I mean, Dead Prez, Smif n Wesson on there.  Are there some, kind of, country or bluegrass legends that you guys haven’t gotten to work with yet that are on the list of people you’d like to see, maybe a collaboration with or write a track with, or even just do a show and share a stage with.

R: Absolutely!  If you name the bluegrass legends, I’m sure we would be happy to work with them.  Whether it’s Dan Tyminski or Jim Lauderdale or anybody like that – EmmyLou Harris.  There’s tons of people that we’d be so excited to sort of get in on this and have the chance to put them over some hip hop beats.  That would be really exciting.  We’d love to work with Aoife O’Donovan from Crooked Still or all kinds of bluegrass people.  We’ve had some excellent guests on the albums in the past, not just on the hip hop side but on the bluegrass side.  We had Jen Larson from Straight Drive and Brandi Hart from the Dixie Bee Liners.  Other great vocalists that have really done some amazing bluegrass singing over the Ganstagrass tracks that we’ve given them.

KM: A lot of people might not have heard of you before this, but you guys got quite a boost with ‘Long Hard Times to Come’ – I mean an Emmy nomination in 2010!  What did you notice change after that as you had that notch on your belt and could say ‘Oh well, you know, you might not have heard anything else but this is us and we got nominated for an Emmy because of that’?

R: Yeah, yeah.  I’m not the kind of person that can parlay a title like that into something.  I can do a lot of schmoozing because of it but it certainly has been a lot of exposure to people that have become fans through seeing Justified.  It is the perfect kind of exposure for Gangstagrass, because one hurdle that we face a lot is that when people hear it described, if it’s just communicated through words and we say, ‘Oh this is bluegrass hip hop, you should check it out’, they imagine something really terrible.  They don’t think it’s gonna be good so that’s something that we kind of have to overcome because they run in the other direction instead of coming to check it out.  When people just hear it, that’s when they say ‘Oh this works, this is cool’.  So when we got the theme song to Justified and that started coming on the T.V., you know, people are just tuning in to watch this show and they get 30 seconds of Gangstagrass in their ear, that was the perfect way for people to say ‘Whoa, what was that?  That was cool!’ and then they Google it and find us.  That certainly was a game changer in terms of the amount of fans that have been exposed to us out there to give us the kind of reach that allows us to go on tour throughout the country.

KM: Tell me a little bit about the song writing process for you guys.  I know you’ve done a lot of production stuff but do you think it’s a vast difference from other stuff that doesn’t cross genres?  And who does what – do you come up with the beat and then come up with the lyrics or vice versa?  Just take us through a little of the process in general.

R: Well, I like to try to start from different points and go either way with it because depending on where you’re starting from, it kind of changes the feel of what you’re doing so you get a lot of variety that way.  There’s so many different ways that you can create this kind of cross between genres.  So in order to not make it sound like the same thing all the time, there will be some tracks where I’ll start with a beat that I heard from one of the rappers tracks and I’ll think ‘Oh I like the rhythm and the flow of that, let’s write something like that’ and I’ll do a beat and then have the bluegrass players find a lick to play over that and that goes in one direction.  Then other tracks, I bring the bluegrass players in to just jam around and find a progression and play something and record that and then create the beat and have the rappers write a rap to that.  You sort of come out the other end with a whole nother feel because the production style ends up different.  Then, a third way is sometimes, actually starting with the bluegrass players and recording them but sort of going in a hip-hop style of production where I go through what they played and then actually just pick out a few measures here and there as samples and start looping that and turn it into a beat loop and stuff like that and it’s more hip-hop production.  We get to experiment with the recipe of exactly how much of each thing we get to add in and whether it’s more of a hip-hop style of production where it’s a lot of loops and some sampling or more of a bluegrassy flow where they’re playing through the whole song and then everything is put on top of that.

KM: Another way that you guys get fans involved, or kind of give them an opportunity to experience Gangstagrass in a different way is with Rappalachia. Tell me a little bit about the inspiration behind and the goal of the Rappalachia Challenge.

R: Well we’ve enjoyed doing some instrumentals on the albums and this is one in particular that, not so much as a hip hop beat, but as a bluegrass jam.  I think the interesting thing is the way that different people find different ways to incorporate a different hip hop verse over that and so we just open it up and let people know that ‘Hey, if you want to try something on this, go ahead, put vocals on it and post it.  If we like it, we’ll post it too and share it around’.  I would love to encourage more people to experiment with this and we can help kick start that – with people feeling ok to rap over a bluegrass instrumental, that would be really cool and inspiring to me.  It’s cool to see people from around the country, we’ve had about a dozen or so, that have sent us links to them rapping over it.

KM: Nice – you guys can make Gangstagrass the next Grammy category (laughs).

R: Yeah (laughs).

KM: So, last question, and we touched on it a bit before, but as far as 2018, anything that as a group or individual is on the music bucket list?  It could be anything, working with someone on a song, doing a tour with a group or person, collaborations, playing at or seeing someone at a certain venue – anything?

R: Yeah, I mean all the people that I mentioned before – Dan Kyminski, Jim Lauderdale is actually going to be at a music festival that we’re playing this summer in North Carolina,  so who knows about that.  I would say we actually – we had a great moment and would love to play again with Clemens and having that kind of relationship with him where we see him at a festival and we can say ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ and we catch up and we keep running into each other, it’s great.  We’d love to probably run into Rhiannon Giddens, the other side of Carolina Chocolate Drops.  She’s been doing some amazing work in terms of talking about and spreading the idea of bluegrass’s diverse roots and the perception of bluegrass in terms of how much of an African American influence it originally had in it and how much it still should have if we get back to it.  That’s someone we would love to connect with more so, maybe a team up with Rhiannon Giddens would be on the bucket list for us coming up.

KM: You guys have quite a busy summer too.

R: Yeah mainly August, it’s gonna be our big trip around the eastern part of the country -including a return to Hill Country Barbeque.

KM: Yes, August 17.

R: Right, right.

KM: Rench, thanks so much for the time.  It was a pleasure seeing you guys back in the DC area.

R: Yeah, so glad you got to catch the show and that we got to catch up afterwards.

Ganstagrass will be back in the D.C. area playing a show at Hill Country Barbeque on August 17.  Find tickets here

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Feature, Made in The DMV

The PRS Experience – Much more than a guitar

As a music lover, we watch musicians amaze, inspire, and move us on stage. As the guitarists and bassist move about the stage, you cannot help but notice their instrument and some of the unique characteristics of it. More and more you will see a bird inlay on the guitar neck of that guitar, especially throughout the DMV. That little bird is one of the signature marquee of Paul Reed Smith. Once you see this bird inlay, you start to notice other guitarists taking flight with their Paul Reed Smith instrument. This leads me to my love of John Mayer and for which I am not sure that I would be writing this today. This company is more than just a factory that produces some of the finest products in the musical industry, it is filled with an inordinate amount of quality and precision, passion, inspired artisans, master craftsmen, and all here in our own backyard just feet from the Chesapeake Bay. [Editor Note: Learn more about Paul Reed Smith's signature inlay here.]

PRS Guitars pay homage to their hometown.

There are so many talented musicians that we see on stage throughout the musical landscape, from living rooms and garages, from small stage to national touring acts. There is one thing that unites these musicians - Paul Reed Smith Guitars, and amplifiers. So many of these musicians, especially John Mayer woke me up to one of the greatest guitar companies of our time as I saw that ever familiar inlay on his guitar. I know, that’s a broad statement and perhaps you might be like me and a bit skeptical of that thought, because I too was a skeptic, until I had the chance to witness the magic of the PRS Experience. “It’s just a guitar,” you may say. But oh my friend, PRS is so much more. It truly is an experience and it’s made right here in the DMV.

PRS Guitars pay homage to their hometown.

On June 9, just over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, cars upon cars lined up outside of the PRS Factory in Queen Anne County, Maryland for the 9th annual Paul Reed Smith Experience where PRS guitar, bass and amp fans eagerly flocked towards the day’s event. Fans made the pilgrimage to the factory from around the area while others traveled halfway around the globe to make the pilgrimage to a address that was mythical & spirtitual in nature.

The day’s bright sun shone over white tents that sat strategically outside the factory in the parking lot. A cacophony of warm and sweet tones flew from the mouths of perfectly conditioned wooden guitars. In the distance, a man hosting a workshop underneath a tent fiddled on his guitar’s fret board. Over the microphone in front of him, he asked the audience, “Do you ever like to noodle around? Sometimes I do,” and before he tore into a short winding and bouncy jam he said, “I like to define noodles as a little slippery.”

PRS fans try out any one of a number of guitars set out for them.

The event doors opened at 10:30 a.m. and throughout the day until about five p.m., activities such as factory tours, an interactive area to test drive PRS gear and clinics ensued, some of which instructed things like “Soloing anatomy: How to solo over chord changes with Tim Pierce,” and “‘Secret’ Habits of the pros: Instantly level-up your guitar playing with Dave Weiner.”

The factory doors opened wide to the fans where wood palettes held stacks and stocks of fresh cut wood, blank canvasses of quilted maple, curly maple and red cedar that sat behind a perimeter of vendors around the large stockroom.

PRS fans try out any one of a number of guitars set out for them.

Music stores from North Carolina to Baltimore showcased their finest stock of PRS inventory, ranging price from $1,000 to one very special guitar that was $18,999. “The Tree of Life,” it was called with a solid body and distinguishable inner tree markings varnished in jade green so shiny that you could see your truth in the guitar’s reflection and brassy gold hardware could lure you in from miles away. The guitar neck was varnished black and instead of the PRS signature of mother of pearl birds taking flight, the neck’s inlay was instead lotus flowers, that with just one look, or perhaps a hold, would make you feel enlightened.

Inside the Paul Reed Smith Factory

The vendors guitars lead a winding path to the massive double workroom doors and with only stepping one foot inside, the scent of fresh cut wood wafted overhead.

Factory tours gave fans a chance to see behind the scenes of these artisan pieces. PRS employees, luthiers, lead adoring fans and newbies through the intricate and precise step by step process of creating a masterpiece. From the beginning process where the guitar body is chosen from the same cut of tree, where like a fingerprint, no two inner tree markings are alike and that is only one part of what makes each PRS guitar unique. [Editor Note: A Luthier is is someone who builds or repairs string instruments generally consisting of a neck and a sound box. A lutherie is the craft of making string instruments.]

Inside the Paul Reed Smith Factory

The tour winds through each of many stations of guitar production and at each station the guide provides the details and very thorough process of crafting each part of the guitar. Guides are knowledgable and open to all questions it is as though they want PRS fans to understand the guitar as well as they do.

A workstation at Paul Reed Smith

At each section of the factory production, where there limited machinery and handwork is encouraged, the employees of each station are excited to talk to fellow fans who love the company as much as they do.

Perhaps one of the most initially appealing aspects of a PRS guitar are the unique assortment of varnishes that come in a sea of colors and requires a process as specific as the rest of production.

A workstation at Paul Reed Smith

The varnishing station smells of luxury and desire, more than anything toxic. There are only three luthiers in the painting station. Each is trained to paint one of three types of guitar, the hollow body, semi hollow body and solid body.

One luthier, now a professional, who has varnished PRS guitars for four years, has painted guitars for the famous such as Morgan Freeman. After working in the department so long, he now has the ability to come up with custom paint jobs on the fly.

A beautifully stained PRS guitars

He spoke with passion and excitement in his voice, but he wasn’t the only one. Any PRS employee will express a genuine appreciation and gratitude for the guitars they make. One circuitry specialist has worked there for 11 years and said that Smith treats the employees well and doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

A beautifully stained PRS guitars

The tour ended and by then, diehard PRS fans were drooling and most newbies were roped in, but for those outside the two categories there was still plenty of day left to sway the tastebuds of skeptics.

Outside the factory, the sky grew grey and Smith himself lead the event attendees to dryness in the shelter of the factory as people discussed which guitar they would be bringing home that evening. Several fans did buy that day and that was even before they heard the guitars sing.

Paul Reed Smith enjoying the concert.

The skies opened, the rain stopped and employees, fans and attendees moved out of the factory and back to the main stage concert tent to grab their seats for the evenings’ performances that would showcase PRS gear.

In his introduction, Smith shared that it used to be the role of record companies to find new and upcoming musicians, but now he said, it was up to the music makers. When Smith hears a quality musician who is up and coming he chooses them for the PRS Experience and all were ripe for picking.

Paul Reed Smith enjoying the concert.

Magnolia Boulevard, a band from Kentucky began the evening’s lineup with a very groovy blues-jam based set that had people bopping around in their chairs.

Vertical Horizon, a four-piece alternative rock-band from Washington D.C. played a dynamic set that had people enthralled with their great stage energy. The audience was truly engaged when the band played a song that allowed the audience to sing their own chorus. All audience members smiled, some laughed and several took the chance to let their voices shine. The energy of everyone’s collective artistry helped the audience kick back and connect a little deeper with the PRS Experience.

Boscoe France and Simon McBride

Prior to the Paul Reed Smith Band, Smith invited young performers on stage,  Boscoe France who played guitar next to Simon McBride. The two were a dynamite pair that riled up the audience with funny stage antics such as synchronized dance moves paired with primo musical talent. The evening’s highlight was when Smith sat in with the pair and added his flair that livened the crowd even more. At that moment it was clear that the fans love the guitars, but they really love Smith because he gives them an experience.

Boscoe France and Simon McBride

As we talked with Paul Reed Smith fans there was one thing that stood out, people loved their Paul Reed Smith equipment and could not say enough good things about their equipment and their PRS Factory Experience.

Two stories stand out in particular. One man said that he gave himself a cap of seven PRS guitars, which he already owned, and that if he wanted another he would have to sell one. We asked another attendeehow many PRS guitars they owned and they said it would be easier to say which guitars the didn't own rather than which ones they already owned.

​

PRS has dedicated fans and a cult following much like the Grateful Dead or Elvis or other great artists. That’s precisely what PRS is, an artisan of craft guitars. We hope PRS Guitars and their employees continue to inspire their fans and the fans yet to come. We are sincerely proud of the craftsmanship and artistry that comes from our beloved region. 


Fans young at heart learn about the process of making a Paul Reed Smith Guitar

This young fans will forever cherish this Paul Reed Smith Signature on a newly stained maple scrap.

Another young musician falls in love with a PRS for the first time


Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Enjoy photos by our photographer Jason Herman of Jason Herman Photography.

Factory Tour

Chartity Giveaway

PRS Experience Concert

Videos

Videos

Videos

Videos  Courtesy of PRS Guitars Facebook Videos.

Day 1

Experience PRS 2018! (Friday Night Concert) - Part 1

Experience PRS 2018! (Friday Night Concert) - Part 1

PRS 2018 Day 1 Recap

Day 2

Experience PRS 2018! (Saturday Night Concert) - Pt 1

Experience PRS 2018! (Saturday Night Concert) - Pt 2

Experience PRS 2018! (Saturday Night Concert) - Pt 3

Read More
Concert Reviews

Marco Benevento with the Jon Wood Band at The 8×10

This past Thursday night, June 14th,  in Baltimore, Marco Benevento brought his eclectic array of sounds to The 8x10 to play a colorful set of tunes with a splash of showmanship. Baltimore’s Jon Wood Band would warm up the crowd for this show.

Jon Wood Band

The Jon Wood Band features members of Baltimore based bands The Psycho Killers, Electric Love Machine, and Squaring the Circle. During their close to 90-minute opening set, they would play a solid a mix of originals and covers, including Ween’s “Roses are Free” and David Bowie's “Heroes.” There was no shortage of musical talent on stage to get the crowd loosened up for Marco, and they would showcase their skills, stretching out the material with extended jams highlighted by Jon Wood’s blistering guitar solos.

Marco Benevento

Marco Benevento

After a short break Marco, wearing his signature top hat and sunglasses, would arrive on stage with his trio featuring himself, bassist Karina Rykman, and drummer Andy Borger. His set would begin with the entire “Story of Fred Short,” which is a seven-song suite that comprises the second side of his 2016 LP of the same name. Featuring songs like “Live a Certain Life” and “Walking with Tyrone,” the suite covers a wide range of styles that are hard to put a label on, he is a master of riding that fine line between familiarity and the avant-garde, all while showcasing his amazing musicianship on the piano and keys. The last two songs in the suite “Can’t See the Light,” and “Follow the Arrow” are my two personal favorites in the Fred Short Suite, and the crowd seemed to enjoy hearing them just as much as I did, as those are two very danceable, infectious tunes.

Karina Rykman (bass)

After completing the seven-song suite, Marco and the band would move on to material from his other albums with songs such as “The Real Morning Party” from his newly re-released first solo album, Invisible Baby. After moving through songs such as “Fireworks” from his 2012 release Tiger Face, and “Greenpoint” from his album Between the Needles and Nightfall, the crowd would be treated to a rousing cover of the Butthole Surfer’s “Pepper,” with bassist Karina Rykman taking the rapping duties, and the crowd would enthusiastically sing along to the instantly recognizable chorus of the 90’s smash hit. Closing the show would be two of Marco’s most recognizable songs, “Limbs of a Pine,” which is also on the Tiger Face album and an encore of “At the Show” which is the first song on his album Swift. “At the Show” has a built-in call and response hook that would get the crowd participating with Marco’s encouragement, as he stepped on top of his piano to engage the crowd.


Another quality night at the 8x10 in the books, if you have a chance to catch Marco when he’s in your town I would highly recommend it.

Next up for Marco’s solo band is the Green River Festival in Greenfield, MA. on July 14th.

Setlist

Setlist

Setlist

Click here to see the setlist for Marco Benevento's performance at The 8x10 on June 14, 2018


Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Enjoy photos by our photographer Chris Gamber of Chris Gamber Photography.

Marco Benevento
Jon Wood Band
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John Kadlecik at Gypsy Sally's
Concerts this Week

Goodman’s Good Music – Concert Picks of the Week – June 18

Week Of:  June 18-24, 2018

Summary:  Sounds of Summer Solstice

It's officially here, SUMMER. With all the music you expect of the season. Sweat it out each night of this transitional week with these offerings. 

My "Must See" Shows:

For residents of Washington, DC, and Baltimore there are shows in each city that feature hometown heroes that are beloved and so dearly cherished by all residents of the region, John Kadlecik and Cris Jacobs of The Bridge. If you haven't bought tickets for these shows, they are selling out quick!

If I could see just one show (or maybe two or three) every night this week, here's what I would catch:

Below are more DCMR staff picks for every day of the week!

Monday, June 18

DCMR Staff Recs
Hidden Gems

Tuesday, June 19

DCMR Staff Recs

Hidden Gems

Wednesday, June 20

DCMR Staff Recs

Hidden Gems

Thursday, June 21

DCMR Staff Recs
Hidden Gems

Friday, June 22

DCMR Staff Recs
Hidden Gems

Saturday, June 23

DCMR Staff Recs
Hidden Gems

Sunday, June 24

DCMR Staff Recs
Hidden Gems

Below are calendar listings for some of our recommendations for shows throughout the DMV.

Featured Events

District

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Maryland

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Virginia

[ecs-list-events design=’compact’ venue=’true’ featured_only=’true’ fromdate=’2018-06-18′ todate=’2018-06-24′ offset=’0′ limit=’30’ cat=’virginia’ message=’There are no featured events this week.’]

Articles Related to Artists in Featured Shows

Two Years On – John Kadlecik’s Sold Out “Fare Thee Well DC” Run at Gypsy Sally’s
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Members of SOJA Sit In At Gordon Sterling’s Gypsysally’s Jam [Video/Audio]
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Sold-Out Pearl Street Pays Tribute to Amy Winehouse with novo and Friends
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RDGLDGRN Makes Surprise Appearance at The Harvest Jam Ahead of Saturday’s Union Stage Show [Video]
Read More 
Bob Weir and Wolf Bros Play a Spirited and Intimate Show in DC
Read More 
The Days Between Series – Resurrecting the Spirit of Jerry
Read More 
John Kadlecik’s Four Night Summer Solstice Recap [Photo/Video/Audio] [Updated: 4 Nights Audio]
Read More 
The Bridge Comes Home to Baltimore for 3 Nights at the 8×10
Read More 
Mary-el Brings the Heat to a Chilly Cherry Blossom Festival [Audio/Photos]
Read More 
The Bridge Serves Up Some Hope in Charm City
Read More 
Justin Trawick Sells Out The Common Good Album Release Party at The Pearl Street Warehouse
Read More 
Dior Ashley Brown Wows Gypsy Sally’s Jam [Video]
Read More 

Podcasts Related to Artists in Featured Shows

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Feature

EXCLUSIVE Video Premiere: “Jaded” by novo

We are very excited to bring you this exclusive video premiere by DC's new electro soul powerhouse, novo. The song, "Jaded" marks the first release from this new band, comprised of Gena Photiadis (keys/vox), Matt Tredwell (drums), Nikhel Sus (guitar/vox), TJ Turqman (bass), and Tula Pisano (vox). The live debut of novo is coming up on Monday, June 18, at Marvin's Roof, so be sure to come check them out.

photo credit: nacphotography.net

Related Articles

Related Articles

Related Articles

WATCH LIVE: Novo and Carley Harvey at Gypsy Sally’s
Read More 
Video Premiere: “Wine Clouds” by DC-band novo (electro soul)
Read More 
Read More
Festival Reviews, Reviews

Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival Celebrates Its 9th Year on the Anacostia [Audio/Video/Photos]

DC’s 9th annual Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival was held last Saturday, drawing thousands to the banks of the Anacostia River in Northeast. The festival boasted a lineup of dozens of local and national artists across five stages for one day of live music and environmentalism to benefit Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region. Originally created in partnership with DC’s Department of Energy and Environment, the festival has grown significantly since its 2010 launch, and this year’s installment was a testament to its impact on the city, officially partnering with the District of Columbia in celebration of the “Year of the Anacostia.”

With the endless construction and gentrification of the nation’s capital, it’s easy to forget that Washington, DC was built in a swamp, but that history is immediately clear upon arriving at Kingman Island. Sitting in the shadow of RFK Stadium, many DC residents can spend years completely unaware of the existence of this scenic area, but for live music fans, this festival is a can’t miss event.

Entering Kingman Island is a refreshing reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Washington. Walking the hiking paths and staring into forests and small islands surrounded by the Anacostia, two stages are set-up between the entrance and the main festival grounds. The first, on the smaller Heritage Island, spotlighted independent artists and singer songwriters, giving them some exposure as attendees walk from the festival entrance to the 3 main stages on Kingman Island. The second stage, located on the dock between Heritage and Kingman Islands offered another space for small, local acts to be spotlighted. DC’s own Dave James played a great early-afternoon set on the Dock Stage, bringing his distinctive, soulful R&B to Kingman Island and offering a different vibe than just about any other artist at the festival that day. His music made a small crowd on the dock dance during one of the sunny hours of the day, which would become fewer and further between as the afternoon went on.

The festival’s main stage, appropriately named the Kingman Stage, had the most extensive lineup of the day, with continuous music from 12noon to 8:30pm, with the final three acts serving as an exclamation point for the festival, including Dom Flemons’ American Songster Review, featured artist Jonny Grave, and headliners Gangstagrass.

Two other side stages showcased some standout DMV area acts in beautiful settings. Both the Fraser Stage and Meadow Stage featured sets from outstanding acts from the Charm City. In the middle of the afternoon, the Dirty Grass Players offered a high energy set that closed with the children’s classic “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,” which got the crowd energized as the sun came out once more. After their set, the band told DC Music Review that they worked the song into their repertoire while “imbibing at practice” and “trying to do something silly,” offering some kind words to fans who’d have the song stuck in their heads for days to come, “We’re the Dirty Grass Players. You’re fucking welcome.” We also caught the Dirty Grass Players at their Kingman Island Pre-Party at Hill Country at the end of May.

Closing out the festivities on the Meadow Stage, Baltimore jam-band legend Cris Jacobs (The Bridge, Cris Jacobs Band) played a great set, marked by some passing thunderstorms and featuring fiddle-player Nate Leath sitting in on “Ohoopee River.” Cris’s unique blend of blues, soul and southern rock was a late afternoon highlight of the festival, as expected. Be sure to check out our full interview with Cris backstage after his set here.

In its 9th year, Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival demonstrated why many fans in attendance called it their “favorite day of the year.” This festival is beautifully organized, benefits a great cause, and brings fans to a part of DC where it is easy to forget about the issues in the city, at least for an afternoon. In 2018, that’s no easy task, but Living Classrooms and DOEE pulls it off, year after year.

Enjoy audio and livestream recordings of performances from several bands courtesy of Will Urquhart:

  • Kingman Stage
  • Meadow Stage
  • Dock Stage
  • Pre-party

Enjoy photos by our photographer Mark Raker of Mark Raker Photography.

Read More
Interviews

Cris Jacobs Talks Dead Under The Bridge at Kingman Island [Interview/Photos/Video/Audio]

Karin McLaughlin: Ok so hanging out with Cris Jacobs after his set at the Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival

Cris Jacobs: Hey hey!

KM: That was pretty intense with the rain, that was really a good one!

CJ: Yeah that was really cool, it was like a 30 second downpour

KM: Heavy, heavy. So you also recently played Delfest, now Kingman Island, where do you go after this?

CJ: Well, we’re going home tonight. And then next week, we’ve got some cool shows. We’ve got a concert series in Abingdon, VA and Charlotte, NC and then we’re going out west and doing High Sierra and then we’ve got a bunch of shows around that.  We’ll be doing Hot August in Baltimore at the end of the summer.  Got a couple Bridge shows next week – the 8x10.

KM: You’re all over it.  And you’re from Charm City –

CJ: Yes!

KM: Any idea why they call it Charm City?

CJ: Because it’s charming (laughs) you know what, I don’t know the origin of that.

KM: Because, present company excluded, they aren’t toooooo….

CJ: No, Baltimore gets a bad rap

KM: What’s your favorite venue to play in Baltimore?

CJ: 8x10

KM: That’s a good one

CJ: I have probably played that venue more than anybody on the planet. Honestly, throughout the years and all the different venues.

KM: Yeah, it’s like a sweatbox in there

CJ: They have the AC cranking in there these days. In the old days, you know you could smoke in there.

KM: You also mentioned the Dead – did you say that you saw them here in ’94?

CJ: Yes.

KM: How old were you in ’94?

CJ: I was 16

KM: So this was not with parents?

CJ: Actually, this was with parents because my parents were huge Deadheads and my parents have been going to see the Dead since 1968.

KM: Nice!  So here at RFK.

CJ: Everywhere but yeah that was my first show and they, you know, my parents have been leaving me and my sister with a sitter for long weekends all throughout our childhood for three nights at Madison Square Garden (laughs)

KM: Yup, I have friends that are doing that (now)

CJ: So finally, it was ‘hey can you guys get me a ticket this time around?’

KM: And then it was all clicking ‘Oh, that’s what they’ve been doing all this time!’

CJ: Oh yeah, absolutely!  It clicked right away.

KM: How much would you say the Dead influences your music?

CJ: Oh it influenced my whole….

KM: Life? (laughs)

​​CJ: Yeah, it influenced my whole jumping off point into a different world and that’s when I really got inspired to play the guitar.  To perform and write music for people – it was that show, here at RFK, it was my first ‘a-ha moment’ like ‘I wanna do THAT’ so I guess you could say that it’s influenced me quite a bit.

KM: So, what was that – a cigar box with strings attached to it?

CJ: Yeah.

KM: Did you build that?

CJ: No, I know a guy out in Oregon that makes them and he’s built me a couple.  Yeah, it’s a cigar box guitar, it’s pretty wicked.

KM: That’s awesome – like the old school washboard and jug. 

CJ: Yeah it’s cool.

KM: So, you’re playing Hot August (Music Festival), what else are you excited about in 2018?  Maybe not even playing a show, maybe going to one.  Are you teaming up with anyone you’re really excited about?

CJ: Well, we just opened for Willie Nelson and Sturgill Simpson at The Anthem.

KM: What is that tour called?

CJ: Well, they’re doing the Outlaw Music Festival but we did just a show at The Anthem with just them.

KM: Sturgill is good.

CJ: Yeah he is

KM: And Willie obviously

CJ: And Willie. But yeah we’re excited.  Finishing up our album, got a new album in the works and putting out an album in September that I worked with Ivan Neville on

KM: Oh, nice, I caught him, I think at Jazz Fest recently.

CJ: Yeah, you probably did!  He’s all over the place.  When were you down there?

KM: I was down the first weekend of Jazz Fest.

CJ: Oh, I just missed you – I was down there Monday of the week between.

KM: Monday is something else in New Orleans, Bourbon St is a sad, sad sight (laughs)

CJ: Yeah, I don’t even go to Bourbon Street anymore

KM: So, my token question – what’s on the musical bucket list?  Either seeing someone at a certain venue, playing with someone, write a song with someone, anything.

CJ: Hmm, good question.  There’s a lot of people I’d like to write songs with.  I’d love to write a song with Chris Stapleton or Jason Isbell but I’d love to play with some members of The Grateful Dead one day before it’s all over.  I haven’t gotten to experience that one yet, but I feel like it could happen soon.

KM: Yeah, why not?!  Well thank you so much for the time.  We’ll see you at Hot August or somewhere in between. 

CJ: Awesome, thank you!

Audio Recordings

Audio Recordings

Audio Recordings

Enjoy audio and livestream recordings of their Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival performance recorded by our collaborator Will Urquhart.

Videos

Videos

Videos

Cris Jacobs and his band, The Bridge, are doing three nights in a row at the 8x10 on June 21, 22, and 23. Tickets are still available but running very low, so make sure to buy them now if you want to go!

Read More
Concert Reviews

Full Steam Ahead for The Bad Plus at DC Jazz Fest

A new band is turning heads on the jazz scene this year. A mere five months into touring, the group is pulling off an inventive and wildly ambitious approach to the acoustic piano trio. Artfully navigating complex-meter grooves and transforming solo sections into miniature full-band improvisational journeys, the three musicians are an astounding display of virtuosity and jazz bona fides. But in what is perhaps more impressive, the group consistently manages to build these technical features into a cross-genre pollination that gives audiences something to latch on to. A simple melody or driving drumbeat grounds us in something relatable and inviting, and the technical sophistication is there as a tool to pull us further into a beautiful musical idea. The balance is masterful.

Reid Anderson (bass)

Reid Anderson (bass)

While the description likely seems familiar to fans of The Bad Plus, the band is in fact a new one by the same name. The trio of seventeen years parted ways with pianist Ethan Iverson last year, shocking devoted fans, and immediately picked up a new man behind the ivory, Orrin Evans. Iverson was not just one-third of the band’s sound; he was a distinctive creative voice whose quirky choices and obscure musical sensibilities—his fanaticism for avant-garde contemporary classical composer György Ligeti, for example—provided crucial ingredients for the band’s undeniable and often-celebrated originality. It’s no surprise then that some fans and critics winced at the notion of The Bad Plus continuing on with a “replacement” pianist. In reality, no one could “replace” anyone in a band like The Bad Plus. A piece is lost, a piece is added, and even if it has the same name, a brand-new thing stands afterward.

Orrin Evans (piano)

Orrin Evans (piano) 

On Sunday, June 10th, as a part of DC Jazz Fest, that new thing—the project of Reid Anderson (bass), David King (drums), and Orrin Evans (piano)—gave music fans plenty of reasons to be excited. Blending with King’s frenetic energy and Anderson’s precise backbone, Evans brought lush chord voicings, focused melodic development, and a smoothly flowing right hand. The nerves that had swirled around the January studio release Never Stop II, recorded after the band had barely a few rehearsals under its belt, appeared nowhere to be found right from the get-go in the solo section of  the opening tune "Big Eater," as Evans boldly offered his take on the Bad Plus classic and teased out a dissonant theme in the second chorus. "Hurricane Birds" again saw Evans taking an aggressive tack, building the tension far beyond the studio version and culminating in several powerful stabs at the upper register. With boldness also came ingenuity:  Toward the end of the set-closing “Seams,” Evans opted to build by rapidly hammering at just a single note for several bars, seeming to cue the band to blossom around it and fill up the space. And while the aggression and creativity serve as familiar elements from the band's original lineup, Evans also offers stylistic features that remind us this band is different. Hints of Keith Jarrett, for example, flowed naturally from Evans' chord movement at several parts in the set and felt like fresh territory for the group, particularly in certain sections of "Safe Passage" and "Lean in the Archway."

Though all eyes were on Evans as the new guy in town, Anderson and King contributed stellar performances as usual. Often Anderson is the glue holding things together, staying relatively true to the composed form, but on occasion he grabs a few notes that demonstrate how hard he’s listening to his bandmates.  In one notable moment on the bluesy “Keep the Bugs of Your Glass and the Bears Off Your Ass,” Anderson temporarily abandoned his post in the low end and ventured up the neck, dancing in triplets to match King’s hi-hat before quickly hopping back into his structural role.

David King (Drums)

 David King (drums)

King, meanwhile, is an ebullient fountain of constantly evolving ideas and rhythmic variations. Shifting accents in the barely audible snare hits in “Hurricane Birds,” for instance, made the groove an unavoidable magnet for the audience’s attention. At other times King’s exploration is much more out front, a result of attentive listening and reacting to Evans or, as in “Seams,” running through free-meter abstraction that seems to put each drum on the kit into conversation with the rest. To top off the night, King took a romp through Aphex Twin’s “Flim,” expertly mimicking the electronica artist’s signature fluid and stuttering rhythmic style. The tune displays King’s unique sensibilities behind the kit so astoundingly, it’s no wonder the band has chosen to keep it on for the new era.

Never Stopping and Always Looking Ahead

The new Bad Plus looks to be overwhelmingly forward-looking. Only four of the eleven songs came from pre-2018, and the cuts off the new record consistently displayed a more potent energy and wider dynamic range than on the album. A rejuvenated and inspired Bad Plus is on the road again, and if Sunday night’s performance is any indication, the trio will continue to grow beyond the baggage of the Iverson era and into something brilliant in its own right.


Setlist

Setlist

Setlist

Click here to see the setlist for The Bad Plus' performance at City Winery DC on June 10, 2018

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Enjoy photos by our photographer Jason Herman of Jason Herman Photography.

Associated Albums

Associated Albums

Associated Albums

The Bad Plus is touring in support of their latest album, Never Stop II released January 2018.

TheBadPlus - NeverStop II

Never Stop II (2018) - Click to purchase

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Video Courtesy of Jazz Night In America's YouTube Channel

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