Pete Francis' music has soul. In his songs, a poetic tension exists between textured imagery and pure improvised rock and roll. A Pete Francis recording feels like a ride from New York City to the coast of Maine. Sometimes his songs are weightless abstractions. Sometimes they tell the story of experience.
Francis spent years as a member of the renowned independent band, Dispatch, writing such fan favorites as May Day, Two Coins, and Ride a Tear. Dispatch recently became the first independent band to headline and sell out three nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side-projects until his death in 1995.
Melvin Seals has been keeping the JGB flame alive with this present formation of the band. Guitarist-singer Stu Allen, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, joined Melvin Seals & JGB in June 2004 and appears on the 'Keepers of the Flame' album. With his eagerness to improvise and his commitment to making every performance unique, Stu has made extensive contributions to the jam music scene. Justin Purtill (bass) has been an active member of the creative music scene for over ten years. Mark Corsolini (drums) was playing drums in and around Chicago before moving to the Bay Area in early 2008. He was a founding member of The Deadbeats back in the mid 1980?s. Mark was also a member of Dark Star Orchestra when it began.
Please make welcome to the DigitalSoundboard.net stage - Melvin Seals and JGB.
Nate Wilson first began his professional career playing in Percy Hill. These days Nate keeps busy by playing in Assembly of Dust and studying jazz at New England Conservatory. Nate has also developed his own group whos live sounds are presented here. These recordings offer Nate?s original compositions which are supported by Adam Terrell, John Leccesse, Yahuba Garcia,Tom Arey, and Steve Kimock.
You can check out a recent conversation with Nate at Jambands.com see http://www.jambands.com/Features/content_2006_07_20.07.phtml
San Francisco rockers New Monsoon have been storming across the nation, transforming audiences into dedicated fans with their exhilarating marriage of world rhythms and rock bravado. New Monsoon's vibrant percussion and acoustic and electric instruments come together in an irresistible blend of sophisticated songcraft, inventive musical exploration and down home rock-n-roll.
Robert Walter has built a reputation as one of America's heaviest jazz-funk keyboardists. As a founding member of The Greyboy Allstars, he toured throughout North America and Europe with the group for five years. Along the way, he contributed to the soundtrack of the major motion picture Zero Effect and has performed and recorded with such jazz and funk heavyweights as Fred Wesley, Gary Bartz, Melvin Sparks, Andy Bey, Reuben Wilson, Harvey Mason, Red Holloway, Chuck Rainey, Phil Upchurch, Mike Clark, Johnny Vidacovich and Steve Kimock.
DigitalSoundboard.net features Roberts organ playing in many configurations throughout this site. See Steve Kimock Band recordings from 2005 and 2006 as well as many of our NOLA Late Nite sessions.
Chris Harford began writing songs and playing guitar while attending Princeton High School in the mid-70s. A self-taught player and painter with a degree in performance art from Massachusetts College of Art, his first glimpse of indie success came in the early 80s with Three Colors, a self-propelled recording band based in Boston (and comprised of Harford, Hub Moore of Slash/London's HUB and Dana Colley of DreamWorks' Morphine).
The Band of Changes line-up presented here includes the guitar and rhythm sections from Ween.
Drew Emmit Band is on the ROAD!
Drew's band features Ross Martin, Greg Garrison & Chris Pandolphi.
Drew Emmitt, the dynamic lead singer and mandolin player with the popular jamband Leftover Salmon, is a true renaissance man on musical instruments. Playing mandolin, guitar, fiddle, banjo, harmonica, flute and electric guitar, he's a string man to be reckoned with. He excels in unique energy driven mandolin licks and his influences include a pantheon of musical heroes including Lowell George, Steve Morse, Duane Allman, John Cowan, Bill Monroe, Sam Bush, Hot Rize and New Grass Reviva
Frequinox is the soul/funk/jazz super group comprised of Galactic's rhythm section of Stanton Moore (drums) and Robert Mercurio (bass), Robert Walter (organ) who fronts the 20th Congress, Headhunter Donald Harrison (sax) and guitar free agent Will Bernard who is involved with several bands. The group initially came together at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 2003 as a special late night jam session, a meeting of West Coast (Walter and Bernard) jazz with New Orleans funk.
From Tulsa, Oklahoma, Brian Haas (Fender Rhodes, melodica and acoustic piano) ,Jason Smart (drums) and Reed Mathis (bass) pull influences from nearly every genre of music, diverse as John Coltrane, and Jimi Hendrix, to Thelonious Monk and KRS-ONE. Together since 1994 and performing over 200 live appearances per year, JFJO is constantly expanding their horizons by collaborating with the likes of Steve Kimock, Les Claypool, Charlie Hunter, Karl Denson, DJ Logic, John Scofield, Critters Buggin'.
Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons preach the gospel of rock and roll with vehemence and will continue to tour the world relentlessly. DigitalSoundboard.net looks forward to building a rich archive of Jackmormons shows.
John Ginty, organist and keyboardist has toured, recorded and performed with artists such as JEWEL, SANTANA, CITIZEN COPE, BOB WEIR & RATDOG, SHERYL CROW, RYAN ADAMS, BAD RELIGION, MATHEW SWEET, and was an original member of ROBERT RANDOLPH and the FAMILY BAND, in which he received two Grammy Nominations, as well as a Gospel Music Award for Urban Album of the year, 2003. In that same year, John also appeared on the Blind Boys of Alabama's Grammy Award winner "Higher Ground".
A man with boundless
energy, Johnny juggles studio work, local club gigs,
road work and hit song writing, and somehow maintains his sanity.
referring to his hectic life, Johnny says, " They say you can't do it
all; Hell, I'm trying to prove 'em wrong!" You can catch Johnny
now playing in Deep Fried with the likes of Matt Abts (Gov't Mule),
George Porter, Jr. (The Funky Meters), and Brian Stoltz (The Neville
Bros).
A highly energized funk machine, the band has been expanding listeners' minds and making them move to animated grooves since 1998. Led by former Lenny Kravitz sax-man Karl Denson, the Tiny Universe brings a dynamic sound that defies categorization. The band members, Denson on vocals, tenor sax, alto sax and flute, guitarist Brian Jordan, bassist Ron Johnson, keyboard player David Veith, trumpet player Chris Littlefield and drummer John Staten, have earned a reputation as kings of the unstoppable all-night show.
Lettuce is the group that began the careers of several noted "jam band" musicians: Eric Krasno of Soulive, Adam Deitch of the John Scofield Band, Adam Smirnoff of the Squad, Jeff Bhayshk of Kudu, Ryan Zoidis of Rustic Overtones, and Eric Coomes, now a Los Angeles-based producer. Lettuce comes raw: no fluff, nothing smooth, just hard funkiness. It combines the grittiness of the Meters with the harmonic textures of Herbie Hancock. There is finally some funk that sounds like it was produced in the 70?s vs modern day computer software,which most recent funk releases are infested by. These guys are the real deal.
After 5 years meticulously culling the large collection of original music, poetry and art left behind by Mark after his untimely death in 1999, the surviving members of Morphine, Bill Conway and Dana Colley, have assembled the essential Mark Sandman collection. More a musical adventure than a ?greatest hits? set, the 30 songs on Sandbox are connected by the voice and the singular musical and lyrical vision of Mark Sandman. For Morphine and Treat Her Right devotees, it?s a final affectionate encore. For the uninitiated, an invitation to discover the depth and scope of Mark?s unique and challenging artistry.
Max Creek, a regional phenomenon is
one of the most electrifying live acts on the Eastern seaboard today.
Max Creek brings to the stage a wide variety of musical experience,
from the blues to ballads to hard-edged rock n' roll, to early San
Francisco era improv.
Max Creek has remained a sucessful
band for the past thirty years and continues to grow and move
forward. Every summer for the past twenty some odd years Max
Creek has hosted their own festival - Camp Creek.
DigitalSoundboard is pleased to present the live sounds of the 2004
Camp Creek experience in our Festival area.
In the summer of 1969, John Dawson was looking to showcase his songs while Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead was looking to practice his brand new pedal steel guitar. The two played in coffeehouses and small clubs initially, and the music they made became the nucleus for the New Riders of the Purple Sage. Along with guitarist David Nelson and the rhythm section of Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh from the Dead, the New Riders played every chance they got. By 1970, Dave Torbert took over on bass, and soon enough, smoky clubs all over the San Francisco bay area were filling up with whooping, foot-stomping crowds as their music got tighter and more dynamic. Through extensive tours with the Dead, and the addition of Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden taking over for Hart and the talented Buddy Cage filling the pedal steel spot that Garcia had to vacate, the New Riders emerged as a fully independent unit. An excitingly creative band with a special brand of music?sweet country harmonies mixed with pulsing rock rhythms.
New Riders of the Purple Sage Website. www.nrps.net
The Paul Thiessen Band draws its influences from a wide array of artists in the likes of Curtis Mayfield, Phish, Bruce Hornsby, and Dr. John. In an effort to keep the music fresh and entertaining, Paul Thiessen and company are no strangers to working extended jams and improvisations into their live performances. This experimental and sometimes psychedelic nature has lead many a listener to dub the group the "Paul Thiessen Experience." Collectively, they also have had the pleasure of jamming in some of the most respected haunts throughout the northeast and jamming with renowned artists such as Amos Lee, New Monsoon, Benevento Russo Duo, George Wesley, Bernie Worell, and George Clinton. The Paul Thiessen Band has also been featured on numerous festivals including the Gathering of the Vibes, High Sierra, and the Health and Harmony Festival. We welcome the PTB to the DigitalSoundboard.net stage.
PBS grew out of the Funky Meters (including Art Neville) and played its debut gig at the Howlin' Wolf in New Orleans in 1998. Because of Neville's back surgery, the Funky Meters were not able to perform for two years. With PBS's focus on original material and songs, the power trio differs from the more traditional approach of the Funky Meters in redoing old Meters songs. PBS allows each member to express himself individually through the band's original songs. Give a listen. There sound is certainly funked up.
San Francisco born singer/songwriter Chrissy "Sister Soul" Colangelo is a passionate performer with honest conviction. Whether belting out the blues, singing a haunting acapella Appalachian ballad, or playing one of her own original songs, Sister Soul delivers the goods. Her vocals are very compelling with a persuasive attitude, and have a measure of heart and emotion that are poured into her memorable performance. Sister Soul describes her music as blend of acoustic, folk, rock, country, blues, bluegrass, and American traditionals.
Steve Kimock & Friends began in the late 80's as a creative outlet away from Kimock's regular touring schedule. Over the years, these opportunities have lead to special and distinguished performances that have included such players (and friends) as: Pete Sears, Martin Fierro, Banana, Reed Mathis, Rodney Holmes, Steve Wolf, Sonny Landreth, Chip Roland, John Morgan Kimock, Jon Sikora, Earl Cate, Steve Pryor, and many others. Whether acoustic or electric, SK&F continues to provide an alternative universe to Kimock's regular routine. Kimock explores the pure music bringing into play his extended collection of guitars (and other stringed instruments) and a spontaneous repertoire. Check out some of these special shows available for download, and keep posted for more to come.
Steve Kimock's distinguished musical experiences have offered him plenty of opportunity to create his own unique sound. His current muse, the Steve Kimock Band, is an unmistakable expression of his independent style. More alive than ever is Kimock's reputation for playing fat-toned guitar with unparalleled texture and inspiration. Yet with SKB, Kimock explores an edgier and more innovative aspect of his art, and in doing so is creating a whole new musical vocabulary. Offering an uncompromising hybrid of original music, the Steve Kimock Band fuses melodic masterpieces, obscure country and slide guitar, electronic, jazz, and powerful rock styles, in an instrumental small band improvisational format. SKB is testament that music truly has no boundaries.
Steve Kimock is rarely ever idle. If Steve is not on the road with the Steve Kimock Band or Steve Kimock & Friends, there's a good chance he is out collaborating with first rate musicians somewhere. What you as a listener will find so special about Steve's side sessions is that this is where Steve walks the proverbial guitar playing tight-rope and explores different musical styles and tones, usually playing material that may be completely new to him and certainly way outside his comfort zone of SKB.
At the heart of Strangefolk's songwriting is a seamless blend of narrative lyrical content and inventive melody. Rock, folk, blues, and bluegrass influences converge to create an instantly recognizable sound, which keeps Strangefolk's listeners moving from start to finish. When punctuated with Strangefolk's trademark three-part harmonies and soaring lead guitars, the band's unique songwriting ability develops a natural avenue for the band to extend themselves in a live setting. The result is one of the more gratifying live music experiences around. Their latest project, Coast to Coast (2002) showcases the band's depth, variety, and continued growth as songwriters and musicians.
The Hermanators were formed in late1992 by Mitch Stein, Rodney Holmes and Kip Reed. The concept was to play music. No stylistic boundaries, just good music. What they soon realized was that three distinctly unique, strong, individual voices combined together seamlessly to form one unified voice, with solid roots in rock, funk, world and jazz music. Currently, Mitch and Rodney continue to build on that foundation with an attitude and are currently working on their second studio recording and hope to release it sometime in 2005 -2006.
This recording is from a coming together of amazing musicians for a 4/20 celebration and good cause. The proceeds from the event and this recording will go to Conscious Alliance to help feed the hungry. About The Conscious Alliance: they organize food drives nationally at concerts, music festivals, and sporting events to benefit local food pantries and impoverished Indian Reservations across the greater western United States. The lineup: Steve Kimock - Guitars, Lap Steel, Kyle Hollingsworth - keyboards, Peter Apfelbaum - Sax, Flute, Hand Percussion, Reed Mathis - Bass, Jans Ingber - Congas, Vocals, Dave Watts - Drums
The Slip have become a noted enigma in the world of modern music. The ?jam? music scene has adopted them as one of the most exhilarating live music experiences around, while the jazz world has affectionately embraced them as rebels with a cause. The Slip use group intuition, organic sounds, and the simple song as a basis for experimental embarkation. The music is at once gentle, soulful, and body shaking. It navigates through many emotions and, when all sails are up, rides the wind of inspiration gracefully and convincingly. From dirty syncopated dance beats to tender Americana lullabies, The Slip enable a journey for listeners.
Twinemen are Dana Colley, Billy Conway, and Laurie Sargent. Twinemen are a new band that combine improvisation and organic soul chemistry with a deep respect for the song to create music that is difficult to describe, and yet resonates with a warm sense of familiarity. The manifesto was to continue to create unusual music, and Dana and Billy have a credible history of just that from their years with the band Morphine. Twinemen were brought together after the death of their friend and bandmate, Mark Sandman, leaving Dana and Billy without the band they had been a part of for ten years, with five records, (Rykodisc,Dreamworks )a Grammy nominated video and relentless worldwide touring. This is their first original project since Morphine.
A long time Bay Area musician, guitarist/composer Will Bernard first came to prominence through his membership in Peter Apfelbaum?s Hieroglyphics Ensemble, whose first record appeared in 1990. Since then he has been involved with a host of boundary stretching groups, ranging from jazz, hip hop and world music to experimental music, with many stops in between. Will has performed and recorded with Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra, Peter Apfelbaum?s various band incarnations, Beth Custer, The Coup, Pothole and Midnight Voices to name a few. The most successful of these projects was the group T.J. Kirk (with Charlie Hunter) whose 2nd record for Warner Bros.
Zero has always been the quintessential live band in the San Francisco tradition. Their music ranges from subtle and beautiful to ragingly powerful. It begins with the traditions of rock, jazz and blues and soars into the outer limits. Featuring lyrics by Robert Hunter and instrumental masterpieces by a cast of musicians that have played with the greats, Zero will captivate your musical soul. After a long hiatus they have finally returned!
The Palisades Virtuosi was established to promote and enrich the repertoire for flute, clarinet and piano and presents concerts that include existing repertoire for this configuration, supplemented by solos, duos and larger works featuring guest artists. The trio features Margaret Swinchoski on flute, Donald Mokrynski on clarinet, and Ron Levy on piano. You can learn more about this ensemble and see their performance schedule at www.palisadesvirtuosi.org.
Ron Levy, pianist, has been called "ardent and assured" and "a first-class pianist" by the New York Times. He regularly appears as a soloist and in partnership with many of the world's leading singers and instrumentalists, including more than five dozen artists on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera. A graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory, Mr. Levy is a founding member of the Hudson Trio, Kaleidoscope, the New World Trio, the Manchester Chamber Players, and the Palisades Virtuosi; he has been pianist and harpsichordist of the Oberlin Orchestra, the New Jersey Philharmonic and the Westchester Symphony and is currently keyboardist of the Manchester Music Festival, the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra and the Albany Symphony.
