MUSICMARAUDERS

Words By Greg Molitor ( ReMIND Photography ) The Werks: The Werks have a festival appearance at Wakarusa this week and also at the upcoming Blastoff Festival at Zane Shawnee Caverns in Ohio. Enjoy these high quality videos of The Werks throwin’ down for their faithful fans. www.thewerksmusic.com Papadosio: Papadosio’s next stop on the road is also at Wakarusa Music Festival, followed by an appearance at Electric Forest at the beginning on July. Check out this show from Camp Barefoot 4 which took place in West Virginia last year... Papadosio Live at Camp Barefoot 4 on August 21, 2010. www.papadosio.com

Words By Chris Pandolfi ( Infamous Stringdusters ) Photos By J-man Festival season is officially underway. The Stringdusters just spent two days at the 4th annual DelFest, and we are already on the road to hit two more this weekend. The festival circuit is a migrating community of musicians and fans, a seasonal melting pot of musical scenes, where all kinds of bands, huge and small, share their crowds and their music. Everything is on a bigger scale, and every great festival has a tangible identity in its look, sound and feel. For an artist, hosting a festival can be an amazing way to outline your scene, to tell the world who you are. DelFest is no exception, and the name truly says it all. Over the past 50 years Del McCoury has cemented his reputation as an American musical legend, with significant work across every part of the traditional-progressive bluegrass continuum. But his legacy is about more than just his catalogue of classics or his overflowing trophy case. Del’s spirit as ...

Words By J-man In honor of Steve Kimock's upcoming three night run at Quixote's this weekend in Denver, we thought who better to feature in our "Jam Band Spotlight" than Steve Kimock? That being said, this set featuring Steve Kimock hosting the Jam Cruise Jam Room seemed to be the perfect fit! Enjoy the hours of improvised mixed musician magic that this session offers and feel Kimock's influence and direction on theses deep spacey tracks! There are very few that can come close to creating as unique a sound as Kimock's. His pull on talent and musical names helps to solidify the strength and power of his projects. The Jam Room offers a step outside of his normal work and offers a glimpse into the outer realms of Kimock. Enjoy the recording and we'll see you this weekend at Quixote's. Jam Cruise Jam Room Live at Pigalle Lounge on January 8, 2011.

Words By J-man When turning to this week's Sunday Bluegrass picks I kept it local. Luckily for me, I live in Colorado. So picking from the local bluegrass pool comes as no great challenge. First off I wanted to find a solid and Yonder Mountain String Band show. And find one I did... Yonder Mountain String Band Live at McDonald Theatre on April 10, 2011. Additionally I thought a recent Leftover Salmon recording that did the group justice would do the trick. I wasn't personally in attendance for this show, but those who were told me that it was the best Salmon show that they had seen in some time. Enjoy! Leftover Salmon Live at Aggie Theatre on February 23, 2011. www.YonderMountain.com www.LeftoverSalmon.com

Words By Andy Zimmer I definitely have the easiest “job” at MusicMarauders. Most folks who are into the jam/improve-scene are fans of the Dead and like myself, enjoy most anything Dead-related. Plus, with such a vast archive of spectacular performances to dig through, selecting some quality jams isn’t exactly rocket science. That being said, I love being able to do my little Dead write-ups... especially when it helps me discover (or re-discover) great shows that may have been lurking off of my radar for some time. This week’s pick is a perfect example. It’s been a while since I’ve listened to much material from 1968. I wanted to feature a show from that year, so I went digging through my vault. Lo and behold I stumble upon the 1.22.68 show from Seattle, WA. Man, it’s been a long time since I’ve listened to that show. I forgot how incendiary it is. Simply put, this is one helluva show from start to finish. Well, not exactly “start to finish”, because we only have a record of the first s...

"Most people don't know or don't care who you are. Sometimes if I tell somebody who I am they'll say 'No you ain't.'" -Bill Withers Words By Andy DeVilbiss Sadly, Bill Withers is right. You may not know or care who he is. At least not until someone clues you in to his list of funk and soul classics like "Ain't No Sunshine," "Lean On Me," "Use Me," "Grandma's Hands," "Kissing My Love," and "Just the Two of Us." Then the light bulb comes on. You hear his smooth and emotive voice in your head, singing some of the most beautiful and honest lyrics ever penned, and you think, "Oh yeah. That guy! Whatever happened to him?" The answer to that question is the subject of "Still Bill," a brilliant documentary released in 2009. Directed by Damani Baker and Alex Vlack, the film features perhaps more honesty than I've ever seen from a musician and performer as Withers explai...

Fresh off of Desert Rocks Music Festival and Wakarusa, California string band Hot Buttered Rum will be making a stop in Denver Colorado to play The Oriental Theater! Whiskey Tango will be opening! Tickets are $15.00 in advance and $20.00 at the door. It is an 18 and up show. Don't miss this great night of music! Initially formed as an acoustic string band, seven years of constant touring has transformed Hot Buttered Rum into a plugged-in, percussive powerhouse that wows critics and fans alike. Their left-coast rock reveals an access to jazz, country, and world music that few groups can match. While the band's music belies simple categorization, its songwriting and stage chemistry delights listeners at every turn. Hot Buttered Rum’s story is one of evolution. The “high altitude bluegrass” era captured on their first studio album, In These Parts, found the band enjoying success at such diverse stages as the Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo, Grey Fox, High Sierra, Wakarusa, and the...

Words By J-man OOn September 23rd, 2008, McCoy Tyner released an unexpected tribute to guitars that featured the incorporation of guitars with his music. McCoy is joined by legends Ron Carter (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums). Special guests on the album include a handful of additional virtuosos: Bela Fleck, Derek Trucks, John Scofield, Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell. What's interesting about this album is McCoy's lack of work with guitars previously and his desire to pay tribute to an instrument that he had intermingled with very little. The musical relationship that McCoy builds with his guests through improvisation and pure emotion is memorizing and deep. The music seems to flow out of the instruments effortlessly with virtuoso sound and direction. It's easy to get lost in the mastery, but ultimately the listener is taken by the beauty and emotion. McCoy is an incredible musician and his album Guitars is nothing short of breathtaking. From the trio of legends, to his guest...

Words & Video By J-man Photos By J-man & Carly Marthis There's no question that Denver is a mecca for live music. The combination of Friday and Saturday, May 21st and 22nd, was prime evidence of the strength and popularity of the mountain scene. One of Colorado's premier venues, Cervantes, played host to these two evenings of rage. Further proof of Denver's thriving scene was evident in the fact that both sides of the venue held live recordings both nights. Many folks took comfort in knowing that these evenings' music would be recorded, for they were two incredible nights of music. First things first, MusicMarauders had a contest to tend to. With the help of Juno What, the winners of our Desert Rocks ticket giveaway were selected... Outside of Cervantes Friday night, the line stretched into the street. Most of these folks knew what good music sounded like, and if they didn't, they were about to find out. Entering the Other Side, the turnout seemed dismal for...

Words By Greg Molitor ( ReMIND Photography ) Digital Tape Machine features an all-star collection of Chicago-based artists that have been offering a fresh brand of high-energy electro-rock since early 2010. The band is hitting the road this summer for sets at Summer Camp Music Festival, Wicker Park Fest and The Big Up, and has also scheduled club performances at the Higher Ground in Burlington on July 28th and at 8x10 in Baltimore on July 30th. Keep an eye out for their first album, Elephant in the Room, which is set to release in the new future. For now, you can enjoy this archived performance of Digital Tape Machine live on December 30, 2010, at a sold out Umphrey’s McGee after party in Chicago… Digital Tape Machine at the Kinetic Playground Chicago, IL December 30, 2010. Digital Tape Machine is Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee), Joel Cummins (Umphrey’s McGee), Joe Hettinga (Strange Arrangement), Kevin Barry (Strange Arrangement), David Arredondo (Liquid Soul), Marcus Rezak (The Hue) an...

Words By Greg Molitor ( ReMIND Photography ) The Disco Biscuits: The Disco Biscuits have two shows this week at the Ogden Theater in Denver before they invade Red Rocks Amphitheater Saturday night for Bisco Inferno 2011. Check out the show below from Bisco Inferno 2009. The nearly 30-minute inverted “Crickets” has ridiculous energy and is well worth the listen! www.discobiscuits.com Lotus: Lotus has quite the busy schedule over the next few weeks with stops at Summer Camp, Bella, Wakarusa, Mountain Jam and Starscape Music Festival in Baltimore. For your auditory pleasure, here’s a highly regarded Lotus performance from Summer Camp Music Festival 2008. Enjoy! Lotus Live at Summer Camp Music Festival on May 24, 2008. www.lotusvibes.com

Words By Stevie Tee Dominic Maker and Kai Campos comprise the British electronic duo Mount Kimbie. The two met at Southbank University in London and now produce under Scuba’s Hotflush recordings. James Blake is also a friend of Mount Kimbie, collaborating with them in the live setting and helping them with field recordings for their debut LP, Crooks and Lovers, as well as remixing their first single, “Maybes.” Their music floats effortlessly between hip-hop, UK garage, dubstep, techno and more. Brilliant use of field recordings, sample looping and organic ambiance also give them a more visual edge that’s reminiscent of shoegaze, post-rock or film scores. Critics and fans have been calling them post-dubstep and some have credited them as pioneering a sound known as future garage. Gorgeous unimposing synthesizers gel perfectly with deep basses over tightly wound, syncopated beats. Unlike much of today’s sub-standard beat music, Mount Kimbie have a tremendous handle on melodic structure ...

The Circus (Bluegrass Night) – Ann Arbor, MI Words & Photos By Greg Molitor ( ReMIND Photography ) Times remain tough for the majority of us that live in Michigan, and everyday the opportunities to see shows, especially free ones, shrink alongside our fading optimism for the future of this once prosperous state. It’s painful to face the overall reality of the situation, but there’s no sugar coating it. Things could be much, much better for many Michiganders. Yet we persevere somehow… Every Wednesday night in Ann Arbor, hope can be seen in the form of free bluegrass at The Circus. It’s become quite the party over the years, something we can all share regardless of where our individual lives are headed. This evening marked the return of the Midwest’s finest traditional bluegrass outfit, The Henhouse Prowlers. We love the Prowlers in Michigan and this was proven by the incredible turnout at The Circus. Consisting of Ben Wright (banjo), Eric Lambert (guitar), Jon Goldfine (bass) and ...

Words By Greg Molitor ( ReMIND Photography ) It’s time to call your show friends, get your travel gear ready, and fire up the ol’ van... Phish tour begins this week! Phish simply IS this generation’s jam band. Through two hiatuses we’ve learned that the jam scene just isn’t the same without the quirky foursome on the road pleasing its fans. The proof is in the numbers, and no other touring act in our scene consistently attracts a following like these guys. Phish’s summer tour officially starts this Friday, May 27th, in Bethel, NY, and continues until September 4th, where the band will finish their tour in Commerce City, CO. Phish also will be throwing their 9th Phish festival, Superball IX, at Watkins Glen in New York over The Fourth of July weekend. To celebrate the band’s return to the road, I’ve selected a handful of videos highlighting a few of my favorite Phish tunes to get y’all in the mood for the celebrations that will be happening all summer. Enjoy! ’98 was a banner year for ...

Words By J-man This week's "Bluegrass Sunday" pick is one of those bluegrass hybrid bands that's versatility extends far beyond bluegrass music. The Punch Brothers' played an essential role in pioneering the classicalgrass movement. The Punch Brothers are also know for their work on a plethora of other cover material such as Radiohead. Enjoy the virtuosity, coupled with the familiarity of songs that you've come to love. www.punchbrothers.com

Words By Andy Zimmer Spring finally looks like it has arrived!! The trees are budding, insects are buzzing around newly-opened flowers, a warm breeze brushes my cheeks as I venture out of the house, and the air smells fresh and new. As our corner of the planet sloughs off another winter from its endless journey around the sun, it feels good to be alive... and warm. But least we take the splendors of spring and summer for granted, let us not forget the icy darkness that is surely waiting in the wings to bring the chill back into our bones. Winter may be gone, but it’s not forgotten. And, with this week’s pick, I’ve decided to dive into the month of December and hope that the warmth of spring can thaw out this frozen classic. This week’s show comes from the winter tour of 1980. There are plenty of solid shows from November/December of ’80, and if you aren’t familiar with these concerts, I would recommend that you do a little digging and give some of them a listen. Today’s pick is from Th...

Words By Andy DeVilbiss It's been an unexpectedly busy week for me, so I'm bringin' the quickness with this one. I have assumed the lotus position, achieved zen and focused my chi, so here's some brief thoughts on a some newish music, delivered as tranquil haikus. Mayer Hawthorne - Impressions (EP) Decent soul covers More uptempo tracks needed At least it was free Blitz the Ambassador - Native Sun Ghana meets Brooklyn Hip-hop with afrobeat band Slammin' formula The Genie - Here Come The Scissors Down Under madness Electro-psychedelic Joe Jackson cover! Monophonics - Like Yesterday (single) New keyboardist sings Gritty greasy throwback sound Ready for big things Juno What?! - Shameless Vocoded goodies Sleek, 80's naked funk vibe You'll dance your ass off

Words & Photos By J-man The turn out at Quixote's was solid for a night packed with music. Being that Quixote's was our second stop of the evening, we missed some of the earlier bands but arrived just in time for Grant Farm featuring Keith Moseley followed by Whiskey Tango doing a "tweener" set in the courtyard. The grill was fired up, the people were fired up and Quixote's was in full swing. Grant Farm with Keith Moseley drew an impressive crowd! I thought each of the individual musicians were somewhat impressive, but collectively the folk/rockabilly sound didn't really appeal to me. I was surrounded by smiling folks dancing like crazy. It was a euphoric environment. All of the colors and lights of Quixote's create a really beautiful vibe. Out on the patio, Whiskey Tango got started as Grant Farm was wrapping up. I enjoyed Whiskey Tango. The sound was by no means fine tuned, but the picking and energy was enjoyable. Again, looking around the courtyard...

Words By J-man Pianist/composer Keith Jarrett (previously of Art Blakey & Miles Davis), double bassist (Bill Evans & Miles Davis) & drummer Jack DeJohnette (Bill Evans & Miles Davis) join forces once again for a trio that approaches the thirty year mark. Performing mainly standards, the trio has recorded several records mixing in a splash of original material. Many of the tracks focus on challenging standards and group improvisations that sound so complex that many have mistaken their free jazz as composed instrumentation. Through the 80s into the 90s on a wave of post-bop, they were thrust to the forefront of working groups with impressive endurance. Several world tours of acoustically near-perfect halls cemented their status as truly one of the most successful straight-ahead and free jazz groups. The trio will hit the road once again for another world tour starting in July that will extend from Europe all of the way back to the states. Check out this incredible trio a...

Guitar legend Steve Kimock (Phil Lesh, Ratdog, Other Ones) returns to Quixote's True Blue in Denver, CO for a much anticipated three night run on June 3rd, 4th and an afternoon show on June 5th. He will be joined by Bobby Vega (Zero, KVHW), Kyle Hollingsworth (String Cheese Incident) & Wally Ingram (Stockholm Syndrome) for what will be an incredible musical experience. Also appearing will be Ray White's (Frank Zappa) Psychedelic Wash featuring Fareed Haque (formerly of Garaj Mahal, MathGames) Fleeb Thomas (Octopus Nebula) and Joey Porter (Motet, Juno What). With the presence of such incredible talent and musicianship, the energy at Quixote's is sure to be through the roof. The Friday and Saturday shows are slated to start at 8pm and the Sunday show at 2pm. Tickets will be available at the door for $20. Join us for three days of fantastic music! www.Quixotes.com www.Kimock.com www.Fareed.com www.BobbyVega.com www.KyleHollingsworth.com www.WallyIngram.com

Words By Greg Molitor ( ReMIND Photography ) If you haven’t heard The McLovins, you might be looking to your nearest calendar right now to see if it’s April 1st. No, indeed it’s not, and yes, this trio is a legit group. Way legit, no joke. The McLovins at a combined age of 51-years-old can flat out bring jaw droppin’ licks to the table, and, like similar bands in our scene, what the group lacks in vocal instrumentation is more than replaced with over-the-top, blow-the-roof-off-this-mofo jams that’ll leave you speechless from their raw talent... The video above is almost two years old, so make sure you check out the link below to see what The McLovins are bringing to the table in May 2011. Their festival schedule is light for this summer considering they are still in high school, but those attending Strange Creek Music Festival and Gathering of the Vibes are going to have a firsthand opportunity to see this band tear it up. Listen, and you’ll agree... this band WILL be huge. The McLovi...