We're over half way through the year... I figured I'd rank all the new albums I've heard so far.
1. Lost In The Trees - A Church That Fits Our Needs
Emotional. Rich. Textured. Atmospheric. It's hard to find enough words to describe how beautiful this album is. It's a perfect tribute to Ari Picker's late mother. It's simultaneously sad and uplifting. Rarely do you find an album with such a coherent bond between the lyrics and the music. Here, Picker proves he's an expert in tone.
2. Punch Brothers - Who's Feeling Young Now?
I initially met this album with trepidation, since their previous album is one of my favorites, and I wasn't too keen on the first track, which was released online a few weeks before the full album. But here they've proven that they can make music that is more accessible, but just as interesting... While staying true to their acoustic instruments.
3. Anathema - Weather Systems
This is excellent prog rock. It takes you through a range of emotions, it is intricately constructed (listen to the layered vocals on "The Gathering of the Clouds" in surround sound, and prepare to be blown away), and it just gets better with each listen.
4. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Here
I'm probably in the minority, but I like this better than their previous record. It doesn't have a hit song, but it does a great job capturing a traditional revival feel.
5. Great Lake Swimmers - New Wild Everywhere
Nice sincere folk rock. All of the songs are pretty good, and there are some nice, catchy melodies here.
6. Of Monsters And Men - My Head Is An Animal
This is a fun listen. Lots of bombast; probably closer to the first Edward Sharpe album than the new Edward Sharpe album is.
7. Darrell Scott - Long Ride Home
Darrell is one of my favorite songwriters, and here we see him making back porch country music. Simple, honest, and genuine.
8. The Tallest Man On Earth - There's No Leaving Here
I was never the biggest fan of this guy, but he does have an interesting Dylan-esque quality, and I like the acoustic guitar.
9. Bela Fleck & The Marcus Roberts Trio - Across The Imaginary Divide
Saw these guys at Telluride Bluegrass, and was impressed. It's like a very tight jazz ensemble with a banjo.
10. Leftover Salmon - Aquatic Hitchhiker
I haven't been able to fully digest this one yet, but there are some quality cuts here.
Other albums I like that didn't make my top 10 yet:
Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back
Farrar, Johnson, Parker, Yames - New Multitudes
Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden
Trampled By Turtles - Stars And Satellites
Rhett Miller - The Dreamer
Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
Every June, I attend the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Telluride, Colorado. This was my third year, and I have to say, it was the best yet. This year I flew solo, rented a place in town, and enjoyed the dry weather and fluffy clouds wafting through the sky.
It started with a three day trip to Moab, UT, after which I made a Wednesday afternoon arrival in Telluride, just in time to enjoy the free FirstGrass show in Mountain Village. This year, Della Mae opened it up with Peter Rowan as a guest, and delighted the audience with some first-rate upbeat all-girl tradgrass. They were followed by the first of many (by my count, four) official Greensky Bluegrass appearances. They played a good set, although, admittedly, my head was not really in it.
Later on in the evening, Yonder Mountain String Band played their annual kickoff party at the conference center. I made it to my first one last year, but found this one to be far more entertaining. They were just on this year... And they had Bela Fleck sit in during the first set, and Sam Bush during the second. Someone later told me that Jeff Austin had "cleaned up" in the past year--either that is unfair speculation, or a reasonable explanation for a more exciting Yonder.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Things officially got started with an hour-long gapless improv by Chris Thile and Bela Fleck, under the name of "Thelma and Louise." This performance was not for everybody, as it was abstract and improvisational in nature, and most improvisations tend to have sections that miss the mark. I, personally, was impressed by the performance, even though I was a little drowsy during stretches (which, perhaps, could've added to the enjoyment).
I skipped Della Mae in order to catch up on sleep, and returned prior to Dan Mangan's set. Mangan was a hit for me; I enjoyed his use of feedback and noise, and his philosophical ramblings, although the general consensus seems to be that he was too loud for a bluegrass festival. Too each his own.
Mangan was followed by Greensky Bluegrass's 2nd official performance, which I skipped in order to see Punch Brothers at the free Elks Park stage. This is a show that kicked off one of the most pervasive storylines of this year's festival, not just because of their Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, and Levon Helm tributes, but because, while explaining the seafaring nature of Josh Ritter's "Another New World," they proposed "Ahoy!" as the official Punch Brothers Telluride salutation. Thus, "Ahoy!" became the most commonly heard word this year, typically shouted in unison by large groups of inebriated men. This set was mostly covers; besides the Ritter song, they played The Car's "Just What I Needed," The Strokes' "Heart In A Cage," The White Stripes' "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," and, most memorably, The Band's "Ophelia." Ophelia was the first of four Helm tributes of which I am aware.
After Punch Brothers' Happy Hour, I returned in order to see Laura Marling take the stage 15 minutes late, and perform a slightly unenthusiastic set that was, nonetheless, enjoyable. I guess I just had really high expectations for this set, after seeing her impress while opening for Andrew Bird a few months ago.
I didn't stay long into John Prine's set (which sounded good from the first few songs) in order to return my chair to the hotel in preparation for a long night, which began with Alison Krauss and Union Station. As expected, I was highly impressed by their talent, but a little bored with their pop structures. I like the songs sung by Dan Tyminski, who introduced himself as "the singing voice of George Clooney," because they tend to be closer to bluegrass than pop.
I finished the evening with the Elephant Revival show at the Sheridan Opera House. I saw them play in Phoenix in January, and they were just as impressive, if not more so, in Telluride.
This was a very strong opening day, and the highlight was Punch Brothers at Elks Park.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Friday started off with a laid back set from Edgar Meyer and Mike Marshall. I appreciate their skill, but it's difficult to watch them on the main stage. It would be easier to appreciate their technical abilities in a more intimate Elks Park workshop. Needless to say, I fell asleep.
Seryn fortunately got things moving on Friday around lunch time. This band, from Denton, TX, is almost completely unknown, they don't play bluegrass, but they use banjos sometimes, so I guess it "counts." Bluegrass or not, they were impressive, and despite the lead singer's voice sounding a little too much like Eddie Vedder's, I like this band.
The always-entertaining Head For The Hills were next, but I skipped them in order to see Joy Kills Sorrow at Elks Park. I figured I would see Head For The Hills later that night anyways, and JKS was one of the bands I was most looking forward to... So I couldn't wait for their Sunday morning set. I was not disappointed with my decision.
I went back to the main stage for O'Brien Party of Seven and Bela Fleck & The Marcus Roberts Trio. The first was enjoyable, at least during the part during which I managed to stay awake. Bela Fleck & The Marcus Roberts Trio was one of the more unique shows of the weekend, as Bela projects are wont to be. This was straight up jazz music, and it was tight. I really enjoyed this show; it was one of my favorites of the weekend.
I skipped Del McCoury in order to rest up for John Fogerty, and return my stuff to the hotel. There was some speculation as to how much of Fogerty's set would be CCR, and how much would be his solo/country set; if you were hoping for mostly CCR, you would not have been disappointed. This was the set that was talked about for the rest of the weekend.
Rather than see Leftover Salmon, I saw Head For The Hills at the Fly Me To The Moon Saloon. The first half was totally enjoyable, on account of everybody still being at Leftover Salmon, but once the Salmon crowd started showing up, it started becoming overcrowded. The band was spectacular, however.
Friday, again, was solid, and the highlight of the day was, far and away, John Fogerty.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Saturday was all about Elks Park. While at the main stage the band contest was going on, and Run Boy Run was following up as last year's winners, there was an instrument building Q&A with the makers of Shanti Guitars and San Juan Mandolins, featuring some "instrument demonstrations" (i.e., playing) by two of the guys in Head For The Hills. If nothing else, I learned how difficult and interesting the art of luthiery can be.
This was followed up by a "workshop" entitled Bela Fleck & Edgar Meyer: How To Play Badly Without Anybody Noticing. This was, of course, tongue-in-cheek, and they did not play badly at all, but joked about some techniques to hide mistakes (their favorite was pretending to tune the instrument, so the audience thinks they just went out of tune). They noticed Chris Thile on the side, and invited him to join... He ran and grabbed his mandolin, and half the show was Fleck/Meyer/Thile. The Bela Fleck Elks Park performance seems to always be a highlight of the festival: it wasn't as memorable this year as it was last year, but it was still very impressive.
Following Fleck/Meyer, I went to the main stage for The Devil Makes Three, and witnessed some upbeat, energetic bluegrass/folk/whatever-they-call-what-they-do. These guys are fun, and they have an old time style all their own.
Rather than hang out for Jerry Douglas' set, I opted for some lunch, followed by a trip to Elks Park for the Woody Guthrie tribute. This involved Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon), Tim O'Brien (Tim O'Brien), Emma Beaton (Joy Kills Sorrow), Peter Rowan (Peter Rowan), and some other lady whose identity I'm unsure of. By now, the air was rather smoky due to the fire burning down by Mancos, which was so pervasive that Vince Herman even referred to it in an impromptu verse of Woody's "This Land Is Your Land" (although he argued that the smoke was related to the fact that it was about 4:20 on the clock). The Guthrie tribute was entertaining, enlightening, and probably more political than what we're used to at the festival.
Seryn was next at Elks Park. Rather than witness the Yonder Mountain String Band marshmallow war, I decided to watch the little-known band play an intimate set and chat about polyrhythms, unusual use of bows, etc.
Next, it was dinner/sleep time (I skipped k.d. lang), and back over to the main stage for the annual Sam Bush Band set. I've always enjoyed Sam's set, but this one was even better. Midway through, he started a song with Jerry Douglas, during which the rest of the band came out armed with electric guitars, and proceeded to rock the crowd's socks off for about ten minutes. A guy standing near me remarked that they should've ended with this, as there was no way to possibly top this. One thing I've learned is you never assume Sam Bush can't top himself; he did when he brought out Douglas, Bela Fleck, John Cowan, Jeff Austin, and Dave Johnston for a rousing, 16-minute rendition of The Band's "Up On Cripple Creek" (the second Helm tribute for those who are counting). He then brought out all the bass players backstage for an encore performance of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom." Only in Sam Bush's Telluride set can you see six bass players playing Spinal Tap at a bluegrass festival.
The final main stage set of the night was Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, who delighted me with their piano-based jambandery. Bruce was joined by Thile and Fleck, but I left too early too see Sam Bush's appearance.
The reason I left Bruce early was to catch The Devil Makes Three play Fly Me To The Moon Saloon. This was my biggest mistake of the festival; the show was more crowded than Head For The Hills the previous night, it was hot in there, I couldn't see the band, and they apparently just played basically the same set they played on the main stage. I left by 1AM.
The highlight of the day was easily Sam Bush Band. His performance included some of my all-time favorite Telluride Bluegrass moments (though my TBF career only spans three years).
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Sunday was a main stage day for me. It started with John Cowan Band Gospel Hour, which was entertaining, though I didn't really know any of his songs. I do know his voice from New Grass Revival, so it wasn't completely unfamiliar.
Joy Kills Sorrow was next. It was similar to their Friday Elks Park set, just with less intimate chat and more music. The audience seemed to like them.
I watched the beginning of Peter Rowan's Big Twang Theory, but didn't stick around long, as I wanted to grab some lunch and catch Paul Hoffman and Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass at Elks Park (their fourth official performance of the festival). Their music and banter was enjoyable.
Next was Brett Dennen at the main stage; I was unsure of how I'd like his folk-pop stylings, but I actually found it enjoyable and refreshing. Perhaps unfortunately, the most memorable part of his set occurred when Marshmallow War Part II broke out near the end. It was so out-of-control that after the set, a stern warning was issue to the audience to refrain from throwing projectiles on stage.
Punch Brothers were next, and played their most typical show of the festival, with more songs from their new album than at any of their other performances. This, of course, came with plentiful greetings of "Ahoy!" from the crowd, and Thile even changed the lyrics in "Rye Whiskey" to "A-hoy!" instead of "Oh Boy!" as promised. The most interesting part of the set came when Rob Moose joined them onstage for a performance of the third movement of Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto."
Glen Hansard took the headlining spot Sunday, and floored me with his emotive voice and more-energetic-than-expected band. He played a couple of Once/Swell Season tracks ("Leave" and "When Your Mind's Made Up"), several songs from his solo work, and, memorably, The Band's "The Weight" (the third Helm tribute of the weekend). Hansard impressed.
The Telluride House Band closed the night, but I skipped their set in order to guarantee a balcony seat at the Punch Brothers nightgrass show at the Sheridan Opera House. Unfortunately, I missed the house band play "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down:"
The Punch Brothers nightgrass show was excellent: they played Weezer, The Strokes, Radiohead, some traditional bluegrass, some of their own music, some wicked solos, and even some R&B (with Noam Pickelny sporting some cool shades). They were just having fun all night, and they were joined onstage by Bryan Sutton, Mike Witcher (brother of Gabe Witcher), some girl they found to sing the female vocal part in "Here Or Heaven," and even Ed Helms and one of his Lonesome Trio bandmates.
The highlight of the day was, as expected, Punch Brothers.
Overall, this was my favorite Telluride Bluegrass Festival. The music was solid all around, I met a lot of interesting people, and just had an all around good, carefree time. I already can't wait for the 40th anniversary next year.
With the rise to prominence of bands like Mumford & Sons, people are paying more attention to bands that play good ole' acoustic instruments, like banjos, mandolins, resonators, etc. It has yet to become the flavor of the week, so there's still time to hop on that bandwagon before it gets moving too fast. With that in mind, here are a few projects worth checking out, in no particular order.
Abigail Washburn Washburn is known for her mastery of the clawhammer technique of banjo playing. Her music is not traditional bluegrass, but it is very traditional. Her original backing band, The Sparrow Quartet, was assembled to put into music some of the ideas she came up with as a result of her time spent in China, and the Chinese cultural influence on the music is profound.
Washburn has two solo albums, Song of the Traveling Daughter (2005) and the superb City of Refuge (2011), and The Sparrow Quartet has The Sparrow Quartet EP (2006) and Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet (2008).
Check her out if you like rich, textured, traditional music.
My favorite tracks: "Divine Bell," "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," "Chains."
Trampled By Turtles
This Duluth quintet will play you right into a frenzy. My personal theory is that they have to play as fast as they do in order to stay warm all the way up there in Northern Minnesota, but whatever the reason, they are blazing fast. A Trampled By Turtles show has the energy of the most amped up metal or punk show, but with more melody and strictly acoustic instruments. In the olden days, TxT was not as adrenaline-saturated, and used some electric guitars and a drum or two (check out their Trouble album for this version of the band), but since Duluth, it has been all acoustic, all the time.
These gentlemen have quite a unique thing going, and it is a lot of fun. They have five studio albums: Songs From A Ghost Town (2004), Blue Sky and the Devil (2005), Trouble (2007), Duluth (2008), and Palomino (2010).
Check them out if you like your music blazing fast.
My favorite tracks: "Never Again," "The Darkness and The Light," "Wait So Long," "New Orleans"
Yonder Mountain String Band
Yonder Mountain String Band is a jambgrass quartet out of Nederland, Colorado. One thing you don't do is listen to Yonder for their studio output. A Yonder Mountain studio album only exists to tide you over until their next show, where the real entertainment happens. Here you'll hear classic bluegrass standards, their own compositions, and extended jam sessions sometimes up to a half hour long. You'll also get a different performance every night, and you'll probably hear some songs you've never heard before (I've never counted, but they have to have at least two hundred songs in their repertoire). You'll hear excellent playing on every instrument, and maybe even some vocal improvisation from Mr. Jeff Austin (mandolin).
Yonder Mountain String Band have five studio albums, Elevation (1999), Town By Town (2001), Old Hands (2003), Yonder Mountain String Band (2006), and The Show (2009), as well as five live albums, and about a billion live shows available for download.
Check them out if you like jams, live bands, and catchy hooks.
My favorite tracks: "Must've Had Your Reasons," "A Father's Arms", "Peace of Mind," "Out Of The Blue"
Crooked Still
Crooked Still are a traditional-yet-not band out of Boston, which plays a delicate flavor of bluegrass highlighted by Aiofe O'Donovan's textured voice and a somewhat prominent banjo. I'm not sure what it is I like about this band; they're nothing groundbreaking about what they do. Perhaps it is just the soothing quality of O'Donovan's voice. At times the sound coming out of her mouth is barely more than a whisper.
Crooked Still have four studio albums: Hop High (2004), Shaken by a Low Sound (2006), Still Crooked (2008), and Some Strange Country (2010). Each successive album seems to have more original compositions than the last, which is a positive trend (though I can't complain about a Rolling Stones cover).
Check them out if you like soft vocals, banjos, and delicate, unassuming arrangements.
Some songs I like include "Distress," "Sometimes In This Country," and the gospel tune "Calvary."
Punch Brothers
Punch Brothers are a progressive blueglass outfit currently based in New York City. Led by Chris Thile (of Nickel Creek fame), they are breaking new ground in the area of progressive music with acoustic instruments with elements of classical composition and rock-influenced vocals. Every member of this band is a virtuoso on his respective instrument, yet they don't overplay.
I've caught these guys live three times now (I even drove all the way up to Moab, UT to see them), and it's not nearly enough. This is, in my mind, the most exciting thing happening in music right now.
Punch Brothers have two or three studio albums (depending on whether you count How to Grow A Woman From The Ground): How to Grow A Woman From The Ground (2006), Punch (2008), and Antifogmatic (2010).
Check them out if you like challenging music, with great harmony and musicianship.
My favorite songs include "You Are", "Don't Need No," "This Is The Song (Good Luck)", and "The Blind Leaving The Blind."
Yo Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile
Yes, this one is brand new, and who knows if it will remain a thing going forward. But they just made an album, and it is spectacular. Here you have four musicians playing what sounds on the surface like bluegrass, but is really more a sort of a Celtic-jazz-grass thing. I never thought I could be so entertained by an album that is nearly completely instrumental (there are two tracks with vocals by Aiofe O'Donovan and Chris Thile).
Here's hoping these guys go on tour, come to Phoenix, and continue to record music together.
They have just one album, The Goat Rodeo Sessions (2011), although Ma has collaborated with Meyer on a couple of albums, and Meyer with Thile on one or two.
Check these guys out if you like instrumentals, strings, and chamber music.
Some songs I like include "Here or Heaven," "Where's My Bow?," and "Franz and the Eagle" (which features Edgar Meyer on piano).
This is a controversial album for a top 5 pick: it is relatively unfamiliar to most, and, being just a year and a half old, has not withstood the test of time. I didn't like it at first; it took me three or four listens before it really grabbed me... But once it did, it just started getting better and better.
Antifogmatic is an album not like any other. It strictly adheres to a five-piece traditional bluegrass instrumentation, yet there is nothing traditional about it. It was made by five of the most talented musicians on their respective instruments, yet it doesn't sound like they are overplaying. It is musically diverse, with influences as broad as classical, bluegrass, and rock.
Punch Brothers are one of the most exciting bands in music right now. There is nobody else who is doing what they are; they have managed to take a traditional music genre and move it into the next generation.
This is an album that I initially thought was OK... And then I heard it again, and liked it more. And heard it yet another time, and like it even more. Each time I listen to it, it gets better.
You see, there aren't really any other albums like this. The Duluth quintet faithfully adheres to the use of acoustic instruments, yet this is one of the most intense, energetic albums I have in my possession. This is speedgrass, thrashgrass, or whatever you want to call it... Folk music played at a frenetic pace.
Even though they have a very standard instrumentation, they have a sound that is all their own. Tim Saxhaug's acoustic bass guitar and Dave Simonett's alternative vocals and songwriting style make this unlike anything else that I'm aware of. And that gets this album an A+ in my book.
Well, it's over. Got back an hour and a half ago from my new favorite yearly event, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. In case you haven't been to this particular festival, or heard much about it, it is hardly bluegrass music at all, in the traditional Bill Monroe way. For the most part, it is more bluegrass-y music, in various styles and genres. To my knowledge, none of the following 2011 TBF artists have ever played anything resembling bluegrass:
The Head and The Heart (indie folk)
Sarah McLachlan (folk/rock)
Joe Pug (folk)
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (jazz)
The Decemberists (indie folk/rock)
Darrell Scott (country-folk)
Abigail Washburn (folk?)
Mumford & Sons (folk rock)
Robert Plant (folk rock)
That's probably like half the lineup. And most of the remaining artists either have only played limited amounts of bluegrass but are known for other things (Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Edgar Meyer) or play progressive bluegrass. So there you have it... A bluegrass festival that would offend bluegrass traditionalists.
Wednesday
I drove up early Wednesday, played a round of golf, and got settled into my condo, after which I turned my attention to the festival.
The festival officially started with a free show in Mountain Village on Wednesday, opened by Sarah Jarosz, and Cornmeal following. I didn't watch Sarah (I have respect for her talent, especially at such a young age, but don't care for her music), but Cornmeal didn't disappoint. After Cornmeal was the 10th annual kickoff party with Yonder Mountain String Band, which I attended. In typical Yonder fashion, it featured a few bluegrass songs, a few of their bluegrassy-but-not-bluegrass tunes, some very extended jams (which is why we watch this band)... and an audience hot boxing an indoor conference center where I highly doubt smoking of any kind is allowed.
Thursday
Thursday started off slow. Tim O'Brien and Kevin Burke opened. I listened, but one can only take so much of two fiddles playing Irish music. The Head and The Heart followed... I like their record, but their show was basically just hearing their record played on stage. I know they're young, so they have time to work on building more of a stage presence.
Cornmeal, again, did not disappoint. This band is somewhat mysterious; it's hard to even find someone who could name a single Cornmeal studio album. There has to be one, right?
I skipped Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper to take a short hike up Bear Creek behind the stage. Very scenic, though a little exhausting at that elevation.
Bear Creek Falls
I returned for Steve Earle's set, which I enjoyed. We skipped Sarah McLachlan in favor of dinner in Telluride, and returned for the House Band.
The highlight of the day turned out to be the following event: the Trampled by Turtles nightgrass show at the high school auditorium (aka "Palm Theater"). I knew this band would be intense, but I still left amazed at the raw energy this band has (interestingly, the program blurb about TbT alleges that they used to play all their shows sitting down).
Friday I was expecting Friday to be superb. The lineup was solid on paper, and there was at least one new band I was interested in checking out (Stringdusters). It started with Joe Pug, who is very talented to be sure, but gets a little dull after a few songs. Chris Thile and Michael Daves then took the stage, and amazed everybody with their technical chops. I have no clue who Michael Daves is, but that man is an amazing guitar player.
By the time The Infamous Stringdusters took the stage, it had begun drizzling. Their music was OK (the only things I remember are the only songs I recognized: Danny Barnes' "Get It While You Can" and U2's "In God's Country." Because of the rain, I ditched out to have lunch with the gang.
We all returned to watch Jerry Douglas' trio perform, which was pretty good. I left early to hit up Elks Park, where the Punch Brothers were supposed to perform. Unfortunately, the Troubadour contest ran late, so I was only able to hear two Punch Brothers songs before I had to make my way back for Trampled.
And again, Trampled by Turtles won the day:
Emmylou Harris followed, and then Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. A few of us left Flecktones early to return the condo. I took care of some business, and then returned for Railroad Earth. Unfortunately, my back wasn't feeling it, so I left Railroad Earth halfway through.
Saturday On Saturday morning, there was the second ever public screening of a new documentary about Punch Brothers entitled "How To Grow A Band." Since it was free, and because I love Punch Brothers, I decided to attend (even though it meant missing out on Nora Jane Struthers or Sara Watkins with Chris Thile (who schedules a movie that is basically about Chris Thile at the same time as a Watkins/Thile performance? seriously?)). I watched the movie with my buddies Myke and Futureman (just kidding, I didn't watch the movie with Futureman, although he was in the 186-seat theater). The movie began with Thile's history (notably with Nickel Creek), and then focused on the creation and evolution of his current band, Punch Brothers. It used his 40-minute, four movement suite about his divorce as the backdrop; the movie itself was divided up into four "movements," each of which features music from the corresponding movement of the song; and significant attention is given to how the piece is presented, and how that all fits into what the band is trying to accomplish.
After the movie, I visited Elks Park (it being a block away from the theater), and noticed that "Bela & Friends" were next. In what is very likely the most unfortunate decision in his life so far, Myke decided to head back to the main stage, whereas I decided to check out the set. The set went like this: a banjo duet with Noam Pickelny (of Punch Brothers fame); a duet with Casey Driesson (fiddlist); a banjo duet with his wife Abigail Washburn; an improvised quintet with Victor Wooten, Futureman, Chris Thile, and Driesson (more on this); a bluegrassy sextet with the former group plus Pickelny; a sextet with the former group, sans Pickelny and with Washburn; and a song with everybody. The highlight was the quintet, which was basically an improvised jazz number (Bela gave the other musicians directions before the song), which had an incredible duel between Victor and Bela. I really hope this shows up on Youtube.
I then headed back to the main stage, and caught Tim O'Brien's set. After that, Yonder put on a very solid show.
And then...The Decemberists. This show had what was easily the most memorable moment of the festival. Throughout the show, Colin Meloy frequently referenced a pick-off challenge he made in 2005 to Bela Fleck and Jerry Douglass, and claimed victory by forfeit. During the last song of the main set, The Decemberists went into a jam, and Meloy once again referenced the pick-off. Bela appeared on stage, and...well, I'll let you watch the rest:
Afterwards, Sam Bush took the stage, and was excellent as usual.
Needless to say, The Decemberists win the day.
Sunday Sunday began with the Darrell Scott & Friends Father's Day Gospel Hour. I like Darrell Scott, and this set was actually quite inspirational. I think I was actually more inspired by it than I would have been at church. Edgar Meyer followed...he was very respectable, but it was a little bit like listening to classical music. Which isn't a good idea when you tired. Chris Thile did join him at the end, which was quite enjoyable.
Next up was Abigail Washburn. I have to say, I was very impressed with her set. She gets the "Surprise Performance of the Weekend" award.
It had been a few years since I had seen Bridal Veil Falls, so I took a short jaunt up the road after Abigail's set. I returned about halfway through Pete Rowan's set, which was hard to focus on due to the very ominous-looking clouds to the west. And ominous was probably an appropriate way for them to come across, as they started leaking on us a little before Punch Brothers took the stage.
I like to think there are few things better than when one of your favorite artists covers another one of your favorite artists. That's what Punch Brothers did when they played Josh Ritter's "Another New World." Also, they did Beck's "Sexx Laws," which was also cool, in its own little way. They say Punch Brothers are unpredictable...
Mumford & Sons followed Punch Brothers. They put on a good show, and played several new tunes, but alas, I still left a little underwhelmed... but that's only because it's really hard to top what they did last year. After M&S, the rain finally stopped, and a clearing sky and setting sun revealed fresh snow only about 1,000 feet above Telluride. I have to say, the only reason I was able to endure that freezing cold rain, and even effectively ignore it, was because Punch Brothers and Mumford & Sons were the two bands playing right then.
The rest of the gang left after M&S, leaving me to enjoy Robert Plant by myself. And that I did. He played several of the tracks from his album Band of Joy, gave the spotlight to band members Darrell Scott, Patty Griffin, and Buddy Miller to sing a song each (Darrell did "Satisfied Mind," one of the highlights of the set), and played several Led Zeppelin songs (Ramble On, What Is And What Should Never Be, Gallows Pole, Black Dog, Misty Mountain Hop, Black Country Woman (whose lyrics he admitted are "not exactly Shakespeare"), Houses of the Holy). I left around eleven, so he could've even done more after I left (as long as he didn't do Stairway, I'm OK missing it).
Robert Plant wins Sunday.
Monday Woke up Monday to... snow? Yes, it was white all over, and snow was still falling from the sky. Unbelievable. After loading up my car, I headed down to Telluride for one last walk through town (and two last Baked In Telluride doughnuts). The streets were dead, and most of the people out and about appeared to be locals. This scene captured the "festival is over" feeling of the morning:
Disassembling the Elks Park stage
It was a great trip. The music was superior to last year, and I think I'll have more memories come out of it. Plus, I got to share it with some friends this time.
T minus 366 days till Telluride 2012!
Addendum: I had a couple of philosophical thoughts about the festival since posting this:
If you want to know how steeped in tradition this crowd is... Or, in other words, whether this is really a "bluegrass" crowd... Consider that a lot of people in the crowd knew the lyrics to "Sexx Laws."
I think the thing that sets TBF apart from other popular festivals, in my mind, is the location. I love the San Juan Mountains. I don't love Indio, CA. TBF is in a village of a couple thousand people, which gets completely overwhelmed by the 10,000+ people who are there for the festival. You can walk across town in 15 minutes. You can leave your festival chair, go on a scenic four hour hike, and sit down again, without having to get in your car and drive somewhere. It's not about the music; it's about how the music interacts with the surrounding environs.
If you haven't heard of Sam Bush, you probably don't listen to bluegrass music. Singer, songwriter, and mandolin expert Bush has been redefining bluegrass for decades. He got his start in the 60s, founded New Grass Revival, and released, to date, eight solo albums, of which Laps In Seven is the seventh.
Sam is also known as the "King of Telluride," because of his streak of 36 straight appearances at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival (out of a possible 37).
The title Laps In Seven came about after Sam noticed that his dog, Ozzie, was seemingly drinking his water in a seven beat pattern. He made up a tune to go with it, which became the title track, which has a 7/4 time signature (which is rare for bluegrass).
The first album I ever heard which involved Sam Bush was New Grass Revival's 1984 (or was it 1986?) self-titled album. It became a favorite of mine. I have also heard the experimental supergroup Strength In Numbers' record, as well as Sam's most recent album, Circles Around You. All were great.
Laps does not have a bad song in the bunch. It is an eclectic mix of modernized bluegrass covers and his own newgrass. It starts out pretty subdued, as far as experimenting is concerned, but by the end, we hear electric guitar solos on overdrive ("River Take Me"), saxophones and organs ("White Bird"), and unusual time signatures ("Laps In Seven").
1
The River's Gonna Run (written by Julie Miller, featuring Emmylou Harris)
4:01
2
Bringing in the Georgia Mail (Fred Rose)
3:57
3
The Dolphin Dance
3:14
4
On the Road (John Hartford)
5:00
5
Ridin' That Bluegrass Train (written by Bush, John Pennell, featuring Tim O'Brien)
3:46
6
I Wanna Do Right (written by Bush, Jeff Black, featuring Shaun Murphy)
4:34
7
Where There's a Road (Robbie Fulks)
3:53
8
New Country(Jean Luc Ponty)
4:09
9
Ballad for a Soldier (Leon Russell)
4:35
10
River Take Me (Darrell Scott)
7:11
11
White Bird (David and Linda LaFlamme, featuring Andrea Zonn)
6:00
12
Laps in Seven (Bush, Byron House, Scott Vestal)
5:00
It's very difficult to pick favorites in this bunch. I do think the album peaks near the end, which is a fresh change from many albums, which start off well and go downhill. Sam Bush has cemented himself as one of the greatest in the genre, and maybe even all of music. The only thing better than listening to a Sam Bush album is watching the Sam Bush Band play a 15 minute rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame."
