It seems like Jam is a four letter word these days, with all the great jam band pioneers breaking up right and left. The new Trey Anastasio album Bar 17 is a great anecdote to all the bad jam karma lately. Its not quite as radio friendly as last album Shine was but is considered by Trey to be an accompanying album to Shine. Trey is in the company of some killer musicians on this album including Skeeto Valdez, Mike Gordon, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento and John Medeski. Most of the lyrics were penned by Trey’s old friend Tom Marshal. The sound on this album has more of a big jam band sound than on Trey’s last two releases and features more bass and drums. Bar 17 is chock full of signature Trey guitar style but you can also hear an evolution of Trey’s solo sound. I know Trey is feeling the backlash from the Phish breakup still, but Bar 17 is excellent and deserves a listen even by the most critical of Phish phreak.

Related Jambase Links:

Trey Anastasio: The  Hope Of A New Song

Trey Anastasio: Bar 17 

The highly anticipated live 3 CD, 2 DVD release Live In Brooklyn is set to hit stores July 11! This looks like an incredible live Phish experience. The release is so big that Phish has decided to give their fans a special screening in movie theatres across the country on July 10 (see listings here).  Here is the skinny from phish.com:

“Live In Brooklyn was filmed June 17, 2004 at the band’s opening night performance at Keyspan Park on Coney Island. The concert footage has not been shown since that night, when 16,000 Phish fans in the sold-out baseball park danced in the rain and 30,000 fans watched the original live simulcast in movie theatres across the country. For those who were there, this is a unique chance to relive this landmark show in its entirety. It’s also a great opportunity for those who missed it the first time to experience the magic of Phish at their best. Live In Brooklyn includes all the footage from the simulcast, re-edited in HD and remixed in 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo PCM audio.”

I got really fired up about this when I saw and heard several songs from Live In Brooklyn over at rhino.com. What a magical night of music that must have been for all those lucky enough to participate!

The big question on every deadhead’s mind lately has been will The Dead tour this summer and if so, in what formation? Well sorry to be a debbie downer, but there will be no reunion this summer according to this interview with Bob Weir. To be honest, the best post Grateful Dead shows I’ve been to have been Ratdog and Phil and Friends shows. The reunion shows I’ve seen have always left me thirsty for more of this or that. They have these killer all star lineups with so many great performers that none of them get enough time to shine. I’d rather see Warren Haynes with Govt Mule than with The Dead because I know that I will be able to see him really whale with the Mule. Same with Derek Trucks, Steve Kimock, Chris Robinson and Joan Osborne. Don’t get me wrong, The Dead and will see them any chance I get, its just that Phil and Bobby have both done such a killer job perfecting their own flavor of Grateful Dead music that the void is filled.

As always, a related offering of must hear musical nugs (thanks nugs.net):

Last night on my favorite radio program, Dead to the World, Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann and his son Justin Kreutzmann gave an interesting interview. In the interview Bill talks about his approach to drums and his style. He also talks about meeting Pigpen, Jerry Garcia and playing with Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon (as Serial Pod). Bill also spends some time describing his digital artwork which you can check out here. Mike Gordon calls in for part of the interview as well.  You can stream the show here or read the transcript from the interview here.

Last night (March 1, 2006) Ratdog played the critically aclaimed radio show Dead To The World (hosted by David Gans) on KPFA in Berkley. Ratdog has really gotten tight after all these years of playing together. I love hearing them play Dead tunes because they are like the original versions only a little more jazzy. I also love all of their original stuff as well. The band is such a democracy, you can tell by the way each member contributes to the overall sound Ratdog puts out. Ratdog has taken some time off and is now getting ready to go back on the road (dates here). If you wanna hear a jamming performance a la Grateful Dead, check it out:

Ratdog On Dead To The World 2006-03-01 Stream

Also,

If this one leaves you thirsty for more, check this gem out!

I just finished listening to Phil Lesh and Friends at the Beacon Theater on February 12, 2006 and am blown away as usual. Phil never ceases to reach deep into his bag of tricks and deliver the goods! The show features Trey Anastasio and Joan Osborne and falls nowhere short of musicle bliss! I like Trey because he’s got such a killer signature style which adapts quite well to Grateful Dead music. I also love Joan Osbourne’s soulful, bluesy voice…the lady has mad chops! I also love Rob Barraco (on keys) who’s been rocking out with Phil for a couple tours now as well as new guitarist Larry Campbell(of Bob Dylan fame) and drummer Jeff Sipe. One thing that sort bums me out about Phil and Friends is the parting of ways with guitarist Jimmy Herring. Jimmy had such a clean smooth style that just flowed beautifully with Grateful Dead music.

If you get confused listen to the music play!

Here is the skinny:

Band/Artist: Phil Lesh and Friends
Date: February 12th, 2006
Venue: Beacon Theater
Location: New York, NY

Source: (Lower Loge) Microtech Geffells m210>V3>DAP-1 (44.1)
Lineage: Tascam DA20-mkII>vx pocket>Toshiba 3490ct>vegas 3.0 (16/44.1)>CdWav Editor>FLAC
Taped by: John Lynch
Transferred by: Scott Gordon
Listen to it here:

If you haven’t checked out Zilla yet, do your ears a favor and queue these guys up! Zilla is a trio from Colorado comprised of String Cheese Incident drummer Michael Travis, hamer dulcimer guru Jamie Janover, and jam virtuoso Aaron Holstein. Their sound is completely different from anything I’ve heard before. Everything about Zilla is improv, they have no written songs and everything they do is composed on the fly. The idea sounds a little strange before you hear it, but removing the confines of a written composition and melody has freed these guys to take the music to some really cool places. I love the sound of the hammer dulcimer and Janover takes a really beautiful approach to the instrument. Its great to hear the dulcimer sound in a trio format with drums, bass, guitar, keys and a sampler. Check them out:
Zilla MP3 here:

And a killer soundboard recording:
Band/Artist: Zilla
Date: January 29th, 2006
Venue: The Jellyphish Lounge
Location: Houston, TX

Source: Matrix (MG200/M20* > V2) + (SBD >Behringer Composer Pro >TCE M1) > MX 602 > DA-P1
Lineage: DAT > HHB 800 > CD > S.F. 5.0 > CDR
Taped by: Stan Smith
Transferred by: Stan Smith

Get it here:

I just had the pleasure of listening to an oh so tasty morsel of musical performance known as New Monsoon live at the Freebird Cafe in Jacksonville Florida from January 4, 2006. I haven’t had a chance to see or hear New Monsoon live for a really long time and my how they have really grown as a group! They are extremely tight and have really polished their live act. I love bands that know how to mix the right covers in with originals in the propper proportions. Its no fun to see a band that does nothing but covers that sound exactly like the original. On the other hand, a few covers are always in order so that the band can showcase its influences. New Monsoon does this very well. They are heavily influenced by Santana, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, The Dead, and an arsenal of other bluesy jammers. One thing that I love about New Monsoon is they have a very unique approach to encorporating blues and bluegrass into their music. There are moments during this performance that they instantaneously switch from a gut wrenching blues guitar solo directly into a bluegrass banjo solo. How cool! Give it a listen, your ears will thank you. You can access New Monsoon live at the Freebird Cafe in Jacksonville Florida from January 4, 2006 in lossless, mp3, and streaming format at the live music archive. Here is the skinny:

Band/Artist: New Monsoon
Date: January 4th, 2006
Venue: Freebird Cafe
Location: Jacksonville Beach, FL

Source: Studio Projects C4′s (DIN, FOB) > Mogami Gold > Denecke PS-2 > Denecke AD-20 > optical > JB3
Lineage: JB3 > firewire > Audacity > FLAC16
Taped by: Jon H.
Transferred by: Jon H.

Also, there is a great live365.com station dedicated to New Monsoon that you can access here.

I’ve never been to Bonnaroo. Hell, I’ve never even been to Tennessee! But oh what I wouldn’t give to go to Bonnaroo this year. Today they announced an incredible lineup. Tickets go on sale Saturday, February 11th at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. Here is the 411 from the horse’s mouth:

Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are proud to announce the initial lineup for the 2006 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The fifth annual three-day camping and music festival will be held on June 16-18, 2006, on the same 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. A list of confirmed acts follows, with more to be announced in the weeks ahead to round out the festival’s 80-plus acts.

Radiohead
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Phil Lesh & Friends
Beck
Elvis Costello & the Imposters
Bonnie Raitt
Death Cab for Cutie
moe.
Bright Eyes
The Neville Brothers
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Buddy Guy
Damian Marley
Ben Folds
Robert Randolph & the Family Band
Dr. John
Matisyahu
G. Love & Special Sauce
My Morning Jacket
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Steel Pulse
Mike Gordon and Ramble Dove
Cat Power
Medeski Martin & Wood
Nickel Creek
Gomez
Atmosphere
Steve Earle
Blues Traveler
Amadou & Mariam
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
Dresden Dolls
Son Volt
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Jerry Douglas
Soulive
Rusted Root
Devendra Banhart Band
Donavon Frankenreiter
Mike Doughty
Sasha
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
The Magic Numbers
Bill Frisell
Seu Jorge
Bettye LaVette
Dungen
Shooter Jennings
Rebirth Brass Band
Robinella
Andrew Bird
Steel Train
Jackie Greene
Devotchka
The Wood Brothers
dios (malos)
Toubab Krewe
The Motet
Marah
I-Nine
Balkan Beat Box
The Cat Empire