Frankly, for most people, bluegrass music conjures up visions of older gentlemen sitting on a porch sharing old songs and stories. While this image is based in fact and has its appeal, a newer generation of musicians is building on these traditions, creating a type of bluegrass their elders might not have dreamed of.
Michigan band Greensky Bluegrass has found the perfect mix of respecting their music’s history while incorporating 21st century ideas. They could have very easily veered towards rock or folk, but found a home in bluegrass. “In the beginning it seems that we were drawn to instrumentation,” said mandolin player and vocalist Paul Hoffman. “Banjo, mandolin and guitar together leads to bluegrass real well. We liked the upbeat nature of the music, the harmony, and the jazz sentiment of passing around solos.”
Their latest release, “Five Interstates” shows the band’s music continuing to progress to the point where, while they’re not quite the Radiohead of bluegrass, they’re certainly headed in that direction. As Hoffman states, “As our catalog of tunes grows I think the depth of band increases and we're able to affect people on more levels. We try to keep some straight ahead bluegrass in the picture because we like it but we're trying to incorporate all sorts of other sounds and textures. There aren’t any laptops on stage but it's not like we haven't joked about it. So far we're just a motivated string band with a lot of energy and attitude.“
The band performs at Jammin Java in Vienna this Sunday with an incredible live show that takes the music even further. They are not a jam band, but they do explore every song to its potential. Says Hoffman, “During a concert there is more exploration of the ideas and it's a true expression of what the five of us can do with the energy from the crowd. As a musician you surprise yourself live because you try new things and peoples are there to participate. You can only look forward. In the studio it's like making music where all your ideas are fair game. There are few things I find more fun that making records. Every song gets it's true voice. There is a connotation that there is no improvement to studio work. But it just exists in a different way. There is a timeless beauty in making albums…commitment to the music that's greater. Albums are like a good marriage and live shows are like a great fling.”
Greensky Bluegrass perform Sunday December 6 at Jammin Java at 9:30pm with Todd Sheaffer (Railroad Earth)
Emmett Williams
www.emmettwilliams.com
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