Head for the Hills

by Jon Eisenberg | Jan 11, 2016 | Bands

“On top of modern string music,” (Bluegrass Today), “Cutting edge,” (Drew Emmitt) or “Best in Colorado Bluegrass” (Westword Showcase Readers Poll)—those are up there too. Strip away the artful descriptors and you have a forward thinking group of (mostly) acoustic musicians drawing on eclectic influences, tastes, and styles.

They didn’t grow up immersed in bluegrass music but came to it later in life, with each other. The result is a sound based in bluegrass that reaches into indie rock, jazz, hip hop, world and folk to stitch together fresh songs that bridge the divide between past and future acoustic music. Head for the Hills—Adam Kinghorn on Guitar and vocals, Joe Lessard on violin and vocals, Matt Loewen on upright bass and vocals and Mike Chappell on acoustic and electric mandolins—has been bringing their music, whatever you’d like to call it, to audiences from the Telluride Bluegrass Festival to South by Southwest and a multitude of stages in between since 2004.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0kAZBBeB8Y” align=”right”][vc_btn title=”Website” color=”primary” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.headforthehillsmusic.com%2F|title:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.headforthehillsmusic.com%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Facebook” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fheadforthehills%2F|title:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fheadforthehills%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Instagram” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fheadforthehillsmusic%2F|title:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fheadforthehillsmusic%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Twitter” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fheadforthehills|title:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fheadforthehills||”][vc_btn title=”Join The Street Team” color=”warning” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackspymarketing.com%2Fapp%2F|title:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackspymarketing.com%2Fapp%2F||”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”14413″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Upcoming Events” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Hot Buttered Rum

by Jon Eisenberg | Jan 11, 2016 | Bands

HBR’s years of touring have given the band the chance to work and play with a wide cross-section of musicians, people like Peter Rowan, Phil Lesh, Chris Thile, Brett Dennen, and Robert Earl Keen. Seasoned veteran Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), acoustic guru Mike Marshall, and left-coast rocker Tim Bluhm (Mother Hips, Nicki Bluhm) have all produced studio albums for the band. Each guided HBR towards the next step in its evolution. It’s a sound that is tough to describe and easy to love, and it has found its way to the most prestigious pop, folk, and bluegrass stages in the country: Telluride, Newport, Bonnaroo, Strawberry, Hardly Strictly, Kate Wolf, Horning’s Hideout, String Summit, Grey Fox, Merlefest, All Good, High Sierra, Wakarusa, and many more.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-fLkS0oPxI” align=”right”][vc_btn title=”Website” color=”primary” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hotbutteredrum.net%2F|title:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hotbutteredrum.net%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Facebook” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fhotbutteredrum%2F|title:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fhotbutteredrum%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Instagram” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fhot.buttered.rum.band%2F|title:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fhot.buttered.rum.band%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Twitter” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fhotbutteredrum|title:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fhotbutteredrum||”][vc_btn title=”Join The Street Team” color=”warning” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackspymarketing.com%2Fapp%2F|title:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackspymarketing.com%2Fapp%2F||”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”14269″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Upcoming Events” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The Motet

by Jon Eisenberg | Dec 6, 2015 | Bands

With the release of their 7th album, the Motet has once again showcased their commitment to pushing the sonic envelope while remaining dedicated to the musical traditions that have defined their sound. The band’s decision to call the album “The Motet” is a reflection that the group has finally become what it has striven to be throughout its existence. The album is a truly collaborative effort, with each member contributing equally to the writing process. In addition, the band spent hundreds of hours in the studio meticulously crafting vintage tones that hearken back to the glory days of funk music. The result is an organic collection of strong interlocking parts and melodies that sounds like nothing else on this planet.

All bands have their influences, and the Motet is no different. The band has a long-standing tradition of putting on a musical costume each Halloween, playing consistently sold-out shows along the front range of Colorado while performing the music of groups like Earth Wind and Fire, Parliament Funkadelic, Tower of Power, and Jamiroquai. The careful study of these bands has had an undeniable effect on the creative direction of the Motet. As bandleader and drummer Dave Watts told the Boulder Weekly, “We realized how effective a great song is on a crowd. Instead of just the energetics we’re used to bringing with improvising, soloing, and extended arrangements, we really decided to focus on tunes, because we understand how powerful a great song is.”[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xbr_t40j68″ align=”right”][vc_btn title=”Website” color=”primary” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fthemotet.com%2F|title:http%3A%2F%2Fthemotet.com%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Facebook” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTHEMOTET%2F|title:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTHEMOTET%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Instagram” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fthemotet%2F|title:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fthemotet%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Twitter” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fthemotet|title:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fthemotet||”][vc_btn title=”Join The Street Team” color=”warning” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackspymarketing.com%2Fapp%2F|title:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackspymarketing.com%2Fapp%2F||”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”14273″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Upcoming Events” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Keller Williams

by Jon Eisenberg | Dec 6, 2015 | Bands

And so, when Williams describes his first-ever all-covers collection, the amusingly titled Thief, as “self-indulgent, like all of my albums,” that signifies not an inwardly pointed diss but a thumbs-up from one of the most tireless musical seekers around. Recorded with the Keels-husband and wife duo Larry and Jenny Keel-Thief is a sequel to the trio’s 2006 collaboration Grass, and to those of us on the receiving end, there’s nothing self-indulgent about it. If anything, it’s about as accessible and welcoming a record as Keller’s ever made.

“I’m a music lover first, a musician second and a songwriter third,” Williams says, “so a covers record is a natural progression for me. I love writing songs and I love performing my songs. But I go out and do about 120 shows a year, and I just can’t write enough to play new songs all the time. There are always different cover songs to learn though; just flipping around on the radio, next thing you know you’ve got a song stuck in your head. If you change it around and play it completely differently, it sounds like a whole new song.”[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JwL_qRQGG4″ align=”right”][vc_btn title=”Website” color=”primary” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fkellerwilliams.net%2F|title:http%3A%2F%2Fkellerwilliams.net%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Facebook” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkellerwilliams%2F|title:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkellerwilliams%2F||”][vc_btn title=”Instagram” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.com%2Fkellerwilliams|title:https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.com%2Fkellerwilliams||”][vc_btn title=”Twitter” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fkellermusician|title:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fkellermusician||”][vc_btn title=”Join The Street Team” color=”warning” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackspymarketing.com%2Fapp%2F|title:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackspymarketing.com%2Fapp%2F||”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”14284″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Upcoming Events” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]