By: David Schultz

Former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh participated in one of the election season’s hipper Democratic fundraisers when he rejoined Bob Weir and the other surviving members of his old band to support Barack Obama’s Presidential bid. Given Lesh’s staunch support of Obama, it’s slightly ironic that the Deadheads that populate Phil & Friends shows might have strongly identified with the subtext of the propaganda spouted by Sarah Palin with respect to the so-called elitist liberal media. For the brief period of time that the Republican Vice Presidential candidate was allowed to speak freely, Palin tried to curry favor by identifying with a segment of the population she perceived as unrepresented by the press and tired of being talked down to by a news force that acted like they knew more about the country’s core ideals than those who live in America’s heartland. Little did Palin know that the Deadheads of the world understood her rhetoric probably better than she did.

For decades, Deadheads have endured the backhanded praise extended by most critics towards their beloved band: acknowledgement of the Dead’s longevity paired with bewildered observations as to why their music would attract such loyalty; a plaudit to the fans’ devotion coupled with a gibe as to their cleanliness and the customary dig that in order to truly enjoy the Dead’s music, you would need to repudiate a drug-free status. Such oratory has never bothered the Dead faithful: in fact, their thoughts on the elite musical press that have disrespected and mocked the Grateful Dead eerily echo those of Palin for “rags” like the New York Times and Washington Post.

The disdain reserved for the Dead is odd given the reverence those same pundits have for the musical genres featured prominently in their music. Journalists rarely have anything bad to say about Americana musical styles like folk, blues and country, among the more populist forms of music, yet, they never seem to take to it when it’s being performed by Jerry Garcia or Bob Weir. Doing his part to flip the proverbial finger at those who can’t see the forest for the trees, Phil Lesh and his exemplary band comprised of Larry Campbell, Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz and John Molo, returned to the New York City’s Nokia Theater in Times Square, the site of their wildly successful 2007 residency, for a fourteen night run, affectionately dubbed the Phil-A-Thon.

Lesh does more than get by with a little help from his Friends. Even though Jackie Greene joined Lesh, Larry Campbell, Steve Molitz and John Molo just a little more than a year ago, this incarnation of Phil & Friends plays as if they’ve been together for decades. During last year’s residency, this lineup was just starting to gel: Greene having just come into the fold and Molitz just starting to find his niche. For this year’s run, Phil & Friends are a supremely confident unit, taking fine advantage of Greene’s versatile ability to handle vocals so intimately associated with both Garcia and Weir to give new life to songs like “Jack Straw,” “Samson & Delilah” and “New Speedway Boogie.”

Lesh remains one of the finest bassists to ever pick up the instrument and it’s possible to get lost in just watching what he’s doing with each song. Very rarely will you catch Lesh picking a simple bass line; more often, he’s crafting an intricate pattern that weaves gingerly between the rejoinder of Campbell and Greene’s guitar work. For many of this year’s shows, former Friend Barry Sless sat in, bringing a third experienced guitar to the mix as well as the fine twang of the pedal steel. With Sless there to handle the second guitar role, Campbell had many opportunities to show why he’s called the “Master of Strings,” expertly playing a variety of instruments to add different textures and a sense of Americana authenticity. Whether soloing on a variety of instruments or engaging in a challenging give-and-take across the stage with Greene, Campbell remains a wonder on stage. Ageless, he provides sweet harmony with his mandolin and bouzouki but can also coax ferocious solos from the traditionally peaceful instruments. It’s a role he fills not just with Lesh but with Levon Helm as part of The Band drummer’s Midnight Rambles.

Physical resemblance to Dylan notwithstanding, Greene shies away from playing up the easy comparisons to the storied singer. He’s doesn’t shy away from them though: much of his wardrobe, with the exception of a wool Rasta-styled hat, looks like it came straight out of the transcendent folk-singer section of the vintage clothing catalog. Along with Molitz, Greene brings a youthful energy to the band as well as some solid songs from his own catalog. On an early show of the residency, Greene’s “About Cell Block #9” and “Like A Ball & Chain” not only fit in nicely with the classic rock based set, they were definite highlights.

A master of jamtronica, Particle’s Molitz has found his niche within the band, vaulting into the breach with confidence and bringing his technical wizardry to some of the more traditional Dead songs. He’s even lending vocals. Anyone thinking that Lesh & Friends aren’t able to keep up with the young guns only need listen to their rendition of Particle’s “The Elevator.” Molo, who deftly handles all the various tempos Lesh guides the band through, rips through the high-paced beat and Campbell adds a slight bolero feel to the song’s techno beat.

For the last night of the Phil-A-Thon, Lesh seemed in high spirits, an extra bounce in his step. After a wildly upbeat first set that included an opening version of “Terrapin Station,” a wild version of “The Elevator” and a wonderfully moving “Morning Dew,” the second set was a decidedly subdued affair. Lesh handled an exceedingly substantial part of the vocals during a stretch that included “Dark Star,” “Mountains Of The Moon” and “Unbroken Chain.” In contrast, Teresa Williams, who along with Sless earned “sixth Friend” status during the residency, wowed the crowd with an astounding take on “Gimme Shelter.” Normally providing the higher notes on sweet harmonies with Greene or Lesh, Williams stepped to the front with a rock star turn on the Stones’ classic, enlivening the crowd and earning the wildly appreciative reaction she received when she quietly walked off behind the stage.

Other than The New York Times favorable take on the Phil & Friends residency, most of the major media pretty much ignored the festive goings-on at the Nokia, probably spending quality time over at Terminal 5 to lavish praise on The Hold Steady and Conor Oberst. Regardless of whether the “elite” music press wishes to acknowledge the resurgence of the Phil & Friends lineup or take note of strong sense of community that still brings people to multiple shows, the Deadheads probably won’t take notice, or care for that matter. They will be on high alert though when word of the 2009 residency gets out.

Labels: Jackie Greene, Larry Campbell, Particle, Phil Lesh

Michael Kang, lately of String Cheese Incident will join Steve Molitz, Darren Pujalet and Eric Gould when Particle celebrates their eighth anniversary with a pair of shows in Colorado: October 9th at the Fox Theater in Boulder and October 10th at Cervantes Ballroom. It's been nearly a year since guitarist Ben Combe amicably parted ways with the band. Since then, Steve Molitz has played a myriad of shows with Phil Lesh & Friends and Tea Leaf Green's Josh Clark and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe's Brian Jordan have sat in with Particle on guitar.

In addition, The Breakfast and U-Melt will join Particle in Boulder and the Brian Jordan Trio will be on the Denver bill.

Labels: Particle

By: David Schultz

In their glory days, a multiple night run of Grateful Dead shows at Madison Square Garden used to change the landscape of New York City. Deadheads from all over would flock to the City in droves and throw a tie-dyed gloss over the entire area. The days of the Dead may be a thing of the past but the spirit lives on with Phil Lesh & Friends, who are currently in the middle of a ten night residency at Times Square’s Nokia Theater.

Hardly content to rest on his laurels as the Dead’s bassist, Lesh has become a classic rock Godfather of sorts, keeping the Dead’s sizable catalog vital by assembling first rate musicians to serve as his Friends. If fans come for a nostalgic trip with Uncle Phil through “Sugar Magnolia” and “Uncle John’s Band,” they are leaving with a new found awareness of the musicians guiding their way. In bringing Larry Campbell, Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz and John Molo together for this current tour, Lesh has put together a band that is the perfect mix of veteran musicianship and young blood.

The two week long residency has just passed its midway point. As Phil & Friends hit the homestretch of the New York run that will close out their seven week long U.S. tour, some short and possibly scattered thoughts and observations.

Larry Campbell has become a true caretaker of classic rock. In playing with Bob Dylan, Levon Helm as well as Lesh, the smooth-playing guitarist has been entrusted with a sizable share of treasured riffs and leads. He is also just as capable with the violin, pedal steel, mandolin and practically anything else with strings.

“Jackie Greene is just like a young Bob Dylan,” says Maggie Campbell with confidence. Larry’s mother knows her stuff; plus, she once accompanied Dylan to the Grammy Awards, so I’m going to give her opinion quite a bit of weight. Wearing a fedora style hat and playing with his guitar slightly askew, the 26-year-old consistently justified Mrs. Campbell’s belief in his unlimited potential. On Monday night, Greene simply made “Sugaree” his own, offering a staggeringly powerful first set closing version that left people awestruck at the young guitarist’s maturity.

The success of keeping Ryan Adams’ guest appearances a secret arose from the fact that hardly anyone knew he was coming until he arrived at the theater. Since jamming with Lesh on “Wharf Rat” at the 2005 Jammys, Lesh and Adams have formed a bit of mutual admiration society with Adams keeping “Wharf Rat” in his repertoire and Lesh often inserting an Adams song or two into his setlists. His inclusion provided some wonderfully improvised moments as well as a couple confused ones. To Adams’ credit, he ran through “Eyes Of The World” with Greene backstage only minutes before taking the stage and handling the song like he’d known it all his life.

On Friday night, Molitz was an iron man. After nearly four hours on stage at the Nokia, Molitz hustled a few blocks south to meet up with Particle for an after-hours gig at the Highline Ballroom. None the worse for wear, Molitz shifted gears and entered into full bore jamtronica mode and helped guide Josh Clark from Tea Leaf Green through his first full gig with Particle as they played well into the night. Originally believed to be a one-off gig, Particle announced that Clark would be joining them for the majority of their month long winter tour. Particle’s show also featured an appearance from Marty Ylitalo, New Monsoon’s former drummer. Fresh off his first appearance with the Blue Man Group, the newly bald drummer came onstage for a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Young Lust” and remained onstage sharing the drums with Darren Pujalet for the lengthy jam that ensued.

One thing that makes Phil & Friends shows so much fun is that Lesh doesn’t limit the set lists to Dead songs. Although Lesh cobbles his set lists primarily from the Grateful Dead catalog, he is quite expansive with them. Friday night included an electric version of “Midnight Rider,” an acoustic run through “Dead Flowers” and with Teresa Williams and Amy Helm providing the proper disembodied vocals, Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse.” On Monday, with Molitz and Greene providing a double keyboard assault, Campbell belted out a fantastic version of The Band’s “Chest Fever,” establishing that someone other than Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson actually knows the words to the song.

For a bunch of thoughts on the first half of the Phil & Friends residency, Phil Lesh’s name seems undermentioned (as is John Molo’s, who deserves more than the casual mention I’ve given him). It’s emblematic of the fact that Lesh has surrounded himself with musicians who are every bit equal to the task of keeping up with one of the forefathers of improvisational rock and roll. Even though his name is above the ampersand, Lesh exhibits not one shred of ego, graciously allowing his star to provide light for his Friends to shine.

Labels: Jackie Greene, Larry Campbell, Live Reviews, Particle, Phil Lesh, Ryan Adams

Adding to their already great lineup, The 10,000 Lakes Festival announced they've aded Zappa Plays Zappa, the Tragically Hip and Particle to the bill for this year's event taking place July 18 – 21 at the Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

The bill already includes: Bob Weir & RatDog, Trey Anastasio, The Disco Biscuits, Umphrey's McGee, moe., Keller Williams, Gov't Mule, Little Feat and The Derek Trucks Band. You can get the full line-up here.

10KL is also looking to minimize its environmental impact this year as well. Through a partnership with CLIF Bar and NativeEnergy, the 10,000 Lakes Festival now allows patrons to offset the CO2 emissions of their automobile or airline travel up to the festival by purchasing "Cool Tags" at the online ticket check out. Each Cool Tag bought equals a $2 investment in NativeEnergy's WindBuilders program, helping the Rosebud Sioux Tribe build a wind farm on their reservation in South Dakota.

Labels: Dweezil Zappa, Particle

In 2006, the inaugural Green Apple Music & Arts Festival, which kicked off with the Jammy Awards at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, featured two days of outdoor performances at Grand Central by the likes of Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Assembly Of Dust, Umphrey's McGee and Tea Leaf Green headlining CBGB, a screening of Wetlands Preserved and three nights of concerts all throughout Manhattan.

For 2007, the Green Apple Festival will spread throughout the United States with 150 shows at 80 separate theaters in 3 different cities, New York, Chicago and San Francisco. In the Festival's most ambitious venture to date, Relix Magazine, Pete Shapiro, and Jambands.com will mount a simultaneous day long concert on Earth Day, Sunday April 22, in New York’s Central Park, Chicago’s Lincoln Park, and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

While many of the shows have yet to be announced, the Festival will return to Vanderbilt Avenue outside of Grand Central Terminal and Particle will return to the Bowery Ballroom, the scene of their 2006 sold-out Green Apple show.

Labels: Green Apple Music and Arts Festival, Particle

By: David Schultz

It lacks the posturing and taunting of its rap counterpart and there surely are no recorded accounts of a feud degenerating into shocking acts of violence but in the world of high-octane, electronica fueled jambands, an overactive imagination can envision a rivalry amongst the East coast and West coast bands. The competition seems to take place on stage, with each of the bands amping up their sets to offer fans the liveliest show possible. While The Disco Biscuits and U-Melt are representative of the East Coast; the California based Particle have emerged as the band most identifiable with the West Coast sound.

Particle's road has not always been smoothly paved: their original lineup of keyboardist Steve Molitz, bassist Eric Gould, drummer Darren Pujalet and guitarist Dave Simmons was short lived, Simmons passing away shortly after the group formed. Wanting to keep Simmons' spirit alive, Charlie Hitchcock joined the band and Particle steadily built their reputation as one of the up-and-coming bands on the jamband scene. In 2002, they performed at the Jammy Awards with Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of the B-52s, bringing down the house with an extended version of "Love Shack" that had the most jaded of music fans dancing with glee. In 2004, they released their debut album, Launchpad, a collection of instrumentals that succinctly captured the aura of their spacey, electronic live shows. In 2005, they paired up with the Grateful Dead's drummer Mickey Hart, touring as Hydra and offering their take on world music.

As with all stories worth telling, every flowing wave comes with its equivalent ebb tide and Particle's story is one of those; their last twelve months constituting quite a roller coaster. Even though they have spent little time off the road, Particle has endured a mutual split with guitarist Charlie Hitchcock; reemerged as a quintet with guitarists Ben Combe and Scott Metzger; recorded and released Transformations, a CD and DVD commemorating the band's new configuration only to see the lineup break apart with Metzger leaving the band a few months later.

In the brief break between their summer and fall tours, during which Eric Gould got married and Particle added "wedding band" to their resume, drummer Darren Pujalet took some time to talk with Earvolution about the band's various transformations, which while serving as the title of their latest releases also seems to be a good term for describing Particle's last twelve months.

At the outset of the discussion, Pujalet agreed with the assessment that "transformation" perfectly sums up Particle and their constant evolution. "Basically, we've always been a band that's transformed to the moment. We've done so many different things: we've played in Hydra with Mickey Hart; we've all done mix and match things; we've played with Satriani; we did a Doors song and then we did some hip hop," says Pujalet noting how Transformations succinctly encapsulates the band’s versatility. "There are certain styles that we like to play. I would say that Particle has a sound and vibe and there's a percentage where it's off the map that we like to do that as well."

Without question, the biggest transformation began at the end of their 2005 summer tour: a seemingly amicable split with their longtime guitarist Charlie Hitchcock. The search for a new guitarist yielded double bounty in the form of established RANA guitarist Scott Metzger and the lesser heralded but equally talented Ben Combe. "It's kind of funny that we are where we are today," explained Pujalet of the transition process. "When we first started looking, we were searching for one guitar player and we came up with two guys who brought something so different. We liked a piece of what they were both bringing to the table and it was hard to make a decision. We thought to ourselves, 'Well, we love what they're both doing and they bring different elements to the band, so let's hire two new guitar players.'"

Combe, who has now, in essence, replaced Hitchcock as the lead guitarist, came to audition for the band when a friend pushed him into sending Particle an audition CD. "When we heard the CD, we loved the production, the singing, the songwriting, everything about it," recalls Pujalet. "We thought, 'Hey, we've got to give this guy a shot, let's get him over here.' He came over four different times to audition for us. Any time we wanted to have him, he'd be over [from Arizona] within a day." On the other hand, Metzger came to the band in quite a different fashion. A longtime member of the East coast based RANA, Metzger came out west in search of a different fortune. "I knew he wanted a change and a challenge and maybe to be in a band that was a little bit further ahead on the touring level," says Pujalet of Metzger's desire to join the band. Noting that the RANA musicians are involved in various side projects, "I think Scott figured: 'Well, what can I do to venture out and do my own thing.' I think he saw it as a great opportunity."

Quickly gelling as a quintet, the new lineup debuted on February 24, 2006 at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood, California. Memorable not only for the guest performers, which included Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger, Joe Satriani, turntablist DJ Logic and rapper Blackalicious, Particle memorialized the event on Transformations. "It was a really big risk for us to do that," said Pujalet of making the band's debut as a five piece the focal point of a major CD/DVD release. "It felt like putting all of your money on the line, putting it all on red at the roulette table. Part of that feeling was the nostalgia of getting that footage on DVD knowing that it was our first performance ever together." Recorded before their avid hometown fans, Transformations features Robby Krieger sitting in for a romp through The Doors classic "L.A. Woman" and Satriani and old friend DJ Logic helping out on "W," a Particle live staple.

Transformations illustrates a nice dichotomy inherent with Particle. Although Particle has crafted their own distinct style, they have not isolated themselves from other musicians. In fact, they have proven quite adaptable to all types of music. Their performance with Robby Krieger, who surreally wore a Doors T-shirt, seemed to be one-off deal; unlike Hydra, their pairing with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, which went so swimmingly that they took the whole shebang out on tour. "He [Hart] heard our music and wanted to try and pair up with a band that a lot more forward thinking and had a more modern type sound," relates Pujalet. "Particle really offered that for him. We had an opportunity to play together and from that point on, he was sold on the band." As any drummer hailing from the West coast would, Pujalet was excited to share the stage with Hart. "I'd heard their music for years and been to some Dead shows as a kid. To play with someone I'd always dreamed of having the opportunity to play with was really inspirational and nostalgic at the same time."

Although he's not featured prominently in the DVD, DJ Logic also has a hold on Particle's heart; a kindred spirit to what the band tries to accomplish. Logic has joined Particle on numerous occasions and Pujalet has returned the favor, relishing the opportunity to sit in while Logic works his turntable magic. "We've run in the same circle for years," says Pujalet. Keeping it all within six degrees of musical separation, Pujalet first played with his future band mate Scott Metzger at a DJ Logic and Friends show. "As the drummer of Particle, I enjoy having him sit in, but I've had much more fun playing with Logic when its his band," explains Pujalet. "Logic supported Particle on ten to fifteen dates last year. I would come out and play drums with him. To be able to play with him was great because he would spin beats and grooves and I would play drums over the top and just listen to what he was doing." Pujalet pauses for a moment before continuing, "It's a much more pleasing style. There's just a lot of good interaction,” he notes. "You have to listen really well. We are both rhythm oriented. It's a treat: I love playing grooves over the styles that he plays."

Transformations also features Molitz, Gould and even Pujalet utilizing the microphones, adding vocals to a couple new songs as well as to a randy romp through Beck's "E-Pro." Always considered an instrumental band, they have long considered bringing vocals into the mix, just recently reaching the point where they acted on their impulse. During the auditions for new guitarists, Particle explored whether they had a singing voice. On Transformations, the encore showcases the vocal (and guitar) talents of the new members with Combe and Metzger returning to the stage alone for an acoustic reading of The Verve's "Lucky Man." The guitarists' duet marks the critical conclusion of the show; the all-star finale consisting of a cover of "Superstition" hurt by too many cooks stirring Stevie Wonder's pot.

Regrettably, Transformations captures a short-lived moment in Particle's history. Metzger's Particle brief tenure with the band lasted only a few months as family matters requiring him to return to full time to New York. Pujalet looked at Metzger's decision pragmatically. "Unfortunately for Scott we work really hard, we tour a lot and we're based out of the West coast, which really doesn't allow us to be home that often. I know he has all his family [on the East coast]; there were troubled times going on and it was really hard for him to attend to them from such a distance. It didn't surprise me when I heard the final decision," said Pujalet. The drummer believes Metzger's decision to join the band was in earnest and he takes an existential view as to whether his departure from the band will be a temporary one. "You never know, we don't know," he explains. "At this point, the band is going on as a four piece. We're taking it as a four piece for now."

As Metzger left the band with some shows remaining, Particle's had time to reestablish themselves as a quartet. "The band sounds a lot tighter and really polished," explains Pujalet, making mention that he's not saying such as a slight to Metzger. "I think the motivation factors been a lot higher as well. With just the four of us, it's a little bit easier. We're really pushing the band to look for new directions and new ways of performing." In the wake of Metzger's departure, Combe's role in the band expanded and Pujalet has been quite impressed with Combe's handling of the responsibility. "Ben has really kind of picked up the slack on the other end and really stepped up to the plate. Now that Scott is not around, his playing has really started to flourish. I think it's really hard and takes a certain type of character to do what Particle does and work as hard as we've worked."

The hard work Pujalet describes bursts forth on stage where, given the lengthy nature of many of Particle's tunes, their shows devolve into a wonderfully groovy rave type atmosphere; a result that's not altogether unintentional. "We've all attended raves and that environment has infiltrated our world so much just because of traveling around to festivals where there are rave tents," explains Pujalet. "It's always present and it just kind of seeps into your pores. Plus, we've really been influenced by electronic music and dance music in general: the more and more you listen, you get that rave element."

Particle's incorporation of the rave scene's hypnotically trance-inducing music into their self-defined organically electronic jams has given rise to "livetronica," a term Pujalet loves. "It really connotes a more organic sense of what you hear coming from DJs. It's more of an interpretive, in the moment, improvisational style of electronic music," describes Pujalet. "When someone asks me to go through the evolution of different phases in our career, a lot of time I describe our music as high-energy dance music or funktronic rock. We have a lot of funk and dance influence as well as a large electronic influence. To be honest with you it's basic rock music, we hit hard we play hard, we have high energy, it's not as calm as you hear from a lot of electronic music."

Though nothing could replace the feel and fun of any live show, the Transformations DVD admirably documents the atmosphere of a Particle show. The crowd scenes, including many fans dressed in costume for the evening, give a good sense of the aura surrounding the band. When Particle played a late night show last summer at New York City's Irving Plaza, they created a rave-like atmosphere befitting the late hour of the show. The fans helped foster the mood, many dressing up in outfits varying from the traditional tie-dyes to one fan who found a leopard print suit with top hat. The outre environment that occasionally arises at Particle's shows isn't lost on the band. "We really encourage that. We love to see people dressed in costume," Pujalet says with pride creeping into his voice. "It just adds so much to the flavor and says something about the people that count when people come dressed up for the show and seeing that they're so steamed for the show. It's awesome to see them getting in character, getting in the spirit of the night. We've just done so many out of the box, zany type shows; people know that that's the type of band we are. So to see some guy dressed up in a Superman costume at the show is cool, it's great, we welcome it. It's not something you would necessarily see at a Black Crowes' concert," he jests.

In addition to digging the apparel during the show, Particle puts thought into the composition of their prospective audience at each venue. "Particle's so good at tailoring their set," says Pujalet, proudly. "A lot of the times when you play at night you can couple really high energy music with some drawn out cerebral music; people are in that type of head space late at night. Whereas during the afternoon, we usually play with a more rock and roll style to get people pumped up for the long day." To accentuate the point, Pujalet points to the band's recent sets at Lollapalooza, Milwaukee's Summer Fest and Wakarusa. "Each show: it's a different experience."

Pujalet expressed excitement over their current fall tour, which will take them to nearly every corner of the United States. While the tour will ostensibly be in support of the Transformations project, Pujalet looks forward to the opportunities to experiment as well. "We've got some new material that we'll be working into the new tour. I think you'll see a lot of transformations in the band over this tour as well. A lot of new directions, a lot of new styles and ways to show what we've put together." As the changes seemed to be in the process of developing, Pujalet was politely hesitant to prematurely discuss any future changes. "Some of it hasn't even been completely determined: a lot of ideas and thoughts have been tossed around and I know it will be a unique tour."

Beyond the music, Particle tries to bring something memorable to each show. When they last traveled through New York as part of the Green Apple Music & Arts Festival, Particle attempted to impart an environmentally conscious vibe onto their sold-out performance at the Bowery Ballroom by encouraging fans to ride their bicycles to the venue. Unfortunately, New York City was beset with torrential rains on the day of the show, making non-vehicular, uncovered travel extremely inconvenient. Pujalet's sense of pride over selling out the Bowery Ballroom, which featured a guest appearance by Mickey Hart (who seemed to be everywhere that weekend), is matched only by his anticipation of returning to the much larger Irving Plaza on November 8th. For Halloween, the band will faux-travel to the year 2070 to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the birth of funk at the Granada Theater in Lawrence, KS where they will award the title of God and Goddess of the Universe to a pair of lucky concert-goers.

In talking with Pujalet, it's easy to become wrapped up in his enthusiasm for Particle's future. Clearly proud of the band's accomplishments to date, Pujalet seems more excited about the experiences that loom ahead. Even though his eyes are focused on the recent album, the fall tour and newer music, he did not demur when asked about the split with Charlie Hitchcock, taking a very pragmatic view over his departure. "In a nutshell, we were heading in different directions," relates Pujalet. "In the musical sense, we wanted different things out of the band. I think Eric, Steve and I wanted to become a little more of a polished, refined band and show a little more depth. I think Charlie was more of an in-the-moment, let's just play what's in front of us kind of guy. We drifted apart in our musical styles." As to the split itself, Pujalet could see that a split was imminent. "It had been surfacing for a long time but we'd been working so hard together that it was challenging to do anything about it when you were so busy. You can only head in different directions for so long and still be close." Despite the differences, could Hitchcock ever return? "I don't think so, but stranger things have happened."

This Friday will mark another milestone for Particle: their sixth anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, they will return to the Henry Fonda Theater where they are encouraging fans to bring their parachute pants, Adidas and boom-boxes. Proving the adage that what does not kill you makes you stronger, the anniversary show will not only signify another year in Particle's young but fruitful career but will also serve as a testament to their durability.

Labels: Darren Pujalet, DJ Logic, Particle

By: David Schultz

Since first manning the turntables in his hometown of The Bronx, DJ Logic, known to his friends as Jason Kibler, has carved an impressive niche for himself amongst many different groups of musicians and their fans. From his origins as one of the original members of the Black Rock Coalition through his collaborations with Medeski Martin & Wood and Blues Traveler's John Popper, Logic has become a recognizable figure on the club scene as well as within the tight knit circle of the jamband community. Even though Logic thrives in the spirit of improvisation, feeding off of the creative energy of generating various new beats and rhythms on the fly, one thing remains constant: like his name suggests, he keeps things logical.

In line with a good portion of the beats he seemingly conjures out of thin air, DJ Logic is extraordinarily mellow, humble and approachable. Upon first meeting Logic at The Canal Room, where he sat in with Vernon Reid's Masque and Liquid Soul, his ability to make people feel at ease became immediately apparent. After asking whether it would be appropriate to call him "DJ" or "Logic," the amiable turntablist smiled, extended his hand and said, "Call me Jason." The peaceful aura that surrounds Logic makes the title of his album, Zen Of Logic -released today -quite apt. In a telephone interview with Earvolution, the native New Yorker discussed his new album, his live performances and the significant inroads he's made into the jamband scene.

Like most DJs, an understanding of the artist begins with an understanding of their name. Like sumo wrestlers, a DJ derives strength and identity through their chosen moniker. "When I started up playing with Eye and I, back in the day, I wanted a name that stood out just like the DJs before me that I admired," explains the soft-spoken yet confident Logic. "They had cool names and their names matched their persona. I wanted to find the right name that fit me: something to match what I was doing; my creativity; my ear and my ideas." The solution became clear when he opened a glossary book and came across the name that seemed to fit. "I came upon 'Logic' and I kept repeating it to myself: 'DJ Logic . . . DJ Logic . . . DJ Logic.' It represents me: being logical and creative about what I do." Origin stories aside, Logic sums the meaning of his name up nicely, "It's making sense of something that ain't nothing."

On Zen Of Logic, the veteran turntablist makes a lot of sense. "I had some ideas already planned; others just came organically" says Logic about the creative process that resulted in his latest album. "I set myself up on a little stage in a little room with all my production equipment," he explains. "I went to a little hiding place and started programming a lot of different ideas. Once I was comfortable with what I had, pre-productionally, I threw some ideas out and [co-producer] Scotty Hard threw some ideas back." With longtime friends like keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Melvin Gibbs, guitarist Charlie Hunter and New York rappers Creature and Sub-Conscious lending a hand, Logic lays down a series of tight, intricate beats that range from funky to jazzy to meditative.

"9th Ward Blues" holds special meaning for Logic. "That track came from my experience of playing in New Orleans at Jazz Fest," he explains of his post-Katrina ode to The Big Easy. "I had programmed the track and I didn't know what it would turn it out to be. I sat down and spoke to Charlie [Hunter], who wanted to try something different: not playing his main axe but using a different axe." The resulting tune isn't your typical zydeco homage but rather one that celebrates New Orleans' funky soul with Hunter matching Logic's beat with some down and dirty guitar licks.

On the new album, Logic also derives inspiration from world music, centering "Balifon Planet" around a distinctly unique xylophone loop. Like many of his songs, "Balifon Planet" came together as the result of Logic simply messing around in the studio. "Beats come in various ways," he explains. "I hear something and work it into a loop. It could be just about anything, a little guitar lick, a xylophone, a horn thing, anything that sounds cool and colorful that I feel I can work with." Bringing it all full circle, Logic concludes, "I try to work with it and manipulate it into a whole logical thing." The world music influence is also present on "Afro Beat," a song Logic created with the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra horn section in mind On the track, Logic assembles a wonderfully sinuous beat and the Antibalas horns and John Medeski help create a modern day snake charmer of a song.

Logic also offers his own brand of hip-hop, bringing underground rappers Sub-Conscious and Creature into the studio to lay down lyrics. While "Hypnotic" came together relatively easily, Logic put Creature through his own unique initiation process for "One Time." "Creature always wanted to do something," Logic explains. "I called him up in the middle of the night; I think he was over at his girlfriend's house. I kind of got him out of bed with his girl to come to Brooklyn and record a verse. He did it: I thought that was respectful from him." When questioned on whether this is some new ritual he'll employ for all future collaborators, Logic laughs. "Yeah; I'm testing their anxiousness. See how much they want it."

As on his 2002 release Anamoly, Scotty Harding a/k/a Scotty Hard assists Logic with the production and arrangements on Zen Of Logic. Their fruitful relationship began when they met on a project they were doing with Vernon Reid. "I liked how he worked and we loved each other's vibes," Logic says. "He's a good guy to have along on the projects." How would the album sound without Harding's contributions? "Probably the same," Logic answers with perfect comic timing. "He knows how to bring the best out of my music."

Although Zen Of Logic is only his second solo album (third if you include 1999s DJ Logic Presents Project Logic), don't underestimate Logic's role in redefining the role of a DJ//turntablist. In 1996, Logic struck up a friendship with the eclectic experimental jamband trio Medeski Martin & Wood, becoming their "5th Beatle." Their genre-busting work on Combustication arose from modest beginnings. "I was doing a gig with Vernon [Reid] at CBGB and MMW were opening up," recalls Logic. "Billy Martin and I were talking and he dug what I was doing with the drummer and thought it would be cool to incorporate some of that into his group." They invited Logic to spin records between sets and soon Logic was joining the innovative trio on stage, matching the musicians with his creativity on the turntable. "I started spinning; everything just came together and the crowd loved it."

After recording Combustication with Medeski Martin & Wood, Logic faced the daunting task of winning over jamband fans, who are well-renowned for their love of live, unrecorded music. "People dug it," he says proudly. "However, some you had to win over. It reminded me of when I first started doing my thing at the Knitting Factory: you get same sort of people with their noses in the air and those that have smiles on their faces. One thing just led to another, things started growing and people started appreciating it." Touring with MMW was also a learning experience for Logic. "It was amazing to see how many people came out to see an instrumental band with no vocals. Even moreso, they were grooving with a DJ and there was nothing like it at that time." Logic notes how things change; quickly. "Now today you see lots of bands with DJs as well as musicians DJing. It's good to see everybody trying to incorporate the DJ."

Just as Logic opened people's eyes to the unlimited potential of the DJ, he takes pride in the evolution of the whole DJ culture. "I can walk into Guitar Center now and see a DJ section with all this great equipment: different types of turntables, mixers, effects and they're all dedicated to the DJs." While Logic has not shunned the developing technology, he also hasn't embraced it. "I still love vinyl. There's a difference when you listen to wax analog vinyl and you listen to CDs and the digital stuff. Digital's great but you don't get the warmness that you'd get with the vinyl as well as the snap crackle and pop," he instructs. "I'm not a dinosaur and I try to stay up on all of that. I've messed around with the CD Tray, but it's not like the vinyl, which is hands on." Remaining old school, Logic still incorporates vinyl into all his live performances as well as production.

Logic has appeared on bills with artists as diverse as Blues Traveler, Particle, Maroon 5 and John Mayer. When preparing his material for each show, Logic acknowledges that he takes note of his prospective audience. "I look at it in a smart way," he explains. "Sometimes I might throw a curveball in there; things that happen by accident sometimes turn into something good." In approaching his live performances, Logic lays out approximately 70% of the show in advance. "It leaves me room to move in different directions and experiment," says Logic. Like every musician, Logic likes his time in the spotlight; he doesn't mind sharing either. "I like doing a little bit of Logic and then I like doing my thing with musicians. I'll set up the groove with the vibe I feel at the moment and everybody will just follow from there or I might just have them set something off and then I'll come in and do my thing."

Since becoming a fixture among the jamband crowd since the mid-90s, Logic has seen the scene evolve. Just recently, he made his 4th appearance at Bonnaroo and has observed the festival's growth firsthand. "It started out independent and grass roots and has now grown to be this thing which everyone knows and wants tickets to," relates Logic. "They've improved on the camping and on catering to the people; making it comfortable for the artists as well as the people," notes Logic of the maturing festival. "It's not your usual festival, I'll tell you that." He also expresses optimism for Bonnaroo's future. When asked how Bonnaroo has kept its integrity over the years, Logic chuckles before answering matter-of-factly, "Not bringing in too many corporations." Logic attributes Bonnaroo's joie de vive to the fact that they don't tarnish the grass roots feel of the festival. "There's the right amount of vendors and the right amount of cool people who are music lovers." In contrast to Woodstock 99's high-priced water sales to people sweltering on a hot tarmac, Logic tells of Bonnaroo's giant mushroom providing water for people to shower and have fun in 100 degree heat.

For Bonnaroo 2006, Logic greatly enjoyed his set as DJ for the late night Silent Disco. "The late night set was the bomb; off the hook; the crowd was great." In describing the set-up for the Silent Disco, Logic approached animated excitement. This after having remained smoothly and comfortably laid back throughout tentiretre interview. "I'm playing to people who are wearing wireless headphones, so there are no monitors or speakers blasting loud. Everyone's just listening to me spin a set on headphones. A very cool concept: like a quiet wireless rave." Truly enjoying the oddity factor of the event, Logic notes that his fans showed as well as many new ones. "They were trying to figure out what's going on and why these people were dancing with no music playing. Are they on something or what?"

The jamband scene isn't the only arena that Logic has introduced to the power of the DJ. In 2004, Logic became the first DJ to ever play the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club when he headlined one of the inaugural events of their Late Night Groove Series. "I never thought I'd be on that stage, playing where a lot of legends have played," relates Logic. "I feel privileged to be part of that. The Blue Note people showed me a lot of love," While Logic was ready for the Blue Note; the Blue Note may not have been ready for Logic. Once the music started, Logic's fans weren't going to remain seated for long. "They were standing on tables and standing on chairs; some of the waitresses are bugging out because they had never seen anything like that," says Logic proudly and mischievously. "Once Logic came there, that was it: everyone left feeling good."

In the upcoming months, Logic hopes to tour extensively behind Zen Of Logic, stating that traveling the country gives him a chance to rekindle old friendships. In the meantime, he will keep himself busy working on remixes for Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Weather Report as well as starting pre-production work on a new Yohimbe Brothers album with Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid. While Logic remains busy throughout the coming months, you can rest certain in one thing: his music will make sense; it will all be logical.

Labels: Darren Pujalet, DJ Logic, Particle

At the close of Particle's winter tour, guitarist Charlie Hitchcock announced he was leaving the California quartet. After taking the winter to regroup, Particle is preparing to hit the road this spring with new members, guitarists Scott Metzger and Ben Combe. No stranger to the jamband scene, Metzger was a member of Rana and collaborates often with numerous bands, including his Led Zeppelin cover stints with Marco Benevento and Joe Russo. Not satisfied with just one new guitarist, Particle added Combe after being impressed with the Massachusetts native's audition CD.

The two new guitarists will join core members Steve Molitz (keys), Eric Gould (bass) and Darren Pujalet (drums). The new quintet made their first appearance last week at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood, where they not only debuted the two new guitarists, they welcomed special guests like The Doors' Robbie Krieger, Joe Satriani, Blackalicious and DJ Logic.

Particle will kick off their spring tour at the SXSW festival in Texas on March 15 and finish up with appearances at the Green Apple Music Festival, NO Jazz Fest, the Joshua Tree Music Festival and the Ojai Global Groove Fest.

Labels: Particle

By David Schultz

When is the best time to play in the City that never sleeps? The answer is simple: in the dead of night. Making good use of New York City's seemingly unlimited nocturnal energy, Particle invaded Irving Plaza for a late night show in conjunction with the closing festivities of this weekend's CMJ Marathon. Hitting the stage well after 1 in the morning, Particle refused to let their fans grow weary, keeping them grooving with their exceptional high powered, techno-based jams. Perhaps owing to the late hour, Particle played to a half-full auditorium. No worries though, the audience gamely filled the space, dancing and twirling until the wee hours of the morning.

This night, Particle derived its energy from hirsute keyboardist Steve Molitz. Throughout the evening, Molitz, who has expertly cultivated the Godspell-era Jesus Christ look and easily could be mistaken for a less anorexic Chris Robinson, alternated between setting the mood for the band, providing synthesized soundscapes for them to play over, and setting the place on fire with his unassuming keyboard solos. Completely owning the crowd, Molitz often took over the show, getting the crowd to spasmodically bend and contort with him while he literally draped himself around his synthesizers. To a lesser extent, guitarist Charlie Hitchcock captured the crowd with his steamrolling techno-rock guitar work, offering a nice contrast to Molitz' more mellifluous keyboards.

Following their own muse, Particle included only two songs from their debut release Launchpad, while storming through a furious set of instrumental jams. Anchored by the stellar rhythm section of drummer Darren Pujalet and bassist Eric Gould, who swayed metronomically throughout the show, Particle joyously and tirelessly stretched each song to its musical limit. Opening with a roaring cover of Beck's E-Pro, the band reveled in their California roots, later including a rendition of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Suck My Kiss with Gould expertly emulating Flea's gut-rumbling bass line and the audience gleefully singing the chorus.

In a refreshing move, the band appeared to forego the farce of the traditionally staged encore break, finishing their set with Sun Mar 11. The quartet added significant muscle to Launchpad's laid-back closing track, building to a false finish before finally winding up the show after a furious 2+ hours. After spending a couple minutes glad-handing with their fans, the band returned to their instruments and gave the crowd an encore of Harold Faltermeyer's Beverly Hills Cop theme Axel F.

Early arrivals caught a glimpse of the eclectic Gabby La La. Decked out with a shocking pink wig and oversized ski goggles, Ms. La (or is it Ms. La La?) played a short, perfunctory set. Accompanying herself on the electric sitar, accordion and Theremin, Gabby riffled through covers of Technotronic's Pump Up The Jams and Roy Orbison's In Dreams before finishing with a call-and-response sing-along of her own Boogie Woogie Man. La La, a winsome performer with a pixyish voice, engaged the audience but the limitations of being an opening act weighed heavily on her performance. Given just a short period of time, the sweetly off-kilter La La seemed like a children's performer who had been sent to the wrong party instead of Les Claypool's latest protégé.

Particle does not simply play their songs, they make commitments to them. A typical tune customarily clocks in somewhere around fifteen minutes and leaves no musical stone unturned. However, these California rockers should not be confused with their jangly, laid-back, blues-rock jamband brethren. Calmly but relentlessly tackling every song from start to finish, Particle wastes no time driving their audience into a frenzy. Counting on the band to deliver, Particle's fans hold up their end of the bargain, bringing an upbeat excitement and oftentimes loony energy into the mix. The hybrid works and the ravelike atmosphere of a Particle show could shortly turn their tours into must-catch events.

Photo Credit: ParticlePeople.com

Labels: Particle