By: David Schultz

For Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Steven Spielberg envisioned music as the most basic form of communication. Since musical tones affect the brain and touch the soul at its most primitive and sensorial cores, the director credibly imagined that two different species could establish the most elementary contact by replaying five notes to each other over a state-of-the-art sound system. While Spielberg may have overestimated the power of music as an information delivery system, he did correctly assess that, regardless of spoken language, music enters the brain and pleases the psyche at its deepest emotional level. U-Melt may not have found the key to communicating through the power of song during their weekend run of shows at New York City’s Sullivan Hall but for those who were willing, Rob Salzer, Zac Lasher, Adam Bendy and George Miller spoke to the part of their existential soul that responds to live music performed at its highest level of perfection.

With the baseball season just around the corner, U-Melt got in the spirit of the season and played two for their hometown fans at the recently renovated Sullivan Hall. It’s the next phase of the band’s evolution; already masters of the late-night, after-hours marathon, U-Melt’s catalog now has the breadth and depth to allow them to play a weekend’s slate of show with Friday night’s gig taking on a completely different character from Saturday night’s.

The shows may have been completely different but they shared some thematically similarities. U-Melt used their first sets to introduce new songs as well as test themselves with a couple covers. On Friday they debuted “Twilight’s Song,” a slightly reggae tinged number and on the next night gave the first live rendering of the groove-heavy “Pura Vida.” In addition to covering the Talking Heads’ “Once In A Lifetime,” they flexed their musical muscles by breaking out Frank Zappa’s “Cosmik Debris” and “Apostrophe.” U-Melt does more than just cover Zappa, they give his music the attention to detail that makes it so special. They don’t gloss over or simplify the complex changing time signatures and Miller simply channels the uniquely zany guitarist through his vocals.

A thinking man’s (and woman's) jamband, U-Melt turned their last set of the two nights into a musical palindrome, nesting songs inside of each other like a musical Matryoshka doll. Opening with Lasher’s “Clear Light,” they were only halfway through the tune before segueing into “Panacea.” They repeated the trick by moving through the first halves of “Schizophrenia,” “Late July’s Lament” and “Green Paper Society” before knocking off a complete run through “Kind Insight.” The band then hit reverse and finished off all the songs. For anyone who was able to follow along, the highbrow concept provided rich rewards. Of course, they worked the concept on multiple levels as the entire show was bookended by “A Robbin’s Tale, Parts 1 and 2.”

U-Melt seamlessly wove their sets together, pausing momentarily between songs when they bothered to stop at all. The band has grown into an extraordinarily tight unit and it’s allowed them to build on their own estimable individual skills. Salzer’s guitar solos are so tied in to each song that it sometimes takes a while before you realize that he’s tearing through one. Usually good for a couple funky bars whenever U-Melt plays “Air,” Bendy’s bass solos were a bit more prevalent and seeing and hearing him assert himself on stage is an extremely welcome addition to the band.

For their Saturday night encore, U-Melt shifted gears and opened their extra set with “Perfect World.” The leisurely paced tune, which concludes with a marvelous Salzer solo, has an understated strength and is a noticeably change of pace from the group’s high octane, prog-rock jams. “Perfect World” might very well be the song that attracts the casual fan to introduce themselves to the tightknit U-Melt community; it has all the makings of a crossover hit. For anyone so inclined to treat themselves to a fabulous evening of music, U-Melt will be heading out on an East coast tour before linking up with the summer festival circuit. If they are coming anywhere near you, just GO!

Labels: U-Melt

Labels: moe., U-Melt

[Ed. Note: Earvolution's artist development and production side of the business has a few tricks up its sleeve for 2008 as well; new Pawnshop Roses coming soon and expect a major announcement involving the marrying of new media technology with one of the most revered brands in American music history.]

Labels: Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, Drive By Truckers, Led Zeppelin, Lenny Kravitz, Licorice, North Mississippi Allstars, The Black Crowes, The Hold Steady, U-Melt

Labels: U-Melt

By: David Schultz
Tea Leaf Green photos by Sugaree.
U-Melt Photos by Alison Holmes.

A little over a year ago, San Francisco based Tea Leaf Green sold out a two night run at New York City's Knitting Factory featuring hometown foursome U-Melt providing an eye-popping opening set. With U-Melt's irresistibly catchy grooves and Tea Leaf's polished mélange of all that's right about music, the scene seemed too large for The Knit to contain. This past Saturday, history wonderfully repeated itself when both bands showed how much can be done in a year before a sold-out crowd at the 1,000 person capacity Irving Plaza.

Tea Leaf Green manages to be a jamband without belaboring a single musical passage beyond the point of interest and into an experimental abyss. Tea Leaf's nicely timed instrumental breaks leave much room for improvisation, rarely running astray. That ability was very much on display this past Saturday night as was their versatility: their set list contained nearly three hours of their greatest hits while still providing a couple surprises.



With green lights twinkling amidst the crowd, Garrod, who would occasionally slip into a dreamy trance, led Tea Leaf through a powerful reading of "Taught To Be Proud," their Jammy winning Song of the Year, keyboard fueled rockers like "These Two Chairs" and "Morning Sun," the country-tinged "Faced With Love" and "It Wasn't For The Money" and an ardent, steamy run through "The Devil's Pay." Tea Leaf's heavy side comes through when guitarist Josh Clark steps forward on vocals. During the second set, Clark laid his measured, impassioned rasp over the bluesy stomp of "Dragonfly," let loose on the rowdy "Criminal Intent" and perfectly gave the right feel to AC/DC's "Have A Drink On Me," the night's one cover.

Not only is Tea Leaf's fan base growing, they are becoming much more attuned to the band's musical cues and segues. Once Scott Rager began the drum kick that leads into "Franz Hanzerbeak," the crowd burst into cheers well before Ben Chambers walked in the song's ridiculously funky bass line. Given the familiarity, Tea Leaf's inversion of the "The Garden, Part III" and "The Garden, Part II" brought loud applause. Even those introducing themselves to the band this night needed no back story to find the band's segue from Garrod's leisurely "Trouble" into a reprise of "Criminal Intent" intriguing. Making the transition between the songs with the same precision as an Indy race car driver speeding quickly into a toughly banked turn, Tea Leaf showed an impressive dexterous tightness that needs to be heard to be appreciated.

Making their first of what will likely be many appearances on Irving Plaza's stage, U-Melt triumphantly debuted before a great deal of fans who arrived early to catch the much-buzzed about band. With their fast-paced, high-octane fusion of electronica, rock, funk and jazzy intrigue, U-Melt gave notice that their sound is ready for bigger and larger arenas.



Guitar heroes always attract attention and Rob Salzer is no exception as his stunning solos continue to dazzle without shattering the framework of any song. The balance isn't solely a factor of Salzer's impressive skills, Zac Lasher on keys, George Miller on drums and Adam Bendy, who dropped a magnificently funky bass solo into "Air," thrive on pushing each other to loftier heights, nicely showcasing their singular skills without ever disrupting the groove. Their hour-long set included Salzer's "Different Things" and Miller's "Air" from The I's Mind, recently written tunes like "A Robbin's Tale Part I (Marx Marvelous Moans)" and "Clear Light" and splendid cover of "Once In A Lifetime." The brevity of the opening set only served to whet the appetite for what U-Melt has to serve.



U-Melt's next New York City gig will be on May 12th, when they return to the main stage at the Knitting Factory, a venue that seems that much smaller every time U-Melt revisits. The same hype currently swirling around U-Melt feels oddly reminiscent to the buzz that surrounded Tea Leaf Green at this time last year. Unsurprising, as both bands follow the credo of broadening their fan base with constant touring, winning hearts with their amazing live performances. The only thing keeping U-Melt from catching Tea Leaf Green seems to be the relentless pace the San Francisco rockers are setting. However, as David Letterman has always been fond of saying, "it's an exhibition not a competition, please no wagering." But, if you must gamble on being blown away by a band, laying down money to see either Tea Leaf Green or U-Melt may be the surest bet of all.

Labels: Tea Leaf Green, U-Melt

Justin Timberlake continues to amaze. Not just on stage, but off. Perez Hilton - ok, not exactly a journalistic icon - reports that Timberlake was joined at Sundance by Jessica Biel. Now, that my friends certainly qualifies as sexy back.

Keith Richards, who may or may not have recovered from falling out of that tree last year, is apparently on a health kick. The "walking dead" guitarist has reportedly taken to drinking "organic vodka." The healthy booze was supposedly a gift from Ronnie Wood's wife, who is reported to be encouraging a more healthy lifestyle for the group of sixty-somethings.

Jason Mraz composed "The Beauty In The Ugly" in support of the "Be Ugly 07" campaign as "Ugly Betty" seems to be all the rage these days. The show appears Thursdays on ABC at 8/7c.
Stream: real / windows

U-Melt's Winter Tour will be kicking off tonight, Friday, 1/26, with a show at Mexicali Blues Cafe in Teaneck, NJ. Saturday night, U-Melt will be travelling down the Jersey Turnpike to headline The North Star in Philly. More tour dates here.

The Arctic Monkeys reportedly were victims of theft. The band was said to have set up a photo shoot near some unoccupied Liverpool houses and were planning to feature a toilet in the shots. But, some local kids reportedly spoiled the fun when the ran off with it. Now word on whether the loo-ters were caught.

The Safes get a mention here because of a song title I liked. Their "Phonebook Full of Phonies" title reminded me of my favorite book Catcher in the Rye. You'll recall Holden Caufield's fondness of the word phonies. But, back to the Safes, the Chicago band of brothers just released their latest record Well, Well, Well. and are embarking on a club tour.
MP3s: "Phonebook Full of Phonies" and "Fairy Tale Tomorrow"

The legendary B.B. King was reportedly hospitalized last night. King is reportedly in good condition and under observation in the University Of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. No reason was reported for the visit. King's hospitalisation meant a scheduled gig last night at the Grand Opera House had to be cancelled.
Video Flashback: B.B. King joins Stevie Ray Vaugh for SRV's "Texas Flood" in 1988.

Labels: Arctic Monkeys, BB King, Justin Timberlake, The Rolling Stones, U-Melt

By: David Schultz

The jamband scene has delightfully become quite varied and splintered since the whole genre could be encapsulated by the Grateful Dead or Phish. Where the jamband term once brought to mind a neo-hippie style derived from jazz improvisations that featured lengthy solos, it now can't be so narrowly defined.

In recent years, jambands have simply become a difficult animal to categorize: Railroad Earth and the Yonder Mountain String Band have a bluegrass tinge; Particle and the Disco Biscuits opt for a rave-like electronic vibe, Tea Leaf Green derive their sound from their California roots and Umphrey's McGee brings the lofty goals of the progressive rock era into the 21st Century - and that's just the tip of the iceberg. In this wide ranging "post-jam" universe, improvisation still rules but the term now best signifies a band that thrives in a live environment and has found a way to build a meaningful relationship with their audience.

As it's usually impossible to get a sense of a jamband from just one song, the "genre" doesn't lend itself to compilation form in the same manner as pop music is wedded to the Now That's What I Call Music series. With their Stages compilations, Apogee Records has found a clever way to introduce new jambands to their prospective new fans. Rather than selecting just one song to represent the band, they treat each artist like fine wine, giving them room to breathe by allotting them significant time to get their sound across. On Stages, Apogee featured emerging bands like Umphrey's McGee, Particle and the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey; on Stages 2, Apogee once again picks up their crystal ball compiling more than 2 hours of music from 7 up-and-coming post-jam bands.

The Brakes and Licorice, co-headliners of the Stages 2 release party, get the most time and offer a nice contrast in styles. The Brakes' selections focus on their songs as opposed to their jamming. They they end "After The Storm" at a point where some other bands would springboard into a long instrumental. In contrast, Licorice, features their skillful musicianship, showing their impressive range, going from neo-avant-garde in "What's Your Status In London" to jazz on "Swisher." When combined with U-Melt's relatively short (for them) version of their eminently danceable "Schizophrenia," the first disc offers a treasure trove of good tunes.

The second disc is a bit spottier, containing some well-played but clichéd jams. Signal Path's selections spotlight their electronic-style songs and contain the disc's brightest moments. Green Lemon's reggae-infused "Desire Is A Gun" plods but their lengthier "Flight Of Manwe" does soar. On "Oblique," Bump gives a glimpse of what would have happened if an eighties Breakfast Club-era band decided to jam. Focusing on their horn section, (and adding the Addison Groove Project's horn section on "Free Time"), Akashic Record offers a good smattering of seventies-style funk. It's well done but too similar to what many other funk-based bands are doing.

If you're not already predisposed to the whole "jamband scene," Stages 2 won't make you a convert. However, if hearing musicians doing their thing in a live setting already appeals to you, Stages 2 provides a nice introduction to some new grooves for the New Year.

Labels: Akashic Record, Apogee Records, Bump, Green Lemon, Licorice, Signal Path, The Brakes, U-Melt

By: David Schultz

Since the dawn of time, Dick Clark has come to New York City's Times Square for New Year's Eve and drawn the nation's attention to the dropping of the ball in the Big Apple. In addition to this year's major television networks' canned and lip-synched Midtown celebrations, New York City also had their customarily varied slate of actual concert options.

Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule played the Beacon Theater, jamband veterans moe. took over Radio City Music Hall and the venerable Patti Smith rang in the New Year at the Bowery Ballroom, a familiar haunt just down the road from CBGB, the club whose closing she presided over in October. Over at B.B. King's, last-second replacement Chaka Kahn filled in for the recently departed James Brown. Instead of ringing in the New Year in funky style, The Godfather Of Soul lay in state at Harlem's Apollo Theater. Clad in a vintage purple suit, Brown's wake gave mourners a surreal opportunity to pay their final respects to The Hardest Working Man In Show Business while his music played one last time in the hallowed hall.

Jammin' Until The Break Of Dawn

While the "ball drop" may be New York City's most well-known year-end tradition; emerging jamband icons U-Melt are well on their way to starting a wonderful new one. U-Melt's late-night show at The Knitting Factory marked the third straight year that Rob Salzer, Zac Lasher, Adam Bendy and George Miller have taken the stage well after Britney Spears has been carried off to bed and past the time most New Yorkers have stumbled home to sleep off the evening's festivities. Playing until the crack of dawn, U-Melt kept raising the energy level of the room with each song; running through numerous grooves, some old, some new but all definitely original. U-Melt kept the Knit's packed crowd moving with old favorites like "Marvin The Pussy" and "Green Amber," newer songs like "Elysian Fields" and George Miller's exceptional "Perfect World" (which finished with a triumphant segue into Pink Floyd's "Eclipse") as well as well-chosen covers like the Smashing Pumpkins' "1979." Even with night becoming morning and the crowd beginning to physically run on empty, it was simply impossible to leave. Believe me, I tried; I could not pull myself away.

The relentless months of touring have honed U-Melt's skills to near-razor-sharp precision. Salzer's growingly lethal guitar solos and Lasher's luxurious keyboard rolls rightfully garner glowing raves but U-Melt's rhythm section truly makes their achievements possible. The pace of George Miller's drumming reveals an impressive stamina and the subtlety of Adam Bendy's skills on bass can sometimes be criminally overlooked. That U-Melt had the crowd still dancing at 6:30 in the morning is the best testament that can be offered to Bendy and Miller.

For those who forgot to make resolutions this past New Year's, allow me to help: make this the year you become a U-Melt fan. The existential part of your soul that thrives on excellent music will be eternally thankful.

One moe. Time

As they did in their last visit to New York City in 2005, moe. provided the first part of an amazing double-bill with U-Melt for those motivated and intrepid enough to catch both shows. The night before their New Year's Eve show at Radio City Music Hall, moe. returned to Irving Plaza, a venue they have long outgrown, for a bit of a warm-up. Breaking with tradition, moe. forewent their customary post-Thanksgiving shows at the much larger Roseland Ballroom this year, opting instead to join New Yorkers in ushering in the New Year. With the 1,000 person capacity venue busting at the seams, moe. kicked off the night with "Meat" and, but for an intermission, never slowed down over the course of their three hour set. Although The Conch, their new studio album, comes out next month, moe. focused on their back catalogue full of guaranteed crowd-pleasers like "Kyle's Song," "Akimbo" and "Rebubula." Returning from a bout of tendinitis that caused moe. to cancel some fall dates and kept him from playing guitar for many weeks, Al Schnier seemed no worse for wear, rejoining his fellow guitarist Chuck Garvey to recreate the band's distinctive double guitar sound. Flanking bassist Rob Derhak, their conversion of the zany "Dr. Graffenburg" into a sinuous groove that seamlessly segued into The Rolling Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'" may have only been matched by their bouncy first set melding of "Y.O.Y" and "George;" the finishing jam leaving people humming and whistling it into the second set. With Jim Loughlin and Vinnie Amico providing double-barreled percussion, the stalwart jamband erased any mystery as to the cause of their longevity.

Vernon Reid & A Night Of Pure Guitar

Friday night saw Steve Vai's Favored Nations label present A Night Of Pure Guitar at Tonic on the Lower East Side. Headlined by Vernon Reid & Masque, the showcase also featured the Dave Weiner Band and Rob Balducci. Although the three bands had different styles, the limitations of guitar-centric instrumentals were impossible to ignore. Notable for the impressive guitar pyrotechnics, the evening begged the question of how much guitar is too much. The Weiner quintet and the Balducci trio put the focus of their sets squarely on the ample guitar wizardry of their namesakes who ripped off technically precise guitar riffs in such quick succession that they started to lose their freshness and diminished the ability to appreciate the creativity and technique at hand. Vernon Reid & Masque closed the evening with a tight hour long set that showed Reid's mastery of the skill of performing as well as the art of playing guitar. Conscious of the fact that the prior bands may have sated the audience's fill for pure guitar, Vernon Reid wisely offered a pleasant change of pace by allowing keyboard genius Leon Gruenbaum, bassist Steve Jenkins and drummer Don McKenzie ample opportunity to shine. Although billed as a guitar extravaganza, Reid's decision to not overpower the set with his own considerable guitar heroics after the audience had been treated to two hours of the same proved a wise success. Jenkins, a recent addition to band, really shone on Masque's cover of Radiohead's "National Anthem" as well as the homage to James Brown, keeping up with Reid's "Sex Machine" derived riff. Masque's set may have been the most well-rounded one, but it didn't betray the theme of the evening. When all was said and done, Reid left no doubt that he deserved his headliner status on a bill full of guitar maestros.

A Peek Into The Future

One of the thrills of going to a minor league baseball game is getting the opportunity to see young ball players destined for the pros. Although their skills aren't entirely perfected and they don't play with the same finesse that they someday will, the glimpses of raw talent can provide ample enjoyment and quite a bit of anticipatory excitement. That type of emerging, developing talent was on display at The Canal Room on Thursday night with New York singer-songwriter Jonah Smith and The Ryan Montbleau Band bringing their considerable skills to the classy venue.

After a brief opening set from the Josh Dion Band, Montbleau took the stage, seated as is his custom upon a simple swiveling bar stool. With Laurence Scudder (viola), Matt Giannaros (bass) and brothers Jason Cohen (keys) and James Cohen (drum), Montbleau led the band through a wide-ranging set that included some old-style Stevie Wonder soul, some country-blues and a roaring cover of Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science." Curiously, Dolby had just played the tune there himself last week, marking some sort of weird eighties confluence of the collective unconsciousness.

Backed by a trio, Jonah Smith followed with a lengthy set featuring songs from his self-titled Relix Records release, including "My Morning Scene" which has received some nice airplay on Sirius Satellite Radio. Montbleau and Smith's sets had their moments where everything clicked, but they also had occasional periods that unnecessarily rambled. Proving himself to be an amiable and unflappable performer, Smith weathered the efforts of a persistent fan who wanted his vintage era U2 shirt. Much like seeing a future superstar while they play AAA ball, both The Ryan Montbleau Band and Jonah Smith are going to be quite fun to follow as they develop and worth checking in on in a couple years, if not a few times before then.

[Johan Smith Photo Credit: Michael Weintrob]

Labels: Dave Weiner, Jonah Smith, Masque, moe., Rob Balducci, Schultz In The City, The Ryan Montbleau Band, U-Melt, Vernon Reid

We here at Earvolution have decided that the Best Albums of 2006 idea has probably run its course. Let's be honest, you don't need us to tell you that Bob Dylan, The Raconteurs and Pearl Jam put out great albums; that The Hold Steady, Cold War Kids and Wolfmother had breakout years and Gnarls Barkley put out the Song of 2006.

What we can do for you is list, in no particular order, a handful of albums that though worthy, many not have received the attention they deserved.

U-Melt: The I's Mind

U-Melt spent 2006 establishing themselves as one of the hardest-working bands on the jamband touring scene. Shortening the solos, U-Melt successfully brought the fun and intensity of their live shows into the studio. Zac Lasher talked to Earvolution about the new album and more here.




Tea Leaf Green: Rock 'N' Roll Band

A companion to the identically titled DVD, Tea Leaf Green's live album gave long time fans a high-quality audio version of the San Francisco rockers' best songs and offered new listeners a perfect introduction to their sound. More on the DVD/CD releases here and our exclusive "embedded" weekend interview with TLG from the Dave Matthews Randalls Island Getaway is here.





Block: The Last Single Guy

The star-crossed love child of Beck and Lou Reed, the New York singer-songwriter poetically captures the fading beauty of the Big Apple, ruing the day that Avenue A turned into a "punk theme park." Read our full album review here.





Willy Porter: Available Light

Born of loss, Porter celebrates life on Available Light. Containing a nice dose of Porter's inimitable guitar, it's his songwriting, especially on the post September 11 elegy "One More September," that stands out. Check out our full album review here.




Carolina Chocolate Drops: Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind

The sounds of the Carolina foothills as channeled through a trio of twenty-somethings that know the era only through history books . . . and their mentor, legendary fiddler Joe Thompson.

More on the album here.




Grace Potter & The Nocturnals: Nothing But The Water

How can you not love a girl who demands her J.J. Cale records back from her ex? And, who looks better in an Earvolution t-shirt? Technically a 2005 release, this album got the remastering and rereleasing treatment for 2006. Anchored by a transcendent title track, Potter & The Nocturnals get bluesy, funky and little gospel on their debut disc. More on the band here.



Foundry Fields Recordings: prompts/miscues

Bleak musings on a post-apocalyptic future never sounded so enjoyable. Front man Billy Schuh's airy voice gives even the direst of visions an optimistic slant.

More on the album here.




Radio Birdman: Zeno Beach

Australia's version of The Ramones wakes from a lengthy slumber and comes up with one of the freshest albums of the year. The veteran rockers crisp, in-your-face songs prove that hard driving rock isn't solely the province of the young.

More on the album here.





Vernon Reid & Masque: Other True Self

Exploring jazz, funk and avant-garde, Reid brings the rock instrumental album out of the doldrums. With Leon Gruenbaum alongside, Masque interprets Depeche Mode and Radiohead and give life to Reid's excellent originals. Vernon Reid spoke to Earvolution about the album and much more here.

Labels: Block, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Foundry Field Recordings, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Masque, Radio Birdman, Tea Leaf Green, U-Melt, Vernon Reid, Willy Porter

By: David Schultz

2006 has been an extremely eventful and productive year for Zac Lasher, Rob Salzer, Adam Bendy and George Miller, collectively and better known as U-Melt. After securing February's New Groove of the Month from jambands.com, U-Melt closed out April's Jammy Awards show with one of their signature high-octane late-night sets. Later in the year, U-Melt celebrated the late September release of their second studio album, The I's Mind, with, what else, an after-hours show at New York City's Knitting Factory. In addition to lighting up the Big Apple, U-Melt has been exponentially broadening their fan base through constant touring, headlining clubs as well as pairing up with their brethren in Tea Leaf Green and moe. As the year comes to a close, U-Melt will be beginning 2007 as it began 2006: ringing in the New Year on stage in New York City with a set starting right around the same time most other celebrations will be winding down.

On The I's Mind, U-Melt effectively captured their sprawling, free-ranging sound within the confines of the studio. Out of necessity, the songs are shorter than their live counterparts but they hardly feel edited. Highlighted by the interplay between Lasher's lofty, soaring keyboard rolls and Salzer's precise, focused guitar solos, The I's Mind is nice showcase for the band, nicely showcasing the various twists and turns that are identified with U-Melt. On the whole, The I's Mind has the feel of an early Phish album: the opener "Air" and "Different Things" come with a nice catchy hooks; "Escape" and "Cloud Box" feature numerous interesting musical passages and "415" shows that not every song needs to be amped up in order to groove.

In addition to giving U-Melt their distinctive sound with his oftentimes luxurious keyboards, Zac Lasher also assists in giving the band its voice as one of their songwriters. Always open, friendly and humorous, Lasher's not just a student of the music but a keen observer of the scene that surrounds it. Over an increasingly rare break in U-Melt's schedule, Lasher took some time to answer some of Earvolution's questions about U-Melt's new album, the never ending tour schedule and their evolution into the kings of late-night.

Earvolution: Over the last couple years, U-Melt's catalog has grown pretty rapidly. How did you go about selecting the songs to include on The I's Mind?

Lasher: We definitely had a lot of options . . . which was really nice. We started thinking about the track listing at the beginning of the year when we were rehearsing some new songs. We noticed that our recent writing was all going along a certain theme, so we put those songs aside to save for the next album. Then we looked at what we had left over and worked from there. There were certain songs like "Air," "415," "Different Things" and "Cloud Box" that we knew we wanted to get on this one. Then we looked at our other options and decided what would fit best with those songs. We wanted to create something that flowed while, at the same time, being all over the place - which is pretty much what we try to do with our live shows too.

Earvolution: Many of the songs on The I's Mind have traditionally run twenty minutes or so on stage. In crafting studio versions of the songs, did you encounter any difficulties in reining the songs in to fit on the disc?

Lasher: It really wasn't that challenging. Songs like "Air," "415" and "Funknine," we just kept the solo sections short as opposed to really taking our time with them. "Different Things" is exactly as we play it live . . . there's never any jam in that song; "Cloud Box" was recorded as it was written: we put a jam in it when we play it out, because it's a nice kind of groove and mood to improvise on, but when I wrote it I didn't intend it to be a 15 minute thing with a long jam in it. I think the same goes for "Escape."

Earvolution: Did you approach the recording of The I's Mind differently from The Unbelievable Meltdown? What were the differences?

Lasher: For one thing we had Josh [Parrish, sound engineer] on board, which made a huge difference in the overall sound of the album. We all had a much better idea about what we were doing in the studio though, and were certainly more comfortable. As for the approach, for the first album we pretty much did everything like we would live. For this one, we played some parts to a click track and did a lot more editing. Some songs were recorded in separate sections and then pieced together in post. We didn't do that for the first album, but that allowed us to sync up effects and synth parts and such. We paid much more attention to the vocals on this one too.

Earvolution: It seems as if U-Melt has been on a constant tour over the past eighteen months. What effects has the road had on U-Melt's music? Have the demands of the road taken any sort of physical/mental toll on the band?

Lasher: It's had a huge effect on our performance. I think that the only way to get good at playing in front of people is to play in front of people. You also learn a lot about the songs by playing them for an audience. You learn what works and what doesn't - well, you do if you're paying attention. I wouldn't say it's taken a toll on the band . . . we're always pretty burned out by the end of the year, but then we take a couple months away from touring to recharge.

Earvolution: What's your favorite part of being on tour?

Lasher: Aside from the hours upon hours spent in a van with 4 other dudes? It's definitely all the great people I get to meet. We've got this really cool little community forming around the music, and watching that happen is really the coolest thing in the world. I really feel that the music is only a part of the big picture. The music isn't the end - it's just the conduit for the real purpose of a band: to establish connections between people. I see the music as a beacon around which people who are on a common wavelength can gather, ya know? I look at bands like The Dead and Phish - to a lesser degree moe. and Panic and Pearl Jam - these bands that spend a decade or more touring and touring and touring . . . they have these communities that form around them . . . people meet, ideas are exchanged, bonds are formed, people get married, have kids, and then before you know it, these bands have contributed to the propagation and hopefully the evolution of the species. I think that's really the goal of any art. So when we're on the road and I meet all these people who come to the shows, and they're really cool people . . . then they come to our message board and meet each other and become friends - I can see the early seeds of this family forming, and it's very exciting.

Earvolution: Do you mind the "jamband" label? Do you think the term unfairly pigeonholes bands?

Lasher: Well, to say a band is a jamband doesn't really describe the sound. I think it describes a philosophy about performance rather than a sound, and it's definitely a philosophy to which we subscribe. So you can say we're a jamband, but, you know, it hardly tells the whole story. There are such so many disparate kinds of music that you can apply the "jamband" label to - there's jambands that are roots rock bands, jambands that are jazz bands, jambands that are bluegrass bands, jambands are trance bands . . . and we're none of those, but then again, at times we're all of those. When it comes down to it though, labels really mean nothing. People put labels on things so that they can try to understand them without digging deep to actually understand them. The only way to understand the kind of music that a given band plays is to listen to the music.

That said, I've been around the jam scene for many years. I've taken what I think is great about it and tried to incorporate it into my writing and my playing. At the same time, I've seen the pitfalls that a lot of jambands encounter, and I've tried to avoid those. The thing that I've noticed the most is that the players in the really great jambands are all relatively fearless, they all really know how to play their instruments, they all listen very well and they're all comfortable playing many different styles of music. That's something I really aspire to - there's a level of virtuosity there that's not found in the more commercial genres. I mean, there are some bad-ass players in this scene. There's also a level of fun and freeness there that isn't found in the more traditionally disciplined genres. It doesn't take itself too seriously, ya know? I like that I can take a classical form and put it in something that just rocks.

I think that the thing that really defines what a jamband is to me is the crowd. I find that jam-fans are some of the best music fans around. They're open minded, hungry for new sounds, and when necessary, forgiving. They want to hear their favorite bands stretch out and try new things and they realize that it doesn't always work. They don't expect perfection all the time and they understand that the exchange of energy between band and audience and back again is what it's really all about. Jam-fans are active participants in the show and they create a really wonderful atmosphere in which to play music. I love the community and that's a large reason that we play the music that we play.

Earvolution: Last year's New Years Eve show at Coda will be the subject of a new DVD. Was the recording of that show always intended to be a DVD? What did you see in the tape that made it ideal for your first DVD?

Lasher: The DVD is entirely the brainchild and work of our good friend Alison Holmes. She designed our logo, did the art for The I's Mind and she shoots a lot of our shows. She did a 3 camera shoot of the New Years show and has spent the better part of the year editing it and putting together the special features and such. It's pretty awesome actually . . . there are some really trippy effects, but it's all very tasteful. I'm pretty excited about it. That was a really great show for us. I think we really turned a corner as a band that night, so it's cool that it was documented in this way.

Earvolution: This year U-Melt will once again return to New York City for New Year's Eve. What types of feelings does returning to NYC bring out in you and the band?

Lasher: It's just great. NYC is our home base, so it's always good to come home. It's such an amazing town. There's an energy there that is unlike anything I've felt anywhere else. It's also one of the few places that you can play until 6 am, which is a fun thing to do on a night like that. We always have a ton of friends in the crowd so there's so much love. This is going to be our third consecutive year doing the late-night thing in New York on New Years, It's always a great way to end one year and bring in the next on a very high point. There's nowhere else I'd rather be on that night.

Earvolution: From what other bands or what other sources does U-Melt derive their musical inspiration from?

Lasher: Our influences are all over the place really - and I think that's reflected in our sound. The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Pink Floyd, Phish, 1980's pop, 1970's disco, modern jazz, psychedelic trance, musical theater, modern rock, 20th century orchestral music, classical Indian raga. We've all lived our lives with very open ears, and we've all spent time studying a wide range of music so there is really influence from everywhere. We try to bring it all together into something cohesive.

Earvolution: As the main songwriter, where do you get your inspiration from? Are you writing songs in general or are you creating with the band in mind?

Lasher: Well, for the record, Rob [Salzer] and I really share the duty of primary songwriters - which is important. I've always wanted to be in a band where there was another songwriter who could push me and challenge me, and I've really found that in Rob. Over the past 3 years, his writing has become as big of an influence on mine as anything else, and I imagine he can say the same about me. It's really cool, because our styles have really started to merge and grow together to a large degree - which has probably been the singular most important aspect to the evolution of our sound. What's even more exciting though is that over the past year-and-a-half, we've been writing about the same ideas . . . we noticed this at the beginning of the year and decided to really run with it. So we have this batch of material that is all really about the same kind of thing, which I think adds to the cohesive nature of our music.

I definitely write with the band in mind. The guys are all really good musicians, so I have to write music that will be challenging and fun for them to play. I might be more inclined to write simpler stuff if that weren't the case - but it's great because we all push each other. Rob and I write stuff that forces us all to push our abilities as players. In turn our newfound chops push the writing to go in new directions too . . . it's a beautifully vicious circle.

Earvolution: In putting together U-Melt's songs, are they designed to be lengthy? How do they grow?

Lasher: The writing process is usually very organic for me. I don't ever say "O.K., I'm gonna write a 12 minute song." It just ends up that way more often than not. I find it very exciting when you can introduce a theme and then go really far away from it, only to bring it back several minutes, keys and modes later. I come from a background steeped in classical and theatrical tradition where the songs all have an arc; they are a little journey - there is a beginning, a middle and an end - and when you get to the end you're in a different place then where you started. I think that most rock songs are different. They're more like photographs - a snapshot of a moment - I see my songs more as mini movies or plays that contain many of those moments.

I just really love writing music, and I have a hard time stopping myself. I always have a huge backlog of ideas, and I tend to keep piling them on top of each other. I'll write a verse and a chorus, and then I'll go to write the bridge, and the bridge ends up being a 7 minute long journey - and then I throw in a place for us to improvise and the next thing you know it's this monster of a composition that takes 20 minutes to perform live, and even with all the improv stripped away it clocks in at 15 minutes of composed music. We just started playing a new song I wrote called "Clear Light," which is one of the longest, most involved pieces I've written. I decided to rein it in a bit after that, so I intentionally limited myself to a more traditional structure for the next song I wrote. That one clocks in around 5 minutes, and I think it's one of the best things I've ever written. I'm going to be doing more of that in the future, though at the moment, I'm working on a few more monsters.

Earvolution: U-Melt has made late-night, after-hours gigs a specialty. How did this become a U-Melt staple?

Lasher: It just kind of happened. When we were just starting off, we'd get these 4 am slots at festivals. We do the whole dance-hall trance thing, so it worked for us, and we were able to really capitalize on it. Ya know, I've spent many a late night wandering around festival grounds or in the clubs in New York City, so I feel at home playing at that time. We'd also try to inject something different into our late night sets to make them special. The crowds at that time are usually very forgiving, so we were never nervous about trying something crazy. It's great to really let the improvisation happen too. We usually have a lot of time at those slots, so we can really stretch out.



Earvolution: At Strangefolk's Garden of Eden Festival 2004, U-Melt played for seven straight hours. How did such a marathon show come about?

Lasher: Earlier that summer we played the Strange-Creek Festival which was produced by The Wormtown Trading Co (who co-produced Garden of Eden). We had one of those 4 am slots that I was talking about. The promoter told us to play however long we wanted, so we played until 7. I think that was our first late-night show. It was a lot of fun and we had a great crowd rocking out until we stopped playing, and they were begging for more. We had actually played a bar gig earlier that night, so after setting up our gear, playing two sets, breaking it down and packing it up, driving 3 hours, setting up again, and playing another 3 hour show . . . we were pretty damn beat. Anyhow, as we were breaking down our stuff, the promoter jokingly asked us why we stopped so early. We said, "What do you want us to do, play until the main stage starts up again?" He said, "Why not?" We had a laugh and then kinda forgot about it. Soon afterwards, we got an offer to play the same time slot at the Garden of Eden festival and we thought "ya know . . . let's do it . . . we'll just fuckin' play until the main stage is supposed to start." So we talked to the promoter about it and he was more than excited for that to happen. We weren't gonna tell anyone about it, but when we got to the festival all our friends were coming up to us and saying, "So there's this rumor going around that you guys are gonna play until 11 am." So we really had no choice at that point. It had to happen. It was the coolest thing I'd ever done in my life to that point.

Earvolution: What was the reaction upon learning you would be playing the Jammys After-Show party at B.B. King's?

Lasher: Mild elation. That was a huge opportunity for us, and we were so grateful to everyone who helped make that happen. We were going to be playing a different show as part of the Green Apple festival, but the promoter we usually work with in NYC recommended us to the Relix people for that show and it just happened to work out. That show ended up opening some pretty huge doors for us.

Earvolution: The Jammys are known for interesting collaborations. In a perfect world, who's joining U-Melt for their ideal Jammys-style set?

Lasher: That's an easy one: Walter Becker and Donald Fagan. We talk about it all the time. We're big Steely Dan fans and we LOVE playing their music.

Earvolution: U-Melt's always very generous with their stage, who have been some of your favorite musicians to play with?

Lasher: Definitely the guys from moe. We've played with Al [Schnier], Chuck [Garvey] and Vinnie [Amico] on separate occasions. We did a show with Strangefolk earlier this year and brought the entire band up to play a song with us. It was great to watch George [Miller] and Russ Lawton playing side by side. Rob Sommerville from Deep Banana Blackout has played with us on a couple of occasions - last New Years, and at the Jammys After-Show. He always brings an amazing energy to any stage he's on.



Earvolution: U-Melt has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with moe. What are your memories from those performances?

Lasher: Our friends in moe. have provided us with some amazing opportunities to rock some great crowds. We opened for them in New Jersey and got to play for upwards of a thousand people who were just digging us. We've done a few after-moe. shows, and we got to play snoe.down, Summercamp, and moe.down this year, so their crowd knows us. We walked onstage and the room came alive . . . people cheered and rushed the stage. I'd never experienced anything like that in such a big room. We opened with "Question Matters," which is one of my favorite songs that I've written and when we got to the end, where it gets quiet and the theme from the intro comes back, people just started screaming. I couldn't hear what I was playing over the crowd. People got what we were doing and it was amazing.

Earvolution: At the CD release party at the Knitting Factory, what was your reaction when the room exploded in a glow stick eruption?

Lasher: Oh man . . . that was such a wild wild night. Best night of my life. The energy in that room was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. I can't wait to play New York City again.

Earvolution: Have you had your Almost Famous "I am a golden god" moment yet?

Lasher: Oh god no - I'm no guitar player . . . just kidding.

Labels: U-Melt

By: David Schultz

It should come as no surprise to anyone following U-Melt's ascent through the jamband ranks that the celebration for the release of their second CD, The I's Mind, wouldn't be your typical run-of-the-mill event.

As if the late night starting hour at New York City's Knitting Factory wasn't enough to set U-Melt's record release party apart from your usual celebration, shortly into "The Fantastic Flight of Captain Delicious," their second song of the evening, the main room of the quirky downtown haunt exploded in a blizzard of luminescent glow sticks. With the band's enthusiastic fans throwing the rods back and forth between themselves and back and forth with those in the balcony, Zac Lasher (keys), Rob Salzer (guitar), Adam Bendy (bass) and George Miller (drums) continued playing as if this playful chaos was simply business as usual . . . which it pretty much was. U-Melt fans take their cue from the band: it's simply good practice to expect the unexpected.

After recording the majority of the album with long time sound engineer Josh Parrish earlier this year in Cincinnati, OH, U-Melt returned to the road for the summer, tirelessly continuing on a seemingly endless tour that made its way to festivals and venues throughout North America. On their return to the Knitting Factory, where they played this past March with Tea Leaf Green, the experience showed, especially in their growing mastery of the ability to work the crowd. Rather then simply shift into a different passage during a lengthy jam, U-Melt, in unison, skillfully built anticipation, bringing the crowd with them and causing them to burst with glee when they hit certain riffs or upped the tempo to a different gear.

Over two sets spanning close to 3½ hours, George Miller set a furious pace for the rest of the band to match. Tirelessly working the bass drum and cymbals, Miller consistently provided a danceable beat, laying down the challenge to the assembled crowd to keep up. As usual, Adam Bendy remained relatively stationary throughout the night, his calm demeanor betraying his subtly funky and ferocious bass lines. Even though he stood near the back of the stage, Rob Salzer's guitar skills can’t be hidden. Best typified in the first set closer, "The Eternal Groove," Salzer's ability to rifle through guitar god worthy riffs without drawing the focus away from his band mates remains astounding. Zac Lasher continues to match Salzer's drive, seamlessly moving between his various keyboards and offering one rave-worthy roll after another.

Focusing on the cause for the night’s gathering, U-Melt devoted a portion of their first set to selections from The I's Mind. Though new to the studio, their opener "Ernest Funknine," "Cloud Box" and "Escape" have long been part of the band's live repertoire. With the new album only hours old, U-Melt refused to be satisfied with living in the present, debuting three new songs over the course of the night. "Clear Light" is cut from the mold of U-Melt's prior songs and "Elysian Fields" evolved into one of U-Melt's more trippier, psychedelic jams but "Perfect World," a more traditional song sung by Miller, presented the evening's most intriguing change of pace. Like most of their songs, expect that these will develop over the band's live performances.

U-Melt stayed faithful to their reputations as the kings of the after-hours jam, taking the stage after midnight and playing until 4:00 in the morning. After an evening of frenetic jams and soaring melodies, U-Melt finished their second set with a bouncy rendition of Medeski Martin & Wood's "Bubblehouse," returning for an encore of the Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime" that had Lasher nailing David Byrne's vocal mannerisms.

With the new album now released and available here, U-Melt will be hitting the road on The I's Mind tour, which currently has them in Midwest but will shortly bring them back to the East coast.

[Photo Credits: Sillouette Andrew Francke; Live Shots Richard Clarke]

Labels: U-Melt

After a summer spent on the road, U-Melt will reward themselves on Saturday night, September 30 with a well deserved party at New York City's Knitting Factory to celebrate the official release of their second studio album The I's Mind. Recorded earlier this summer in Cincinnati, OH, the new album accomplishes the seemingly impossible task of capturing U-Melt's wildly inventive and free roaming style. Once The I's Mind is released, guitarist Rob Salzer, keyboardist Zac Lasher, bassist Adam Bendy and drummer George Miller will go right back on the road as headliners to promote the new album.

For anyone in the Tri-State area, the U-Melt show will surely be one of the highlights of the fall concert season, pick up you tickets here.

For a preview of the album, take a listen to the undeniably funky opening track "Air"

Labels: U-Melt

By: David Schultz

More than eight hours after the music began at the 6th Annual Jammy Awards at the Theatre at New York City's Madison Square Garden, U-Melt wrapped up their late-night, after-hours set at Lucille's Café inside the B.B. King Blues Club. By the time U-Melt launched into a seamless version of "Jacob's Ladder" and "Cloud Box" to close the show, the main stage area had been emptied, cleaned and locked up, Zappa Plays Zappa, Dweezil Zappa's revue honoring his father Frank Zappa, having finished long ago. Even with sunrise looming on the horizon, Lucille's remained filled with exhausted but frenzied fans relishing the experience and planning their excuses for skipping work the next day. And, it's just the beginning. In past years, U-Melt's after-Jammy show, which featured a guest appearance by Rob Somerville of Deep Banana Blackout, would end the festivities, but this year the Jammy Awards are the springboard for the Green Apple Music & Arts Festival that will inhabit New York City throughout the weekend.

Without question, the Jammy Awards generate more excitement than any other awards show. In celebrating the spontaneity, excitement and enjoyment of live music, the Jammys have a well-deserved reputation as a show where you will get to see and hear something you're unlikely to see anywhere else. 1/10th awards, 9/10ths concert, the Jammys pair musicians together for live performances that seem awkward on paper but, more times than not, sound phenomenal on stage.

Even with jamband titans regularly in attendance, the show typically gets stolen by an artist that seems foreign to the scene. At last year's show, Huey Lewis' strong performance with Umphrey's McGee brought down the house and Ryan Adams amazed the crowd by bringing out by freeing his inner Deadhead, teaming with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh for a spot-on reading of "Wharf Rat" and "Bird Song." This year, Peter Frampton turned in the standout performance. That is not a typo and bears repeating, Peter Frampton rocked the Jammys. Playing with Guster and guitarist Martin Sexton, Frampton came alive once again with a rendition of "Do You Feel Like I Do" complete with seventies-era talk box. No longer the fresh faced youth depicted on his most successful album, Frampton showed why his name will always be associated with live music in the annals of rock history.

The Mutaytor, a troupe of drummers, percussionists and performance artists, provided another of the evening's pleasant surprises. Joining Grateful Dead drummers and Jammy Awards co-hosts Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzman, The Mutaytor's dozen or so members gave proper thunder to a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile." The Rhythm Devils' set seemed to clear the backstage area as by the time they finished running through Santana's "Jingo" and "Iko Iko," Steve Kimock, Mike Gordon, Charlie Musselwhite and many others had joined the tribalesque fun.

As he did at Woodstock ages ago, Richie Havens, wearing what looked like a homemade dress, opened the evening with The Mutaytor drums performing an inspired "Freedom" before yielding the stage to Mutaytor's performance artists. Blues Traveler teamed up with DJ Logic and R & B legend Bettye Lavette that featured the spry 60-year-old soul singer own the stage, forcing John Popper to keep up with her on their cover of "Magic Carpet Ride." One of the evening’s more intriguing pairings involved Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, jazz pianist McCoy Tyner and tap dancer Savion Glover. The only thing more enjoyable than Victor Wooten and Glover's bass/tap dance duo was the bemused expression on Tyner's face as he tried to comprehend what he was watching.

After engaging in a competition as to who could wear the silliest hat, Steve Kimock and Joe Satriani teamed up for some guitar fireworks. Midway through their set, they were joined by Grace Potter on keyboards for a mindblowing rendition of Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer." Potter and her band the Nocturnals received the New Groove of the Year award earlier in the show and the young singer/guitarist/keyboard player more than held her own with the two veteran guitarists.

Frank Zappa, whose inventive influence plays an enormous role in the jamband world, posthumously received the Lifetime Achievement Award. In accepting the award on behalf of his father, Dweezil Zappa noted that his father really didn't like awards or award shows but thinks he would have really appreciated his honor from the Jammys. Zappa then took the stage with Napoleon Murphy Brock and his new Zappa Plays Zappa ensemble for, what else, a set of Zappa tunes. Even though the set contained standout solos from keyboardist Chick Corea and Umphrey's McGee guitarist Jake Cinninger, the set wasn't the blowaway transcendent performance most hoped for.

At the 3rd annual Jammys, moe. braved the chants of "More Cowbell," playing with Blue Oyster Cult. This year, moe. had the stage relatively to themselves, being lent an unintrusive hand by The Mad Professor, covering "The Guns of Brixton" and offering a lengthy version of "Buster." Little Feat and blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin, anchored the final spot in the lineup, being joined by Stephen and Ky-Mani Marley and ultimately everyone else for an all-star finale of "One Love." Once the Bob Marley tune, intended as the evening's last number, concluded, Little Feat broke into an impromptu rendition of "Dixie Chicken," ending the night with a flourish.

Amidst all the excitement, awards were handed out in categories like Live Performance of the Year, Live Album of the Year, Studio Album of the Year and Tour of the Year. Like any awards show, it's tempting to parse through all the trophies handed out, the speeches of gratitude and the recognition of exceptional achievement in an attempt to discern a winner. At the Jammys, such an endeavor always leads back to the same winner each year - - - the audience.

The 2006 Jammy Awards went to:

Tour of the Year:
Big Summer Classic Tour (String Cheese Incident, Keller Williams, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Yonder Mountain String Band, Umphrey's McGee, New Monsoon, and Xavier Rudd)

Live Performance of the Year:
moe. Tsunami Relief Benefit, Roseland Ballroom, NYC, 2/10/05 (with Trey Anastasio, Sam Bush, Jennifer Hartswick, John Medeski and Ray Paczkowski)

Live Album of the Year:
Widespread Panic - Live at Myrtle Beach

Studio Album of the Year:
Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon - Sixty Six Steps

Archival Album of the Year:
Phish - Live at Madison Square Garden New Year's Eve 1995

Song of the Year:
Tea Leaf Green - "Taught To Be Proud"

New Groove:
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

DVD of the Year:
Bob Dylan - No Direction Home

Global Rhythm World Music Award:
Baaba Maal

Labels: DJ Logic, Dweezil Zappa, Frank Zappa, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, moe., Peter Frampton, Steve Kimock, Tea Leaf Green, U-Melt, Umphrey's McGee, Victor Wooten, Zappa Plays Zappa

U-Melt will play the Official Jammy Awards After-Party at B.B. Kings as part of the Green Apple Music Festival on April 20. Given that U-Melt has already established themselves as masters of the after-hours jam, Relix couldn't have extended a better invitation to their signature event.

With moe., Blues Traveler, Steve Kimock, Peter Frampton and others already announced for the 6th Annual Jammy Awards, the Green Apple Festival seems poised to kick off with an all-night jam that will set the stage for a weekend of memorable music.

Labels: U-Melt

By: David Schultz

Just ask Bode Miller, the pressure of living up to any type of hype or advance publicity, oftentimes generated outside of your control, can be a crushing weight: especially, if you are a band in the process of establishing your name. Such a burden has been placed squarely on the shoulders of Tea Leaf Green as, over the past year, a pleasant groundswell of goodwill towards the San Francisco quartet has spread through the jamband world.

With each show, Tea Leaf's current fans find themselves mingling with an equal but growing number of new ones who have heard the word or, more appropriately, the torrents, and want to see for themselves whether Tea Leaf's worthy of the acclaim. Upon their first exposure to Trevor Garrod, Josh Clark, Ben Chambers and Scott Rager, most are discovering that the believability of hype spread by fans differs exponentially from that spread by the music industry. Big labels hype what needs to sell; fans hype what they know to be good.

Tea Leaf Green returned to New York City this week for their first time in 2006, playing two shows at TriBeCa's The Knitting Factory with the equally exciting U-Melt. On Friday night, the two bands combined for an orgiastic musical feast of groove-heavy, eyebrow-raising rock and roll that lasted nearly five hours and left the normally tireless New York crowd spent by the end of the evening.

Tea Leaf Green's music boldly and refreshingly defies definition by genre. At times TLG sounds like a 21st century Grateful Dead and other times like a throwback version of Phish. However, listeners looking to Tea Leaf Green as a logical successor to either would be missing the forest, or rather the tea leaves, for the trees. While comparisons to the musical gods of the jamband scene aren't unfair, any attempt to pigeonhole Tea Leaf Green into a singular genre doesn't do justice to the considerably singular musical style they've crafted. Throughout the night, country, blues, jazz, funk and straight forward rock and roll could be detected, but not in any distinctly tangible form. Their set list and catalog do not include a country song, followed by a blues song, followed by a funk tune, etc. Instead Tea Leaf incorporates the various styles that have clearly influenced them into one fascinating fusion that keeps listeners on their toes and fans on their feet.

Whether seated at the keyboards pounding out melodies, standing and leaning into the audience with a surprisingly pliant microphone stand or simply taking a second to stand back and join the audience in dancing while guitarist Josh Clark and bassist Ben Chambers did their thing, keyboardist Trevor Garrod funnels an enormous amount of energy into his performance. Tied but not anchored to his keyboards, Garrod remained in perpetual motion throughout the entire show. Th