U-Melt

New Additions:

Moksha - Mammal or Machine CD - Explosive shows, filled with an arsenal of well-crafted material, have earned Moksha their reputation as Las Vegas' secret weapon. They are emerging from the glitz and glamour of Sin City and garnering a following of loyal fans on the West Coast. Swirling in subtlety, their music paints a sonic landscape that unfolds in the moment and feeds on the dynamic ebb and flow of audience and band interconnection. Moksha joined forces with guitar legend Brian Stoltz (Neville Brothers, Funky Meters, Bob Dylan and others) in studio to record their first full album. Moksha's modern sound combined with Stoltz's New Orleans flavor created a sound that can only be described as unstoppable. $12

Rare Blend - Sessions CD - SESSIONS  is a 14 track disc of LIVE recordings from stage and studio. Unlike the group's previous CD's, SESSIONS highlights Rare Blend's "one takes", and "in the moment" jam-fusion instrumentals. The recordings took place in a variety of settings and venues during 2008 not only in Cleveland, but also in Cincinnati and Baltimore, MD. SESSIONS is broke up into 3 journeys....Live recordings from Stage - Studio - Film.
Stage: pretty straightforward, these tracks were captured at gigs. Most notably from the Crooked River Groove taping in Cleveland, Orion Studios concert in Baltimore MD, and a really cool local event called Open Air Market Square here in Cleveland. Studio: improvisations at Odyssey Studios, during rehearsals. Hit record and started jamming. Film: these tracks were captured during our performances to screenings of silent films. A project launched by Bobbi Holt (keyboards) in 2007 called "Bridging The Gap", she believed that Rare Blend music would compliment a film and had always wanted to gel the 2 mediums and present it as a "live" screening and musical performance. The tracks included were performed to the 1925 silent Phantom of the Opera at the Fairfield Arts Center in Fairfield Ohio outside of Cincinnati, and an outdoor screening of the 1929 silent Metropolis at Coventry P.E.A.C.E Park in Cleveland Hts., Ohio. $12

Marco Benevento - Between Needles & Nightfall CD - Between The Needles & Nightfall was conceived at Trout Recording in Brooklyn, NY where engineer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Akron/Family) tracked Marco Benevento and his trio over three days. To achieve the colors he envisioned, Benevento recorded on a baby grand piano bolstered by guitar pick-ups, amplifiers and a myriad of pedals and circuit bent toys, while overdubbing Moog, Optigan, Mellotron and Farfisa. He then transferred the tracks to his home studio, taking the next two months to cut, loop and shape the pieces into full-fledged songs.

For the final mixes, Benevento handed off his work to three of his favorite engineers: Mell Dettmer (Sunn O))), Eyvind Kang), Jesse Lauter (Low Anthem, Elvis Perkins) and Vid Cousins (Amon Tobin, Kid Koala). The results range from the day-glo electro-rock of It Came From You to the simply-stated lullaby Ila Frost to the shimmering Arcade Fire-meets-Brad Mehldau anthem Two Of You.

With the release of Between The Needles & Nightfall, Marco Benevento continues to define himself as one of the most prolific new voices of his era, blurring genres from song to song, and more often from measure to measure, with his own take on simple pop pleasures, dance party rave-ups and art jazz experimentation. $14.98

30db - One Man Show CD - Hailing from Chicago, longtime friends, musical collaborators, and all-around conspirators Jeff Austin (of Yonder Mountain) and Brendan Bayliss (of Umphrey's McGee) have been writing music and playing together for years. In between their busy tour schedules with Yonder and Umphrey's, the two musicians had always wanted to start a band. They wrote some songs, played some shows (both on Jeff's turf in Colorado and back home iN Chicago) and so 30db was born.

After accruing a mass quantity of music, they decided it was about time to make a record. They recruited an amazing crew of musicians to join them in Boulder for some recording sessions, and that's when 30db really took its shape and became a band. Holding down the sound on drums is the Memphis-based North Mississippi Allstars drummer and co-founder, Cody Dickinson. E-Town host and legendary guitar player from Hot Rize, Nick Forster plays electric guitar and Boulder-based Eric Thorin keeps it tight on the bass. The final product is a collection of heartfelt tunes, filled with fun yet ironic lyric undertones and solid playing from start to finish. $14.98

Cowboy Mouth - Live From JazzFest 2005 CD

Shannon McNally - Live at JazzFest 2007 CD

The Subdudes - Jazz fest 2008 CD

Henry Butler - Live at JazzFest 2007 CD

The Neville Brothers - Live at Jazzfest 2009 (2 CDs)

The Neville Brothers - Live at Jazzfest 2005 (2 CDs)

Coming Soon:

May 18 - Future Rock - Live in Wicker Park CD (now shipping!)

May 25 - Widespread Panic - Dirty Side Down CD
Keller Williams & the Keels - Thief CD
Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet - Live at the Triple Door CD
Rev Payton's Big Damn Band - The Wages CD

Last Week:

Future Rock - Live in Wicker Park CD - Recorded in their hometown of Chicago during the Summer of 2009, Live in Wicker Park captures the raw energy of a live -electronic performance that packed the fair streets of their city, turning rooftops into dance floors and fans into maniacs hanging out of open windows. The atmosphere and the songs - six of which have never been released- are the best representation of Future Rock. Live In Wicker Park also features live remixes of Black Moth Super Rainbow and Death From Above 1979, that are sweeping proof of Future Rock's remarkable remix skills. $14

Ifdakar - On the Edge CD - Ifdakar's pursuit of musical growth and experimental improvisation create an experience not to be forgotten. Hailing from Appleton, Wisconsin, this six-piece band has garnered recognition from their live performances where the band channels elements of psychedelic rock, funk, jazz, and electronica.

From songs that are tragic, to songs that transcend, Ifdakar showcases an array of improvisational jamming and elaborately structured pieces that are steeped in influences such as Phish, Lotus, Pink Floyd, STS9, and others. This spectrum allows for dense musical freedom, to tension-and-release madness. $9.99

Zac Brown Band - Live from Bonnaroo - On the opening night of the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Zac Brown Band electrified a tent full of thousands with their biggest hits and brand new Southern Rock jams. This CD of highlights from the set, includes their current chart topping hit "Toes" and their live staple tribute to Charlie Daniels "Devil Went Down To Georgia!" RARE Collectible! $7.98

Pass the Jar - Zac Brown Band and Friends Live from the Fabulous Fox Theatre In Atlanta 2 CD+DVD - The Zac Brown Band's DVD/2-CD release 'Pass the Jar - Zac Brown Band and Friends Live from the Fabulous Fox Theatre In Atlanta' is now available! Filmed at Atlanta's Fox Theatre, 'Pass the Jar...' is a live concert package with performances from the October 2009 show benefiting the fund to rebuild Athens historic Georgia Theatre.

The 'Pass the Jar...' DVD features eighteen of the evening's performances with guests including: Kid Rock, Little Big Town, Joey + Rory, Shawn Mullins, Angie Aparo and Aslyn, who joined Zac Brown Band onstage for songs from their platinum album 'The Foundation,' their favorite covers, and new unreleased material. Shot in HD and directed by Darren Doane (who also shot the band's "Toes" and "Highway 20 Ride" video), the DVD is essential viewing for Zac Brown Band fans.

The 2 disc companion includes audio from the DVD as well as performances of: Let It Go, Where The Boat Leaves From, Blackbird, Whiskey's Gone, I Shall Be Released, and Bar (feat. Sonia Leigh and guests). $22.98

Broken Social Scene - Forgivness Rock Record CD - With the new album, the first Broken Social Scene record following the acclaimed Broken Social Scene Presents... series, the band decided it was time to try something new. As a core six-piece who had spent most of 2007 and 2008 on the road, Drew, Canning, Spearin, Whiteman, Goldberg and Peroff spent early 2009 working on new material in Toronto. The pairing down of the band's massive personnel list for the first time proved extremely fruitful; they created spacious songs written as a band by a band, resulting in more cohesive, melody-driven compositions than previous BSS output. Recording both in Toronto and Chicago, and working with producer John McEntire - a musical hero for many of the band's members - they found a fresh perspective on their own sound; this continued to fuel the creative process, resulting in nearly 40 songs written in and out of the studio, a number of which were put together as the first new Broken Social Scene record in five years. The album features guest turns by BSS alumni: Leslie Feist, Amy Millan and Evan Cranley of Stars, Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw of Metric, Jason Collett, Ohad Benchetrit of Do Make Say Think and Years, John Crossingham, Marty Kinack, Leon Kingstone and Julie Penner. Uniquely, the song "Sentimental X's" features Leslie Feist, Emily Haines and Amy Millan singing together for the first time on the same song. $15.98

Upcoming Events:

May 14-16 - The Hangout Beach, Music & Arts Festival - Gulf Shores, AL

May 21-23 - Smilefest Reunion - Pinnacle, NC
Orange Blossom Jamboree - Brooksville, FL

May 28-30 - StrangeCreek - Greenfield, MA

June 3-6 - GroverFest - Davidson, NC
Wakarusa - Ozark, AR
Outrageous Universe Revival - Sherman, NY

June 10-13 Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN
Harmony Festival - Santa Rosa, CA
8th Annual Nor-east'r Music & Art Festival - Mio, MI

Video of the Week:

Moksha at Phish Festival 8 - time lapse!

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!
Lee Crumpton

New Additions:

Cornmeal - Live in Chicago, IL Vol 1 CD - In the winter of 2000, a band stepped on stage for the first time and called themselves Cornmeal. For the next six years, Cornmeal performed each and every Wednesday in Chicago to small yet loyal crowds. Throughout the winters of 2007-2009, Cornmeal returned to Chicago to pay homage to that tradition. This album is for the fans as a thank you for all the years of dedication, for believing in Cornmeal, and for creating a wonderful community for them to come home to. The album was recorded live throughout the winter of 2009 at Martyrs' in Chicago, IL. Unlike Cornmeal's three previous albums, Live in Chicago, IL Vol. I captures the band in its raw, intense format, bouncing through song after song of fast paced, fierce originals and extensive improvised jams that showcase the immense talent and connectivity that have gained them so much fan appeal from coast to coast. Cornmeal is: Chris Gangi on upright bass, Dave Burlingame on Banjo, Allie Kral on fiddle, Kris Nowak on Acoustic Guitar, and John Paul Nowak on Drums.

Formed over 10 years ago, Cornmeal has grown from humble beginnings into a nationally recognized live music institution. 10 years together is no simple task these days, especially when the last five have seen the band spending over half the year on the road. Heavily influenced by American roots and folk music, Cornmeal blends lightning fast tempos and impeccable harmonies into an unrivaled live performance that continues to expand upon the five-piece acoustic-electric groups' vast musical repertoire. While steeped in the tradition of roots music, Cornmeal continues to forge their own path, pushing the boundaries of bluegrass, Americana and folk for a whole new generation of music lovers. With a rapidly growing fan base and ever-evolving stage show, Cornmeal challenges the recipe of the bluegrass sound and live performance, quickly propelling them into the national spotlight. $14

Great American Taxi - Reckless Habits CD - In the past five years, Great American Taxi has become one of the best-known headliners on the jam band circuit. Their uninhibited sound is a swinging concoction of swampy blues, progressive bluegrass, funky New Orleans strut, Southern boogie, honky tonk country, gospel, and good ol' fashioned rock 'n' roll. Great American Taxi was born when singer, guitarist, and mandolin player Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon joined keyboard player and singer Chad Staehly for a superstar jam to benefit the Rainforest Action Group in Boulder, in March of 2005. "We put together a dream band of the best local musicians for a one-off gig," Herman recalls. "It worked so well we had to do it again, and again, and again." Great American Taxi quickly evolved into one of the best country-, rock-, and bluegrass- influenced jam bands in the land, masterfully blending acoustic and electric instruments into music they call "Americana Without Borders."

The 13 tracks on Reckless Habits gleefully stretch the boundaries of American roots music with a nod to both tradition and the future. The title track, Staehly's salute to Gram Parsons, is a good example, a song that's as country as it is rock. It's a rousing honky tonk tune, with Carbone's fiddle and Sless's pedal steel kicking up the sawdust on a Saturday night dance floor. The titles of several Parsons songs appear in the lyrics, and there's a definite Cosmic Cowboy vibe to the band's expansive playing. Staehly's "American Beauty" tips its hat to the Grateful Dead and features an extended jam by the ensemble with Sless shining on pedal steel; Herman's acoustic and the subtle twang of Jim Lewin on electric add intertwining guitar parts. Herman's "Cold Lonely Town" is a slow R&B tune that describes life during the long Colorado winters. The Black Swan Singers add smoky doo-wop asides and CoCo Brown's thrilling gospel-inflected melismas to Herman's poignant vocal. Producer Tim Carbone described its swampy, laid-back vibe as "'A Day in the Life' meets Gram Parsons in the high desert." $14.98

Coming Soon:

March 16 - The Disco Biscuits - Planet Anthem CD
Drive By Truckers- The Big To Do CD/LP

Last Week:

U-Melt - Perfect World CD- Brilliantly capturing U-Melt's amazing ability to shatter musical boundaries and transcend genre classification, Perfect World will capture your imagination and commune with the existential part of your soul that responds to mind-expanding music played by a band whose creativity knows no limits. Consisting of 10 road tested tracks, the carefully crafted music and philosophical lyrics shows off U-Melt's inimitable skill in its finest form. It is a rare band indeed that can navigate the intricate twists and progressive rock turns of "Panacea," "Question Matters" and "Elysian Fields," offer up the eminently danceable riffs of "Pura Vida" and "Clear Light" and gorgeously imbue the title track with a warily optimistic idealism. The inescapable rock and roll energy and dance grooves of U-Melt's Perfect World will move your psyche as well as your feet. $12.98

Bearquarium CD - With their unique blend of afro-percussive rhythms, fiery horn lines, funky dance grooves and soulful vocals, this eight-piece ensemble stands out as a breath of fresh air amongst your run-of-the-mill funk bands. Bearquarium blurs the line between meticulous song craft and cohesive improv, with daring layers of poly-rhythms, textured timbres and colorful soul.  As we enter a new decade, it is no wonder Bearquarium's progressive sound is considered a "scene cornerstone for years to come" (Seven Days VT). $12

Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig CD - The Carolina Chocolate Drops are as much about revelation as revival. On its Nonesuch debut, Genuine Negro Jig, the trio brings exuberance, humor, virtuosity and an infectious acoustic groove to its exploration of a near-forgotten brand of banjo-driven string-band music originating more than a century ago in the foothills of North Carolina, the Piedmont region where band members Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson were raised. In this rural area, musicians, both black and white, once shared and swapped tunes. Over the decades, the importance of the African-American role in string-band music was diminished, its sound and significance co-opted by minstrel shows and segregated by record labels. CCD -- under the tutelage of nonagenarian fiddler player Joe Thompson, one of the last surviving Piedmont musicians - have reclaimed the old-time songs, making them vital and fresh for right now, reasserting in the process the African roots of the banjo. $15.98

Hot Tuna - Double Dose (2CD) - Expanded two CD edition of this 1978 album including bonus material. Hot Tuna was an offshoot of Jefferson Airplane formed by charter members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady. Double Dose was originally issued as a two-record set on Grunt Records. Previously issued import CDs have been trimmed to a single disc, eliminating one of the essential tracks to make things fit. This Deluxe Edition not only restores the album to its original full length and sequencing order, but adds 27 minutes of rare interviews with the members of the band. 23.98

Upcoming Events:

April 15-17, 2010 - Wanee Music Festival - Live Oak, FL

April 22-25, 2010 - Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival - Pittsboro, NC

Video of the Week:

Cornmeal - Girl with the Short Brown Hair live from Summer Camp

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!
Lee Crumpton

New Additions:

U-Melt - Perfect World CD- Brilliantly capturing U-Melt's amazing ability to shatter musical boundaries and transcend genre classification, Perfect World will capture your imagination and commune with the existential part of your soul that responds to mind-expanding music played by a band whose creativity knows no limits. Consisting of 10 road tested tracks, the carefully crafted music and philosophical lyrics shows off U-Melt's inimitable skill in its finest form. It is a rare band indeed that can navigate the intricate twists and progressive rock turns of "Panacea," "Question Matters" and "Elysian Fields," offer up the eminently danceable riffs of "Pura Vida" and "Clear Light" and gorgeously imbue the title track with a warily optimistic idealism. The inescapable rock and roll energy and dance grooves of U-Melt's Perfect World will move your psyche as well as your feet. $12.98

Bearquarium CD - With their unique blend of afro-percussive rhythms, fiery horn lines, funky dance grooves and soulful vocals, this eight-piece ensemble stands out as a breath of fresh air amongst your run-of-the-mill funk bands. Bearquarium blurs the line between meticulous song craft and cohesive improv, with daring layers of poly-rhythms, textured timbres and colorful soul.  As we enter a new decade, it is no wonder Bearquarium's progressive sound is considered a "scene cornerstone for years to come" (Seven Days VT). $12

Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig CD - The Carolina Chocolate Drops are as much about revelation as revival. On its Nonesuch debut, Genuine Negro Jig, the trio brings exuberance, humor, virtuosity and an infectious acoustic groove to its exploration of a near-forgotten brand of banjo-driven string-band music originating more than a century ago in the foothills of North Carolina, the Piedmont region where band members Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson were raised. In this rural area, musicians, both black and white, once shared and swapped tunes. Over the decades, the importance of the African-American role in string-band music was diminished, its sound and significance co-opted by minstrel shows and segregated by record labels. CCD -- under the tutelage of nonagenarian fiddler player Joe Thompson, one of the last surviving Piedmont musicians - have reclaimed the old-time songs, making them vital and fresh for right now, reasserting in the process the African roots of the banjo. $15.98

Hot Tuna - Double Dose (2CD) - Expanded two CD edition of this 1978 album including bonus material. Hot Tuna was an offshoot of Jefferson Airplane formed by charter members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady. Double Dose was originally issued as a two-record set on Grunt Records. Previously issued import CDs have been trimmed to a single disc, eliminating one of the essential tracks to make things fit. This Deluxe Edition not only restores the album to its original full length and sequencing order, but adds 27 minutes of rare interviews with the members of the band. 23.98

Coming Soon:

March 3 - Cornmeal - Live in Chicago CD
Great American Taxi - Reckless Habits CD

March 16 - The Disco Biscuits - Planet Anthem CD
Drive By Truckers- The Big To Do CD/LP

Last Week:

Evie Ladin - Float Downstream CD - Solo debut CD featuring kicking old-time banjo in new settings, with catchy, ripe original stories and gorgeous production. "She's got a voice that draws you in, a groove on the banjo that won't quit" says producer Mike Marshall. Ladin is also the leader of the popular female old-timey group, The Stairwell Sisters. $11.99

Backyard Tire Fire - Good to Be CD - Good To Be was recorded in luxurious, hand-tooled analog with Los Lobos Steve Berlin producing. With their fifth full-length disc, Backyard Tire Fire have achieved one of those big-time, long-haul records that matter far more than the sum of its considerable parts and not via grandiose, larger-than-life lyrical imagery but through blue-collar, common sense miniatures that remind us of the simple beauty present in mundane, daily, person-to-person experience. Which is NOT to say that Good To Be is yet another one of those one-dimensional, granola-rootsy, rustic Americana takes on post-Uncle Tupelo barn-board rock; there is a taste of that, to be sure, but Anderson & Co. have spread the stylistic court with a rich, ever-expanding palette of aural rock n roll colors and textures that tap into bouncy, Kinks-meet-Squeeze Brit pop-rock, Tom Petty-styled Southern rock, Beatle-esque majesty, intimate balladry, chiming folk-rock and heartland/populist chest-pounders. Bearing a consistent message of empathy, humanity and hope, Good to Be is a triumph of Anderson s own thirteen year journey as a rock and roller. $12.98

Upcoming Events:

April 15-17, 2010 - Wanee Music Festival - Live Oak, FL

April 22-25, 2010 - Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival - Pittsboro, NC

Video of the Week:

U-Melt - Elysian Fields (live)

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!
Lee Crumpton

New Additions:

Cadillac Jones - Rhythm Method CD - SPECIAL OFFER - buy Rhythm Method and get CJ's - The Big Takedown free! You'll be prompted during checkout if Rhythm Method is in your basket.
Rhythm Method, the fourth album from Cadillac Jones, finds the band tracing a steady pulse through funk's past and future. The record starts on the band's own front stoop with "Reynoldstown," an homage to one of Atlanta's oldest urban neighborhoods. Closing the door behind them, Cadillac spends the first half of the album exploring grooves of the early '60s. Blazing organs and punctuated horn lines run roughshod over tight drumbeats and the comforting tone of a Fender p-bass. At the album's midway point, the band shifts gears into darker territory. The combination of club beats and organic keyboards of the title track "Rhythm Method" literally melt into the otherworldly funk odyssey of Volcano Sunday, which in turn catapults the listener into afro beat grooves and Moog-heavy jams. By the end of the record Cadillac Jones returns home; the same band but with a decidedly different outlook, encapsulated by the electronic comfort food of the closing track "Wonderbread." Ultimately "Rhythm Method" unleashes the band from its conceptual moorings of albums past and puts it back where it's most comfortable-all over the funk/jazz map. $10.99

Cyro Baptista - Infinito CD - INFINITO is the highly anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed self titled debut album by Cyro's newest project - BANQUET OF THE SPIRITS. As you know, this project includes three of the fastest rising stars in the "downtown music" scene: Brian Marsella on keyboards and melodica (Beat The Donkey & Matisyahu), Shanir Blumenkanz on bass and oud (Pharaoh's Daughter) and Tim Keiper on drumset (Beat The Donkey & Vieux Farka Toure) make up the core band. $15.98

Jerry Garcia "Frames" Tshirt (Medium-XXL) - This Jerry Garcia T-shirt features a series of photographs from the 1970's. This period highlighted an exciting pallette of musical genres including Country, Folk, and Funk. In addition to his work in the Grateful Dead, Jerry found time to work with Merl Saunders, Legion of Mary, and The Jerry Garcia Band. Click image for larger picture. $19.99

Coming Soon:

August 18 - The Giving Tree Band - Great Possessions CD
Jonah Smith - Lights On CD

September 1 - Rodrigo y Gabriella - 11:11 CD
Black Crowes - Before the Frost, Until the Freeze CD
Drive By Truckers - The Fine Print CD
Yonder Mt String Band - The Show CD
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - One Day in Brooklyn CD

September 8 - Phish - Joy CD

Last Week's Additions:

Zach Deputy - Sunshine CD - Sunshine was conceived of as an effort to capture the feel and technique of Zach's live show, and much of it was recorded like he performs--in real time with layered loops. However, recording the live looping technique could conceal the chops and virtuosity of his live playing so Zach recorded 5 tracks with the support of the first rate musicians of Ryan Montbleau Band. Sunshine is thus a reflection of Zach's one man show and his front man/guitarist abilities. Each aspect of his artistry is captured by two radically different approaches to recording, which--although antithetical in many respects, neatly capture the essence of Zach Deputy and the intriguing, uplifting hybrid of soul, gospel, rhythm and blues, calypso and hip-hop that is his own inspired invention. $14.99

Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band - Greatest Hips Volume II CD - "Greatest Hips" is a series of live albums that are made up of selected songs that were multi-track recorded, and professionally mixed and mastered. These recordings act as a digital bookmark of a period of time in Booty Band history. Often referred to as a truly live experience and a very visual performance, Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band has put together this compilation in order to bring the live experience of a show to your home, to your car, to your living room to re-live again and again. $13.99

Scythian - Live CD - Tracks include old standards like New York Girls, Devil Went Down to Georgia, Wisemaid Set, Gypsy Fiddle, My Son John, Hava Nagila and more! And we introduced some originals as well, with Cubicles and Tylenol, Dance All Night and Hey Mama Ya. 15 tracks in all, recorded in 11 different cities - don the dancing shoes and prep the taps for this one! $15

The Motet - Dig Deep CD - Dig Deep is a tapestry of sound that pushes the expectations of any listener who is familiar with the band's signature mix of afrobeat, electronica, funk, and jazz. Dig Deep presents The Motet revisited and refreshed, showcasing 12 great musicians who have contributed to the band over the years. Much of the material is geared toward the studio setting rather than their famed live shows, which is evident in Watts' rich production of interweaving rhythms and melodies. But in addition, every song on the 11-track album expresses the talents of these great musicians and plays well to the roots of the band's signature sound. $7.99

Amy Hendrickson & the Prime Directive CD - This six song EP is well worth your time and money as each song showcases the band's creative versatility. Various genres of music such as: folk, rock, funk, alternative, jazz, blues and psychedelic experimentation are all represented on this one-of-a-kind musical journey. The lyrics are meaningful and heart-felt. The instrumentation has emotion and passion. The band has received tons of local, national and international radio airplay with rave reviews. You are sure to enjoy the debut of this band from the rich and diverse music scene of Saint Augustine, Florida USA $7.99

Clay Ross - Matuto CD - Matuto (ma-two-toe) is Brazilian slang for country bumpkin.  Imagine the sound of a Brazilian Carnaval in the Appalachian Mountains.  A sound where exotic percussion instruments rumble beneath blues drenched vocals, Telecaster twangs, and folksy fiddle tunes.  Now, imagine these sounds in the hands of some of NYC's finest young improvisers as they light up club and festival stages world wide. $12

Funkuponya - Funkuponya CD - Funkuponya, a quartet based out of Raleigh, North Carolina was formed by a chance meeting off Craigslist in the spring of 2008. Featuring Doug Carter on guitar, Brian Werner on keys, Leo Kishore on bass, and Carl Blackwell on drums, the band strives to create ear catching melodies mixed with heated improvised jams, resulting in a rhythmic experience that keeps the body moving. Polished guitar mingles with stratospheric keyboards to keep the audience on their toes. All the while, the no-nonsense rhythm section keeps the music honest and forward-moving. These are the new guys on the Southeast funk and jam scene. $11.99

Medeski Martin & Wood - Radiolarians III CD - The third and final installment in their Radiolarians trilogy featuring the passionate and gritty traditional 'Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down,' the anthemic 'Undone,' and the Latin-influenced acoustic opener 'Chantes Des Femmes.' Overall, Radiolarians III finds the trio doing what they do best - melding genres and improvising. What results, is maybe the strongest and most cohesive album of the entire Radiolarian's series. $15.99

Upcoming Events:

August 13-15 - *Camp Barefoot - Gore, VA

August 12-15 - Mulberry Mountain Harvest Music Festival - Ozark, AR

August 28-30 - NedFest - Nederland, CO

August 28-30 - Summerdance - Nelson Ledges, OH

August 29 - Long Beach Funk Festival - Long Beach, CA

September 4-6 - The Get Down - Chapel Hill, NC

September 18-19 - Let it Roll - Ghent, NY

October 10-11 - 4th Annual Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival - Joshua Tree, CA

November 13-15 - *Bear Creek Music & Art Festival - Live Oak, FL

* Look for the HGMN booth at this event

Video of the Week:

Thanks for reading, go see some live music and have a great week. We'll be at Camp Barefoot this weekend jamming to Lotus, PGroove, Toubab Krewe, John Brown's Body and many more!
- Lee Crumpton