Funk

Option 22 is an Worldbeat ensemble with a revolutionary vibe. Dubbed by one listener a “new age jam band,” their broad style spans from newgrass to space-folk to roots-rock world funk and points in between. They are channels for the music, allowing it to flow through them and deliver it to whomever is present along with messages of hope, love and healing.  On the fly collaborative dynamics, rhythmic muscle and thematic inventions shower you with sound that is sure to lift your vibration and unlock the doors of your heart, allowing you to groove freely and transcend. This is more than just a good time band.

Based in Princeton, West Virginia, Lori McKinney (vocals, drums, djembe, spoken word) and Robert Blankenship (guitar, banjo, shamisen, hand-drums, didgeridoo) have been writing and playing music together since early 2004, forging songs from the creative blast furnace of the divine flow. Now infusing the mix are the intense, driving bass lines of Brandon Dunn (bass) and the intuitive, free form guitar stylings of Jordan Furrow (lead guitar, percussion).

Their work as healing artists and arts organizers (they founded and run Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival and The RiffRaff Arts Collective) is fueled by a strong desire to build and contribute to community. Their music reflects that passion. With backgrounds in theatre, performance, yoga/meditation, and visual arts, the group comes together with an artistic mind-set and a vision for a better world.

 The Blue James Band is an American rock band founded and fronted by vocalist and guitar player Clifton Williams.  The Blue James Band was formed in Los Angeles, California, but are now based in Boston, MA.

The band began in 2004 as a vehicle for Clifton Williams’ songs while he was scoring projects for film and television while in Los Angeles.  The band released their debut record, that’s that, in 2005 and their sophomore effort, WILL, in 2008.

After touring the Western US from 2005-2008, Clifton decided to move the project to the East Coast to “see how the other half lives” as he puts it.  “I’ve lived in California my whole life and though I love it and consider myself a true Californian, I wanted to get out for awhile to experience the other coast.”

He stopped in Virginia for a few years, released the 2nd Blue James Band album and finally settled into the Boston area.  It was in Virginia where he met current bass player Bryan Worley and multi-instrumentalist Liz Lawrence.  They moved to Boston with Clifton and along with Cornelius Foley on drums, the East coast Blue James Band was completed.  Keyboardist Valerie Taylor also tours with the band on occasion.

The band recorded their 3rd album, Give Me the Love or Give Me the Fight, while on tour in Virginia.  Clifton produced the record and finished the process at his studio in Boston, MA.  Scott Reibling (Weezer, Letters to Cleo) mixed the record which will be released on Chappy Payne Records in September of 2012.

The Colorado-bred quintet combines the elements of mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitar, upright bass, drums and vocals to explore the musical boundaries of multiple genres and to fuel their own mixture of original music and innovative cover song interpretations.  Whether playing an intimate encore, acoustic and unplugged in the crowd, or surfing on top of the upright bass, Whitewater Ramble delivers a powerful and memorable live performance.

Their debut studio album All Night Drive was released in the summer of 2010 to rave reviews and critical acclaim.  It was produced by Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth and features 12 original genre-bending tracks and special guests from a range of superstar bands including Tea Leaf Green, Railroad Earth, Particle, The David Grisman Quintet and Hot Buttered Rum.  

WWR has had the privilege of supporting, touring with and sharing stages with Railroad Earth, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Greensky Bluegrass, Cornmeal, The Infamous Stringdusters, Dark Star Orchestra, Little Feat, Papa Mali, The New Mastersounds, The Gourds, The David Grisman Quintet, Jerry Douglas, Lotus, Splitlip Rayfiled, Members of the String Cheese Incident, Particle, Hot Buttered Rum, Drew Emmitt of Leftover Salmon, DJ Logic, Donna The Buffalo, The Contribution, The Motet, Tea Leaf Green, Henry Butler, Vince Herman and Great American Taxi, Peter Rowan, Tony Furtado and many more.

Based in Fort Collins, CO, WWR has performed and headlined on every major stage across the Rocky Mountain Region. With over 700+ performances under their belt, the group has truly established themselves as one of the hardest working groups in the jam scene today.

A diverse festival resume has helped bring WWR to stages at events like the Northwest String Summit, Wakarusa, Yonder Mountain’s Harvest Festival, Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival, 80/35 Festival, Nedfest, Bohemian Nights NewWestFest, The Wildflower Pavilion at RockyGrass, Copper Mountain Sunsation, Desert Rocks Music Festival, Love Your Mother Earth Music Festival, Keystone Bluegrass and Brews, The Denver People's Fair, South Park Music Festival, Westword's Music Showcase, numerous Brew Festivals, and their own annual two day music and camping festival, Ramble on the River.

WhiteWater Ramble is:

• Patrick Sites – Mandolin/Vocals
• Patrick Latella – Acoustic Guitar/Vocals
• Howard Montgomery – Upright Bass/Vocals
• Ben Blechman – Fiddle/Vocals
• Paul Kemp – Drums