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Trey Anastasio - Seis De Mayo

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Phish frontman Trey Anastasio’s third official solo release finds him in an orchestral mood, offering up dramatic re-workings of Phish songs and new originals. He plays on only two of the album’s seven tracks, preferring instead to focus on writing, arranging and conducting the classical musicians at his disposal. His last two records, 2001’s Trey Anastasio and 2003’s double-live Plasma, were deep funk explorations recorded with his powerhouse solo band. This fully instrumental cd explores his music in an entirely different setting, and despite clocking in at only 29 minutes, each moment is infused with his singular musical vision.

Various Artists - Grassroots Stages

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Filmmaker Michael O’Connell has crafted a touching and heartfelt portrayal of the music and people behind the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival in Trumansburg, NY. The annual non-profit four-day festival has been raising money for the fight against AIDS for 15 years, and recently expanded to create the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival in Silk Hope, NC. Not just a concert film, O’Connell concentrates heavily on the people behind the music, including extensive interviews with festival organizers Jordan and Jeb Puryear among others. Jeb is one of the lead singers and guitarists for Donna the Buffalo, making them the quasi-host band of the festival.

Larry Keel - Beautiful Thing

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On a budget of $7000, director James Ryan Gielen and his company, Brownpenny Films, have created a documentary that is as unpretentious and rough around the edges as its subject. Beautiful Thing is a stark, black-and-white look at the travels and trials of acoustic guitar genius Larry Keel during 2002. If you have ever met Larry, it is hard to imagine him as the impetus for this project, and by the time the show is over it becomes clear that Gielen was the brains behind the thing. Keel’s salty, hilltopping tunes are treated with the utmost respect and the viewer feels his vision throughout.

Jupiter Coyote - The Hillary Step

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According to Jupiter Coyote co-founder Matthew Mayes, their eighth release is named for Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb to the top of Mount Everest. The "step" is the final 200 feet of the climb, where it is said one either gives up and turns back, dies, or makes it to the summit. With "The Hillary Step," this five-piece Brevard-based band is set to enjoy a fantastic view from the top of the mountain, while the modern music world of American Idol pan-flashes and Janet Jackson body-flashes keeps falling down around them.

Toots & The Maytals - True Love

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One of the most recognizable names in entertainment, Toots Hibbert is considered a founding artist of reggae music. Returning to the studio with his legendary band The Maytals, Hibbert reminds listeners of his influential musical life on the new album True Love. While some may view this album's cavalcade of special guests as an attempt by the aging Hibbert to cash in on star power, it is far from an anomaly. Hibbert has always been as much of a collaborator as he has been a force of his own. With that in mind, it is impossible not to salivate at the list of performers on True Love. It is easy to see that everyone who participates here has been influenced by Hibbert. Also included are tracks with some of his past collaborators.

Soul Coughing - Live Releases

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Soul Coughing, the now-defunct NYC band whose career was far too short, found an awful lot of music during their brief time together. There are not enough adjectives in the human vocabulary to describe their sound. With only three (spectacular) album releases to their credit and one “best of” compilation on the shelves, the band unintentionally left their fan base without much to remember them by. The band members have gone on to other things, but the yearn that a Soul Coughing fan feels for the band is similar to that of a Phish fan during hiatus. Various live recordings have surfaced recently, along with a handful of front man Mike Doughty’s solo adventures, and the community was briefly satisfied with the small cache of bootlegs that circulate.

Umphrey's McGee - Live From the Lake Coast

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Up until a few weeks ago, I was not very familiar with Umphrey’s McGee. I knew they were an “up-and-coming” band who occasionally showcased twinges of rock, jazz improvisation, heavy metal, and rap (all of this without actually hearing a single one of their songs). After viewing their first live DVD release, “Live From the Lake Coast,” I realized that Umphrey’s McGee is the real deal. They are a powerful, poignant, and idiosyncratic group of musicians who aren’t afraid to groove.

ulu - Nerve

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Nerve, the new album from ULU, is a perfect example of what I like to call New Age Funk. ULU displays an amazing amount of different beats along with great rhythms throughout the album. The entire record is a tribute to their musical talent. With few songs with lyrics, the instruments are the vocals of this album.

Amfibian - From the Ether

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Attention Phish Fans, longtime friend Tom Marshall returns with his second Amfibian album entitled From the Ether. The album definitely has a Phish feel to it. Though this time the group is completely different, Marshall still puts out the same general sound which has made him so popular.

Either/Orchestra - Afro-Cubism

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The Either Orchestra says more with their instruments then words could every say in their new album, Afro-Cubism. The ten piece group combines all their musical talent with their creativity into a 42 minute, 6 track, piece of genius. The classical but jazz-like sound they produce is a testament to their powerful instruments and intuitive ideas.

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