Photo by Alicia J. Rose
Progressive bluegrass pioneers Leftover Salmon are performing at the Britt Pavilion on June 27th. The band recently released their first album in eight years ‘Aquatic Hitchhiker’ last week and have been receiving unanimous praise with CMT calling it “a heady mix of feel-good tunes,” Guitar World calling them “a genre-defining band” and the Associated Press describing the new record “a mix of bluegrass, country, Americana, blues, jazz and classical influences, plus some unexpected hints of New Orleans and calypso.”
Looking back over the past 25 years of rootsy, string-based music, the impact of Leftover Salmon is impossible to deny. Formed in Boulder at the end of 1989, the Colorado slamgrass pioneers were one of the first bluegrass bands to add drums and tour rock & roll bars, helping Salmon become a pillar of the jam band scene and unwitting architects of the jam grass genre.
Though the band members are reticent to accept the weight of their influence, Leftover Salmon co-founder, singer, guitarist, fiddle and mandolin player Drew Emmitt does reflect fondly on the band’s early days. “We knew we were doing something special” he says. “At that point in the early-90′s, it was the birth of the jam band movement, Phish was starting out, Widespread Panic was starting out, and they were a little ahead of us, obviously, but we were one of the first bands to get out there with bluegrass and just get on the road and try to make something happen without a record deal. We were just following in the footsteps of New Grass Revival, Hot Rize and Little Feat, but by doing that I think we inspired some other bands too.”
Leftover Salmon is: Vince Herman (vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin); Drew Emmitt (vocals, mandolin, acoustic and electric guitar, mandola, fiddle); Andy Thorn (vocals, acoustic and electric banjo, National guitar); Greg Garrison (vocals, acoustic and electric bass, acoustic guitar); Jose Martinez (drums, percussion)
More details about the group can be found a www.leftoversalmon.com
Opening for Leftover Salmon is the fun group Brokedown in Bakersfield. Both groups’ videos are online at www.brittfest.org
Britt tickets are a steal at $36 for Reserved, and $26 for Lawn! Buy Online at www.brittfest.org or call 541.773.6077.