When Elephant Revival took to the studio in Maine to record their 4^th LP – Petals(Thirty Tigers), with Josh Ritter’s long time collaborator and producer Sam Kassirer, it would be the first time doing so without founding member and singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Sage Cook.  It would also be the band’s studio introduction of Charlie Rose who stepped in Sage Cook’s place following his departure.  For the uninitiated, Elephant Revival is a self-described Transcendental Folk Quintet band

In a time where any musician can self-produce and release their own independent album, up-and-coming talents need to set the bar extra high, or at least posses image marketability. The story behind music industry insider Matt Reynolds’ debut release is far from this trend. The longtime road manager for Grateful Dead tribute favorite Dark Star Orchestra has released his impressively diverse Been Long Gone after years behind the scenes.

In Handmade Moments’ second album, Eye in the Sky, you’ll find a wonderful array of classy beatboxing, great rhythms and a smattering of political commentary. The beatboxing acts as a subtle foundation for their melodies. Their rhythms are interlinked between South and Central American sounds, classic bluegrass and modern folk with a few twinges of slide guitar. And the commentary – it’s subtle as well. There are no overbearing opinions, just lightly dancing hopes for a better world.

The gargantuan summer Fare Thee Well concerts represented a few milestones for the Grateful Dead. To celebrate the band’s fifty year anniversary the four living members, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart collectively decided two concerts at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California and three more at Chicago’s Solider Field would be the last time all of them got together to perform as The Dead.

In April 2015, Matt Reynolds released his first album. You may be asking, “Who is this Matt Reynolds you speak of?” If the name sounds familiar at all, you may know him as tour manager for Dark Star Orchestra. Reynolds has been touring with the band since 2006, and had help recording this new album called Been Long Gone from rhythm guitarist, Rob Eaton. Eaton is not the only big name off of this new album, which was recorded as Dark Star Orchestra toured across America.

Following up last year’s commercial and critical success for Sugar, which peaked on the Billboard charts at #49, G. Love and Special Sauce return to their soul-infused blues roots with their latest disc, Love Saves The Day.

When a band can joyfully experience first-time approaches to their craft even after 30 years and 11 albums together, it is no surprise that the result will be something sweet.

For southeastern jam band legends and pioneers Widespread Panic, coming together for a live, full band studio recording was something they had never done, until now.

With a wealth of live concerts under their belt since the late 90s it was nice to finally see The String Cheese Incident release an archival show a few years back entitled Rhythm of the Road Volume 1; a smoking complete performance from the Tabernacle in Atlanta from the winter of 2000. That was a fantastic release but fans have been left wondering if they were ever going to hear more.

TAUK, arguably the hottest instrumental prog-fusion quartet out of New York City, know how to close the summer parties right. After spending the summer hitting the festival circuit and playing some of the countries largest venues, including the opening spot at the sold out Umphrey’s McGee appearance at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO in July.

I’ve recently had the pleasure of listening to TAUK’s new double live album “HEADROOM”.  You can find it September 3^rd on as an exclusive 24-hour pre-release on 1320 records. As its namesake evokes, “HEADROOM” is a visceral and introspective album. Teeming with emotion and all expressed without the use of lyrics I found myself really “feeling” this album.