An extraordinary treat for Bay Area music lovers is coming to the Great American Music Hall on Sunday June 21^st, 2015.

To the delight of Bay Area and Northern California bluegrass lovers, mandolin guru David Grisman is fronting the Dawg Day Afternoon Bluegrass Festival at Green Music Center at Sonoma State University.

In a recent conversation we had, guitarist Leo Nocentelli laid down why music from New Orleans was so distinct.

“There are only a few cities that have a reputation of having a sound… [New Orleans] is a unique city that has its own identity. When a New Orleans record hits the radio, you know where it’s from. Being identified as an individual rather than sounding like anybody.”

Since his debut album Make a New World in 2010, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Steven Graves has built a solid following. He’s released six studio albums and contributed to social awareness causes and charity. While some might find elements of country, gospel, or folk rock in Graves’ style, his music is distinct beyond categorization. We’re excited about the release of his newest album Mission Bell and are here to chat with him about what’s current.

One of the prolific 21^st century musical breakthroughs from the East to West is the story of Bombino. Omara “Bombino” Moctar was born in Niger to a family of nomadic Tuaregs near the town of Agadez. Spending much his childhood in an encampment with seventeen siblings, he strayed from the norm of tradition and became infatuated with not only guitar playing, but also the different styles he would be exposed to from travelers and locals alike.

Founding Meters funk guitarist Leo Nocentelli is set to premier his exciting new incarnation of The Meters Experience. Founding Parliament Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell will join Nocentelli for two nights of funk classics at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, California.

While classic rock giants such as the Rolling Stones, The Who, and even the Dead are booking gargantuan sport stadiums, legends of jazz have a distinctly different approach. Popularity aside, jazz naturally thrives in intimate venues. The music wouldn’t sustain it’s full power in much larger than a cozy theatre. The comparison is only novelty since jazz necessitates more attention of its audience. In the late 1960s certain jazz musicians were growing tired of clichés about jazz becoming less mainstream with rock ‘n’ roll music then dominating the pop charts.

Billy Cobham is one of the key pioneering musicians of the jazz-fusion style, his music abolishes any supposed limitations of genre. As a member of Miles Davis he contributed to the groundbreaking fusion album Bitches Brew.

When relating to the Grateful Dead, the term cover band is a sticky one. Some joked that the Dead were the best cover band in the world. Close fans and family understood their powers more clearly. Rather than a cover band they were more of a snowball collecting remnants of America’s musical past. So the idea of covers has always been different when relating to the Dead. The bottom line is nobody in rock approached music the way they did, so cover or not, every tune became an original.

This year slamgrass pioneers Leftover Salmon celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary. Beyond the musical splendor, a blend of Cajun, bluegrass, zydeco, and hard psychedelic rock, is a lovable raucousness. Their triumphant resurgence into fulltime touring has been strengthened by the presence of founding Little Feat pianist Bill Payne.