Of all the great cities in the U.S. nothing can compare culturally to New Orleans. It seems all of the hardships endured have only strengthened and secured its identity as one of the best places to see impromptu jams or the biggest names in music and party down. Their Jazz Festival thrown every April sees the best touring musicians sitting down for uncommon collaborations, partying and playing all night.

Free Magic. Isn’t that what jazz-fusion is? Using a launch pad of some familiar melody, rhythmic riff, or instrumentation, and building it forward and outward until it gets really weird. That’s what Miles Davis realized about jazz music in the late 60s, that it was the root of all American music, and with that in mind any so-called style could be integrated into the so-called genre of jazz.

On the eve of their 20^th anniversary as a band, southern jam rocker’s Widespread Panic had a difficult decision to make. The decision to dismiss their new lead guitar player George McConnell was most likely a mutual one.

Whenever anybody puts the word “jazz” in front of the word “guitar”, certain universal indicators will emerge regardless of whom or what is being talked about. Generally “jazz” and “guitar” as a pairing will conjure another indicatory-laced meaning: “solo”. Inevitably, whenever somebody is playing jazz guitar, they are playing solo-oriented music. But what is the status quo of jazz anyways? Is there one? Not anymore. Too many purists, progressives, and modernists will have different ideas or definitions on what the quintessential essence of jazz is exactly.

As I arrived at the festival grounds Sunday, August 26th, I regrettably walked in right as Grant Farm was playing their closing chords. I heard their forward-flowing jamgrass sound from the walk down. This Nederland and Front-Range mainstay band led by National Flatpicking Champion Tyler Grant is one of the hottest local bluegrass acts to catch.

Saturday saw some true veteran acts of NedFest returning for the 14^th year. San Francisco jam-band New Monsoon returned to Colorado after an extended hiatus from national touring (people get married, have kids, you know?) I used to see New Monsoon a few times a year in Colorado back in the mid 2000s.

Us Coloradoans are blessed with the summer opportunity to attend so many wonderful destination music festivals. From Telluride to Lyons, from Aspen to Nederland, the amount of music and fun available is really endless. Anybody considering moving from their ordinary neck-of-the-woods to Colorado could assure himself or herself that the music scene out here is at a peak in the summer months.  I have two summer favorites that I never miss.

Grateful Web recently had a chance to speak to lead guitarist for Widespread Panic, Jimmy Herring.  Jimmy talked about playing in numerous bands, getting ready to do a solo tour and Jimmy’s brand new studio album, his brand new studio album, Subject for Change Without Notice, due out August 28^th.

Genre definition is so overrated. Whether it be film, music, or art, it seems like everything has mated nowadays, making for an integrated fusion of a once duality or whatever. Really it just sounds pretentious. It seems like many artists in the music industry are marginalized into “pitching” their sound or concept to record labels, audiences, or promoters. I can only imagine the headache of trying to define your band’s “sound”.

All good things must come to an end. Right? So they say. And Sunday, July 22^nd was the last of the four-day 17^th Annual Gathering of the Vibes Festival held in Bridgeport’s lovely Seaside Park off of the Long Island Sound. The festival this year was peaceful, safe, and rowdy at the right times. All of the vendors, food and merchandise were a pleasure to meet and deal with.