2009 was a banner year for a number of artists we cover regularly in the pages of Relix and on Jambands.com, and once again we polled a number of musicians, managers and festival promoters to hear their thoughts on the last twelve months. What keyboardist thinks his former bandmate will make it big in 2010? Which member of moe. has been digging Tom Waits and how does Obama fit into all this? Read on to find out…
Also, be sure to read the latest installments in our Auld Lang Syne series to see what Widespread Panic, Galactic, Drive-By Truckers, Danny Barnes, Brett Dennen, Tea Leaf Green, Railroad Earth, Rogue Wave, The Dodos and a number of other musicians have to say about the past twelve months.
KELLER WILLIAMS
What will you remember most about 2009?
I’ve been madly busy in 2009. I just recorded a bluegrass record with Larry and Jenny Keel. It is called Thief and will hopefully be out in early fall 2010.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
I listen to a lot of CDs when I drive. The one that kept me going the most this year is Funk Fixes and Remixes from the Pimps of Joytime. As far as my iPod is concerned, it lives in my iPod DJ Mixer. Lately, I’ve been mixing everything with trouble funk drum beats. I think my son hung off of my ipod as it was docked in the mixer and now…...she is broke.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
I believe my favorite show was Girl Talk. Late night at ROTHBURY. The super quiet second set with Larry Keel and Adam Aijala at the Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR was pretty special, too.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
2010 people should look out for Buck Wilson Jr., The John Lee Experience, The Jay Starling Quintet and K Love Dub and possibly The Covert Operations.
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
The decade belongs to Taylor Swift, The Jonas Brothers, The Eagles, Dave Grohl, U2, Madonna, Britney, Christina and Danny Barnes.
*****
NAT KEEFE (HOT BUTTERED RUM)
What will you remember most about 2009?
This was the year Matt Butler was integrated into our band. It’s been so much fun. I’m making the music I’ve always wanted to make, an integration of string band aesthetic, West African beats, and pop melodies. It was a year of transitions in my circle of friends and family. I find myself writing a lot of “hope/despair in the face of change” songs, for better and for worse!
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
John McLaughlin Live at the Royal Festival Hall- with Kai Ekhardt, it’s completely off the hook; Mastodon- Blood Mountain; The Decemberists- Hazards of Love; John Zorn- Bar Kokhba; Fleet Foxes- Ragged Wood; The Blow has a great single called “True Affection.” Amongst my colleagues and friends, I’ve really enjoyed Zach Gill’s new album, and the Avett Bros Rick Rubin album. Bela Fleck’s Throw Down Your Heart movie is amazing. It’s Bela collaborating with musicians in Africa, from communal marimba dance troupes to Malian divas.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
The Inauguration. Pete Seeger, years after being blacklisted by the American government, is given the spotlight in the Capitol. I also got really wrapped up in the Taylor Swift/Kanye controversy. That was fine entertainment. I’m going to stage a similar coup at the Jammys this year, watch out.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Fruition. Soul/blues stringband from Portland, OR. They are the biggest rockstars I’ve seen with acoustic instruments.
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
This was a rough decade in lot of ways. It’s the Decline and Fall of the American Empire. The artists that have been of service to people are either calling the shit like they see it, or giving us a viable way to escape. At the mega-scale, U2 does both these things well. Lady Gaga is in the process of setting a high bar for pop stars. Closer to home, I think Steve Earle is a hero for putting his career on the line to sing the truth.
IVAN NEVILLE (DUMPSTAPHUNK)
What will you remember most about 2009?
Doin’ an artist residency at Columbia College in Chicago. What a great experience!
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Various stuff by Sly & the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, The Meters, Peter Gabriel, Tupac, Soulive, The Stones, Beatles, Jay-Z & some new Dumpstaphunk tunes that we recorded & hope to put out early in 2010.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
Favorite show that we played was probably last night of NOJazzFest at Tipitina’s, the hit we did at The Fillmore with Eric Krasno & Chapter 2 and can’t leave out the Dumpsta Jam at Bear Creek with Bernie Worrell sittin it with us. The MSG Rock & Roll Hall of Fame show was very cool, Dave Mathews’ NOJazzfest set was great—as were Galactic on Jam Cruise ‘09 in the Theater doing a cover of Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit.”
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Dumpstaphunk, Eric Krasno & Chapter 2, Dragon Smoke, Pimps of Joytime, Tromebone Shorty & Orleans Ave.
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
The passing of Michael Jackson.
JON TOPPER (MOE./CORNMEAL MANAGER, SUMMER CAMP FESTIVAL, MOE.DOWN)
What will you remember most about 2009?
New President, Relix coming back strong then ever.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Eric Lindell’s Gulf Coast Highway and moe.’s Wormwood
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
moe. Halloween.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Cornmeal, The London Souls and McLovins
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
U2, Phish
JOSH RAYMER (JACOB FRED JAZZ ODYSSEY)
What will you remember most about 2009?
10 months of touring!
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Steven Bernstein’s MTO
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
NYC Winter Jazz Fest at Kenny’s Castaways
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Panda Resistance & Gogo Plumbay from Tulsa.
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
Animal Collective
*****
PAUL LEVINE (BEAR CREEK MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL)
What will you remember most about 2009?
I’ll remember that Phish came back and The Dead came back and that there was a horrendous economy, yet the music festival scene was still fairly healthy. Music is more important than ever in people’s lives.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
I don’t have an iPod. I listen mostly to live recordings. I do love listening to Cadillac Jones’ new album Rhythm Method and The New Mastersounds’ Ten Years On.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
My favorite show of 2008 was either Lettuce or Dumpstaphunk jamming at Bear Creek with Derek Trucks, Kofi Burbridge, Skerik, The Shady Horns and others. I also loved seeing Robert Walter’s 20th Congress with Karl Denson at the Maple Leaf in New Orleans during Jazz Fest at 3AM. That was a special show. As far as a tour, I loved seeing Widespread Panic with The Allman Brothers.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Zach Deputy
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
Derek Trucks, My Morning Jacket, Radiohead
STEVE MOLITZ (PARTICLE, PHIL LESH & FRIENDS)
What will you remember most about 2009?
Globally: Barack Obama’s entrance, and Michael Jackson’s exit
Personally: The Playing For Change Fall U.S. Tour
What albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Paul F. Tompkins Impersonal The Raconteurs Broken Boy Soldier, Patton Oswalt, My Weakness Is Strong, Eminem Relapse, Bill Hicks Rant In E Minor,
Eric McFadden Our Revels Now Are Ended and Who’s Laughing Now Joe Rogan Shiny Happy Jihad Michael Jackson Bad
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
Jamie Cullum -Antibes, France, Juan Les Pins – Jazz au Juan, 7/17/09
What emerging bands should readers watch out for in 2010?
Heatbox, The Heavy Pets, Roster McCabe, The Everyone Orchestra- It’s really inspiring to see someone (Matt Butler) with such a unique musical vision taking risks instead of falling in line with the more homogenized and predictable trends of the jam scene. He truly is one of a kind, and I respect the fact that he’s essentially inventing his own genre of music.
Also, any project with Charlie Hitchcock on guitar. He’s one of the most talented guitarists I’ve ever had the opportunity to play with, and I hope to see him back on the scene in 2010.
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
Barack Obama. He’s probably the dopest rapper to come out of the underground D.C. hip hop scene in a long time. You can check him out on YouTube
ED ANDERSON (BACKYARD TIRE FIRE)
What will you remember most about 2009?
We flew out to Portland and made a record produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos to be released 2.13.10! We also toured with folks like Gov’t Mule, Rev. Horton Heat and Cracker.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
The records that were/are on my turntable most are Neil Young & Crazy Horse Tonight’s the Night, Stones Exile on Main St., Beatles “White Album,” Warren Zevon Stand in the Fire, Allmans Fillmore East-, etc.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
Cracker. Great people and an amazing rock & roll band at the top of their game for sure.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Backyard Tire Fire
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
That’s a tough one. Honestly? It’ll probably be somebody like Fall Out Boy, Black Eyed Peas or Kenny Chesney. Right? Isn’t that what the kids love these days?
JIM LOUGHLIN (MOE.)
What will you remember most about 2009?
Having the opportunity to meet Terry Bozzio and actually get to play his drum set.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Tom Waits’ Orphan: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards, Bela Fleck’s classical album, Coheed & Cambria’s Star IV and Les Claypool’s Of Whales and Woe
What was your favorite show or tour in 2009?
The two show stand at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ July 4th Weekend
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
Ha-Ha the Moose
What artist or artists will be most synonymous with the past decade?
Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and every Disney recording artist
