Today we look back to December 16, 2005…

Cactus Collaborations Across the Bridge

A night after Page McConnell augmented Russell Batiste at New Yorks Lions Den, Mike Gordon joined the prolific New Orleans drummer for a handful of Mardi Gras staples across the GW Bridge. In addition a family trees worth of Batiste, the all-star band featured Bridge guitarist Cris Jacobs and DJ Williams Projekt’s Gordon Jones, who performed on club chestnuts like Cissy Strut, Turn On Your Lovelight and Get Down Tonight. After watching Wednesday nights set from the audience, Gordon joined the ensemble on bass for approximately an hour during Batistes second set. Batiste will perform with a wide range of Friends Saturday at Baltimore, MDs 8 × 10 Club.

Lo Faber Band Returns

Lo Faber first made his name as the guiding light behind seminal 90s jamband God Street Wine. After that band parted ways in late 1999 Faber relocated to upstate New York fulltime, penning an opera, Henrys House, and forming the Lo Faber Band. After a few years on inactivity, the Lo Faber Band will reunite with some new members and some special guests for two performances this weekend. Tonight, the group will play
a 90-minute set at New Yorks Knitting Factory Tap Bar, before offering a two-set performance at New Jerseys The Underpass on Saturday. If Fabers weekend sets are anything like his previous solo gigs, one should expect both GSW-classics and a wide range of new material.

STT with SKB

Last night, the Steve Kimock Band performed two sets at Seattle, WAs The Show Box. Featuring such esteemed musicians as Reed Mathis, Rodney Holmes and Robert Walter, Kimocks new unit is in many ways a all-star jam every night, but, last night, the group weaved in another notable name. Susan Tedeschi-Trucks joined Kimock in on guitar for STD and Youre the One during the bands second set. Tedeschi will perform at
Seattles The Moore Theater tonight, while Kimock will hold court at Portland, ORs Crystal Ballroom.

A Barr Brothers Christmas

Last year, the Slips Andrew and Brad Barr recorded a handful of Christmas themed cuts with the help of some particularly inspiring eggnog. Originally intended as a holiday gift for their nearest and dearest, the Barr Brothers ran through a number of Yule Time favorites including White Christmas, Silent Night, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Oh Little Town of Bethlehem. After hearing the tapes, the Slips co-manger, and frequent Jambands.com photographer, Jon Bahr encouraged the brothers to release the material in the form of a five song, digital EP known as A Barr Brothers Christmas.While fans figure out how to stuff, er slip, the digital EP into a stocking, the trio is off the road gearing up for a three-night New Years run alongside Apollo Sunshine.

Bela Fleck, Umphreys McGee, Tea Leaf Green and Apollo Sunshine Among the Artists Scheduled to Appear at the High Sierra Music Festival

The initial lineup for the 16th annual High Sierra Music Festival has been announced. Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Nickel Creek, Umphrey’s McGee, Robert Walter’s Super Heavy Organ, Tea Leaf Green, ALO, Drew Emmitt Band, Lotus, the New Mastersounds, Apollo Sunshine, Adrienne Young and Little Sadie, Shady Deal, Dubconscious and Church are among the bands scheduled to play this years festivities. As previously reported, the 2006 High Sierra Music Festival will take place in Quincy, CA from June 29 to July 2, 2006. Advanced tickets are now available via the festivals official webpage.