Voodoo Visionary

Hailing from the Dirty South musical mecca of Atlanta, GA, Voodoo Visionary’s improvisational funk dance music balances a tight, grooving rhythm section with soulful organ, funky clavinet, singing synthesizers, masterful guitar licks, and moving vocals to create a sound the group calls psychofunk. Influenced by a wide array of artists from Parliament Funkadelic and the Meters to the Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers Band to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock, Voodoo Visionary has a uniquely blended sound that’s guaranteed to put the 'oogie in yo boogie.

The band is Trent Gilson (bass), Scott MacDonald (vocals), Jose Rivera (percussion) Mac Schmitz (drums), Marcus White (keys) and Mike Wilson (guitar). Over the past 11 years, these players have built a unique chemistry that allows for exceptional improvisation during live shows and relaxed and creative songwriting sessions.

Voodoo Visionary released their debut album, Spirit of the Groove in March 2015 and their sophomore album Off The Ground in February 2017. While playing across the country over the last several years, the band has been direct support for Col. Bruce Hampton, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe featuring Jimmy Herring, TAUK, DJ Logic, Big Something, Zach Deputy, Earphunk, Roosevelt Collier, Jerry Joseph, The Main Squeeze, Futurebirds, Fruition and more. In May 2015, they made their major festival debut at Counterpoint Music Festival near Rome, GA. Since then, they have excelled further into the national music scene with festival performances at Suwannee Hulaween, Sweetwater 420 Fest, Imagine Festival, Backwoods Music Festival, Funk Fest, Purple Hatters Ball, Great Outdoors Jam, and Hookahville.

“Voodoo Visionary… synthesizes elements of funk, jazz, disco, and rock ‘n’ roll into their unique improvisational sound.” – Live For Live Music

“A mix of psychedelic southern funk, Michigan soul, and gulf coast flavor.” - Relix

"Vooodoo Visionary is the next generation of Atlanta funk bands." - Seth Weiner, Inside Out WTNS

“If this band had been around in the early ‘70s out of Atlanta, they would surely have been scooped up in a heartbeat by Capricorn Records... Repeated listenings reveal layer upon layer of elements. This is simply a superb recording, in terms of composition, performance, and sound.” – Scott Hopkins, MusicFestNews.com

“Spirit of the Groove refuses to confine the band to a single genre and takes listeners on an adventure through sound and time... Voodoo Visionary has embraced and harnessed this epic blend [of influences], resulting in a truly amazing studio record.” – Randy Harris, Live Music Daily

“While genre conventions are clearly upheld, driving rhythms, blistering lead guitar, and gospelesque lyrics, Voodoo Visionary escape the generic and create their own space, capitalizing on what works within funk as a genre. These guys will no doubt jam easily into the college bar scene, keeping the waning hippie contingent well fueled with healthy servings of funk. For that matter, Voodoo Visionary maintains the spirit of bump and sway in an otherwise monolithic universe of EDM. Before robots usurped dance music, this was what you dropped doses to. This is what outer space looked like from fifty thousand feet.” – Jon Litten, The Artifact Magazine

The Aquaducks are a high-energy funk and soul band from Nashville, TN with a fresh, yet nostalgic brand of modern funk music.

The Aquaducks’ live show is a party on the stage and off, from start to finish.  While the musical influence of artists such as Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, and Lettuce provide enough musical meat to satisfy the appetites of even the most discerning critics, their light-hearted and fun approach to performance ensures that no-one in the audience is left behind.  

The Ducks’ performances around the United States have included appearances at Bonnaroo, Rochester International Jazz Festival, FiBArk Festival, and numerous local and regional festivals.  They have had the honor of sharing bills with artists such as The Motet, George Porter Jr., Billy Strings, Anders Osborne, The California Honey Drops and The Werks. Currently, the band’s tour schedules include stops throughout the Southeast, Colorado, Florida, the Midwest, and Northeast and they show no signs of slowing down as they continue their quest to share the funk with the world.

2019’s “The Deep End” release marked a new chapter in the life of The Aquaducks.  The five-song collection explores the deeper side of the band through its use of extended breakdowns and solo sections that impactfully contrast their catchy songwriting.  Upon release, the song “Got Me Funked Up” was featured as the second track on Spotify’s All Funked Up playlist, exposing the band’s music to a new wave of fans. 

Described by Brooklyn, NY blog Pancakes and Whiskey as "Dripping with enough funk to fill several swimming pools," The Aquaducks have developed a strong audio-visual experience and established a long-term relationship with fans.  Join now, or be late to the party.

Teddy and the Rough Riders

The Nashville, TN natives have the unique ability to combine almost every genre, so I would not even single out their music as country rock. Ryan Jennings (Bass, vox), (Jack Quiggins – Guitar, vox), Luke Schneider (Pedal Steel), and Nick Swafford (Drums), have something special going on with Teddy and The Rough Riders and we are seeing that with their debut EP.

With any combination of country, rock, Americana/folk, psychedelic pop, and many others, Teddy and The Rough Riders debut is a 6 song EP containing a myriad of sounds. From the slow melody of “Martini”, to the swinging alternative country rock sounding “Buckle Bunny”, this EP is an endless musical kaleidoscope. 

Teddy and The Rough Riders may get their name from Theodore Roosevelt, and they might be reminiscent of Grateful Dead, but they are making a name for themselves with this EP and their awesome hodgepodge of sounds and influences. 

Country Westerns

Country Westerns is a three-piece rock band from Nashville that sounds nothing like its name. Drummer Brian Kotzur (Trash Humpers, Silver Jews) and singer-songwriter-guitarist Joseph Plunket (The Weight, Gentleman Jesse) began working on songs together in 2016, after bonding over the shared desire to be in a band in a town full of solo artists and guns-for-hire. Following a couple of years writing and playing shows with varying lineups, Sabrina Rush (State Champion) joined the band as bassist. The now complete Country Westerns recorded their debut album in New York and Nashville, encouraged by friend and producer Matt Sweeney. Plunket’s raspy bravado and subtle twang, his insistent 12-string guitar riffs, Kotzur’s dynamic and metronomic drumming, and Rush’s harmonic bass playing create hyper catchy rock songs, with lyrics that bend towards poetry and punk rock sneer in equal measure. Their self-titled debut is slated for release in 2020 on Fat Possum Record.

The Go Beyond Tour: Dear Silas LIVE IN CONCERT w/ Special Guests: Rev Bankroll & Bob Street, Def Jam Artist Kaleb Mitchell, and Troop Brand FRIDAY, APRIL 10TH

Mississippi hip-hop artist Dear Silas is a creative rapper and trumpet player, known for his literate songs and inventive production. Having initially grabbed fans with his 2016 debut, The Day I Died, Silas broke through to a wider audience in 2018 after his track "Skrr Skrr" went viral as part of a Dexter's Laboratory-inspired meme. 

Born Silas Stapleton III, Dear Silas grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, where he started playing trumpet at age twelve in the school band. By the time he left high school, he was also heavily into hip-hop, and spent several years studying music performance at the University of Louisiana in Monroe. Just shy of earning his degree, he left school to pursue his music career. Following an initial mixtape, he issued his 2016 debut independent album, The Day I Died, which featured production by Claw Beats, Antwone Perkins, Ken Cruze, and others. 

Despite his rising career, Silas still needed to pay his bills and eventually found himself working days at a Jackson-based computer store. It was while working at the store that he came up with the vocal hook for "Skrr Skrr." Realizing that his co-workers found the hook catchy, he immediately went home and finished off the previously all-instrumental track. He released the song online, and it quickly went viral, racking up thousands of plays. At the same time, someone else applied the song to a scene from Cartoon Network's' Dexter's Laboratory, crafting a video meme in which Dexter coos the vocal chorus of "Skrr Skrr" to a classmate. The meme also proved a viral hit, and helped raise the rapper's profile. Labels took notice, and Silas eventually signed a partnership agreement with RCA. In 2018, he released his sophomore album, The Last Cherry Blossom, which included "Skrr Skrr" and featured guest spots from Vitamin Cea, Aha Gazelle, and Compozitionz.

Featured in Rolling Stone and Billboard:

Rooted in triple-stacked harmonies, southern storytelling, and cosmic country twang, Cordovas create their own version of American roots-rock with That Santa Fe Channel.

The album marks the band's ATO Records debut, arriving after more than a half-decade's worth of international touring, communal living, and shared songwriting sessions. It's a timely - and timeless - version of a sound that's existed for 50 years, ever since pioneers like the Grateful Dead and the Allman Bothers Band blurred the lines between rock, country, and amplified folk music. If That Santa Fe Channel nods to the band's influences, though, it's still a fiercely unique album, recorded in a series of live takes that shine a light not only on Cordovas' songwriting chops, but their strength as a raw, rugged live band, as well.

That Santa Fe Channel was produced by the Milk Carton Kids' Kenneth Pattengale in East Nashville, not far from the home that doubles as the band's rehearsal space, headquarters, and shared living quarters. There, in a converted barn behind the property's main house, the guys logged countless hours fine-tuning a sound that's already earned praise from outlets like NPR Music and Rolling Stone, who described the group as "the harmony-heavy, guitar-fueled house band at a Big Pink keg party in 1968." With its western wooziness and siesta-friendly swagger, That Santa Fe Channel also nods to the band's other home bases: Southern California, where bassist and band leader Joe Firstman lived for years; and Todos Santos, Mexico, where Cordovas' five members travel every winter to write new songs, sharpen old standbys, and oversee the acclaimed Tropic of Cancer Concert Series. The result is a record that's steeped in
- but not limited to - southern sounds and California charm. It's American music without borders.

Years before Cordovas' formation, Firstman traveled the country as a solo musician. Raised in North Carolina, he moved to Hollywood as a determined 20 year-old, signing a major-label deal with Atlantic Records in 2002. His debut album, War of Women, hit stores one year later. When a dizzying blur of acclaimed shows - including opening dates for Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson - weren't enough to satisfy the expectations of a big-budget record label, Firstman lost his contract and took a new job as music director on Last Call with Carson Daly. It was good work, with Firstman performing nightly alongside first-rate musicians like Thundercat and Kamasi Washington. Still, the need to create his own music was ever-present. With Cordovas, he's found his ultimate vehicle: a collaborative band with multiple lead singers and a collective approach not only to songwriting, but to existing. Cordovas aren't just bandmates. They're roommates. They're co-conspirators. They're a family.

"The Cordovas are a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week job," clarifies Firstman, who shares the bandd's roster with drummer Graham Spillman, keyboardist Sevans Henderson, and dueling lead guitarists Lucca Soria and Toby Weaver. "You're always on call to play, to adapt to another man's idea, to pick up a guitar or look at a lyrics sheet. We're eating dinner together, hanging out together, and making art. We don't have rehearsal times, because rehearsal is always. You have to honor the art first, and everything else comes second."

Living in such close quarters - both at home and on the road - has turned Cordovas into a band of brothers. Stop by the band's East Nashville compound and you may find Soria and Weaver picking their way through bluegrass songs inside the barn, while Firstman wraps up family dinner in the kitchen and Spillman fixes the band's RV outside. There's a communal vibe to the band's existence that bleeds over into their songs, where it's often hard to pinpoint a single person's voice in those thick, swooning harmonies. That Santa Fe Channel is the soundtrack to that communal existence: a collection of songs written together, performed together, and lived together.

And what a soundtrack it is. There's the Band-influenced boogie-woogie of "Standin'; on the Porch," full of blue notes and pedal steel. There's the layered melodies of "I'm the One Who Needs You Tonight,: the classic chord changes of "Selfish Loner," the barroom piano of "Step Back Red," and the hungover charm of the album's opener, "This Town's a Drag," which finds Firstman searching for illegal thrills in a dry town. Together, That Santa Fe Channel's nine songs paint the picture of a band on the rise, heading for a horizon whose beauty can match their own.

Since 2009, Eminence Ensemble has been building their fan-base through explosive live shows and unique genre-blending. The Colorado-based group infuses elements of Jazz, Rock, Electronic, Metal, Soul/Funk, and Hip-Hop to create intricate compositions, decorated with psychadelic improvisations. The band is comprised of six members: Tanner Bardin [Drums], Nick Baum [Percussion/Lead Vocal], Johnny Bosbyshell [Keyboard/Synth], Zac Flynn [Bass/Synth/Vocals], Taylor Frederick [Guitar/Vocals] & Justin Neely [Guitar/Vocals], making a solid framework for a huge sound and a whirlwind of creativity. Gaining their following first as a live band, Eminence Ensemble learned to capture the crowd with high-energy performances and large-scale production, with a light show just as dynamic as the music. And although they mainly thrive in the Jam Scene, the band is recognized by fans of all genres. Eminence Ensemble has become known for their complex song structures, heavy bass-drops, synchronized guitar-lines, dense vocal-harmonies, and powerful dual-percussion, both on-stage and in-studio. The sextet focuses most on creating a one-of-a-kind show for their followers. Each set list is carefully constructed to capture the vibe of the venue and the energy of the audience. In 2018, the band earned the honor of touring alongside reggae rockstar Matisyahu, gaining more national attention from fans while simultaneously selling out their own headlining shows. With over 400 shows under their belt, Eminence Ensemble has proven their worth in the scene, playing festival slots at Summer Camp, Electric Forest, Camp Bisco, Wave Spell, Euphoria, The Werkout, and more.

In their most recent release 'Real News' (2019) Eminence Ensemble truly pinpointed their studio sound. The full-length 13-song LP exemplifies the diversity of the band, weaving in and out of genres while still remaining cohesive. Their thought-provoking lyrics allow the listener to dive deep into the music, while the music itself paints the picture. From radio-ready singles to eight-minute long musical odysseys, 'Real News' is a testament to the constantly evolving world we live in.

Flow Tribe

Few bands arouse a crowd into a collective shake like Flow Tribe. The six-member band’s onstage chemistry reflects a seamless combination of soul and movement that hits the audience within the first few notes. Virgin listeners and avid fans alike are drawn in by the distinctive sound that feels both familiar and original. From major festival stages around the world to leading a parade down the street, this is a group of professional musicians who’ve found their passion, and are living a dream where everyone’s welcome.

Second line brass and Cuban-Caribbean rhythms meld with R&B, soul, rock, and hip-hop beats in high-energy performances that turn every show into a celebration. New Orleans is influence itself, the unparalleled free and easy city weaving its way into track after track of original scores that make up a single definition of sound, which Flow Tribe has dubbed “backbone-cracking music.”

K.C. O’Rorke (vocals, trumpet), John-Michael Early (harmonica, washboard, vocals, keyboard), Nick Solnick (drums), Chad Penot (bass, vocals), Bryan Santos (guitar, timbales), and Mario Palmisano (guitar) are native New Orleanians and high school pals who’ve been writing music and playing live shows since the band’s inception in 2004. Post graduation, they went their separate ways, but after Katrina, each returned to their hometown, inherently becoming active members in the rebuilding of a community that’s stronger than ever.

In 2017 Flow Tribe teamed up with legendary Hip Hop producer Mannie Fresh (Lil Wayne, Big Tymers) to create the album “BOSS”. The album reached #55 on the Billboard R&B charts and #5 on the Relix/Jambands.com chart reflecting the diversity of sound represented on the album. After relentless touring, Flow Tribe completed building a state of the art studio in New Orleans called Downman Sounds. They are now putting the finishing touches on a 2-part EP coming out in late 2018 and 2019. 

Southern Komfort Brass Band

Founded in 2010, the Jackson (MS)-based Southern Komfort Brass Band brought together 7 musicians who quickly discovered their niche - New Orleans-style street jazz with a unique Mississippi twist.  Countless thousands have traveled to New Orleans to hear the likes of Dirty Dozen, Rebirth, Soul Rebels, Hot 8 and Lil' Rascals Brass Bands.  

Southern Komfort Brass Band presents a live show that focuses on traditional Brass Band standards, originals by the aforementioned groups, and Southern Komfort originals as well as special arrangements of popular blues, jazz and R&B tunes.  This party band has expanded their line-up to include up to 9 musicians. Their act is fast, fun and never fails to get their audiences singing, dancing and occasionally forming second-lines.  The Southern Komfort Brass Band appeared in the James Brown biopic movie "Get on Up" that was filmed in Mississippi in 2013-2014.

Epic Funk Brass Band

Epic Funk Brass Band is the newest sensation adding to the culture of Jackson MS infusing funk, pop, jazz, and Go-Go into a custom-made enhancement of second-line brass band tradition.

EFBB formed after being influenced by second line bands like ReBirth, Dirty Dozen, Soul Rebels and Hot 8 . Ingeniously, we want to incorporate all those influences by composing a reinvigorated sound for the Greater Jackson, MS area while integrating outside influences like Earth Wind & Fire, Frankie Beverly & Maze and The JB’s.

"The album is chock full of raw rock and roll, with a savory listening experience guaranteed for all." - Sam Berenson (L4LM) LIVE FOR LIVE MUSIC:

https://liveforlivemusic.com/features/tenth-mountain-division-igc/?fbclid=IwAR1H0WUBIYM1CKksJ2M2CWxAJbXIOaVZapmzpg6antvzfxtI8JGE_6VPCZI

“Tenth Mountain Division takes some Widespread Panic inspired jams, and meshes them with Leftover Salmon-styled arrangements, and couples that with a hell-bent love for classic rock, soul and pub sing-alongs.” -Marquee Magazine MARQUEE MAGAZINE: http://marqueemag.com/2018/09/tenth-mountain-division-in-good-company/?fbclid=IwAR2Lk83Q4Mooug3-4FxtlQ-ALIjbySkggGxEOVUqFQROrYpOu7Al4C2jloo

Born in the fertile breeding grounds of the mountains of Colorado, Tenth Mountain Division is continuing the musical legacy set down by their forefathers in Colorado. Like those that came before, Tenth Mountain Division is pushing the sound found in the mountains into bold, new directions with their exploratory take on Americana that dips freely in the well of all their diverse influences, classic Southern Rock, the progressive bluegrass that was born in their backyard in Colorado, the adventurous spirit of sixties psychedelic blues, and straight ahead driving rock ‘n’ roll.  Much like their Colorado predecessors, Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident, and Yonder Mountain String Band, they defy simple categorization; instead they reference their musical history with their high-energy shows as they blaze new musical paths every night.  As they do so they have become the new voice of the Colorado music scene, taking their Ski-party sound around the country and making every show feel like a night in the mountains.

 Tenth Mountain Division was first born in 2010 when high-school classmates, Winston Heuga (mandolin) and MJ Ouimette (guitar) first met when they discovered a shared musical interest.  The two young musicians started penning songs together that were inspired by the lore of the 10th Mountain Division military infantry and the natural beauty that surrounded their hometown in the Rocky Mountains.  They ended up at the University Colorado Boulder where they briefly played as an acoustic trio with upright bassist, Connor Dunn before meeting drummer Tyler Gwynn and keyboardist Campbell Thomas.  The addition of drums and keys to Heuga and Ouimette’s deep musical bond, widened their musical palette, taking the band in new directions and pointing to bold, uncharted, musical horizons. They released their first album, Cracks in the Sky, in 2016 and followed it up with a national tour that saw them packing shows across the country.  The band’s lineup was solidified soon after with the addition of Andrew Cooney and immediate success followed.  Since then they have become a regular presence on the festival circuit including stops at Summer Camp, Aiken Bluegrass Festival, Winter Wondergrass, Yarmony, ARISE, and Leftover Salmon’s Boogie at the Broadmoor.  They released their second album, In Good Company, in 2018.  It was an album that Live for Live Music declared was, “chock full of raw rock and roll, with a savory listening experience guaranteed for all.”  The band is currently in the studio with Railroad Earth’s Tim Carbone working on their next album and continuing their non-stop touring. - Tim Newby: Author of 'Bluegrass in Baltimore' & 'Leftover Salmon: Thirty Years of Festival'

Strung Like a Horse is known for their signature brand of Americana, distilled from old-school storytelling, newgrass instrumentations, and alt-rock edge. Mississippi-bred, Chattanooga-based frontman Clayton Maselle brings the influences of John Hartford, Split Lip Rayfield, Danny Barnes, The Band, Violent Femmes, and Old Crow Medicine Show to his singular songs. Their authenticity, high energy, and great fondness for a good time have made the band’s live shows a cult favorite. Strung’s first studio album, WHOA!, produced by multiple Grammy-winner Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, John Prine, Brandi Carlile, Calexico/Iron & Wine, Margo Price, Josh Ritter), will be released on Transoceanic Records in early 2020.

Noted by Amos Perrine in No Depression as among the “Best New Music” at AmericanaFest 2018 and on his "Don't Miss" list for AmericanaFest 2019, Strung will also be performing an official showcase at AmericanaFest UK 2020 in London. The band tours year-round, performing up to 100 shows a year, including Bonnaroo (labeled "Best Band Name"), Suwanee Roots, Wildwood Revival, Rhythm & Blooms, Summer Camp, Music City Roots, Scene City Roots, HartfordFest, LibertyFest, NAMM, Road to Nightfall (winning act), Moon River Music Festival (launch party), Get Off the Grid Fest, and Jam in the Van. They have toured on the road or performed with Old Crow Medicine Show, Shooter Jennings, Nicki Bluhm, Del McCoury, Charlie Daniels, Travis Tritt, Sam Bush, War, Lera Lynn, Honey Honey, and Hot Buttered Rum. Sam Bush remarked, after they opened for him, that the five-piece band's full-tilt set "makes me sound like Bill Monroe."

Full band lineup includes: Clay (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, mandolin), “Crispy” (drums, bells, percussion), Tyler Martelli (lead guitars, piano, organ, keyboard, mandolin), “Danimal” (upright double bass, electric bass, lap steel guitar), Ben Crawford (banjo), and Paddy King (fiddle, cello). 

Through their relentless tour schedule and enthusiastic fan base, The Higgs have become one of the fastest-growing, original jam bands in California today. Named after the elusive Higgs-Boson particle – which provides for “mass” of all things in the Universe and helps to unify the different forces; The Higgs blur musical boundaries and unify the different sounds of jam rock, prog, alt-rock, reggae and blues into an awesome musical fusion. The four members include John Lovero (Guitar/Vocals), Garrett Morris (Drums), David Barsky (Bass/Vocals), and Jesse August Jennings (Keys/Organ/Synth). With their tremendous stage presence showing how much they truly enjoy interacting with their audiences, it shows up in their sound, which is known for being tight & infectious. Come check out why The Higgs are one of the fastest-growing bands in the scene today!

Thelma and The Sleaze has been touring with and opening for Shannon & The Clams, Birdcloud, Eagles of Death Metal, Charles Bradley, and Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes. Thelma and The Sleaze has been touring the US for years building a legion of fans, affectionately called her creepers. The growing social media presence, the hit podcast, the features with Yamaha Guitars are really all the result of her incredible songwriting, visceral guitar playing, and the guts to deliver on her vision of what Rock and Roll should be. The people have noticed - having pre-sold nearly half of the first pressing of their latest album in two days!!

Bird Dog Jubilee is a rock-n-roll collection of instrumentalists that blur the lines between structured songs and improvisational jams. While their roots run deep in Atlanta, their act is building up steam throughout Southeastern venues and festivals. Their chutzpah is epitomized by their ability to seamlessly meld tunes while encouraging impromptu collaborations with fellow musicians live on stage.

Each member has an eclectic set of influences in which they draw inspiration from, but they can always agree on The Band, Phish, or My Morning Jacket while on the road. The synergy of each member’s experience culminates live on stage providing a unique take each time you attend a performance.

Fresh off recording their debut 3-song EP at Prana Studios just outside the Atlanta City Limits, BDJ is ready to let it ring out and jam with you at their next show. Whether they are blending old ballads, or hashing out new grooves, this is act is always a sight to see at their crux. You gotta get up to get down and we are looking forward to seeing you there. BDJ abides.