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2008 Pagosa Folk 'n Bluegrass Lineup Schedule subject to change. FREE Friday Concert - Everyone welcome!
Friday Late Night Stage - on Reservoir Hill - 2-Day ticket holders only
SATURDAY, JUNE 7 Main Stage
Saturday Late Night Stage
The Badly Bent does not present itself as one of the new pseudo-bluegrass jam bands. Although their musical prowess allows them to explore the edges of traditional music, the listener will find that the music never strays far from the roots established by the fathers of the genre. Their love for the genuine bluegrass sound is evident every time they take the stage. But, don’t be surprised when they pull a song out of the hat that everyone says, “Now, where have I heard that before?” Their repertoire will please even the most discriminating listener. The Badly Bent started in Durango with a group of well-known musicians gathering to become the top of the bluegrass scene. The configuration of the band evolved to its current form in 2003. Sharing lead vocals are Pat Dressen (guitar) and Mark Epstein (banjo). Harmony vocals by Robb Brophy (mandolin) and Jimmy Largent (bass), combined with the sought-after sound of Bill Adams (dobro) rounds out the ensemble of The Badly Bent.
Based out of Louisiana’s finest music and arts city, but with hometowns littered across the United States, the Belleville Outfit serves up a truly unique mix of gypsy swing, big band jazz, and roots Americana/Bluegrass. Both innovative in their combining of genres, and true to their musical roots, the Belleville Outfit, though young, has already solidified itself as a tour-de-force in the world of acoustic music. "One of the striking things about the current Americana music trend is that it is the exploration of some really old styles undertaken by some really young musicians. Of all the bands making their MerleFest debuts last April, the one that came away with the unofficial "buzz maker" award was the young sextet the Belleville Outfit. Performing shows at the Americana Stage and the Hillside Stage, the Belleville Outfit wowed MerleFest fans with high-energy sets of New Orleans-style barrelhouse piano blues, big band jazz and gypsy swing, all tempered with a modern Americana sensibility and sense of humor." - Jeff Eason, Mountain Times Listen to the Belleville Outfit on MySpace
The importance of artists' work can be measured by the response from their peers, the media, and their audience. That being said, the world has taken notice of The Biscuit Burners, and has welcomed their Fiery Mountain Music with open arms. Whether it is national praise from Aerosmith's Joe Perry or Billy Cardine's performance with the three-time Grammy Winning Edgar Meyer at Carnegie Hall, the musical community respects The Biscuit Burners. Their resume includes appearances on BBC World TV's "Destination Music," National Public Radio's "Mountain Stage," and XM's Bluegrass Junction, along with coverage in magazines such as Singer & Musician, Bluegrass Unlimited, Dirty Linen and American Songwriter. With a fresh approach to acoustic music with roots that date as far back as mountain music can reach, The Biscuit Burners offer their Fiery Mountain Music with innovative instrumentation, resplendent harmonies, and captivating original material. Their unique yet familiar material pulls strong from their respect of traditional mountain music, their love of bluegrass and classic country, and their appreciation of music from the far corners of the world. In 2004, The Biscuit Burners quickly established themselves and their Fiery Mountain Music as a complete package for acoustic entertainment. Along with being showcased at the International Bluegrass Music Association Conference and appearing at the Historic Ryman Auditorium with Vassar Clements and Rhonda Vincent, they had their debut album chosen in the Top 10 Bluegrass Albums of 2004 by the Chicago Tribune. Their song, Come On Darlin, was namedthe IPOD Hotpick Bluegrass Song of 2004. In September of 2005, the band released their second album, A Mountain Apart. With this release, The Biscuit Burners presented an album full of energy, passion, and originality. A Mountain Apart is a testament to the band's devotion and dedication to their fiery mountain sound and was in the Top 20 of the Roots Music Report National Bluegrass Airplay chart for the first 5 months of its release. Not only do The Biscuit Burners take their Fiery Mountain Music to America's finest venues, but they also take their knowledge and passion for music to schools across America as a part of their Appalachian Culture Music Program. Their presentations range from history lessons to instructional lessons and are customized from students in kindergarten to high school. From Oregon to Virginia, The Biscuit Burners have introduced and inspired America's youth in hopes to preserve this music that they have dedicated their lives to. The Biscuit Burners are Billy Cardine (resophonic guitar), Dan BIetz (guitar), Mary Lucey (bass), Odessa Jorgensen (fiddle), and Wes Corbett (banjo). Listen to The Biscuit Burners on MySpace
Each member of Boulder Acoustic Society comes from a different musical world, and the resulting mix is what makes their music so special. Shredding guitar licks, soaring gypsy violin, a little ukulele and the thump of an old time bass bounce around with a jazz accordion and creative percussion to create a new sound. It is American Roots music with the edge of punk rock and the grace of chamber music. This joyful chaos has defined BAS for the last four years of relentless touring, recording and rehearsing. They have crisscrossed the country countless times building a following the old fashioned way: by making connections with fans one at a time. From festivals to rock clubs, dive bars to house concerts, BAS has spread the word. And who is listening? Hipsters and hippies, punks and grandmas, kids and pickers, folkies and yuppies all "get it" where it matters: deep down in that place that defies description. Listen to Boulder Acoustic Society on MySpace
In a world filled with guitarists renowned for technique, Russ Barenberg has always stood out for his intensely melodic approach to playing and writing, and his new album, When At Last, shows that the years since he, resonator guitarist Jerry Douglas and string bass maestro Edgar Meyer made the widely acclaimed, supremely influential Skip, Hop & Wobble have only deepened his musicality. For while Barenberg decided in the late 80s to forego a full-time musical career—or, more accurately, to defer one—he hardly stopped making music, and Skip, Hop & Wobble was only the most visible manifestation of that determination. Indeed, despite the restraints on his time, Barenberg has still been wrapped up in music, not only with the trio but with a variety of other projects, most notably the Transatlantic Sessions—a set of filmed-for-TV performances featuring musicians from the British Isles, Canada and the United States in a stunning, evocative cross-cultural exchange. Despite the satisfactions of projects like the Transatlantic Session, the Barenberg-Douglas-Meyer trio and a miscellany of appearances with friends like fellow guitarist Bryan Sutton, fiddler Aubrey Haynie and singer Tim O’Brien, Barenberg looked forward to the resumption of a career fully devoted to music. “What you miss when you’re working during the day is having the time to really practice and write as much as you would like,” he notes. “One of the most satisfying things for me is writing tunes, and even more, to actually record them and put them together and play them with other people. So I’m very happy to be back in that situation again.” Few guitarists so perfectly blend a mastery of roots music traditions with melodic originality, or so finely balance muscularity with delicacy. Barenberg’s newfound energy and re-dedication to making music central to his life has resulted in his teaming up with Bryan Sutton for some festival appearances this summer. “I’m at a point in my life now where I really appreciate what a gift it is to be a musician,” Russ Barenberg says with a smile, “and I’m ready to embrace whatever’s involved in doing it for a living. It’s just a great time for me.” Bryan Sutton is one of the most high-profile acoustic guitarists in bluegrass and country music these days, a first-call Nashville session player whose jaw-dropping technique, deep background in tradition, and fluency in multiple styles have landed him important gigs with Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Earl Scruggs, the Dixie Chicks, Béla Fleck, and others. But with his third solo recording, Not too Far from the Tree, he opted for a more low-key approach. Though it features some of the greatest, iconic bluegrass guitarists in history (Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, David Grier, among others), Sutton’s new CD is a tribute to the kind of personal, spontaneous music making that often happens when guitarists get together to jam informally, as is the case when he and Russ Barenberg take the stage together. Sutton says, "I really like the musical conversation that goes on in a duet. In a duo, you have the freedom to go as far as each person is willing to go. You have this great possibility to get one sound, one voice. The guitar has such a wide tonal range that in a good duet situation you don’t miss anything, you don’t want for bass or the mandolin chop or anything. You’ve got plenty of sustain and rhythm, all that stuff. With a duet you can constantly change dynamics and it’s completely free." Listen to Bryan Sutton on MySpace
The Cadillac Sky sound is the fruition of bandleader Bryan Simpson’s groundbreaking vision to create a bluegrass band built for the 21st Century. The band first came together in 2002 in Texas when Simpson (mandolin, vocals) teamed up with young banjo whiz Matt Menefee. They soon added a veteran influence in Mike Jump, who had found success playing with regional favorites Southern Union and the Andy Owens Project. And shortly after, added the virtuoisic Ross Holmes (fiddle, vocals), and more recently, the talents of Houston native, Andy “Panda” Moritz (bass, vocals). When the band began rehearsing, they quickly realized the diverse, but complimentary, musical backgrounds from which they could pull. Their propulsive brand of bluegrass is the perfect marriage of tradition and innovation. Cadillac Sky’s original approach comes from a deep-seated respect for tradition wrapped around an unbridled musical curiosity. There’s no dichotomy in the band’s sound, just a synthesis of the band’s eclectic influences, from Bill Monroe to the Beatles. Listen to Cadillac Sky on MySpace
“Bridging jazz, bluegrass and everything in between with smart compositions, playful jams, and a great sense of purpose. It's music that's difficult to describe, but easy to love.” CBC Radio "Successfully incorporating old-time, bluegrass and folk music into a free-jazz construct that works wonders,” Jayme has “jam band fans doing cartwheels in the street and hardcore jazz fans re-examining their priorities." NOW Magazine “Imagine a more chilled out Béla Fleck and the Americana side of Bill Frisell and you’re on track.” Frets Magazine Listen to Jayme Stone on MySpace
The haunting quality of Martha Scanlan's voice, unique perspective and poetic imagery of her songs helped to gain national acclaim for the innovative old-time string band, Reeltime Travelers. In their six years of touring they played some of America's most prestigious venues and festivals from the Grand Old Opry to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. After catching the attention of Grammy-winning producers T-Bone Burnett and Bob Neuwirth the group recorded a cut for the soundtrack to Cold Mountain and were featured on the Great High Mountain Tour along with Alison Krauss, Ralph Stanley, and other artists from the “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” and “Cold Mountain” soundtracks. Martha's songwriting first gained national attention in 2003 at the prestigious Merlefest Chris Austin Songwriting Contest where a panel of judges, including Gillian Welch and Jim Lauderdale, awarded her first and second place in the bluegrass and country music categories for "Little Bird of Heaven" and "Hallelujah." The immersion into traditional American music and its expression in an ever-changing cultural landscape seems to be reflected in the songs she writes and the music she plays. Martha's first solo project is produced by and features Dirk Powell along with Levon Helm, Amy Helm and Glenn Patscha from the band Ollabelle. When not on the road she divides her time between the mountains of East Tennessee and those of Western Montana. Listen to Martha Scanlan on MySpace
Listen to Rock and Rye on MySpace
Shannon Whitworth currently lives in the mountains of western North Carolina, where she has spent the last ten years focusing on mountain, bluegrass and country music. Her talent as a singer and songwriter enabled her to spend the last 4 years touring the United States with a band she co-founded, The Biscuit Burners. On clawhammer banjo and guitar, Shannon’s compositions contributed depth to the bands material and have helped her gain respect as a truly talented singer and songwriter. No Expectations features ten of Shannon's most recent compositions accompanied by an all-star cast of musicians and is one of the finest and freshest Americana/country roots records you will hear today. Great singing, great writing, and great picking makes Shannon Whitworth's first solo project unforgettable. Listen to Shannon Whitworth on MySpace
From newgrass and western swing to jug band and jazz, from folk and fiddle music to improvisational excursions that defy categorization, Waybacks music is wild, energetic and unpredictable. Their stellar musicianship and innate sense of adventure puts them in good company with the few bands at the forefront of today’s New American acoustic music. The success of the group's approach is evident in its broad appeal to audiences of all ages, shapes and tastes, whether they sit enraptured, stand drop-jawed at breathtaking flights of fancy or just plain get up and dance. This is a populist band in the best sense of the term, one whose ardent fan base spreads the word like wildfire. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, The Waybacks are James Nash, Chuck Hamilton, Joe Kyle Jr. and Warren Hood. Listen to The Waybacks on MySpace
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The Badly Bent
Bryan Sutton
Rock and Rye
The Waybacks