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Here’s my 1st ever annual video recap of 29 live sets that I recorded this year. This is a sampling of the more than 80 videos I posted on YouTube this year, which is a subset of the videos that I recorded (some are not public), which is yet a further subset of the sets that I’ve actually seen or heard this year (since I don’t record every set). The videos are notable in one way or another, perhaps based on the quality of the recording, the circumstances of the recording or the uniqueness of the set. I’ll give aContinue Reading

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Bear Creek 2010 was my initiation into the new era of music festivals. For anyone that doesn’t know, that annual November festival based at the gorgeous Spirit of Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP), was renowned for it’s smaller, family-feel and specialized in jam and funk music across 5 or 6 stages including inside at the music hall. Bear Creek had an eight year run from 2007-2014. The 2010 schedule caught my eye because I had been looking for places to see Maceo Parker (James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic) and funk band, Lettuce, that I was a fan of but had never seen beforeContinue Reading

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Electric Kif is one of the leading funk fusion foursomes of the early 21st century and, I believe, have the gravitas to be among those bands that are listened to for decades, as their predecessors, Weather Report and Return to Forever have been. That’s a lofty statement, for sure, but the textures and contours of their tunes merit such praise and ReThink is a marvelous addition to their portfolio as the sixth studio album.   Buy or Stream ReThink(click on image) The band has been around for nearly 15 years and in the current configuration for more than 10.  They’veContinue Reading

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Suwannee Hulaween is fantastic annual jam and electronic festival at the beautiful Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL.  It’s held close to the Haloween weekend and this year it was threatened by the Hurricanes which hit the area just three weeks earlier. The organizers, park, local team and volunteers worked tirelessly (well probably very tired) to clean up the part and prepare it for this festival that gets about 20,000 attendees. This recap has to start with a huge amount of gratitude to the team for pulling this off and to the organizers Paul Levine and MichaelContinue Reading

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Whippersnap Music and Arts Festival is back in 2025 for its second year at Florida Sands Music Ranch (FSMR) and FunkCity.net will be there to celebrate. I didn’t really know what to expect at the 2024 edition since it was my first time and it turned out to be one of the best events of the year! You get big-time, world-class music, a fabulous location and a really cozy, intimate setting with some of the coolest people around! It’s set in a great ranch campground and has two stages of music at alternating times so you never have to missContinue Reading

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String Cheese Incident + Umphrey’s McGee Relay Marathon is the headline for Saturday and maybe the entire festival. SCI is up for their traditional three-set Saturday with the third set being the ‘theme’ set which is always spectacular. I’ve been coming to Hula since 2017 and they’ve put on some amazing shows incluidng 70s, 80s, and 90s events and they always have monster sit-ins with special guests that are not elsewhere on the program. Sandwiched between the Cheese sets are two Umphrey’s McGee sets. UM is a jamband powerhouse, and a headliner and many festivals and major venues like RedContinue Reading

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Friday at Hulaween opens up The Meadow  stage and that’s where String Cheese Incident will play the first two of seven fest sets. I’ll be out at that stage early to catch a couple of Hula ’23 stars reprise their 2023 sets, TAND and Karina Rykman. I’ll likely bounce back and forth to The Hallows stage across the field where the Friday lineup starts off Ajeva, Dumpstaphunk, Cory Wong so it’ll be a SPF 50+ day going into the evening sets. Here’s my rundown of Friday highlights. Black Pumas headline Friday if things play out as I expect it’ll beContinue Reading

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Music at the Intersection will hold it’s fourth edition September 14th and 15th in St. Louis. It has quickly taken flight as one of the best heritage music festivals in the country with prior years’ luminaries including Herbie Hancock, Snarky Puppy,  Kamasi Washington, Erykah Badu and Lalah Hathaway, among others. This year continues adds living legends Chaka Khan and Stanley Clarke, and adds current stars like Black Pumas, Big Boi, and Trombone Shorty to the roster. It’s a fairly eclectic mix with everything from straight on jazz (Samara Joy, Esperanza Spaliding) to funk (Lettuce, Trombone Shorty) to afrofunk/Cuban (Cimafunk). There’sContinue Reading

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Suwannee Hulaween is one of my favorite festivals of the year and this year’s 11th edition lineup is stacked, as it always is. String Cheese Incident, the perennial sponsor-curator-headline performer is up for likely 5 sets PLUS a special The Bobby Weir Incident collaboration with the Dead’s long time member. The festival does an amazing job of showcasing multiple genres, ranging from international acts to local up-and-comers. It’s seems this year’s planning is way out in front as they’ve released the daily lineups far in advance. This is great and gives me the opportunity to give you a look intoContinue Reading

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To say I’m excited to be going to Newport Jazz Festival 2024 is a huge understatement. I’ve only been once, about 30 years ago, and this is the first time I’ll be at all three days. And OMFG, what a packed three day schedule it is. It’d be virtually impossible to see every act, or even every one that I’m interested in due to the short sets with overlapping times. Nevertheless, this is one that will keep me boppin’ from the Friday start with Chief Adjuah to the closing crescendo with Nigel Rodgers & Chic. In lieu of covering everyContinue Reading