The past year has certainly plumbed the mettle of Strangefolk's Jon Trafton. The late summer of 1999 began auspiciously for the guitarist and his band as the quartet entered the studio with producer Nile Rogers to record its first album for Mammoth Records. However, soon after the group completed the sessions, an administrative shake-up led Mammoth to jettison most of its roster, including Strangefolk. To complicate matters, in May, band co-founder Reid Genauer announced that he was leaving the group to enter graduate school. Some feared that Strangefolk's final performances with Genauer at its annual Garden of Eden festival might well be the last by the group.

However, Trafton, bass player Erik Glockler and drummer Luke Smith remained committed to Strangefolk and its music. The trio held auditions in the fall, ultimately selecting two performers to expand the group to a quintet. Luke Montgomery is a guitar player and vocalist whose band Folkstone had once opened for the group. Keyboardist Scott Shdeed shared a similar slot while gigging with Funkus Groovus.

Following an initial unofficial gig at the Mad Mountain Tavern in Waitsfield, VT, Strangefolk moved ahead full throttle. In late December it arranged forty-six songs for a two show New Year's Eve run at Burlington's Higher Ground. At the end of this month, Strangefolk will return to the road for its initial extended foray with the new line-up, traveling down to Georgia and back to New England. Meanwhile, the band's album, A Great Long While, which the group recently self-released, continues to generate positive press.

The following interview with Trafton explores all of these topics. For additional information and tour updates visit www.strangefolk.com

DB- Let's step back and then move forward chronologically. You recorded A Great Long While with Nile Rogers. How did the process different from your previous two studio efforts? How did Nile's perspective alter this process? [Editor' note: Nile Rodgers first became known for his work as songwriter and guitarist for the band Chic. He later produced albums by, among others, David Bowie, Madonna, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Mick Jagger] .

JT- He was really interested and excited about building everything on a solid groove, which isn't all that surprising given his background. That was his technique, he likened it to building a house. He said we should start with the drums and if the drums were rock solid and the bass was rock solid then everything else would be rock solid. The process itself was basically the same as in the past, just a little bit more involved. We laid down the basic tracks then peeled things back and overdubbed things back on. That's how we've always done it, although maybe with Lore we had a bit more of a live approach. Anyhow, this time we played everything live and ended up with some fun, energetic takes which Nile used as the basics and then we added to that.

DB- On A Great Long While, the band's sound is richer, more textured with some additional instrumentation. Did you enter the studio with that in mind? Did it cause any internal debate or conflict?

JT- We've always been excited about adding guest musicians in the studio, going back to Lore where we had banjo and pedal steel. In fact this time we called Gordon Stone again. We also had the horn section, which at first raised a few eyebrows but I think people are pretty excited about the way it came out. We are all pretty much on the same page about getting guest musicians on there.

DB- Nile is quite a talented guitar player, himself. What impact did his presence have on your performance?

JT- He's a great guitar player and I didn't realize how great a guitar player he is until I saw him in action. I wasn't all that familiar with Chic. I heard it over the years but I never paid that much attention. Then as the day approached I started noticing it everywhere- on VH-1, the radio, commercials. At first it was a little nerve-wracking because I was thinking things out too much and over-thinking what I was playing. He encouraged me to relax and go for it. That's what he did with all of us- don't think about it, just do it and let it flow. He had some amazing ideas, often about little things- he'd say, "Play it, do it like this." He'd express it and then pick up a guitar and whip this thing off. He'd rip through about five chords and do the most wild inversions.

DB- What are your favorite moments on the disc?

JT- I like "Stouthearted." The intro was a totally spontaneous moment and it ended up coming out nicely. I like the way "What Say You" came out, the way it builds at the end and the loose feel. It has this loose yet tight feel and it really moves along. I'm real happy with "I Tell Myself." I never really thought about it being on album. Nile liked it and said "It's so simple you can't really deny it." It's just a simple pretty little tune, and I'm glad it made it on there.

DB- How long after you finished recording did you hear the news from Mammoth?

JT- We finished the album at the end of the summer and it seemed like December that we started to hear rumblings. I think our album was slated for release some time soon after the new year and we knew trouble was coming. But it really wasn't until right before our album was supposed to come out. It was a real blow, a really emotionally jarring blow. We had spent so much time working on that album. The process was really fun but waiting for it to come out was not quite so fun. By the time it came out I had been listening to it for almost a year.

DB- It is not uncommon occurrence for a label to invest quite a bit of money in a particular recording and then just drop it when there's a change in ownership or management. Did you see it coming though or were you surprised?

JT- I was shocked. I remember talking to Nile about it and he said, "I hope your label stands behind you guys and treats you right." I said, "Oh they will, look at the budget they've given us, they've really been liberal with that. Why would they bail out on us half-way?" Nile just looked at me and said, "Oh brother…if it were only that way." And sure enough, he was right.

DB- Within this train of events when did you learn that Reid was going to return to school?

JT- That didn't come until this summer, early summer, May. So there were any number of internal changes going on from the time when we heard from Mammoth, including some management and personnel changes within the organization. It was kind of an avalanche of bad things that happened at once. I think that was Reid assessed the situation and said, "I like doing this and everything but its time to switch paths and try something different."

DB- Had he made it clear in the past that this was a possibility?

JT- He had. We may have been surprised at the timing but we weren't really surprised overall because I think it came up every year as a topic of conversation. He was really open about his feelings all along.

DB- How often do you communicate with him nowadays?

JT- Here and there. I figure he's made such a drastic change with his life and I know its been hard on him. So I kind of just let him do his thing, rediscover his path and not confuse things too much. I knew Reid didn't leave the band to ruin the band, he just did it because it was something he needed to do. So I just look at it from a functional point of view. I love to play music and the rest of us love to play music so we're just carrying on the musical torch. It's strange in ways but in other ways it just feels great to play.

DB- Did you feel much additional pressure at your Eden festival, knowing that this would be his final official gig with the group?

JT- By the time Eden rolled around it was such a release because he had been talking about it for four months and we knew it was coming. When we told the fans there was another wave of realization, so I think that by the time it happened I miraculously didn't feel that much pressure. I think we all had a really good time. It was one of my smoothest Eden experiences in many ways. I felt good about the music and it was fun having Nile up there because it was an added attraction and bonus. I think we all enjoyed that so it wasn't awkward. It was sad but I think as a band we had all talked about it and absorbed it all ahead of time.

DB- At what point did you start thinking about the next incarnation of the band?

JT- I couldn't even come close to it before the Eden show. Conceptually the band had decided that we were going to do something but we just didn't think about it until afterwards.

DB- Describe the audition process.

JT- That was when it hit home. It was a grueling process because it was something that we had never been through before as a band or as individuals. The good thing about it was we actually found Luke and Scott. There were also a few other people in there that made it clear to the three of us that there was still a lot of fire and magic. That was when I realized that I still wanted to play, that making good music turns me on.

As it turned out too, Luke and Scott just happened to be back to back. Luke came in first. He was just great and immediately won us over. Scott came in right after that. He had lugged his B-3 down the block in New York City. The thing weighs like 250 pounds and he managed to pull it up with a dolly by himself. Playing with him was great too- his whole style and demeanor. We all realized at the same time that we wanted both of them.

DB- Had you entered the process thinking that you would add keys?

JT- I was open to anything. The most far-flung instrument that came in was the didgeridoo. We just wanted to hear some talented people and see where we could take it. But while I was open to anything I wouldn't accept just anything. It was a real blessing that we found Luke and Scott because they had that intangible thing we were all looking for.

DB- Both Luke and Scot had opened for Strangefolk in the past. Had you interacted with them much in the past?

JT- Actually I had been in touch with Scott every year. He'd always write me. It was an annual thing like a Christmas Card- "Hey, if you guys ever need keys, I'm the guy that was playing in that band in Colorado that opened for you guys and liked what you did. Let me know if you need anything." He happened to email me three days before the New York audition and I told him that his timing couldn't be better if he could make it to New York City. I didn't realize he was in Louisiana because it was an email. But sure enough he threw all his stuff in his truck, drove to New York and pulled it off.

I remember Luke playing with us as well. It was kind of amazing really that they both ended up coming to the audition and getting the gig because we had enjoyed both of their bands. I also like the fact that we had crossed paths before and shared the stage. It makes everything feel more connected.

DB- I know it's early in the process, but what impact do you think they will have on your sound?

JT- The addition of the keyboard makes the sound a little bigger. For me it makes it easier to lay back and not play so hard, to let the music flow a little more. He's a lot of the glue I used to try to be.

Luke is a such a great guitar player that we push each other and have fun with it. The interplay is also inspiring and it's exciting to share some of the responsibilities in playing the leads. Luke and I both speak the same language. It's like we both graduated from the same guitar school. If I throw out some funny Allman Brothers lick he knows where I'm going and he'll jump on the harmony of it and we can go right up the scale.

DB- I know that some people were surprised that Luke sang a few songs where Reid previously had been the lead vocalist. What is your philosophy there?

JT- I think we all think that if the song was co-written, if we all had a hand it, then it's fair game. I think Luke does such a tasteful job of interpreting Reid's lyrics, he has so much respect for them and I appreciate his delivery. So that's pretty much what we'll do-. Anything that was co-written that feels emotionally okay to do.

There are also songs that Reid wrote by himself that could go either way. Out of respect we could leave them alone and let them lie. Or out of respect we could play them in tribute to what good songs they are. We haven't really addressed that though.

We haven't come up with anything beyond that if a song was co-written then myself or Eric spent a lot of energy and I would hate to have that song thrown away because Reid doesn't want to be touring in the band anymore. I'm sure he wouldn't stop playing them either, and I think that's a positive thing.

DB- In terms of bringing Luke's songs to the band, you've just been walking through his catalog?

JT- We have a CD of Folkstone but at these initial gigs we had so much to learn from the Strangefolk repertoire that we focussed mostly on that. But there were a few songs that Luke played that we immediately said. "We've got to do those, we're definitely adding those right in." What I really hope to do is write together because the spontaneous jam sessions that we've had, kind of making up lyrics as we go and singing harmonies, it's been pretty amazing

DB- Is that how you and Reid wrote together?

JT- Not typically. A lot of times I'd write song with a compete set of music and lyrics but hand it to Reid and say, "Okay I like the music and the melody but take the words and rip them out and stick to that format if you can or see if this inspires you." Then he'd come back with something that would turn it into a realized song. We rarely did it together though. I'd usually come with something, throw it his way and he'd run off with it and come back or he'd have a snippet and I'd have a snippet and we'd glue them together.

DB- Relative to history of the band. It was about a year and a half ago that you started playing electric guitar as your principal instrument. What inspired that?

JT- Reid and I started out playing acoustic guitars and that was fun and it was kind of a novelty because I'd play it with all of these crazy effects- distortion pedals, wah pedals and delays and it seemed unique at the time. Then as we evolved into a band we kept that set-up. Functionally it didn't work as well for me after a while because I bought another guitar which was a Washburn solid body acoustic and that was nice for a while but the intonation on it didn't really work for me and it would get out of tune when I played up the neck. And I had this Paul Reid Smith sitting in this case that I loved and every once in a while on a gig I'd pull it out and play it. But I never really had it set up right with my amp and I never really played electric guitar before. So it was a gradual process. Then we were playing in North Carolina and someone from Mammoth said to me, "When are you going to quit fucking around and play electric?" I said, "I think you're right." Basically I'm forcing this acoustic guitar to be an electric guitar, why don't I just make it easier on myself and play an electric guitar. I did feel a little bit of pressure because that might have been our image but I just decided to pick up the electric and go for it. I'm glad, I would never go back.

DB- How would you says Erik and Luke's performance styles have evolved over the past few years?

JT- Erik has never played the traditional finger-style bass technique. He uses a pick. He was basically a guitarist tuned bass player and he's evolving more into a bass player all the time. His ear and his musical take are great and always developing and getting deeper.

Luke's musical approach and perspective is deepening all the time. He's always actively searching, picking up new ideas and translating them to drums. He really works all the time and it pays off for him, it's amazing.

DB- Final question. As the new quintet gets out there, what expectations do you have in terms of the fans' reception and the musical evolution of the band.

JT-I hope people like it and realize that we're serious but at the same time that we want to carry the sprit of showing people a good time. Hopefully that's contagious enough. And if people come check it out with an open mind I think they'll realize that there's a personnel change but we're still carrying that spirit tastefully, I hope, and respectfully, for sure. That's really my hope, that word spreads and people say, "Okay there's been an evolution and a change and it's definitely differently but still a good time and I'll stay on board."