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New Groove of the Month: Smokin' Grass
by Rob "Gumby" Hillard
The reputation of the Green Mountains of Vermont as one of the most musically fertile regions in the country continues to grow. Over the past decade, the "freedom and unity" state has spawned a pack of spirited young outfits with a strong ear for improvisation and rather twisted ties to American music traditions. Perhaps the secret lies in the thick mud that accumulates in the foothills and valleys as the melting Winter snowpack combines with heavy rains of Spring. The primordial soup of nature that results from this seasonal shift is known to coat everything and anything that dares to venture through it. The same can be said of those who pass through the amalgam of creative cultures that stew within Vermont's musical melting pot of Burlington. The flourishing club scene in this remote mountain outpost is unparalleled in northern New England, and bolstered by local talents who have tasted success, yet loyally venture back to the shores of Lake Champlain to jam with old friends and inspire the next generation of creative stage denizens. Each musician brings fresh and exciting new ingredients to the mix, creating a rich base upon which many new recipes can be developed. And it's nearly impossible to partake in this burgeoning scene without having some of it's residue stick to you like glue.
One of the more intriguing acts to emerge from this bubbling cauldron is an adventuresome young outfit called Smokin' Grass, whose touring machine is currently fueled by Adam Frehm (dobro, vocals), Mike Santosusso (bass, vocals), Doug Perkins (guitar, vocals), Bob Grant (mandolin, vocals), and Jason Rowe (drums, percussion). Scratching at the surface, you might first see a self-styled string band that is not unlike hundreds of others that have joined the ongoing bluegrass revolution. Then you spot the drum kit in the rhythm section and the focus shifts to the more progressive newgrass label. The picture quickly distorts again as the meter turns oddly from square dance to jazz jam to free-spirited funk. Dig a little deeper into the beat and you find free-form elements of jazz and jam-oriented rock, subtly laced with hearty strains of backwoods blues and pine-scented psychedelia.
Clearly, this intrepid quintet is a prime example of how genres spontaneously combine as they pour forth from Burlington's rich musical fountain. In this case, the fluid formula is one part bluegrass, one part jam band, and one part "magic mud." While the first two components help define the spirit and inspiration behind Smokin' Grass, it's the assortment of mysterious organic vibes that seep from the latter ingredient that makes these guys so delightfully unpredictable. It's hard to say exactly what surprise they might throw your way next. But whatever it is, it's bound to stick.
On their independently released CD, "Take Yer Pick," Smokin' Grass takes you for a stomp through a sparkling original repertoire that runs the gamut from bluegrass breakdowns ('Take Yer Pick'), Appalachian blues ('Opus #1'), and newgrass swing ('As Great a Man'), to backporch jive ('Some Funky Grass'), Middle Eastern mysticism ('Desert Square Dance'), and romantic instrumental strolls ('Jillian'). Side trips include fabulously furry freakout covers of familiar tunes by Bob Dylan ('Train To Cry'), Duke Ellington ('Caravan'), and the Stanley Brothers ('Man of Constant Sorrow'). Throughout the recording, the band showcases their instrumental prowess -- highlighted by Perkin's championship caliber guitar picking -- and solid four-part harmonies.
The Spring '98 release of "Take Yer Pick" motivated Smokin' Grass expand their fan base beyond their native Vermont. Throughout the year, the band embarked on a series of tours along the mid-Atlantic and throughout the Southeast and Midwest. The year-long trek was highlighted by an invitation to open a series of Summer dates for the experimental Grateful Dead tribute ensemble Jazz Is Dead, and capped by a thunderous main stage set at the season-ending Autumn Equinox Festival at Wilmer's Park in Brandywine, Maryland.
The band's busy road tenure proved difficult, and this soon resulted in some unavoidable personnel shifts. At the end of the Fall, original mandolinist Jason Koornick departed from the band to pursue a non-musical career. As false rumors of the band's demise began to spread, Frehm made a scouting trip to the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) convention in Louisville, Kentucky. There he encountered former Bad Livers sideman Bob Grant, who was more then eager to join the fold. The New York City-based mandolinist contributed strong additions to the band's ever-growing arsenal of original compositions, and provided a fresh infusion of outside influences. The drumming stool went through several rotations as well, including stints with Gabe Jarrett (formerly with Jazz Mandolin Project and Gordon Stone Band) and Bill "Stuhlly" Brennenstuhl (ex-Hypnotic Clambake).
Throughout these changes, the creative core of Smokin' Grass -- Frehm, Perkins, and Santosusso -- remained fully intact. This strong central unit has enabled the band to maintain their reputation for tight arrangements and powerful improvisation, as Smokin' Grass continues to knock out audiences with daring live performances. In addition to bluegrass standards by Bill Monroe and long-time favorites from their debut release, Smokin' Grass is constantly mixing up the setlists with tunes that draw from the band's diverse musical interests. Recent crowd favorites include a thrash-grass rendition of the Jimi Hendrix classic 'Are You Experienced?,' South Park character Chef's theme song 'Chocolate Salty Balls,' and Santosusso's autobiographical ode to the roadside savior, 'The Tow Truck Song.' At a recent show at Higher Ground, Phish bassist Mike Gordon joined the band for a half-dozen songs, including Tim O'Brien's 'Hold to a Dream' and Peter Rowan's 'Midnight Moonlight.' According to Santosusso, the band is hoping to capture some of the energy of the current ensemble on a new recording sometime before the end of the year, but they have yet to decide whether to return to the studio or attempt a live recording. Only time will tell.
As the Summer touring season gets underway, Smokin' Grass is set to embark on their first journey west of the Mississippi, where they will spread the joy of their funky multi-cultural jazz-grass to freakers along the West Coast and throughout the Colorado Rockies. The pinnacle of the excursion is an Independence Day weekend appearance at the prestigious High Sierra Music Festival in the mountain meadows of Bear Valley, California. Other highlights include a July 14th stop at San Francisco's Last Day Saloon, a July 17th appearance at Legends Lounge in Las Vegas, and a July 24th gig at the fabled Fox Theater in Boulder, Colorado. Upon returning back east, Smokin' Grass is scheduled to make back-to-back appearances in late July and early August at Max Creek's Camp Creek gathering in Mariaville, New York, and the Beat Roots' Beat Jam in Union, Maine. The seven-week tour culminates in a celebratory homecoming at the Higher Ground in Winooski, Vermont on August 12th.
For a complete tour schedule and more information about Vermont's premier freakout bluegrass band, check out the Smokin' Grass website at http://www.smokin-grass.com.
Gumby is Editor of the Deadheads Music Calendars and a regular contributor to An Honest Tune Burlington's Signal to Noise , and PauseRecord.com .
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