Several musicians performed at a premiere party for Mike Gordon’s documentary, Rising Low, Saturday at Allaire Studios in Shokan, NY (just outside Woodstock). Following the screening of the film, many informal jam sessions unfolded over the course of the evening. Gordon played banjo with bluegrass duo Jay & Molly along with members of New York-based Big Appleachio. The set featured many standards, including ‘Uncle Penn’ and ‘Deep Elem Blues.’ Next up was drummer Matt Abts (Gov’t Mule), bassist Dave Schools (Widespread Panic, Gov’t Mule) and guitarist Fuzz (Deep Banana Blackout). The trio was soon joined by DJ Logic, keyboardist Rob Marscher (Addison Groove Project) and saxophonist John Bethel for ‘Cissy Strut’ and ‘Soul Power.’ Later in the evening, guitarist Trey Anastasio (Phish), Gordon, Abts, Fuzz, Logic and Marscher played a 40-minute set of high-energy improvisation that included a brief tease of The Who’s ‘Sparks.’ In the wee hours of the night, DJ Logic entertained the crowd for an hour or so before Schools and Abts emerged for more improv.
Rising Low, which was also screened Friday at the Woodstock Film Festival, honors Allen Woody and documents the making of Gov’t Mule’s Deep End albums. It will be released October 8 on DVD and VHS.