As we’ve previously reported, drummer Jeff Sipe, the co-founder of Aquarium Rescue Unit, who has also toured with Jonas Hellborg and Shawn Lane (as well as Trey Anastasio and Phil Lesh) will return to the road with Keller and the WMDs this fall. The group, which has technically renamed itself Keller Williams with Mosely, Droll and Sipe, will celebrate the release of their debut double CD/DVD with a performance on a three hour paddle boat cruise off of Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The project with Keller Williams is incredibly diverse, upbeat and exciting, Sipe says, we play soca, ska, reggae, funk, calypso, punk rock, prog rock, jazz and other styles and work to make sure it is all hard hitting.
Sipe is also working with two separate trios these days. One features the Austrian guitarist Alex Machecek, who has recently been working with Terry Bozzio, has played with the Vienna Philharmonic and is described by Sipe as, a Supershredder in the vein of Allen Holdsworth. Matthew Garrison, a first call bassist that has worked with Herbie Hancock and is currently on tour with Paul Simon, handles bass duties in this unit (known as Machecek, Sipe and Garrison). The other trio involves Knoxville musicians Mike Seal (guitar) and Vince Ilagen (bass). The 23 year-old Seal is described by Sipe as, Bill Frisell meets John Scofield and they in turn go back and meet Chet Atkins.
For more information on these, and all Sipe projects visit Jeffsipe.org. Report by Rob Turner