Today we look back to April 26, 2004…

Mike Gordon, Jamie Masefield and Seth Yacovone Perform with Amfibian

On the penultimate night of music at Winooski’s Higher Ground, Amfibian’s headlining performance featured multiple guest appearances. While Tom Marshall’s writing partner Trey Anastasio did not perform, as many had anticipated (reportedly a last minute scratch due to a head cold), numerous other artists with Vermont ties did join in. Early in the second set Seth Yacovone, who had opened the evening with his group, appeared for ‘Blood on the Cactus.’ A bit later Jamie Masefield added mandolin to ‘Augustine,’ and ‘Has it Really Come to This?’ Then Mike Gordon appeared on bass during a set-closing tandem of ‘Gumbo’ and ‘Theme From the Bottom.’ Gordon and Yacovone then re-merged with Amfibian during the group’s two song encore: ‘Down By the River,’ and ‘Isolate Reprise.’

The Theory of Everything Returns to Boulder in May

The Theory of Everything will return to Colorado, with its fifth gig at the Boulder Theater on May 25. The line-up for this show will include Tye North, Dave Watts, Ross Martin, Jessica Lurie and Robert Walter. Lurie and Walter are also playing in Mike Clark’s band will open the show.

TOE performs this Tuesday, April 30 at the House of Blues in New Orleans. The roster for the NOLA gig includes Michael Kang, Kyle Hollingsworth, North, Watts and Martin. Special guests are expected at both shows.

Trey Anastasio Sits in with Orchestra Baobab as Higher Ground Closes

Guitarist Trey Anastasio made a final appearance at Higher Ground last night as the club closed its doors for the immediate future. The venue was forced to shut down due to Winooski’s downtown redevelopment project and while the club’s owners have expressed a desire to relocate, as yet there have been no announcements. Anastasio sat in with Vorcza (the trio featuring Anastasio Band keyboardist Ray Paczkowski) and also joined the evening’s headlining act, Orchestra Baobab. Baobab builds its sound on traditional West African rhythms fused with music introduced to Senegal by Cuban sailors many years back. Anastasio and Dave Matthews recently traveled to Senegal to perform with the group, an event that was recorded by Vh-1 for Trey and Dave Go To Africa, a special that will air on Saturday May 8.

John Medeski, DJ Logic, Mark Sandman Appear on Club d’Elf Studio Disc, Live Sets Released

Nearly five years since its inception and following teases aplenty by band founder Mike Rivard, the Club d’Elf studio record looms for release. Contributors to his disc include the late Mark Sandman, John Medeski, DJ Logic, Mat Maneri and many others who have performed with group over the years. In the interim Kufala has issued a few live recordings, including Vassar Chapel 02/26/2001 which features Rivard, Medeski and Maneri along with Brahim Frigbane, Randy Roos and Erik Kalb. The group will perform two gigs at its home in Camrbidge’s Lizard Lounge next month (May 6 with Duke Levine and May 20 with Dave ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski) along with a pair of shows at Tonic in NYC on May 26 with a line-up consisting of Rivard, Medeski, Mister Rourke, Eric Hipp and Adam Deitch.

Jazz Fest Weekend Tidbits

Reports are just now trailing in from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (as well as the late night shows that follow each day of music at the festival proper). Here are some initial accounts from the weekend (with more to be added as they float our way)…..Houseman, who had been taking off recent Galactic shows due to illness, did perform with the group during its fairgrounds set while Mike Dillon sat in with the group…..Dillon later joined Galactic’s Stanton Moore, Skerik and Charlie Hunter for a Garage a Trois riverboat gig in which the band also invited longtime Dirty Dozen Brass Band Sousaphonist Kirk Joseph and Hairy Apes BMX drummer John Speice to perform…..Back to the fairgrounds, Terence Higgins and Stanton Moore alternated sogs with their groups (Moore’s included Brian Seeger, Mark Mullins, Brian Coogan and Tim Green) until all the musicians took the stage for a rousing close….Chris Robinson sat in with North Mississippi Allstars at Tipitina’s on Saturday night, joining in for ‘Boomers Story.’ Robinson will be performing with New Earth Mud on April 30 (the DDBB is on the bill as well) and while the show initially sold out, it has been moved from TwiRoPa Mills to the TwiRoPa Live Room and some tickets are available.