Strings Cometh to the Cedar (Infamously).

Certain pairings complement each other so well, you can't ever imagine them apart. Chocolate and Peanut Butter. Pizza and Beer, Coffee and Cigarettes. When it comes to new acoustic music its ‘tone and chops’. What now? Tone and...chops? Chances are if we talk at a show, one or both of these words will come out of my mouth. Let’s take a closer look…

Tone:

Tony Rice performing 'Manzanita' from his 'Unit of Measure' record.


An acoustic guitar never sounded so good.


Chops:

Bela Fleck’s rendition of Bach's Partita #3 for Solo Violin.



The ‘New Acoustic’ music genre has exploded in the last ten years with impressive young artists who have learned from the masters like Tony and Bela, and a rich tradition of acoustic music. We have been fortunate enough to host many of these artists this year at the Cedar with the likes of Chris Thile’s ‘Punch Brothers’ (featuring guitarist Chris Eldrige – founding member of the Infamous Stringdusters), banjoist Jayme Stone, Crooked Still, and Joy Kills Sorrow. One of the commonalities within all these groups is the fusing of Jazz, Bluegrass, Classical and traditional folk music from around the globe. All the aforementioned groups also feature players that can pull incredible tone from their instruments and have the technical chops to create some adventurous music. It is crucial to understanding this type of music that ‘tone and chops’ are not the end of the line for acoustic musicians, but the starting point – and essential when composing challenging music made for intense listening.

The evening of December 5th, the Cedar is hosting the Infamous Stringdusters, a group that brings the great tradition of bluegrass music into modern times – the combination of guitar, banjo, mandolin, dobro and upright bass, along with high-lonesome harmonies.

Take a look at the ‘dusters’ in rare form from KSUT radio…




Keep your eyes on banjoist Chris Pandolfi, the first banjo principal to come out of the Berkley School of Music. The rest of the Stringdusters crew is equally as impressive, particularly the dobro abilities of Andy Hall, who is like the second coming of dobro master Jerry Douglas.
These guys are the complete package, tone, chops, smooth vocal harmonies and engaging compositions in the vein early David Grisman ‘Dawg’ music. If you’ve ever picked up a guitar, banjo, mandolin fiddle etc. – you will be inspired to go home after this show and play, I promise. See you there.