Railroad Earth
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After celebrating the end of their first decade together with a massive fan release, Railroad Earth Retrospective: 2001-2009, the tightly-woven unit of Railroad Earth is embarking on a new chapter in their musical journey.
The rootsy Americana ensemble will hit the stage again on their first tour of 2010 with a new bass player, a new record deal (One Haven Music), and a new album in the can (to be released late Summer 2010) for what is expected to be a great year for the revitalized Railroad Earth. With Spring tour dates mostly focused on the Eastern Seaboard, fans can expect an newly energized live show with surprises around every bend.
After coming off a highly successful 2009, Railroad Earth is preparing for another year of sold-out theaters and large club performances. The band has built up some incredible steam over the past few years with highly notable performances on some of the most prestigious stages in the country, including; the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Rothbury, 10,000 Lakes Festival and many more.
Collectively, Railroad Earth wields an impressive arsenal of sounds, with each player bringing a variety of instruments and tones to the collective. The unique howl of an edgy rock-inflected violin, a fat-toned acoustic guitar with sounds bordering on a classic Gibson motif, wild fanning mandolin chording that has an almost piano-like attack, rolling or clawing banjo and dobro, and a slamming rhythm section driven by precise, rock-hard drumming and an aggressively, pumping upright bass. All of this delivered with surprisingly unique vocals, powerful harmonies and world-class songwriting.
To be more precise, Railroad Earth features songwriter/singer, Todd Sheaffer (Lead vocals, acoustic guitars), Tim Carbone (Violin, electric guitar, vocals), John Skehan (Mandolin, vocals), Andy Goessling (Acoustic guitars, banjo, dobro, mandolin, flute, pennywhistle, saxophones and vocals), Carey Harmon (Drums, hand percussion, vocals) and newcomer Andrew Altman (Upright bass), formerly of the Southeast band, The Codetalkers.
Railroad Earth's unique sound is one that may be hard to categorize, but is also damn hard to shake! Each live performance is like a journey into the beating heart of American life, its heartaches and its triumphs. A true musical celebration, this is one tour that is not to be missed.
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Toubab Krewe
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Blending American and West African influences into a sound all its own, Toubab Krewe has set "a new standard for fusions of rock 'n' roll and West African music" (Afropop Worldwide).
Since forming in 2005, the magnetic instrumental quintet has won a diverse and devoted following at performances everywhere from Bonnaroo to the legendary Festival of the Desert in Essakane, Mali, the most remote festival in the world. The band developed their unique sound over the course of numerous extended trips to Mali, Guinea, and Ivory Coast, where they immersed themselves in the local culture and studied and performed with luminaries.
But the group has its roots in Asheville, NC, where many of its members were childhood friends and long-term musical collaborators. It was at home in the Appalachians, where the band recorded their sophomore album, Live at the Orange Peel. Produced by Grammy winning producer Steven Heller (who also produced the band's debut), the new album captures their outstanding 2008 New Year's run.
All of the songs are previously unreleased and continue to mix American rock with the West African musical traditions the band fell in love with on their travels. Along the way, they explore the worlds of surf and zydeco, fusing it all together into what the Village Voice describes as "a futuristic, psychedelic, neo-griot frenzy" and Honest Tune hails as "one of the most innovative voices in music today." The new release features collaborations with legendary spoken word artist Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets and fiddler Rayna Gellert of Uncle Earl.
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