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Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen (Ethan Robbins opens)
With their latest release Cold Spell landing a 2015 GRAMMY Nomination for Best Bluegrass Album followed by an eight award sweep at the 2015 WAMMIES, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, IBMA's 2014 Instrumental Group of the Year, can't slow down!
Since Frank Solivan left the cold climes of Alaska for the bluegrass hotbed of Washington, D.C., he's built a reputation as a monster mandolinist and become a major festival attraction with his band, Dirty Kitchen. Solivan, with banjoist Mike Munford, 2013 IBMA Banjo Player of the Year, award winning guitarist Chris Luquette and doghouse bassist Dan Booth, simmer a bluegrass/newgrass stew from instrumental, vocal and songwriting skills so hot, they've been named Washington Area Music Association's Best Bluegrass Band of the Year for four consecutive years.
At the highest levels of acoustic musicianship exists a mystery the mystery of tone, taste and timing It can best be illustrated by giving a good musician a good instrument and asking him to briefly strum, pick, bow, whatever is required to produce the best sound. Then, by way of comparison, hand that very same instrument to a GREAT musician and ask for the same.
It is a phenomenon that manifests itself every time that Frank Solivan picks up a mandolin, guitar or violin. What you see may be the same pick or bow, on the same strings, on the same fretboard that the good player demonstrated, but the sound Ah there's the difference!
In Frank's hands, these instruments take on a life of their own. You hear power. You hear volume. You hear crispness, clarity, timing and taste. All combined with passion and drive. A physicist might slow it down to analyze the strum against string but he wouldn't find the answer. For that, you have to know Frank Solivan, a man who has a powerful life force that's as raw, natural and pure as the place he spend much of his youth, Alaska. Frank is a hunter, a fisherman, a gourmet chef, a beautiful singer, a poet and songwriter of tasteful ballads and of blazing instrumentals. A man of sturdy build who is known to holler out out a powerful, "Son!" whether it be in response to a hot solo, or some hot sauce he concocted in kitchen. It's as if all these things for him are an affirmation of life. An awareness that all five senses are humming along on overdrive. That life is short and all these gifts are not to be wasted.
Those who are privileged enough to be around it, are richer for it. Musicians, especially, in his presence step up their game, but I suppose you could say the same about gourmands, or fishermen. People sense that life force around Frank and they want a piece of it.
The physicist curious about the mysteries of tone, timing and taste would do well to spend some time around Frank. He would find no definition, no explanation of how it happens but he would see it right there. And you should, too.
Mike Munford
Mike is one of the hidden treasures of the five string banjo world. Mike grew up in the sixties and seventies in the bluegrass hotbed of Baltimore and D.C. and assimilated just about everything that all the great players in that area could offer. Then he took off on his own. How best to describe him? Imagine this conversation among banjo players huddled around a fire at some pickin' party or festival.
"How did J.D. do that lick? "
"I dunno, but Munford's over there, ask him."
"I just got a "37 Granada but it ain't sounding like it should"
"Have you taken it to Munford? Best set-up guy around."
"Damn! Why can't I get that tone?"
"I dunno go watch Munford, He's right over there."
Now well past forty years old the age at which, they say, life begins, Mike Munford retains a child like enthusiasm and curiosity for all things banjo. He has no qualms about driving hours through rush hour traffic to go see J.D. Crowe play at some obscure club then rave about the performance even though he might have seen it or heard it dozens, maybe hundreds or times. He has imbibed everything that J.D., or Earl, or Bela, has thrown his way and can mimic those players with uncanny accuracy, but has found his own style, too.
It can best be described as hard-driving melodic but such a description diminishes what's actually going on. When Mike Munford plays you hear all things that great banjo player strive to achieve. Power, drive, impeccable timing, exquisite tone and jaw-dropping technique.
Mike is also, indeed, about the finest set-up or fret job guy around, and is a walking encyclopedia of banjo trivia. He is an inspiration to countless players in the mid Atlantic region.
Most of the country hasn't really seen all that much of Mike's playing. He, throughout most of his career, has preferred the comforts of home to the road. It is testament to Frank Solivan's powers of persuasion ( i.e. talent) that Mike is hitting the road as a part of this fine ensemble.
Danny Booth
Hailing from the Chugach mountains near Anchorage, Alaska, Danny Booth grew up in a thriving bluegrass and country music family and community. His first "gig" was at age 12 with Doug Dillard and Ginger Boatwright at a bluegrass camp concert. Heavily influenced by his father Greg, a master of pedal steel, dobro and banjo, Danny soon graduated to join his dad in the seminal Alaskan bluegrass band, Rank Strangers. There he met an 18 year old fiddler/mandolinist named Frank Solivan. To most people, growing up in Alaska doesn't suggest a strong musical background, but they haven't heard Dan or Frank!
Danny's own style and sound has been influenced by some of the greatest bassists of acoustic music: Todd Phillips, Mike Bub, Mark Shatz, Barry Bales, Byron House and Edgar Meyer. His supportive bass lines are laden with excellent timing, feel, powerful tone and fluid technique. Danny recalls, "My dad was never shy about telling me when something didn't work that gave me the perfectionist attitude I have today."
In addition to Danny's impeccable bass playing, he is a remarkable singer. He's known for his powerful lead and seamlessly blended harmony vocals. "Working with Kathy Kallick taught me a lot about blending harmonies. Combining voices is like rubbing two sticks together when done correctly it can catch on fire!"
Danny has toured with the Kathy Kallick Band, Spring Creek, Bearfoot, and even performed with one and only Dr. Ralph Stanley. He is the newest member of Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen and brings his own musical voice and vision to this rising band. Stand by to be blown away when Danny Booth gets up to the mic.
Chris Luquette
Chris is one of the hardest working musicians from the Seattle music scene. You''d be hard pressed to find another twenty-something year old seamlessly switching from International Music to Jazz and from Rock to Bluegrass so comfortably. He has even studied Brazilian Jazz with Seattle based Brazil music legend, Jovino Santos Neto. Chris'' musicianship reflects the multitude of musical influences he turns to for inspiration. His acoustic guitar playing really stands out, but this virtuosic, multi-instrumentalist is equally at home playing mandolin, drums, bass, electric guitar, banjo, and Greek bouzouki! In addition, Chris was a founding member of Seattle based, Northern Departure, and has found himself sitting in with Jerry Douglas, Emmylou Harris, Rob Ickes and many others. Don''t miss an opportunity to hear him shred his Martin guitar in half!
ETHAN ROBBINS OPENS THE SHOW
Guitarist/songwriter Ethan Robbins began his bluegrass career at Oberlin College. A founding member of The Outhouse Troubadours, an Oberlin Bluegrass Phenomenon, he began to explore how this hard-driving fast-paced genre could be stretched. A classical violinist from age four, Ethan fell in love with the guitar when he turned fourteen and his father bought him five quintessential albums: The Band's "Music from Big Pink," Bob Dylan's "Bringing it all Back Home," John Hartford's "Steam Powered Aereo-plane," Hank Williams "Live at the Grand Ole Opry," and the Grateful Dead's "Workingman's Dead." Ever since, Ethan has attempted to bring those raw, rootsy sounds into his own original material.
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Locationme and thee (View)
28 Mugford St
Marblehead, MA 01945
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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