Mesafa (also known by Alsarah & the Nubatones) enchant audiences with their pulsating rhythms and hypnotic, East African retro-pop, proving that soul transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. Inspired by Nubian music’s pentatonic scales, the Brooklyn-based combo blends original material and traditional music of central Sudan with Nubian songs of return, a diasporic form created by … Continued
More a performance trio than a band, the HawtPlates make conceptual live vocal works through breaking down and abstracting musical forms that include blues, rock, hip hop, r&b, folk, mantra, gospel, and various vocal traditions from around the world. In hearing their work, there is a sense that the music is specific to them as … Continued
For Thee Sacred Souls, the first time is often the charm. The band’s first club dates led to a record deal with the revered Daptone label; their first singles racked up more than ten million streams in a year and garnered attention from Billboard, Rolling Stone, and KCRW; and their first fans included the likes … Continued
From college dropout to world traveler to commercial deep-sea diver, from touring musician to socially-minded entrepreneur, Billy Keane’s path has been a winding one. In 2014, Billy co-founded the ever-popular The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow—do you remember the band’s barn-burning set at FreshGrass 2018?—their 2020 release “Band Together” featuring Steve Gorman of The Black Crowes and … Continued
With vivid lyrics, a honeyed-wine voice, and timeless arrangements, Miko Marks’ music is a unifying blend of country, blues, gospel, roots, and Americana. “I took the limits off myself,” Marks explains to Rolling Stone, discussing her return to recording following a thirteen-year hiatus and referencing a Nashville industry that had simultaneously molded and marginalized the … Continued
Skip Marley honors the legacy of his legendary grandfather Bob with an energetic blend of rock, rap, and pop that he’s showcased in collaborations with the likes of H.E.R., Rick Ross, and Ari Lennox.
“The blues is bigger than most people think,” Taj Mahal says. “You could hear Mozart play the blues. It might be more like a lament. It might be more melancholy. But I’m going to tell you: the blues is in there.” Taj is a towering musical figure—a legend who transcended the blues not by leaving … Continued
For over fifty years, Del McCoury’s music has defined authenticity in the bluegrass idiom. “Del epitomizes the bluegrass musician from a previous era, and also from this one,” says acclaimed resonator guitarist and fellow FreshGrass performer Jerry Douglas. “You can finally make a living playing bluegrass, and a large part of it is because of … Continued
Edgy. Classic. Country. A defining voice of music and a modern-day legend, two-time 2020 GRAMMY® winner Tanya Tucker continues to inspire artists today. Born in Seminole, Texas, Tanya had her first country hit, the classic “Delta Dawn,” at the age of 13 in 1972. Since that auspicious beginning, she has become one of the most … Continued
The California Bluegrass Reunion will see some of the best of the best come together on the FreshGrass stage including Darol Anger, John Reischman, Bill Evans, Jim Nunally, Sharon Gilchrist and Chad Manning. Many of these master string players have been fest staples for a long time running from whirlwind collaborations to workshops to impromptu … Continued
