FESTIVALLLLL!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Legendary Musicians Phil Lesh and Bob Weir Bring Furthur to Nateva Music & Camping Festival this Summer
Renowned Jam Band to Headline Three-Day Festival with Performance on Sunday, July 4th; Moe. and The Flaming Lips to Headline First Two Nights Respectively

The Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, Keller Williams, Lotus, Moonalice and
Zappa Plays Zappa Also Set to Perform in Oxford, Maine

OXFORD, MAINE (February 19, 2010) - This 4th of July weekend, music fans have a new reason to celebrate as Nateva Music & Camping Festival organizers today announced that FURTHUR, founded by the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, will be the closing headliner of the inaugural event at the Oxford Fairgrounds in Oxford, Maine on July 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

Joining Furthur at Nateva, moe. will be the Friday night headlining band on July 2nd, while The Flaming Lips will headline on Saturday, July 3rd. Additionally, for those who wish to arrive at the Nateva Music & Camping Festival in advance of the official kick off, Lotus will headline the Thursday night festivities on July 1st. Organizers have also noted that Zappa Plays Zappa, Keller Williams, and Moonalice will join The Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band to perform as featured artists at Nateva. Dozens of additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Weekend passes with and without camping are $249/$229 but are on sale now for a very limited time for $199/$179 at NatevaFestival.com. A limited number of VIP packages ($425) featuring special viewing platforms, preferred parking, camping, dining, a full-service bar, and more are also available.

15,000 music-loving campers are expected to flock to the scenic, 100-plus-acre site to take in world-class bands and special entertainment, including stilt-walkers; magicians; jugglers; and art installations. Dozens of the world's most acclaimed bands, including accomplished and up-and-coming jam, country, folk, reggae, classic rock, bluegrass, and indie artists, are scheduled to perform on multiple stages during the intimate, three-day spectacle.

"We set out to create a festival that would offer an unprecedented line-up of the world's top musicians in an intimate festival setting," said Frank Chandler, CEO of Nateva Music & Camping Festival. "With Furthur and the astounding line-up of artists that have already committed to Nateva, Northern New England is sure to get the music festival of their dreams this summer."

Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh & Bob Weir are embarking on a musical adventure with their new band Furthur. Fans can expect Lesh & Weir to push the musical envelope with jaw-dropping improvisations and loving renditions of Grateful Dead classics, with an all star band that includes keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and percussionist Jay Lane (RatDog), drummer Joe Russo (Benevento - Russo Duo, Trey Anastasio), and guitarist John Kadlecik (Dark Star Orchestra). New and old fans of the Grateful Dead alike will be entranced as Phil & Bob take the musical journey "further," exploring some of the Grateful Dead's most beloved songs in a tour that promises to keep the feet stomping and the bodies shaking.

moe. is the preeminent progressive rock band with a remarkable career that's touched on three decades and produced 17 albums. The quintet of Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey (guitars and vocals), Rob Derhak (bass and vocals), Jim Loughlin (guitar and vibes), and Vinnie Amico (drums) continue to push the standard on performance art. Critical acclaim and a solid national and international fan base have built a dedicated following that grows each year. Whether touring across the globe, headlining music festivals, or sharing the stage with such celebrated acts as the Allmans, The Who, or Robert Plant, among others, what keeps moe. at the forefront of the music scene is not only the energy and vitality of their music and songwriting, but the showmanship in which it is delivered.

The Flaming Lips are an American experimental rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983. The band features founding members Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, theremin, keyboards) and Michael Ivins (bass, keyboards), longtime member Steven Drozd (keyboards, guitar, drums, synths, vocals) and Kliph Scurlock (drums). The Flaming Lips are known for their lush, multi-layered arrangements, spacey lyrics and bizarre song titles. They are also acclaimed for their elaborate live shows, which typically feature animal suits, puppets, streamers, video projections and complex stage light configurations. From their beginnings as Oklahoma misfits to their pop culture breakthrough in the mid-'90s to their status as one of the most respected groups of the 2000s, The Flaming Lips have ridden one of the more surreal and haphazard career trajectories in pop music. An acid-bubblegum band with as much affinity for sweet melodies as blistering noise assaults, their off-kilter sound, uncommon emotional depth, and bizarre history firmly established them as true originals.

As Northern New England's premier jam-based music festival, Nateva has set out to bring music to fans in the true jam band tradition, while offering a mix of country, folk, reggae, classic rock, bluegrass, and indie artists. With Furthur, and the eclectic festival line-up of innovative artists announced to date, Chandler and his team have done just that. The artists that will join Furthur, The Flaming Lips and moe., along with the entire line up of world-class talent, offer fans a significant musical range with a roster that includes some of the industry's most inspired musical talent.

Located just two hours and 25 minutes from Boston and only 45 minutes from Portland, Maine, the Oxford Fairgrounds feature electricity, water, bathrooms, 150 RV hook-ups, shower trucks, free WiFi, flat land, plenty of shade, and easy access to Route 26. Family and VIP camping areas will also be available.

ABOUT NATEVA MUSIC & CAMPING FESTIVAL
The Nateva Music & Camping Festival is a three-day, multistage outdoor camping event held July 2nd, 3rd, and 4th at the beautiful 100 acre Oxford Fairgrounds, located 2 hours and 25 minutes from Boston and 45 minutes from Portland, Maine. As Northern New England's premier jam-based music festival, Nateva brings together artists in the true jam-band tradition - as well as an eclectic mix of performers spanning the country, folk, reggae, classic rock, bluegrass, and indie genres.

For more information on the Nateva Music & Camping Festival, visit NatevaFestival.com.

TnJ 106 (2/11/10)

-HOUR ONE-

JOHN POPPER w/WARREN HAYNES – Alone (2007 Warren Haynes Presents: the Benefit Concert Vol. 2, c. 2000, Asheville, NC)
JOE BONAMASSA – One of These Days (2007 Sloe Gin)
BAYLOCK – Kind of Strange (2009 One Good to be Told)
moe. – Lazarus (2008 Dr. Stan’s Prescription Vol. 2, c. 2001, Turin, NY) moe.org

-HOUR TWO-

MEDESKI, MARTIN & WOOD (produced by DJ SPOOKY) – Free Go Lily (2009 Radiolarians: the Evolutionary Set, “Remixolarians” disc) mmw.net
ZACH DEPUTY – Cool Yourself Off (2009 Sunshine) homegrownmusic.net
DENIS AUSTIN – Lazarus Man (2002 In the Raw)
STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – Shakin’ the Tree (7/4/00 Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre, Santa Fe, NM)
ALO – I Love Music (2010 Man of the World)
GARAJ MAHAL – Celtic Indian (2003 Live Vol. 1, 8/23/02 Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA) homegrownmusic.net
JOHNNY SKETCH and the DIRTY NOTES – Curb (2004 Live at the Spleaf) johnnysketch.com

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NEXT WEEK > Guest Toast Michelle LaFlamme-Childs brings tasty nugs to share (^_^)

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TnJ 099 (12/17/09)

No broadcast next week (12/24/09), but keep your eyes on the blog and your ears on the radio (or the webstream) for Toast-n-Jam's Best of 2009 lists (^_^) TOAST

-HOUR ONE-

SAM BUSH – Blue Mountain (2009 Circles Around Me)
MAX ALLEN BAND – Gridlock (2009 Ending Sun) homegrownmusic.net
ERIC McFADDEN TRIO – Hey Bulldog (2003 Diamonds to Coal) ericmcfadden.com
DUMPSTAPHUNK – Stinky (2007 Listen Hear EP)
LUBRIPHONIC – Say Something Good (2008 Soul Solution) homegrownmusic.net
The GumboProject – Rubick’s Cube (2009 roux EP) gumboproject.com
moe. – Moth (2008 Dr. Stan’s Prescription, Vol. 1, 3/17/95 Garton’s, Vail, CO) moe.org
GOV’T MULE – Broke Down on the Brazos (2009 By a Thread) mule.net

-HOUR TWO-

DEREK and the DOMINOS – Got to Get Better in a Little While (1994 Live at the Fillmore, c. 1970)
DAVY KNOWLES & BACK DOOR SLAM – Hear Me Lord (2009 Coming Up for Air)
EILEN JEWELL – Fading Memory (2009 Sea of Tears) eilenjewell.com
THE HOT CLUB of SANTA FE – Jitterbug Waltz (2008 Musique de la Ville Différente)
ASSEMBLY of DUST featuring RICHIE HAVENS – All That I Am Now (2009 Some Assembly Required) assemblyofdust.com
SLY & the FAMILY STONE – Love City (2009 the Woodstock Experience, c. 1969)
AFROSKULL – Spyplane (2009 To Obscurity and Beyond) afroskull.com

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TnJ 093 (11/5/09)

-HOUR ONE-

moe. – Lost Along the Way (2008 Warts and All, Vol. 6, 1/28/07 Lawrence, KS) moe.org
MARK STUART & the BASTARD SONS – Best Thing (2009 Bend in the Road)
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS – TVA (2009 the Fine Print, c. 2003)
LEFTOVER SALMON – Dance on Your Head (10/19/94 Charleston, SC)
LUBRIPHONIC – Mixin’ in the Kitchen (2008 Soul Solution, 1/10/08 Chicago, IL) homegrownmusic.net
SOULIVE – Tabasco (2000 Turn It Out)
PROFESSOR LOUIE & the CROWMATIX – Night Time in the Switching Yard (2009 Whispering Pines)
JOHN COURAGE – Stuck in Encinitas (2009 Lovers Without a Care) coming soon from Frogville Records

-HOUR TWO-

PHISH – Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley > Taste (2008 Live Phish, 12/30/97 Madison Square Garden, NYC)
RODRIGO y GABRIELA – 11:11 (2009 11:11)
CHUCK MEAD – Gun Metal Gray (2009 Journeyman’s Wager)
GREENSKY BLUEGRASS – Hoxeyville (2006 Tuesday Letter)
REBEL ALLIANCE JAM – Franklin’s Tower (8/16/08 Yarmony Grass, Copper Mountain, CO) festivalink.net
KINGS of LEON – Closer (2009 Only by the Night)

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TnJ 091 (10/22/09)

-HOUR ONE-

JIMI HENDRIX – Stone Free (1999 Live at the Fillmore East, c.1969)
GOV’T MULE – Steppin’ Lightly (2009 By a Thread)
MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD – Life In the City (7/1/07 Taos, NM) festivalink.net
CADILLAC JONES – Late Night with Merle Epstein (2009 Rhythm Method) homegrownmusic.net
ZACH DEPUTY – Paramus (2009 Sunshine) homegrownmusic.net
moe. – Wind It Up (2006 the Conch) moe.org
BOB MARLEY & the WAILERS – Stir It Up (1978 Babylon by Bus)

-HOUR TWO-

THE MOTET – Nemesis (2009 Dig Deep) themotet.com
FRANK ZAPPA – Village of the Sun (9/3/78 Ludwigspark Stadium, Saarbrücken, Germany)
RODRIGO y GABRIELA – Ixtapa (2006 Rodrigo y Gabriela) rodgab.com
NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE – Slip Away (1997 Year of the Horse)
HOLLIS BROWN – Don’t Wanna Miss You (2009 Hollis Brown) hollisbrown.com
SAM BUSH – Circles Around Me (2009 Circles Around Me) sugarhillrecords.com
THE INCREDIBLE SANDWICH – Bluebird 1 > Bluebird 2 (2009 The Incredible Sandwich EP) muletrainrecords.com

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TnJ 087 (9/24/09)

-HOUR ONE-

HOT BUTTERED RUM – Limbs Akimbo (2009 Limbs Akimbo)
STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – Looking Glass (9/23/03 Austin, TX)
KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH – Wide Open (2009 Then There’s Now)
JIM WEIDER’S PROJECT PERCOLATOR – Release Yourself (2009 Pulse)
CADILLAC JONES – Rhythm Method (2009 Rhythm Method)
JOHN COLTRANE – Equinox (1964 Coltrane’s Sound)
JIMMY CARPENTER – Don’t Believe It (2008 Toiling in Obscurity)

-HOUR TWO –

PAPA GROWS FUNK – Dolemite Returns (2006 Live at the Leaf)
RED ELVISES – I Wanna See You Bellydance (1999 Your Favorite Band LIVE)
PHISH – First Tube (8/1/09 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO)
moe. – Time Ed (2005 Warts & All Volume 4, 7/18/98 Carbondale, IL)
EMORY QUINN – Ships and Planes (2008 the Road Company)
MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD – Sometimes (2001 Stay Human)***
GOOSE CREEK SYMPHONY - Head for the Hills / Will the Circle Be Unbroken (2009 Head for the Hills, c. 1975)

*** As of this writing, wikipedia incorrectly lists www.stayhuman.org as Franti's official site - DON'T BELIEVE IT!

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TnJ 081 (8/13/09)

-HOUR ONE-

ASSEMBLY of DUST featuring MIKE GORDON – Arc of the sun (2009 Some Assembly Required)
GOOSE CREEK SYMPHONY – Number One Gravy Band (2009 Head for the Hills: Special Edition, c. 1975) goosecreeksymphony.com
DAVIS COEN – You Gonna Miss Me (2009 Magnolia Land) daviscoen.com
BEN HARPER – Fight for Your Mind (4/12/98 Biskuithalle, Bonn, Germany)
OZOMATLI – Believe (2004 Street Signs)
STEVE KIMOCK BAND – Better Git Hit in Your Soul (10/28/01 Tipitina’s Uptown, New Orleans, LA)

-HOUR TWO-

JOAN OSBORNE – Dreamin’ About the Day (1996 Early Recordings, c. 1991)
BOB MARLEY & the WAILERS – Stop That Train (10/31/73 the Record Plant, Sausalito, CA)
moe. – Kyle’s Song > Interstellar Overdrive > Brent Black (2008 Dr. Stan’s Prescription, Vol. 1, 3/8/04 moe.cruise) moe.org

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TnJ 071 (6/4/09)

Phish sandwich, anyone?

-HOUR ONE-

PHISH – Contact (2009 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA, 3/8/09) www.livephish.com
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND – All Your Dreams (4/11/09 Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA)
INDIGENOUS – Blues from the Sky (1999 Live at Pachyderm Studios)
KENNY BROWN – If Down Was Up (2003 Stingray)
DEL McCOURY BAND – Cold Rain and Snow (2002 Bonnaroo)
TONY FURTADO – Hurtin’ in My Right Side (2006 Thirteen)
LEFTOVER SALMON featuring BÉLA FLECK and REESE WYNANS – Up on the Hill Where We Do the Boogie (1999 the Nashville Sessions)
QUACTUS – Alligator (2008 Once a Pond, A Spine…) www.homegrownmusic.net

-HOUR TWO-

moe. – Akimbo (2000 L)
THE SOUL of JOHN BLACK – Bottom Chick (2009 Black John)
JEFF BUJAK – Prodigium (2009 Alive Like the Spine) www.homegrownmusic.net
THE BLACK CROWES – Feathers (1995 non-album track)
DAVID BYRNE – What a Day That Was (2007 Live from Austin, TX)
RODRIGO y GABRIELA – Diablo Rojo (2008 Live in Japan)
PRIMUS – Frizzle Fry (2005 Bonnaroo Music Festival 2004)
PHISH – Bug > Tweezer (reprise) (2009 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA, 3/8/09) www.livephish.com

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TnJ 065 (4/23/09) Guest Toast Michelle-LaFlamme-Childs - ALL COVERS

-HOUR ONE-

JOE BONAMASSA – A New Day Yesterday (2000 A New Day Yesterday)
STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – The New Pollution (ACL Festival, 2006)
GRATEFUL DEAD w/ETTA JAMES & TOWER OF POWER HORNS – Hard to Handle (12/31/82 Oakland Auditorium, Oakland, CA)
CHRIS THILE – Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (2006 How to Grow a Woman from the Ground)
KELLER WILLIAMS w/MOSELEY, DROLL & SIPE – Bob Rules/A Natural Woman/Bob Rules (2008 Live, DVD bonus)
PHISH – Happiness Is a Warm Gun (2002 Live Phish, Vol. 13, 10/31/94)
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (11/8/08 Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI)
APOCALYPTICA – Enter Sandman (1996 Plays Metallica by Four Cellos)

-HOUR TWO-

GOV’T MULE – When Doves Cry/Beautifully Broken (2003 The Deepest End, Live in Concert)
PSYCHOGRASS – 3rd Stone from the Sun (1996 Like Minds)
MEAT PUPPETS – Franklin’s Tower (1982/1999 Meat Puppets [reissue])
TONY RICE UNIT – House of the Rising Sun (2000 Unit of Measure)
The GumboProject – Green Minute (Santa Fe Plaza show, c. 2008)
moe. – Fearless (2/28/09 Riviera Theater, Chicago, IL)
EDDIE FROM OHIO – I Know You Rider Medley: Turn on Your Love Light (1998 Portable EFO Show)

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CRAZY GOOD stuff, Michelle! Many thanks for bringing the goods (^_^) Anyone care to comment?

TnJ 052 (1/14/09) EXPANDO!!!

TnJ 2.0 one-year anniversary (^_^) THX 4 listening!

-HOUR ONE-

moe. – Rebubula (2008 Warts & All, Volume 6, 1/28/07 Lawrence, KS)
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND – The Dreaming Tree (2007 Live at Piedmont Park)
THE AFROMOTIVE – Yako (2007 Scare Tactics)
SAM BUSH BAND – Is This Love? (12/31/03 Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO)

-HOUR TWO-

LES CLAYPOOL & GOGOL BORDELLO – That’s the Way (6/13/08 Bonnaroo)
UMPHREY’s McGEE – The Bottom Half > Space Funk Booty > The Bottom Half (3/6/07 Fox Theater, Boulder, CO)
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Machine > Barstools & Dreamers (10/31/07 Asheville, NC)

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TOAST's BEST of 2008

It may not look like much of a genre-faithful list at first, but hey, the jamband scene (if there truly is one) is a many-headed monster, and all of these bands already have or certainly will play Bonnaroo at least once, some several times.

I intentionally didn’t include live recordings in my consideration for this year’s top ten list (though many made Honorable Mention status in an earlier post), focusing rather on studio releases which came across TnJ’s desk in 2008.

Every one of these little gems is worth several listens, IMO:

1) THE RACONTEURS – Consolers of the Lonely

Jack White has done it again, with another solid collection of songs showcasing his personal brand of frenzied lunacy. One could infer a few swipes at former bandmate (Sister? Wife? Anybody know?), Meg, in some of the lyrics. The big radio single “Top Yourself” is almost impossible not to take that way. But mostly, this is just an amazing rock-n-roll album. Production and arranging leans a little heavy on the Zep and Beatles “sounds,” but if you’re gonna steal, steal from the best.

Favorite Tracks: All of ‘em. Seriously. But if I gotta pick, “Consoler of the Lonely” – will strip paint off walls, “Top Yourself” – a nearly perfect rock-n-roll song, “Carolina Dream” – fancies ‘imself a post-punk bard ‘e does, “Rich Kid Blues” – all the meander and bluster of a great old Queen or ELP song, without all the suckiness.

9 out of 10 stars

2) THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS – The Infamous Stringdusters

Like the Raconteurs release, an incredible sophomore effort which supersedes its predecessor. And both these bands’ debut records were awesome, mind you.

This is, however, the first Stringdusters to feature guitarist Andy Falco, and the first blessed by newgrass legend Tim O’Brien’s production. The Stringdusters have been hittin’ the festival circuit hard-n-heavy and are poised to become THE newgrass act to see (and kick yer heels up ta) in the years to come.

Favorite Tracks: “Glass Elevator” – rippin’ instrumental, “Get It While You Can” – catchy, “You Can’t Handle the Truth” – catchy & fast, and, of course, “Lovin’ You” – my favorite song of the year.

7 out of 10 stars

3) MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD – All Rebel Rockers

Like I said in an earlier Franti show review post, I think this boy’s really onto something. His usual charm and urgency is now happily anchored at the center of a Jamaican dancehall hurricane courtesy of dubmasters Sly & Robbie, among others.

He may or may not be the next Bob Marley, but he can keep on chanting down Babylon like this for years to come as far as I’m concerned. Conscious, rhythmic, playful, and powerful.

Favorite Tracks: “A Little Bit of Riddim” – stream of consciousness political commentary hasn’t been this instantly catchy since Dylan’s ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues,’ “Soundsystem,” – a fist-pumping anthem for the conscious party, “Nobody Right Nobody Wrong,” – an anti-protest song that brings a tear to my eye every time, unashamedly pretty.

7 out of 10 stars

4) DeVotchKa – A Mad & Faithful Telling

Who knew there was such a void waiting to be filled by this rocky mountain outfit’s gypsy-esque eastern-blockana? Though not as strong as their 2004 release “How It Ends,” which has its own template-from-which-all-others-must-borrow archetypal appeal, there’s a lot to love on this new release. A very entertaining band to see live.

FT: “Transliterator” – well-crafted crescendo catch-and-release à la Radiohead, “Head Honcho” – gotta have at least one Ennio Morricone-esque number on these things, don’t they? “Undone” was one of the few radio songs in this or any year which did not suck mightily. Shades of Robert Plant in the haunting choral refrain.

6 out of 10 stars

5) RAINMAKER – Long Slow Fade

Bay-area studio magic from a new band to these ears in 2008. Rootsy – some snobs will declare needlessly so – but somehow able to spin threadbare melodies and arrangements into a fresh and pleasing sequence of songs. Fans of Little Feat or The Grateful Dead who appreciate those acts for their solid-yet-quirky songwriting seem to be the target audience. Not particularly challenging, but hard not to like. How did simple get such a bad rep over the years anyway?

FT: “Sweetwater Has Run Dry” – a pensive ode to bygone days, “Further from the Truth” – li’l R&B flava, “In a Way That You Want It to Be” – instant nostalgia, like a Norman Rockwell painting.

5 out of 10 stars, as are the rest on this list. Am I too tough?

6) STEPHEN MALKMUS & the JICKS – Real Emotional Trash

With more than half the tracks clocking in at 5-10 minutes each, it’s almost as if Stephen Malkmus is TRYING to alienate the Pavement faithful. However, his sense of “lyricynicism (yes, I just made that up)” soldiers on with a new band and quite a few sonic diversions into what could be considered “jam” territory. His publicist, however, will probably spin that into “post-rock sonic experimentation” to make it sound cooler. Whatever. It rocks. Catch ‘em live if you can. Saw ‘em at The Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA while doing some work for a website. Great venue. Great show.

FT: “Real Emotional Trash” – a musical rollercoaster, 10 minutes of some of the best-sounding s#!t I’ve heard in years, “Baltimore” – c’mon, you gotta love a string of words like, ‘come on like gangbusters | laying it thick | arboreal Sleestak | lost in the sticks,’ “Elmo Delmo” – I could listen to him jam on this one for-just-about-ever, as long as he ditched the chorus.

7) moe. – Sticks and Stones

John Siket is a sonic genius. Can’t wait to hear what some of these songs sound like live, with extra SUPERJAM on top. Hee Hee (^_^)

FT: “Queen of Everything” – really, really can’t wait to hear this one live, “Deep This Time” – first track we picked for TnJ, yo, “202” – who let the ghost of Zappa onto this record?

8) THE DUHKS – Fast Paced World

Rick Anderson posted this on allmusic.com: “Someday the Duhks may find their natural style and settle into it, and when they do, their albums will become much less interesting.” I can’t beat that. Preach on, brotha (^_^)

FT: “Fast Paced World” – borderline preachy/puerile folk anthem in the making, couldn’t get it out of my head for days, “Ship High in Transit > Magalenha” – this is why it’s called ‘progressive’ bluegrass, folks, “New Rigged Ship” – original, knee-slappin’, toe tappin’ goodness.

9) MY MORNING JACKET – Evil Urges

You GO, Jim James! Perhaps between DeVotchKa, the Duhks, and My Morning Jacket, a pattern is starting to emerge – that of unclassifyability (yep, just made that one up, too).

Some of the most unexpected and mesmerizing sounds of the year, here. I’m kicking myself for not making it to the CD preview party out in the wilds of New Mex, might’ve been the perfect environment to experience this recording.

Stark yet beautiful, hypnotic yet provocative, grounded yet ‘far out,’ man.

FT: “Evil Urges” – a quirky, sonic masterpiece, “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream pt.2” – a sprawling, proggy, new wave 80s anthem, “Highly Suspicious” – can’t explain what there is to like about it, but it makes me smile wryly.

10) TEA LEAF GREEN – Raise Up the Tent

The circus-themed album art seems to bleed into some of the songs, most of which have a lilting quality generally absent from rock-n-roll these days. I applaud this new effort from one of the Bay-area’s best live bands and anxiously await their mysteriously-lit return to a live venue near me soon, dammit! David Lowery’s production is irreproachable.

FT: “Don’t Curse at the Night,” “Red Ribbons,” and “Not Fit” all demonstrate what clockwork-like songwriting precision four mere mortals can achieve.

~ Chris Diestler, A.K.A. “Toast”

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TnJ 039 (10/8/08)

-HOUR ONE-

WIDESPREAD PANIC – Surprise Valley > Blight > Walkin’
(2002 Live in the Classic City, c. 2000)
JOHN PRINE – Some Humans Ain’t Human (2005 Fair & Square)
HILLSTOMP – Flood Blues (2002/2004 One Word)
LOS LOBOS – Down on the Riverbed (10/13/00 Austin, TX)
moe. – I Wanna Be Sedated (2001 Warts and All, Volume One)
PARTICLE – The Elevator (2004 Launchpad)

-HOUR TWO-

U-MELT – Escape (2006 The I’s Mind)
ROBERT WALTER – Scores of Spores (2008 Cure All)
WARREN HAYNES – Lucky (2004 Live at Bonnaroo)
RADIOHEAD – Talk Show Host (12/19/07 New York, NY)
THE NEW DEAL – Episode 7 (2003 Gone Gone Gone)
OM TRIO – Romero (2003 GlobalPositioningRecord)
FUTURE ROCK – Torture (2007 Gears)
PETER TOSH – 400 Years > Stepping Razor (3/14/79 WLIR Broadcast)

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TnJ 025 Playlist (7/2/08)

TOAST n JAM 025 (7/2/08)

-HOUR ONE-

PHISH – Mike’s Song (2007 Live Phish 08.13.93 Murat Theater, Indianapolis, IN)

MIKE GORDON – Voices (2008 The Green Sparrow)

HILL COUNTRY REVUE – Alice Mae (officially only available at shows)

DREW EMMITT BAND – River’s Risin’ (2008 Long Road)

WALTER TROUT – The Next Big Thing (2008 the Outsider)

moe. – Head (2003 Warts and All Vol 3 – 11/13/98 the Vic Theater, Chicago, IL)

-HOUR TWO-

DR. DIDG – Ever Evolving Techno Jam (2/9/01 Recher Theater, Towson, MD)

LIPBONE REDDING – New York City (2008 Party on the Fire Escape)

RYAN ADAMS – Bird Song (6/3/05 Northern Lights, Clifton Park, NY)

GRATEFUL DEAD – Deal (5/5/77 Veteran’s Memorial, New Haven, CT)

MATT PALKA and the CARAVAN – The Ohio Song (2008 Down the Road)

DeVOTCHkA – Head Honcho (2008 A Mad & Faithful Telling)

KUDZU KINGS – Bound for Zion (1999 Y2Kow)

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – Southbound

(1992 An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band, First Set)

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TnJ 018 Playlist (5/14/08)

TOAST n JAM 018 (5/14/08) “TnJ All-Star Draft”

-HOUR ONE-

moe. – 32 Things (11/13/98 – 2003 Warts and All Vol. 3)

PHISH – Run Like an Antelope (10/31/95 – 2002 Live Phish 14)

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – In Memory of Elizabeth Reed

(circa 1971 – 1998 The Fillmore Concerts)

WIDESPREAD PANIC – Space Wrangler (1998 Light Fuse, Get Away)

-HOUR TWO-

STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – Under African Skies

(4/28/02 Saenger Theater, New Orleans, LA)

STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – Pack It Up

(10/15/05 Brookdale College, Collins Arena, Lincroft, NJ)

GRATEFUL DEAD – Dancin’ in the Streets > Cosmic Charlie

(9/28/76 Syracuse, NY – 2001 Dick’s Picks Vol. 21)

GRATEFUL DEAD – He’s Gone > Spoonful

(11/1/85 Richmond, VA – 2000 Dick’s Picks Vol. 20)

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