It’s a Family Affair: Reliving the Best Moments From Suwannee Amp Jams #2 [Recap, Photos, Videos]
Lead Photo Credit: Jay Strausser Visuals // Artist Credit: Ryan Pasinski @shneekyshnake
Suwannee Amp Jams made its triumphant return February 26-28 to the enchanted environs of the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL capturing lightning in a bottle for the second time. Powered by music and camaraderie among artists and fans alike, the three-day soiree was a celebration of the kind of community spirit that still exists in a world full of tumult. Fans were filled to bursting with the good vibes from the vital sparks of beloved SOSMP festivals past, most notably funk extravaganza Bear Creek Music and Arts Festival (2007-2014) and the Allman Brothers Band’s Wanee Festival (2005-2018).
Just like Amp Jams #1, the event’s sophomore effort recalls these idealized days at SOSMP by bringing together some of the park’s most treasured veteran performers including Umphrey’s McGee, Warren Haynes Band, Dumpstaphunk, Lettuce, The Nth Power, Roosevelt Collier Band, and Brock Butler. The festival also featured supergroups whose members share connections to the park, including The Heavyweights (Eric Krasno, Robert “Sput” Searight and Cory Henry) along with Grahame Lesh, Warren Haynes, Nels Cline, Rob Barraco, and John Molo. SOSMP alumni Jennifer Hartswick and Skerik were also on hand for numerous sit-ins. And in the spirit of discovery, the event’s freshman class included Family Company, New Dawn Starkestra and Gullah Collective.
Of course the biggest star of Amp Jams is the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park featuring 800 acres of ancient oaks, meadows, campgrounds, and stables, all of it abutting the historic Suwannee River. Attendees were free to set up expansive camps with nearly all the comforts of home, reconnect with old friends or easily make new ones, and wander to their hearts’ content. The familial vibe made Amp Jams a perfect festival for parents with little ones. This writer camped next to a delightful family representing three generations of SOSMP festival goers.
The heart of the festival centered around one stage, the storied Amphitheater Stage where countless historic jams have taken place offering a more intimate, relaxed experience and easy access to and from campsites and vendors. “The Amp,” as it is commonly called, is a living example of Old Florida’s primordial beauty. The stage sits at the bottom of a natural hallow surrounded by majestic ancient oaks and pines dripping with Spanish Moss that presents the perfect otherworldly canvas for mesmerizing light shows.
Fittingly, Perpetual Groove frontman and guitarist Brock Butler, one of the park’s frequent performers and oldest alumni, kicked off Thursday’s festivities immediately drawing a line from past to present with a stellar cast of musicians making up Brock Butler Band. Butler was flanked by the awe-inspiring talents of guitarists Joe Marcinek and Isaac Lee Hadden along with Perpetual Groove bandmates Adam Perry on bass and Darren Stanley on drums. Rounding out this incarnation of Brock Butler Band were Bill Stevens on piano and Bailey Horsley on banjo and harmonica.
As founder of the Southern funk juggernaut Perpetual Groove, Butler has made countless appearances with the band at SOSMP festivals including the inaugural Bear Creek in 2007. But this would be the first time this iteration of Brock Butler Band would perform at SOSMP and only the second time anywhere. Thursday’s performance was Butler’s chance to reveal his softer, more pensive side as a singer, songwriter, and storyteller. Butler set a mellow tone for the fest’s opening set with a choice selection of tunes from the band’s self-titled debut album showcasing Butler’s Southern roots and affinity for bluesy alternative folk. Laced with emotion and genuine gratitude, the heartfelt performance set the table for an Amp Jams communion of fellowship and collaboration to come.
As the sun was starting to set, Family Company took the stage for the band’s first-ever festival performance. Relatively new to the music scene in terms of national exposure, the Los Angeles-based trio was formed in 2018 by session musicians Alex Kyhn (bass), Josh Teitelbaum (drums), and Jason Goldstein (keys). They have been making a name for themselves via social media and playing tribute shows honoring their heroes of R&B, funk, and soul. Designed to be uplifting as well as entertaining, the intimate performances have attracted giants like Jennifer Hudson for an Aretha Franklin tribute, Nigel Hall celebrating the music of Donny Hathaway, and Bill Withers, who made a surprise appearance at a show honoring the legendary soul man. Family Company’s original works lean heavily into soul and R&B with contributions from Louis Cato, Raquel Rodriguez, Theo Katzman and more.
Thursday’s performance featured the brilliant vocal stylings of Family Company collaborators Shea Givens and Grammy-winner Sam Pounds as well as the guitar and vocal skills of singer/songwriter “James the eighth.” But first, the trio demonstrated just how big instrumental tunes can sound with just three players at the wheel before welcoming Pounds, Givens and James to the stage in what would become a joyous revival. Dressed in a leopard-print suit and prancing the stage with “paw-some” prowess, Pounds took us to church in full-blown evangelist mode. Channeling the ancestors and his gospel roots, Pounds falsetto tumbled us out of our comfort zones as the band rolled through selections from their latest album Pieces of Us along with a few classic covers.
Shea Givens with Family Company at Amp Jams #2 (2/26/26)
Shea Givens smoothly folded her sublime, impassioned vocals into the mix with Jennifer Hartswick, Alex Wasiliy and Skerik forming a rousing horn section on trumpet, trombone and saxophone respectively for the first of many sit-ins to come. Effortlessly segueing from guitar to vocals, James rewarded the rapt crowd with a soulful interpretation of “Keep You Satisfied” from Pieces of Us.
Genre-bending, psychedelic, prog rock gods Umphrey’s McGee teed up “Classic UM,” one of two sets under a rising moon. A fan favorite and frequent players at SOSMP beginning with Bear Creek in 2007, the Chicago-based ensemble pulled out their bona fides in a first set filled with the traditional UM fare.
Despite guitarist Jake Cinninger’s absence for Amp Jams due to personal reasons, his bandmates (Brendan Bayliss, Guitar, Vocals; Joel Cummins, Keyboard, Piano, Vocals; Andy Farag, Percussion; Ryan Stasik, Bass; and Scotty Zwang , Drums) threw down a barnstorming songfest beginning with “Slacker” replete with sky-scraping guitar riffs that kicked in the door for the hair-raising improv to follow. An expansive “Der Bluten Kat” bleeding into “2×2” ignited the crowd into a frenzy for a full 30 minutes before UM pummeled the Amp with “Wappy.” By then fans liquified into one undulating mass before completely combusting for closing headbanger “Puppet String.”
After a rager like UM’s first set, it was a mandatory requirement to take advantage of the extended intermission to regroup and recharge in order to make it through a second hour-and-a-half performance alive. The band’s “All Night Wrong” set was curated by fans who voted online for the covers they wanted to hear the most. The result was a crowd-pleasing, guest-filled production that received massive love from all those in attendance. We knew this was going to be fun, but when The Nth Power’s Nick Cassarino showed up early on to battle with Brandon Bayliss on guitar for the duration of the set, it became a spellbinding marvel.
As the beginning strains of a ferocious version of Pink Floyd’s “Time” swirled over The Amp, fans erupted with a deafening roar. Before the song was over Cassarino joined UM for an unscripted “Sultans of Swing,” which transitioned nicely into the Grateful Dead’s “Jack Straw.” Next, the band teased a little of Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” leading into Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen.”
Without stopping the band steam-rolled into The Who’s “Eminence Front” with Skerik leading the charge on saxophone like a gladiator entering The Colosseum. At this point, this writer along with the rest of the crowd was levitating with no chance to come down as songs melted together. J.J. Cale’s “Cocaine” saw the arrival of “The Dr.” a.k.a Roosevelt Collier making sacred steel wail with an assist from Skerik. Jennifer Harstwick traded vocals with Bayliss for “Under Pressure” before picking up her trumpet to join Skerik and trombone maestro Alex Wasily on Prince’s “1999.” See the UM’s full set shot by FunkCity.net and RAIL JUNKIE
We were barely able to come up for air when Sam Pounds came out to lend his soulful voice for an exquisite take on Beck’s “Debra.” The Amp went wild for The Band’s “Ophelia” which dovetailed into a riotous display of Led Zepplin’s “Fool in the Rain.” Flanked by Hartswick, Wasily, Skerik and Collier, UM closed down night one, appropriately enough, with David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” And dance we did, like it was 1999.
Day two dawned with rain showers and the possibility of more predicted for that day. But Suwannee worked its magic, and the rain stopped just after 2 p.m. and in enough time for Family Company to complete the majority of their second set and the first of the day. Many in the audience had already fallen in love with the L.A. virtuosos after Thursday’s performance and returned with high expectations for a second dose. The band did not disappoint.
The collective’s core trio of Teitelbaum, Goldstein and Kyhn primed the audience for the masterful performance to follow with a few choice instrumental jams including “It’s The Smile” and “Sir Somebody” ahead of the same extraordinary cadre of horns from day one joining them to stir up some funk. Skerik’s sax wizardry melted with Jason Goldstein’s dazzling keys into a superheated rhythm section that nearly succeeded in drying out The Amp.
Sam Pounds and Shea Givens joined the ensemble for a steamy “Sweet Like Honey” just before Pounds switched gears to the gospel-infused “By Our Self (Just Us),” with a terrific add by Wasily, Hartswick and Skerik on horns. “James the eighth” belting out The Reverend Al Green’s “Love and Happiness” must have been guided by the divine along with Pounds and Goldstein on organ, who took us higher reprising a slow-rolling bluesy take on “I Believe In Humanity.”
Shea Givens drew the spotlight singing “I Got My Money On You,” a gorgeous ballad she wrote with Family Company, and James the eighth took us all home closing out with “Keep You Satisfied.”
Perhaps no artist is more beloved by the SOSMP community than Roosevelt Collier. The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park’s embrace of the lap steel guitar master goes back decades. “The Dr.” has appeared more times across more SOSMP festivals, including Wanee, Bear Creek, Magnolia Fest, Roosevelt Collier Getdown, Suwannee Spring Reunion among others, more than any other musician. The crowd packing the Amp for the second performance of the day showered Collier with love as he took the stage with his namesake ensemble Roosevelt Collier Band. The Florida-based native wasted no time returning that energy breaking into a potent “Confusion,” a driving instrumental ushered in by the powerful beats of drummer Aaron “Bucky” Buckingham.
At full-speed-ahead, the quartet stepped on the gas through “Sun Up Sun Down,” and “Happy Feet,” both Collier originals. Buckingham pulverized the drums in an extended solo electrifying gleeful fans with Tommy “Shuga T” Shugart’s soulful organ not far behind and bassist Harry Ong laying down a solid foundation.
Collier possesses the shamanistic ability to compel a pedal steel guitar to sing in a language all its own, making him one the most in-demand session musicians for recorded and live appearances for a veritable who’s who of modern music. He has shared stages and studios with Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jelly Roll, The Allman Brother Band, Los Lobos, The Del McCoury Band, and many more. Today’s collaborators would include Grammy-winner and Snarky Puppy alumni Cory Henry on keys, who was called up for a moving version of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Nick Cassarino and preeminent trumpeter Eric “Benny” Bloom of Lettuce soon joined in for an astonishing rendition of a Herbie Hancock double header “Spank-A-Lee” and “Hang Up Your Hang Ups.” See some of the extraordinary moments below captured by FunkItBlog.
Bloom’s horn created an irresistible gravitational force while Cassarino laid down equal parts elation and power on guitar. The collective thrum climbed to a fever pitch sparking a thunderous response from the crowd. Collier gently landed the jam on pedal steel before ricochetting back into the groove to close out this spellbinding set.
If joy is an act of resistance, then The Nth Power leads the movement. Fueled by R&B and soul, supernatural powerhouse drummer Nikki Glaspie, peerless vocalist/guitarist Nick Cassarino, and superb bassist Nate Edgar have been spreading the gospel of positivity and hope for more than a decade, including frequent appearances at SOSMP.
For their triumphant return, The Nth Power invited a bevy of friends. Jennifer Hartswick, who first met Nick Cassarino when he was just 16, flanked her old chum for the entire set, sharing stirring harmonies and spectacular trumpet skills. Eric “Benny’’ Bloom and Cory Henry and Snarky Puppy veteran Robert “Sput” Searight stepped in later in a performance that was a study in how connection and community remain potent forces in a world that feels like it’s coming apart.
Dipping into The Nth Power songbook, including choice selections from Reverence, the band’s 2021 treatise on compassion, empathy and hope, the group stood fully in the moment. “A New Day,’’ “Joy” and “Hero” were all on the table with Hartswick and Cassarino harmonizing in perfect splendor and an assist from Henry on keys and Bloom on percussion for “Joy.”
In a flash of honest admiration, Cassarino asked if we wanted to hear “Jenny” sing. To which Hartswick replied with a chuckle, “Nick is the only person allowed to call me Jenny.” All eyes on Hartwick now, she sang a thrilling version of “Only Time Will Tell,” a radiant, jazz-focused funk tune she penned, which put her stunning vocal and trumpet skills on equal footing.
Lending support was the formidable combination of Henry on keyboards and Searight on drums along with Glaspie (because the only thing better than one mind-bending drummer is two). Taking the song to new heights, the thundering rhythmic exchange between Sput and Nikki temporarily bent the time/space continuum, knocking us off our feet. Anchoring this monstrous rhythm section was Edgar, who surrounded the collective with rock-solid beats. See it for yourself in the video below by FunkItBlog.
Recovery was quick and joyous for the introduction of “Dream Alive,” The Nth Power’s new single from their forthcoming album Never Alone, scheduled for release on May 1. Sticking with a message of positivity, he ensemble brought the set to a close with a the much loved “Walk On Water” before Glaspie led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” to birthday boy Cory Henry.
Succeeding a Gov’t Mule’s triumphant return last year’s Amp Jams after a decade away from SOSMP, frontman Warren Haynes was back; returning to Suwannee for his second Amp Jams, Haynes commandeered the stage with his own group, Warren Haynes Band. A roar went up for Haynes, the conquering hero, as he and bandmates Matt Slocum (keyboards), Kevin Scott (bass), and Terence Higgins (drums) took the stage for a bisected three-hour spectacle.
Blasting off with Haynes creations “Tear Me Down” and “Terrified” the band burst into thrilling interplay between peerless musicians who make up one of the tightest outfits on the jam scene. Haynes and company slowed the pace with “Banks of the Deep End,” a Gov’t Mule staple and fan favorite, along with a riveting cover of “From A Whisper To A Scream.” Sample a bit of Warren Haynes skills in the video below.
The band’s inspired treatment of Billy Cobham’s “Stratus” uncloaked Slocum, Scott, and Higgins as a preeminent rhythm section, showcasing each of their Herculean talents. Roosevelt Collier appeared for a spine-tingling exchange of guitar might with Haynes for Freddie King’s “Big Legged Woman.” Calling Lettuce keyboardist and soul man Nigel Hall for a turn on the ivories alongside Slocum, Haynes brought set one to a close with “Man In Motion,” a bluesy, roiling funk number from his 2011 album of the same name.
Terence Higgins’ thundering beats ushered in the start of Warren Haynes Band second go-round with “Spots Of Time,” a collaboration between Haynes and the late Dead bassist Phil Lesh. Haynes unleashed a haunting guitar solo rising to the meet Lesh’s spirit. With Slocum’s nimble fingers leading the charge on keys, “Lies, Lies, Lies > Monkey Dance > Lies, Lies, Lies” turned into an extended, red-blooded jam while Haynes cut through the mix, tumbling into “Go Down Swinging.”
Jennifer Hartswick joined on vocals for “River’s Gonna Rise” before taking up the trumpet for The Allman Brothers’ classic “Desdemona.”
This gave way to another Allman Brother’s tune, “Instrumental Illness,” a fusion of jazz and blues that manifests the kind of telepathy between bandmates required to pull it off, which Haynes and his cohorts did with the utmost finesse. This was the perfect set up for one of Haynes’ early hard-to-pigeonhole solo masterstrokes “Invisible.” Jazz? Rock? Funk? It’s just Warren. Fans were not about to let the band leave without an encore, and Warren Haynes Band delivered with the ubiquitous “Soulshine,” a Haynes blues ballad fitting in perfectly with the Allman Brothers motif.
Perinnial SOSMP conquerors and sonic technicians Lettuce settled into their second Amp Jams for a classic set of cosmic funk/fusion to close out the night’s festivities with a guest-laden set. Coming off extended tour, including various stops with RZA and Wu-Tang Clan, the band was ready to “cook,” a not- so-subtle reference to their latest full-length release of the same name.
Gravitating toward the more laid-back side of funk, the sextet (guitarist Adam “Schmeens” Smirnoff, bassist Eric “Maverick” Coomes, drummer Adam Deitch, keyboardist Nigel Hall, trumpeter Eric “Benny” Bloom, and saxophonist Ryan Zoidis) slid into the night’s first selection from Cook – the clavinet-driven “Clav It Your Way” complete with a bow to James Brown and The J.B.’s. Next came “Storm Chasing,” a dense, Middle Eastern-flavored jam that flaunted the band’s love of unexpected grooves.
Hall summoned Warren Haynes, Alex Wasily, and Skerik to sit in for “Love Is Too Strong,” a 2019 melody plucked from Lettuce’s Grammy-nominated album Elevate about love conquering hate. The song’s heavier themes were wrapped in Hall’s silver-toned, heartfelt delivery and were shaded by the expanded horn section.
Lettuce with Warren Haynes, “What Is Hip” Shot by: FunkCity.net,
RAIL JUNKIE & FunkItBlog
Slower rhythms gave way when Haynes commandeered vocals and guitar for the Tower of Power muscular funk/fusion classic “What Is Hip” with Wasily, Skerik, Zoidis, and Bloom ferociously punctuating the question on horns as Haynes and “Schmeens” battled to the finish.
On Saturday we woke up to cloudy skies but otherwise dry conditions. Besides a noontime start for music, some were lucky enough to snag tickets to a sold-out “Lettuce Help Tre!” an Amp Jam fundraiser for Tre Dupree, chef and friend of the SOSMP festival community who suffered severe burns from an accident while working in Mexico.
The packed event featured a backstage meet and greet with Lettuce and other artists, a tasting of new official Lettuce wines and a selection of appetizers prepared by Ryan Zoidis, Benny Bloom, Mr. Brisket, and the Tre Bien chefs. New Orleans crawfish King Shaggy Davis also cooked up a crawfish boil for the occasion. Those wishing to contribute to Tre’s recovery can still do so by donating via GoFundMe. Click here to donate.
In keeping with the Amp Jams community ethos, festival organizers also held an art auction to raise funds for another member of the SOSMP family, Ryan Gambel, who had fallen on hard times. The marketing director for the park and the son of its general manager, Gambel has been on life support since January when he fell ill suddenly. Live artists Patrick Anglin, Drake Arnold, Jerry Cahill, Steven Rousakis, Stephen Barry, Joel Hankins, Cooper Neil, James Clements, and Jordan Nice all donated works painted during the festival. A GoFundMe has also been set up for his family. To donate, click here.
Saturday also happened to be the last day of Black History Month and the SOSMP debut of a living piece of black history, Gullah Collective. Founded by percussionist, songwriter, and producer CL Baxter, the nine-piece outfit brings together accomplished musicians from greater Charleston including bassist LaVonta Green, percussionists Donald “95” Campbell and Donald Graham, guitarist Thomas “TK” Kenny, trumpeter Steve Morely, trombonist Gavin Smith, and keyboard players Demetrius Doctor and Stephen Washington.
Together they are the guardians of the sounds of the Low Country’s Gullah Geechee community, melding centuries of West African heritage and customs with African American cultural traditions. The Gullah are the descendants of enslaved Africans who still live along South Carolina’s coast including Beaufort, Port Royal and The Sea Islands. Gullah Geechee songs are rooted in storytelling passed down through generations and a polyrhythmic call-and-response pattern.
Gullah Collective burst out of the gate at a full gallop in an electrifying display of percussive beats for “Welcome To The Low Country” before aiming directly for the intersection of ancestral rhythms and modern jazz with a tune written by Demetrius Doctor. The heady combination instantly grabbed the elated audience and was the perfect set up for CL Baxter’s “Blue Bottle.” The lush jam that followed gripped us from the get-go with all nine musicians showcasing their tightly woven play. Sample a bit of the fun in the video below.
Leading the crowd deeper into the mix, CL Baxter invited them to clap along with the feverish percussion for “Binyah,” the Gullah word for someone deeply rooted to a place and its traditions. This blossomed into another sizzling Baxter original packed with island jazz rhythms which flowed into “Everywhere,” the group’s new single about love and hope. The song’s horn and organ-heavy sounds are sonically and spiritually linked to New Orleans jazz, which shares roots connected to the African rhythms of the Gullah Geechee culture. Taking the group’s newfound fans back to The Low Country one more time, Gullah Collective left it all on stage with “Geechee Blue,” a euphoric organ and percussion-led romp. We’re still trying to wipe the smiles off our faces.
Asheville-based New Dawn Starkestra rang in the day’s second set (literally) with the strike of a gong and a winding hallucinogenic ride (Night Train > Space Is the Place > Wade in the Water > Come Out of the Wilderness > Wade in the Water). Led by front woman Rebekah Todd’s sensuous vocals, the quartet (Todd, guitarist Isaac Hadden, drummer Jeff Sipe [Apt. Q258], and bassist Quinn Sternberg) deftly navigated bluesy jazz and psychedelic yarns. Todd, is no stranger to SOSMP stages and appeared at last year’s Amp Jams singing with New Orleans funk denizens Dumpstaphunk. But this would be the first appearance at the park for New Dawn Starkestra and they were off to a formidable start.
Switching gears to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Ohio,” guitar phenom Isaac Hadden applied his singing chops and incendiary guitar licks to the timeless protest song. Hadden spiced things up with a jaw-dropping display of rapid-fire guitar riffs. As the raucous applause died down, Todd introduced “A Different Kind of Strong,” a poignant telling of Asheville’s resilience in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastation.
Self-described as psychedelic adventure rockers, the quartet blends extended improv into a stew of rock, R&B, soul, and jazz. Fans should be advised to prepare for anything as New Dawn Starkestra takes them on ride with plenty of detours. The band then took a left turn into funk territory for James Brown’s “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” with a tease of Hadden’s own “Dirty Lies,” a groove grand slam. Watch New Dawn Starkestra’s full set shot by FunkItBlog below.
Todd’s magnetic presence and sensuous vocals dominated the stage with an explosive assist from Hadden for “Rotten Man,” a bluesy R&B tune she penned in 2022. At Todd’s behest, things got weird with a three-fold tribute to the late Col. Bruce Hampton starting with “Working on a Building,” which was constructed atop a rock-solid foundation of beats forged by Sipe and Sternberg. A wild psychedelic treatment of “Yield Not To Temptation” followed, with the finishing touch presented as improvisational funk and rock piled onto “Compared To What,” an unexpected and satisfying detour.
Grammy award-winners and SOSMP veterans Eric Krasno, Cory Henry, and Robert “Sput” Searight are no strangers to the Amp and the hallowed grounds it stands on. Guitarist, singer/songwriter, and producer Eric Krasno has appeared there countless times beginning in 2010 with the pioneering jazz/funk trio Soulive. Cory Henry has played the park as a former member of Grammy-winning jazz/fusion innovators Snarky Puppy as well as an artist-at-large. “Sput” Searight, who was also a member of the Snarky Puppy collective, has performed at SOSMP with his own funk/fusion outfit Ghost-Note.
Together they are The Heavyweights and one of the most anticipated acts to appear at Amp Jams 2. Their festival debut kicked off with Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire,” the first of a set filled with sensational covers showcasing why they are giants in the world of music. With Krasno’s ability to bend notes only imagined, Henry’s overwhelming mastery of electric piano and organ, and Searight on a singular mission to serve the music with rhythmic precision, the trio dared turn Stevie Wonder’s “Big Brother” into a red-blooded instrumental romp. Switching gears to blues, the band swaggered their way through the Cannonball Adderley masterwork “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.”
Skerik entered the mix, answering Sput’s beats on sax in an improvised intro to War’s “The World Is A Ghetto” that rolled on for nearly 13 minutes in a tidal wave of sound. Skerik’s uncanny ability for syncopation led the charge with Henry holding the line on synths. Krasno’s shred machine came for us hard as Sput hammered the point home.
The trio rocked our world with a rollicking delivery of Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up” before gently taking it down for a Beatle’s double header; “Something” featuring Henry’s superhuman flair on the organ. New Orleans royalty, funk maestro and Dumpstaphunk band leader Ivan Neville along with soul provider Nigel Hall joined the group on keys for “Get Back,” a sizzling outro that whipsawed from hard-driving beats to blues and back again for a blissful finish.
Longtime SOSMP family and guardians of New Orleans funk Dumpstaphunk were back for their second Amp Jams, this time with a bold tribute to funk and R&B pioneer the late Sly Stone. For “Dumpstaphunk Plays Sly and The Family Stone,” the nine-piece outfit (bassist Tony Hall, guitarists Ian Neville and Ari Teitel, keyboardist and vocalist Ivan Neville, trumpeter Ashlin Parker, drummer Deven Trusclair, saxophonist Brad Walker, trombonist Alex Wasily, and vocalist Rebekah Todd) mined a phat trove of the legendary band’s songbook including deep cuts and iconic hits.
Numbering 17 songs in all the, the 90-minute set lifted off with “Dance To The Music,” greasing the crowd for “In Time,” a lesser known but standout funk classic from Sly Stone’s expansive canon. See the full set below shot by FunkItBlog.
With highlights almost too numerous to name, a handful of favorites included “Stand,” “Sing A Simple Song,” “Life,” and “If You Want Me To Stay,” a personal favorite and one that substantiated Tony Hall as a sterling soul singer. The hit factory marched on with crowd-pleasers “Everyday People” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” with Dumpstaphunk leading ecstatic fans in a joyous sing-a-long. Inevitably, the party had to end, but not before the band brought Warren Haynes out for an explosive “I Wanna Take You Higher,” fulfilling the unspoken pact between artists and audience to listen, dance and engage as a community.
Looking back on this captivating performance, no band is better equipped to represent Sly and The Family Stone than Dumpstaphunk. The collective spits four part harmonies like their heros while putting their own unique stamp on Sly Stone’s music with funk born from the bloodlines of New Orleans royalty – the Nevilles and funk legends The Meters.
Bandleader, vocalist and keyboard wizard Ivan Neville is an architect building grooves in communion with his bandmates. Guitarists Ian Neville and Ari Teitel layer rhythm and color over a powerful low end anchored by hard-hitting drummer Deven Trusclair and phenomenal bassist and gifted vocalist Tony Hall, who can call up baritone and high notes with equal grit. Trumpeter Ashlin Parker, saxophonist Brad Walker and trombonist Alex Wasily are a high-octane horn section who not only effectively brighten the groove, but who also move it forward. Rebekah Todd sweetens the pot with gorgeous harmonies and vocals. Together Dumpstaphunk builds a vibe resembling a neighborhood block party – a communal celebration of life, love and camaraderie – a true family affair.
The following was contributed by MusicFestNews Editor-in-Chief and resident music historian Scott Hopkins.
On a day full of highlights, everyone was curious to see how Grahame Lesh, son of the late Phil Lesh, and Warren Haynes would approach their two-set feature. They brought along two of the very best at the anticipated material in Rob Barraco on keyboards and John Molo on drums. Wilco’s Nels Kline made an interesting addition as rhythm guitarist.
A nice jam gave way to the Otis Redding classic “Hard to Handle,” interesting in its approach. The set would also included Garcia’s “Liberty” and the Lesh tune “No More Do I,” with a great “Passenger” sandwiched in between. A masterful take on “Cumberland Blues” segued perfectly into “Pride of Cucamonga” (Lesh, From the Mars Hotel) with a massive “New Speedway Boogie” stuffed inside.
Wow! How would set two unfold? Master magicians were at work! Enjoy a bit of the magic in the video below shot by MrGratefulme.
Another fine jam introduced favorite “St. Stephen,” leading to another jam and a different view to “The Eleven.” Haynes was in peak form, and Lesh matched up well with Molo’s great experience. There was another jam, and it seemed certain they were heading into “Bird Song”… before they deftly swerved into… “Dark Star”! See the full set below shot by FunkItBlog and FunkCity.net
That magic continued until “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” presented itself! Barraco was on fire all evening, his piano work particularly outstanding. “Low Spark” drifted into “Space,” then… is that “Mr. Charlie”? NOPE! “Viola Lee Blues,” and that turned jazzy, then back into “Dark Star” before concluding finally with “Viola Lee Blues.” Jaw-dropping.
Time left? You bet! Jennifer Hartswick joined on vocals on a tight “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad,” which also included her on a fine trumpet solo. And then: pure magic. “And We Bid You Goodnight.” Incredible.
[ONE: Jam > Hard To Handle, Liberty, Passenger, No More Do I > Cumberland Blues, Pride of Cucamonga > New Speedway Boogie > Pride of Cucamonga; TWO: Jam > St. Stephen > The Eleven, Dark Star > The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys > Viola Lee Blues > Dark Star > Viola Lee Blues; E: Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad, And We Bid You Goodnight]
Shooter.
For many fans, this writer included, Lettuce is a state of mind that inhabits a space somewhere between a ritualistic trance and a portal into another cosmic dimension. Tonight Lettuce would rapture us up to a place far beyond even that.
For the second time the sextet had the honor of closing out Amp Jams, and they came correct. Locked and loaded and laser-focused, the band unfurled their sorcery during a hypnotic, improvised instrumental jam, allowing us to snatch a glimpse of six artists practicing an ancient kind of telepathy shared by musicians completely in the moment and in tune with each other.
Zoidis’ and Bloom’s explosive hook along with Coomes thunderous bass jolted us out of our stupor with “The Force” and a side of “Mr. Dynamite.” Fueled by bright horns and Caribbean rhythms, “The Matador” called up island party energy complete with a trance-inducing interlude manifested by Hall on ARP Odyssey synthesizer.
After Coomes executed a vibe check goading fans to “vibe up,” Hall dedicated “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” to the late Dumpstaphunk bassist and song co-writer Nick Daniels III, who contributed vocals to the track which appeared on 2022’s Unify.
Before Lettuce uncorked “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” Hall reassured the crowd that, “Even though you may be going through adversity and the world is going through adversity, we’re not the only ones. We’ve got to remember that. We’ve also got to remember that regardless of what’s happening, everything’s gonna be alright.”
What followed was a glorious tour-de-force with Hall driving the train on clavinet and electrifying vocals along with Coomes and Deitch staying deep in the pocket. The joy infected us all including Schmeens, who found the perfect dance partner in his guitar, and Bloom who killed it on a high-flying trumpet solo.
The performance was an exercise in perfection and perfectly intoxicating with too many highlights to name here. But some of the standouts included “The Mac,” a tribute to legendary JB saxophonist Maceo Parker with whom Lettuce shared the stage in 2010 at Bear Creak along with fellow JB’s Pee Wee Ellis, and Fred Wesley. The straight-up funk number, which appears on new album Cook, featured Zoidis channeling the iconic sax man, Cory Henry sitting in with Hall on keys, and it included teases of “God Made Me Funky” by The Headhunters and several other Maceo Parker tunes.
Former Lettuce member Eric Krasno reclaimed his place with the band for the rest of the set, trading guitar licks with a delighted Schmeens, starting with “Break Out,” which also showcased Bloom’s phenomenal mastery of the trumpet. That tune bled into “Relax” which exploded into a stratospheric guitar battle between friendly rivals and comrades in funk to thunderous cheers.
“Blast Off” landed us in another dimension, and by the time Lettuce rolled out “Phyllis” with a clear nod to “Hold On” by En Vogue, we were delirious. We were not ready to succumb to reality, but all good things come to an end. And what a soul-nourishing end it was.
For most shows, Hall is ensconced behind his keyboards and only coming out on rare occasions. This was such an occasion. With Cory Henry in firm control of the ivories and Krasno still wielding his guitar, Hall assumed the role of front man leading the band through a soul-satisfying medley (“Do It Like You Do > Funky Drummer > Do It Like You Do”) singing from a place deep within the human spirit with the band joyously falling in behind him.
If a divine spirit exists, we witnessed it tonight, channeled through artists whose gifts painted the moment in a sonic kaleidoscope. We left on a high that is still with us whenever we reach back for these memories. Relive Lettuce’s February 28th Amp Jams set in it’s entirety shot by Thunder City Pro.
Once again, Suwannee had worked its magic. We discovered that the spirits that inhabited the mythical festivals of years gone by were still alive and well. Old connections were strengthened and new ones forged. By all accounts Amp Jams #2 was a raging success.
A deep bow of gratitude goes out to festival promoter Paul Levine, who was also responsible for other legendary events such as Bear Creek, Purple Hatters Ball, Suwannee Rising, and Suwannee Hulaween. A shout-out also goes out to the Amp Jams team including, but not limited to, Trey Hebron, Kayla Harvey, photographers Jay Strausser, Blake Ruden and Daniel Leake, along with videographers Thunder City Pro, FunkItBlog, RAIL JUNKIE and FunkCity.net
A special thanks goes out to MusicFestNews photographer David Lee (Gypsy Shooter), whose outstanding work helped capture the best moments from Amp Jams and the many SOSMP festivals that came before it. We also tip our hats to the army of people responsible keeping things running smoothly – the sound and lighting professionals, stage hands, security, vendors and SOSMP staff among many others.
Paul Levine shared this about the success of the festival. He mused:
“I think Amp Jam #2 succeeded on pretty much every level. The festival intentionally speaks to and invites Spirit of the Suwannee music enthusiasts that long for the days of Bear Creek, Wanee, and classic SOSMP festivals of the past.
The bands were chosen for their excellence but also because many have a rich history at the park and with each other. Artists feel right at home when they arrive at SOSMP and delight in visiting with their friends for a few days. This feeling of comfort translated to incredible performances and collaborations on the stage.
The Amp Jam fans were wonderful – kind, loving, accepting, generous, excited. They have big ears and eagerly digested with joy whatever the bands delivered. The energy and love at Amp Jam was infectious and I have already started working on #3. I can’t wait for next year.”
To stay in the know about Suwannee Amp Jams, Click on the links below.
Suwannee Amp Jams
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