Renegade Stringband at SoHo

It was a night of foot stomping, soul-warming bluegrass from the band Renegade Stringband. The group of singer Jessica Jarris, banjo player Joe Seamons, guitarist Austin Moore ( a Santa Barbara native), Fiddler Ben Hunter, Bassist Max Kutzman, and dobro player Gavin Duffy who wasn't present. An eclectic group of people, Renegade Stringband offers a plethora of sounds that both delight and intrigue. Each individuals talent is impressive; Jessica Jarris' voice offers powerful folksy and bluesy tones that radiate through the room, while Kutzman's bass gives the band a solid foundation. Seamon's banjo gives their music that quintessential bluegrass feel when added to the richness of Moore's guitar, and Ben Hunter's fiddling is something truly outstanding. Tunes like "Mission Creek" and "Walls of Time" are like walking through an apple orchard on a warm spring day. Jarris' voice really carries and blends seamlessly with the band. Of course after talking with Jarris after the concert she informed me that she had trained in classical voice, and boy could you tell- her musicality is intuitive and she treats each note with a kind of delicacy that's like dessert for your ears. Renegade Stringband also plays bluegrass versions of famous tunes like "Chocolate Jesus" by Tom Waits and "Tighten Up" by the Black Keys, giving these popular songs a wonderful new twist- Renegade Stringband isn't just a typical Bluegrass group- they have solid elements of folk and blues and even a little rock in their music that only further elaborates on their fundamentally grounded, cowboy boots necessary kind of sound. Joe Seamon's banjo on songs like "Anna's Breakdown" exhibit the variety of their music- each song offers a different glimpse of their many gifts, as there was not a dull moment at Soho- what more? It was a Tuesday night, and everyone was dancing along to the irresistible sounds coming from stage. Bluegrass is a genre that is either loved or greatly disliked by people- its this interesting mixture of blues and folk and twangs of country that give it a flavor that has really evolved over the last twenty years.Bluegrass lover or not, its almost hard not to love Renegade Stringband- they offer something novel, that while still being Bluegrass, does not ignore solid folksy and blues inspired sounds that make their sound so much more universal than just a typical bluegrass group. Overlapping vocals in songs like "Terror Risin' Blues" are accompanied by a slightly muted banjo with the heart being in the bass creating an earthy feel that has you swaying and leaves you a little mesmerized. There is something wonderfully homey about Renegade Stringband; their connection with each other and passion for their music leaves you feeling content and satisfied and has the ability to make you forget your worries for a little while- something we all want music to do. After their performance, I got to talk to them a little bit and they could not have been a lovelier bunch; if you're just getting your feet wet in Bluegrass music, Renegade Stringband will not disappoint. The band comes to the Santa Barbara area twice a year, so be sure to check them out when they swing by again.

I highly recommend "Nature's Gospel" and "Terror Risin' Blues"

Renegade Stringband is currently on tour

http://renegadestringband.com/site/

From the left: Gavin Duffy, Max Kutzman, Jessica Jarris, Ben Hunter, Joe Seamons, and Austin Moore