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Greensky Bluegrass
Greensky Bluegrass returns to the Red Fox Tavern Tuesday March 23rd for a night of furious finger picking and rockin' Bluegrass Music

"Of course, this is bluegrass. So manic chops mean a lot to Greensky Bluegrass. Yet they are also masterful storytellers. Mandolinist Paul Hoffman in particular pens some true rural balladry." -Seattle Weekly

Michigan's own Greensky Bluegrass is earning recognition nationwide as a growing force in acoustic roots music. One of the most exciting bands in today's music scene. Like a breath of fresh air, this five piece band plays traditional bluegrass instruments and uses them to create original songs and soundscapes that are unique and new, yet somehow feel comfortable and familiar. Though they have been likened to '70s era Americana acts like The Band, Greensky would prefer not to be compared to any other bands. "We really just try to make music as a group that sounds and feels right to us", says mandolin player Paul Hoffman, later adding that "it is nice to know that other people really dig it, too."

"Greensky Bluegrass hits timeless targets with deadly accuracy while simultaneously veering off the tired and true highway."-Jambase.com

Performing at festivals, theaters, clubs and listening rooms all over the US, their rare traditional sound is piquing the interests of not only bluegrass enthusiasts, but lovers of music of all genres. It is their unique "fusion of tradition and enthusiasm for improvisation" that has come to define the band's creative and tangible compositional style. Live performance is central to Greensky Bluegrass' presence in today's eclectic acoustic scene. Touring extensively since 2005, Greensky has developed great versatility in the performance arena. The mixing of original compositions with traditional bluegrass numbers gives the band a broad spectrum in which to display their driving technical chops, vocal abilities, and lyrical insight. A spirit of improvisation remains evident in live shows, which contributes to an ever-growing population of returning fans and avid show traders. While "green sky" is the opposite of "blue grass", the band insists that the name came about as more of a pun than a statement about their music. "Along with the tradition of bluegrass, we all have lots of different musical influences that we bring to the table", says guitar player Dave Bruzza, "and we somehow wanted to reflect that in our name." Upon witnessing the band's live shows, this statement seems to make a little more sense. On any given night, in addition to the myriad of excellent original songs, one might hear traditional bluegrass songs with an exploratory rock and roll jam or selections from the Talking Heads, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead or Bob Marley turned bluegrass. "We are as likely to play a three minute song as we are a ten minute song on any given night", says dobro player Anders Beck, "and I think that keeps it exciting for the audience". Perhaps this is the reason that Greensky Bluegrass is as equally embraced by the jam-band community as it is the bluegrass/Americana community and the band's fan base is growing so rapidly.

Formed in the fall of 2000 by Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), and Paul Hoffman (mandolin), Greensky has undergone a musical evolution as unique as the music it has produced. As newcomers to the bluegrass scene, the three sought to define themselves within the framework of their bluegrass favorites while establishing a voice of their own, drawing upon an array of influences and varied musical backgrounds. This voice first became evident in their May 2004 release of Less than Supper, recorded with bassist Chris Carr and dobro player Al Bates. Both Bates and Carr left the band shortly thereafter, and in the fall of the same year, Greensky Bluegrass welcomed bassist Michael Devol. In the summer of 2006, the band won the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Contest and released their second studio album, Tuesday Letter. This album, produced by Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth, has proven a milestone in the quartet's growth as musicians and increasing exposure to a thriving national community.

In November of 2007 the band released it's first live CD Live at Bell's, recorded at Bell's Brewery in their hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Just over a month later Greensky Bluegrass added Anders Beck to the line up, replacing Al Bates on dobro. His playing is adding great depth to their existing material and opening many doors to new songs. The new quintet recorded Five Interstates, their latest studio album in the late spring of 2008. It was produced by Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth. The album, their strongest to date, features twelve original tracks and one traditional bluegrass song (a nod to the deceased King of Bluegrass, Jimmy Martin) ,and showcases the band's songwriting and playing talents in a way that is incredibly accessible to fans of many different types of music. Carbone notes on the package: "Five Interstates came together like five lives intertwined, the intersection of a lifetime frozen in precious time and preserved in a digital tableau. I'm blessed&We're all blessed to be witness to a band ascending as true as an arrow shot to the sky." 2009 Also saw the first release in The Greensky Bluegrass' LIVE Series, Live from The Riviera Theatre Three Rivers, MI. 2010 is proves to be another stellar year for the boys from Michigan, as they are slated to release the second album in their LIVE Series and head back into the studio to record a new album. Touring constantly and playing over 170 shows a year, the hard work is certainly paying off. Recent highlights are too many to list, but include selling out venues in many parts of the country, sharing the stage with musical heroes, getting asked to play shows with the likes of Tony Rice and Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Yonder Mountain String Band and Railroad Earth, and being asked to play the inaugural Rothbury Festival in their home state of Michigan. "It certainly felt like an affirmation that we are doing something right", noted bass player Mike Devol.

Other on-stage collaborations have paired the boys with, The Hackensaw Boys, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge and Steppin' in It. The band has also shared bills with influential acts including Ralph Stanley, Sam Bush, New Monsoon, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Keller Williams, Hot Buttered Rum, Vince Herman, The Mammals, The Avett Brothers, Darrell Scott, King Wilkie, David Grisman Quintet and more.

Greensky Bluegrass is Anders Beck (dobro), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), Mike Devol (upright bass) and Paul Hoffman (mandolin).   
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