Carrboro Music Festival Performer Bios

Here are just some of the musicians you can hear at the Ninth Annual Carrboro Music Festival. We appreciate all of the performers who share their talent. Without them there wouldn't be a music festival!

Carolina Chocolate Drops (Weaver St. Market- 1:15) - The Carolina Chocolate Drops are a group of young African-American string band musicians that have come to together to play the rich tradition of fiddle and banjo music in Carolinas’ piedmont. Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson both hail from the green hills of the North Carolina Piedmont while Dom Flemons is native to sunny Arizona. They have been under the tutelage of Joe Thompson of Mebane (said to be the last black traditional string band player) and strive to carry on the long standing traditional music of black and white communities.

Mary Rocap (Nested 1:15) - In the eleventh grade Mary received two gifts of great significance, one was a Yamaha guitar; the second was a Folk Life recording of Odetta. Having grown up with opera and church music, hearing the simplicity of a voice, a song, and an instrument was transforming. Music became a beloved companion. The making of music took many forms including R & B bands and “Elvis” back-up vocals as well as acoustic duos, trios, and quartet groups, but the love of traditional music has always been the heart of my repertoire. Mary was awarded a NC Arts Council’s Artist Fellowship for Songwriting grant year 2001/2002 and has released “Sweet Mimosa" (2002) and “Indian Summer(2005). Both include a couple traditional songs or hymns but are mostly original material.

Viva la Venus (Archer Graphics-6:00) - Viva la Venus is a four-piece touring and recording act from The Triangle. The live show combines powerful vocal harmonies with the gritty chug of guitars along with a sexy stage presence, taking the audience on a musical rollercoaster ride. Along with being featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Raleigh's Live and Local TV, the track "Mystery" was featured in two episodes of the cable television series, Strong Medicine, on the Lifetime Network. The debut CD release, The Never Ending Mending Story (Shiny Pants Records), has received wide critical acclaim. The second release, Forget the Fairy Tale was released in 2005 .

Orientale Expressions Middle Eastern Dance Troupe (West End Theater- 4:00) - This award-winning belly dance troupe based in Chapel Hill, presents the traditional dances of the Middle East and North Africa with theatrical flair. They perform both cabaret and folkloric choreographies by international Middle Eastern dancers. Orientale Expressions "is always a highlight in a show" with "some drop-dead numbers, both dramatic and folkloric" and are "soooo professional to work with. I think enough of this group to put them in my shows, which I call 'artists of the dance'--and I'm picky!" - Shakira (OH).

Sold (Fifth Season Gardening- 1:15) - Perhaps the thing that will separate this band from others, is that they are not trying to forge any new ground. Why change a good thing? Rock music has always been rock music, and the ones who come in trying to manipulate that often fail miserably. Most people want to hear strong hooks, catchy hum able choruses and no rambling jams... nothing too confusing. We aim to deliver. "We're a band. We play music. You remember music, right?"

The Will McBride Group (Earl Wynn Theater- 8:00) - The Will McBride Group presents a truly unique blend of jazz- edgy funk/pop and Latin stylings full of rich color-chording, impressive melodic solos, strong vocal work, and superb rhythmic backing. Think Steely Dan meets Antonio Carlos Jobim. McBride's first release "Dynamic Proportions" was written, arranged and produced by McBride, and recorded by his band THE QUICK. This CD is now out of print, but the song Blue Mex from this CD was featured on the NC Habitat for Humanity Jazz compilation CD "HomeAID". Will's 2004 release "As Yet ", features six new originals written, produced, and arranged by Will, along with a cover of Thelonious Monk's classic "Well You Needn't.

The Breaks (Tyler’s Parking Lot- 3:00) - The Breaks is a Pittsboro, NC Pop Band comprised of Chapel Hill scenester/expatriates, plus one guy from Durham. The band skews original pop narratives over a bouncy "C". Musical comparisons include Rick Springfield, Split Enz, XTC and Velvet Underground with Nico, a little Gary Numan, and Sparks.

Mosadi Music w/ Shirlette Ammons (Weaver St. Market- 5:15) - Evident in their performance is a commitment to making music that revisits the consciousness of sixties soul, the thump of seventies funk, and the roots of nineties hip hop. They have shared the stage with such diverse talents as Destiny's Child, Meshell Ndegeocello, Brian Mcnight, New Edition, Angelique Kidjo, Nick Whitley(The Cherry Valence), Purple St. James (formerly Yahzarah; solo Soulstress & former Erykah Badu background Vocalist) and Universal Hip Hop artists Little Brother. MOSADI's diverse sound fuses well with many different genres of music from funk, hip hop to rock and they were nominated for a 2005 Indy Music Award by the Independent Weekly for "Best R&B/Soul Group in the Triangle"

Gypsy Town (West End Theater- 9:00) - Gypsy Town is original 'Southern California-Style' folk-rock, with Nashville and Southern roots. Together for over 30 years, Michael and Earleen Burch were fixtures on the Chapel Hill-Greenville music scene in the 1970's performing original songs, and with various bands. They even performed as a Gram Parsons-Emmylou Harris cover band. In the early 1970's Michael fronted bands that opened for The Byrds, Tom Rush, and many others. A singer/songwriter-guitarist since the late 1960's, Michael's songwriting is influenced by the early sounds of The Beatles, CSN, Jackson Browne and The Eagles. Gypsy Town is going to try to "take it to the limit, one more time". If they do, you won't want to miss it.

Tim Smith & Eileen Regan (Balanced Movement Studio- 5:15) - Tim Smith and Eileen Regan have been playing Irish and other Celtic music ever since they met at an Irish music jam session in Washington, D.C., in 1980!! They've been living in Chapel Hill, NC since 1990 and they love the music of their ancestors and play it every chance they get!! EILEEN REGAN plays a mean fiddle and sings beautifully the songs and ballads of Ireland and Scotland and America. TIM SMITH who plays Celtic tunes on flute, tin whistle, English concertina and accompanies Eileen on piano. Tim also has been known to deliver a song or two including some that he has penned himself!!

Richard Tazewell (Century Center- 9:00) - After twenty years in the Music business in Key West and Sarasota, Fla. Richard Tazewell relocated to the Triangle area to take a break from the tourists and educate his children. He plays regularly at the Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill and does a monthly Jazz Program at the Hotel. His CDs 'Stairway to the Stars' and 'I Remember You' are featured in the Lobby of the Hotel.

Stranger Spirits ( DSI Comedy Theater- 7:00) - The Stranger Spirits, (both named Chris) are producers, songwriters and performers based in Chapel Hill, the artistic heart of North Carolina's Triangle area. We live in a time where the country turns it’s jaded, download weary eyes skeptically toward the broken down LA and New York based music industry. Meanwhile, the Stranger Spirits are churning out fresh, accessible original music by themselves and other uprising independent local artists. Their music features original sounds and songs with enough danceable rhythm and catchy melody to interest and entertain their listeners. Their words aim to keep enough lyrical meaning and depth underneath the surface of the typical radio song format to keep the listener involved in the song long after a few listens. The results are recordings and performances of a sometimes dark, sometimes quirk pop-rock combination of emotion and fun.

Eduardo Moran (Balanced Movement- 3:15) - 23 years old, from Guerrero in Mexico, Eduardo Morán revives the New Trova music from the 1960s and 70s that was made famous by Silvio Rodríguez, Pablo Milanés, and others from Cuba. New Trova´s members recognized the varied influence of the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, Daniel Viglietti, and Violeta Parra - with the inclusion of South American rhythms and instruments. Songs are based in content, generally very elaborately poetic, covering from political to love themes.

Tim Smith Band (Town Commons- 4:15)- After more than a decade, this North Carolina Band formerly called The Jumpstarts is still cooking up a deliciously original blend of music. Based in traditional 1950s style Jamaican ska and reggae, the group now stirs in a heavy helping of jazz and a pinch each of gospel and blues. Key to this flavorful cornucopia is composer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and band leader Tim Smith who bring to the table a world of experience with other bands and musicians including The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Hobex, The Countdown Quartet, The Platinum Heavyweights, Jazz Squad, Justin Thompson, The Raleigh Jazz Orchestra and many more. Trust me; you'll want to be present when the Tim Smith Band serves up its next delectable live performance of original music.

Shakermaker (Tyler’s Parking Lot) - Shakermaker's weightless pop floats to a strange breeze. It's all wooden and rustic until the '60s psych guitars whip through your hair, and those sunburned melodies take hold. Like a modest Shins, 'verb bagged up and quirk transformed, Mitch Eubanks and Jesse Moorefield understand the understated but aren't scared to add proper garnish or let a guitar shout when it should. With a brand new record -- the at-times lush, at-times brassy, and at-times near-silent Music Room -- clutched tightly to their bosoms, Shakermaker share the….stage with like-minded folkals (that's folk + locals, ya dig?)"

The Gravy Boys (Music Loft- 3:00) - The Gravy Boys perform a selection of original songs and covers that draw on our rich heritage of American music: From depression-era folk music such as Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family; to the high-lonesome sound of the Louvin Brothers; to honky-tonk era country music such as Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzel and Merle Haggard; to 60's era folk-country-rock such as Bob Dylan, The Byrds and The Band; to contemporary alt-country and singer-songwriters such as Whiskeytown, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, Steve Earle, Ryan Adams, John Hiatt, and Lucinda Williams. They perform with acoustic guitars, mandolin, upright bass, harmonica, and an occasional pedal steel. They circle around one microphone to sing sweet 2, 3 and 4 part-harmonies that capture the fancy and attention of all who listen.

Lyn Koonce (Nested-6:15) - The music career of singer/songwriter Lyn Koonce, spans her whole life and covers many genres. As a child, Lyn played piano, guitar, violin and saxophone, but she discovered her voice in college at UNC Greensboro where she received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education/Voice and Choral Conducting. Lyn has taught elementary school music and voice while maintaining a consistent schedule of playing and singing in and around North Carolina as a solo artist or with her band, Lyn Koonce and the Hours. She also teaches voice, is music director at a local church and works in the creative services department at 2 radio stations.

Blake Tedder (Padgett Station- 1:15) - Blake is influenced by an eclectic mix of music. Pulling a large part of his style from Keller Williams, the lyrics of the Beatles, Peter Rowan, and Cat Stevens and the spiritual presence of roots reggae and Michael Franti and Spearhead shape much of his music and attitude. Been through the toughest of times (Blake and his father survived a plane crash in Colorado in 2001 and were both significantly burned--to where his doctor said he would never play guitar again), he's managed to remain positive with a smiling goal to share his music with the world, and to show that anyone can rise from their adversity with the right attitude and connect with people in a very real way.

Sweater Weather ( RBC Centura- 5:15) - Sweater Weather is a musical ensemble hailing from Chapel Hill. With six members and an array of instruments at their disposal, these fresh-faced youths are making their own way through the indie rock territory that was marked out by the Shins, Sufjan Stevens, and others just after the turn of the millennium.

Over 2005 and 2006, the group has taken on a more fervent show schedule around the Chapel Hill scene. They’ve been grouped with the likes of Anathallo, Matt Pond PA, and Swords, and their live musical chemistry has grown nearly as strong as their friendship off the stage. Together, these six musicians create an intimate atmosphere in which the songs can really become personal.

Doctor Oakroot (Sizl Gallery- 5:30) - Doctor Oakroot was born in a taxi with no brakes, and, he says, "I been rolling ever since. I rolled right down to Hell, pulled up the devil by his tail and brought back some dark, dark songs." Unsatisfied with the ordinary, Oakroot's been making his own music on his own homemade instruments ever since he was a kid. Mostly string instruments, and, recently, mostly cigar box guitars. When you get it down to a box a stick and a string, you have music with a rough edge that works at a primal level - nowhere to hide - and anything but ordinary. Rough-edged songs from a dark place in the soul - songs to haunt your dreams. Some would call it blues, but some folks have a narrow definition of blues and Oakroot's music is anything but narrow.

Folk by Four (WCOM- 2:00) - Folk by Four are Catherine Grodensky, Jim Magaw, Jane Provan and Scott Provan. They began singing together as members of the choir at the Community Church of Chapel Hill, where you can still hear them on Sunday mornings and on special occasions throughout the year. Their repertoire includes folk, pop, jazz, gospel and bluegrass songs, and we're always on the lookout for new material.

Baile Daire (Weaver St. Market- 4:15) - Baile Daire is a Raleigh based band presenting a mixture of Irish and other folk music on acoustic instruments for dances, public performances, group meetings, and private engagements throughout North Carolina. Baile Daire is an old Irish Gaelic term which means City of Oaks. The group has been together and performing since 1999 and prides itself in its versatility. They are equally at home ripping through a set of Irish jigs or reels as they are rendering the simple beauty of a slow air or lament. They perform both legacy and contemporary ballads from the Irish tradition as well as comical pub songs that are best accompanied by a swinging pint of Guinness. In concert, they demonstrate their love for Celtic music, but do so from an American perspective.

Brianna Lane (Nested- 3:15) - This chick puts the word "singer" in singer/songwriter. Brianna grew up in Minnesota so you can blame her sweetness on her roots but this girl has been on the road non-stop for two years so you can hear her experiences in every note she sings. She has a voice and a presence beyond her years. She strums an acoustic guitar with the same sweetness and power in which she sings. Brianna Lane is a musician in motion. She began her musical exploration on a college-bound journey from her native Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Asheville, North Carolina. At once refreshing and poignant, Lane's distinctive style developed from that fateful road trip as she listened to and drew from artists such as the Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Aimee Mann, and others. Brianna is currently touring the nation in support of her newest release "Radiator."

The Brown Mountain Lights (Weaver St. Market- 3:15) - The Brown Mountain Lights are Triangle music veterans brought together by a passion for the many facets of American roots music. Their repertoire is a carefully-crafted amalgam of styles from bluegrass and honky tonk to blues and twangy pop, consisting primarily of original compositions. The result is a tasty mix of sharp songwriting, three-part harmonies and a classic Americana musical palette. Jeff Hart and Janet Place contribute the lead vocals and songwriting talents while Greg Bower tosses in "high lonesome" harmonies and the requisite guitar twang. Steve Webster is on bass, Bryan Sodemann on drums and Miner Gleason on fiddle. They are often joined by Steve Watson on steel guitar.

Spoonful of Soul (Cat’s Cradle- 4:30) - As every chef knows, the best dishes start with the finest ingredients and Spoonful of Soul, a nine-piece, high-energy dance band from the Triangle knows that rule applies to parties as well. Featuring a menu drawn from the best in R&B, soul, classic rock, and blues, Spoonful of Soul provides a tasty dance buffet to satisfy the hungriest partygoer. The members of the band have a list of influences longer than a Waffle House menu. Scattered with a solid dynamic backbeat, Covered with Velveeta-smooth lead and rhythm guitar, Chunked with the slap and pop of a bass guitar, Topped with soaring lead vocals and harmonies, Diced with knife-edge organ, piano, and synth fills, and Peppered with a hot and spicy horn section.

Lucy Sumner and The Second Third (Century Center- 5:00) - The Second Third combines jazz, blues, world, folk and new age influences to create a unique style and musical vision. All accomplished musicians in numerous styles; The Second Third's focus is on improvisational original material and unique interpretations of cover tunes. Their explorations range from slow, meditative new age musings, funky world beat rhythms and renowned hits from all eras of jazz, blues and pop.

Blue Marble Beat (Cycling Specifics- 1:00) - Blue Marble Beat mixes diverse elements into a unique sound we call PsycheTronic Dub & Soul. You'll hear Dub style Reggae rhythms played over Industrial and Electronic backing tracks. You'll hear Soul and R&B styled vocals sung to Funky Rock beats and you'll experience Improv instrumental interludes that travel through Trance, Jam and Acid Jazz. They’ve shared stages with Burning Spear, The English Beat's Dave Wakeling, Israel Vibration, Gran Torino and Mother's Finest. If you're not dancing at a Blue Marble Beat show you might be a corpse. Blue Marble Beat moves the body, soul and mind.

Clang Quartet (DSI Comedy Theater- 1:00) - Clang Quartet is the musical project of Scotty Irving (drummer for Benjomatic, Geezer Lake, Eugene Chadbourne, Bunker, and others). Live, Clang Quartet is predominantly an improvisational percussion/performance-art show, based metaphorically on the life of Jesus Christ. The recorded output features standard instruments like guitars, keyboards, and drums as well as Irving's own electrified crutch mixed with sound collages of family tape recordings from his childhood and field recordings. Truly experimental music in the spirit of Swans, Whitehouse, Merzbow, and AC/DC. Clang Quartet is the subject of a documentary from Bright Eye Pictures titled Armor of God.

Big Fat Gap (Fifth Season Gardening- 7:15) - Big Fat Gap is a back porch bluegrass band that has no plans to take Nashville by storm. Some of them even have day jobs. They just like to pick, they like each other, and it shows. Their shows are known to be excellent for those who enjoy sweet three part harmonies, smoking solos, and captivating stage dynamics. Their fun performances bring loyal fans back for more. They got their name from one of the few remaining stands of old growth virgin forest in western North Carolina located in the Big Fat Gap in Graham County near the Tennessee border. They are Miles Andrews on lead vocals, Chris Heaney on mandolin & vocals, Ryan Cavanaugh on banjo, John Garris on fiddle and Robert Mitchener on upright bass.

Willie Hill (Nested -2:15) - Willie Hill is a veteran musician who spent a number of years playing with touring R&B and soul acts before starting his own recording studio and record label in Durham. By the age of 19, Hill was playing bass with the Communicators and had written a hit single, "One Chance," which was recorded by the group in 1974 and is featured on the 1999 album Lost Soul Oldies, Vol. 5. He played with the Modulations in the mid-'70s, but left to play bass for Doug Clark and the Hot Nuts in 1977. After playing with Clark on and off for eight years, Hill left the Hot Nuts and, in 1987, opened a recording studio, Inspire Productions, in Durham. He has since engineered for Lois Dawson, Shirley Caesar, the NCCU Jazz Ensemble, Mickey Mills and Steel, Shabba Ranks, Norman Conners, Stanley Baird, and Gerald Hinton.

Alina Simone ( Open Eye Café- 4:00) - Her songs are about places where nothing and everything seems to happen -- pawn shops, access roads, malls, gas stations -- and all the gorgeous, impossible, possibilities that other people can bring into one’s life. She was born in Kharkov, Ukraine and raised in suburban Massachusetts. Growing up, Alina wanted to be a cross between Sinead O'Connor (whose voice set the standard) and Mary Lou Lord (who keeps things real and is still her hero- she missed trains to listen to her at the Park Street subway platform all the time). The first time she sang in public was on the streets of Austin, Texas, under the abandoned awning of what is now Buffalo Bills, and it felt good serenading the homeless people and surprising drunken frat boys on warm, spring nights.

Crooked Creek (Balanced Movement Studio- 2:15) - Crooked Creek is a quartet inspired to sing praise to God through a cappella gospel music. The choice of music stems from the rich tradition of inspirational Appalachian and early black gospel music that has been a mainstay in small churches for decades. The quartet was named for a small creek coursing through the Blue Ridge Mountains of southern Virginia. Its members, Laurie and Peter Maffly-Kipp, Bill Siddall and Greg Travlos attend the United Church of Chapel Hill.

Kylebrack (Open Eye Cafe- 6:00) - Kylebrack performs traditional Irish tunes and songs, specializing in the lyric tunes of East Galway and Clare. The band consists of Alison Arnold (wooden flute), Paul Fackler (fiddle), and Donald Lively (guitar). They came together as a band in 2004 and have played for audiences in the Triangle as well as for contra dances around North Carolina. Kylebrack is named after a small town in East Galway, Ireland, that has been home to many fine musicians, including a number of noted flute players associated with the Ballinakill Traditional Players.

Jocelyn Arem (Sizl- 4:30) - Part Quaker-educated Southern girl, part upstate New York based activist, and part songwriter/singer/guitarist/percussionist; Jocelyn Arem is an Aries and self-described "restless spirit.” Her music lends itself to the vocal styles of soul greats Stevie Wonder and Erykah Badu, the deceivingly effortless guitar arrangements of John Prine and Rosalie Sorrels, the heartfelt melodies of Bonnie Raitt, and the go-go and hip hop rhythms she grew up listening to in Washington, DC and Maryland. Jocelyn’s musical style reflects her role as a community activist, producer, and cultural historian.

In 2002 she initiated The Caffe Lena History Project (www.caffelenahistory.org) to document and preserve the story of America's oldest continuosly running coffeehouse and its impact on the culture of American music. In addition to her music career, she is now working on a book that will explore Caffe Lena's impact on and place in America’s cultural history.She has worked with such artists and activists as Pete Seeger, Jane Fonda, Holly Near, Eve Ensler, Doc Watson, Shemekia Copeland and Guy Davis and has been invited to share the stage with The Persuasions, Alix Olson, Deb Talon and David Roth.

Off the Road Band (Fifth Season Gardening- 4:15) - plays a unique blend of many styles of American music, including folk, bluegrass, jugband and good old rock and roll. And though you might occasionally hear an unusual arrangement of a classic tune, most of the band's offerings are its own original compositions.

Based in Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, the sextet is made up of Dave Haynes on drums, Bill Joyner on banjo, Betsy Clarke on fiddle and percussion, Michael Chandler on electric and upright bass, Mark Marcoplos on rhythm guitar, and Mitch Renkow on accordion and electric lead guitar. All members contribute vocally and help write songs.

Lise Uyanik and Friends (WCOM FM/Community Realty- 4:00) - were a fixture at parties and late night venues in Durham and Chapel Hill in the Triangle region in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Fans loved their raucous dancing tunes and Lise's remarkable voice. Their debut album, Shut Up and Dance in 1981, captured the energy of the times. In the last few years, Lise and the band have reunited and rocking concert at the Carrboro Arts Center in November 2002 brought back memories for hundreds of now gray-haired dancing fans. "Life is a chronic degenerative disease," Lise Uyanik explains. "I just happen to be on the fast track." Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis three years ago, Lise knows that her days of playing rock and roll may be limited.

Armand and Bluesology (Cat’s Cradle- 5:30) Since the late 1970s, Armand has been playing in blues bands. Armand's band, BLUESOLOGY, carries the influences that have rounded out Armand's musical education while recording and playing with Skeeter Brandon & HWY61, The Larry Baeder Group, Nappy Brown, Deborah Coleman, Rock Bottom, Chicago Bob Nelson, Five Guys Named Moe, the Alkaphonics, the Prowlers, Buddy Skipper, David Nelson and others. For the 2006 CMF, Armand will be joined by Will McFarlane on guitar, the FABULOUS BLUESOLOJETTES on backing vocals and the SPOONFUL OF NOMADS HORN SECTION.

Stuart Pierce (Archer Graphics- 1:00) Since 2001, Stuart has tempered his musical styles, playing hundreds of performances with numerous groups. A blend of 90s rock and acoustic folk, his music uses catchy melodies and memorable guitars to grip the ear and keep the interest. Though his songs are thick with the influence of Paul Simon and Chris Cornell, they maintain their own uniqueness. His upcoming tour, Too Far To Fly, is the culmination of years of musical and business preparation and he hopes it can be about something more than the music. He’s giving a percentage of all his tour earnings to the Blood: Water Mission non-profit working with Africa’s many problems.

Club Boheme (Earl Wynn Theater- 1:00) He was still staring, holding the 38 revolver like a handful of popcorn, when she shut the door. The lock snapped like jaws closing. From the bar, he could hear the yearning strains of Clay Buckner's fiddle as it launched their opening number. Dave Smith's gypsy guitar and Fred Levine's locomotive string bass came in big and swinging. Suddenly the stale smoke in the room cleared, and he was drenched in the distilled honey of Shelley Higgins’ voice, soothing his ragged nerves like the first bourbon after a stretch in Folsom. Cold black metal clanged to the floor. Somewhere there’s music, how high the moon.

John Saylor (Balanced Movement Studio- 4:15) Somehow, Saylor writes upbeat campfire folk tunes out of such solemn subject matter--kind of a Holy Modal Rounders' treatment to mid-life crises. Kitschy yet serene, his lyrically clever songs reflect this paradox, with titles ranging from "House by a Waterfall" to "I Found Your Bra Inside Your Pocketbook." Ironically, the most poignant track has the most kitschy title, "Jesus Christ, It's Easter." There's really nothing irreverent about this song; it addresses the universal hopes and pressures brought by spring, the season of resurrection.

the pulsar triyo (Century Center- 7:00) began in 2004 when Pulsar Li and Eric Bishop (then freshmen members of the Duke Jazz Ensemble) started to apply the traditional and modern jazz concepts to other music genres out there. The addition of Adam Lord on bass in 2005 helped to diversify their music even more. Although the triyo’s original compositions, which range from new jazz to Latin-jam to funk, serve as true representations of their musical tastes, there is much to be said on behalf of their interpretations of pre-existing music also. Be it be bopping Britney's "toxic," or funkifying a Tiffany tune from the 80's, this modern jazz piano trio tries to keep covers as original as their own compositions.

The Road Home Band (DSI Comedy Theater- 6:00) invites you to a fun and delightful listening experience of upbeat contemporary folk, rock and bluegrass. Covering titles by artists such as Carrie Newcomer, Alison Krause, Bob Dylan, Nickel Creek and others, this ambitious acoustic quartet is emerging with a sound of its own. They offer a mix of vocals, mandolin, guitar and bass that is nothing less than folk music at its best: at once soulful and earnest, yet full of encouragement and gentle humor to sustain listeners as they go forth to make the world a better place.

Jason Harrod (Fifth Season Gardening- 5:15) draws from the best traditions of American music to create a sound all his own. As part of the Boston-based duo Harrod and Funck, he released three albums to critical acclaim, one of which, the pair's eponymous sophomore CD, reached #38 on the CMJ AAA top 40 chart. Back in his native North Carolina, Jason won first place in the bluegrass category of the Chris Austin Songwriting competition at the annual MerleFest. He followed that up with a first place win in 2001 in the fourth annual songwriting contest sponsored by The North Carolina Songwriters Co-op, and in 2002 appeared on the legendary Arthur Smith’s “Carolina Calling” television show along with Alison Krauss and Union Station.

Carter Gaj (Music Loft- 4:00) Influences: The Beatles, Randy Newman, The Big Lebowski, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, The Everly Brothers, Harry Nilson, The Kinks, Jeff Lynne (ELO), George Martin, Simon and Garfunkel, Rushmore, Smokey Robinson, Nick Lowe, Van Morrison, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, the Band, the Wendy's number 2 plain with extra cheese, and Ghostbusters.

Midtown Dickens (Open Eye Cafe- 3:00) Kym Register and Catherine Edgerton, the anti-folk denizens behind Midtown Dickens, carry their front-porch-music habits with them on their backs. The alt-country / folk roots that had originally sprouted the band quickly grew to feed it with a punchy minimalism that compliments bold lyrics and ethereal harmonies. Upon their return to North Carolina, Midtown Dickens stumbled upon their indie-rock influence. They strung together the found and scavenged instruments (banjo, musical saw, drums, tambourine, trumpet, trombone, and harmonica) with a shiny red electric guitar. The result of all this: A sweet and savvy duo with enough presence and energy to make you doubt that it’s a two piece.

Crushed by the Numbers (RBC Centura- 6:15) Crushed by the Numbers is an ill-defined project by a group of musicians trying to reconcile their own varied visions with the more varied visions of each other. The band was born out of the constant barrage of information, media and history condensed into something that ultimately sounds like what you’d expect a rock band to sound like. Singer/guitarist Jason Merritt was enjoying a successful career as a recording engineer in LA working with the likes of Dr. Dre and producer Dave Sardy. However, an ill-fated trip to France to work on an as-yet-to-be-completed Courtney Love record left Jason with an interesting souvenir from said rock-singer and a desire for the saner environs of North Carolina.

Will McFarlane (Cat's Cradle- 6:30) spent six years playing guitar with Bonnie Raitt, from 1974 to 1980. Born on a Navy base in California, McFarlane started voice lessons at age 6, adding piano a year later. Seeing the Beatles play the Ed Sullivan Show when he was 12 inspired McFarlane to take up guitar. He developed a taste for R&B in high school, focusing on Motown material while developing as a rhythm guitarist. McFarlane left Raitt to move to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, playing on records for Bobby Blue Bland, Little Milton, Etta James and Johnnie Taylor as part of the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.

Saludos Compay (WCOM- 6:00) takes the audience on a musical tour that features traditional, contemporary, and original music from Latin America and the Caribbean. This amazingly versatile trio keeps toes tapping. Lead vocalist/guitarist Pablo Valencia, from Chile, sings a wide range of styles. He is as much at ease with a reflective bolero as with an upbeat salsa. The group performs a number of Valencia’s acclaimed original compositions, such as the romantic Cancion Para Dos, the rumba Bello Amor, and the very upbeat salsa song Entumido. On keyboards, Erich Lieth adds spice to the strong Latin rhythms with improvisational piano solos and bass. Chuck Nolan, lead percussionist, intricately weaves the rhythm patterns, be it for a subtle bossa nova or a danceable cumbia.

Learning to Squeal (RBC Centura- 1:15) is a odd band fronted by Joel K.(flute, ukulele, and, frighteningly, electric guitar) which claims to be the" musical love-child of Joan Armatrading and Sigur Ros as raised by ultra-intelligent wombats in a small cabin near the Knitting Factory NYC." We really have no idea what that's supposed to mean. The Voice called their first recording, Le Tigre Post Urgento, "Unruly root-vegetable late-twenty-first-century rock with seriously avant-flaunt-folk-punk pretensions.” Live, they usually play a danceable form of whalesong propelled by the muscular tuba of Jon Ames, frisked with the sparkling notes flowing from Alice Winterson’s violin and doubled by the wine-dark drumming of Jay Hammond on big percussion. All songs are written in uneasy collaboration by Learning to Squeal as a group, though lawsuits should be brought solely against said band leader.

Guilt-Free Affair (Cycling Specifics- 4:00) - Sophisticated original Latin Jazzesque versions of R&B, Steely Dan, folk, standards, and basically all the tunes that make you say "Oh, Yeah!" Vocalists Lisa Ray (www.lisarayonvocals.com) and Deatha Kirkland treat you to two very different stylings that blend perfectly. "One Take Wonders" Jeff Brown on sax and Juan Osorio on congas / percussion bring tons of professional experience, and make it "sound like jazz." Eric Nicholson, the kid in the group, weaves some very original bass lines, while Ronn Baker adds fingerstyle guitar.