The well-acclaimed Chi-town collective Liquid Soul boasts multiple cap feathers, such as jamming at Bill Clinton’s inaugural parade, kicking out the groove at Dennis Rodman’s birthday party and hosting vocalist Simone, daughter of longtime jazz/soul crooner Nina Simone, on its last Grammy nominated effort, Here’s the Deal. The musically eclectic…

Looking into the glazed eyes of Herman “Preacherman” Wynter, you can sense a life marked by both joy and hardship. In a lilting patois that is both simple, direct and inflected with rural wisdom, he relates tales of his early years, when he lived among ten brothers and sisters in…

When talking roots, it’s hard to get farther down the musical tree than Africa. So when searching for rootsy compositions evocative of deep blue seas, rural villages where chickens cluck about the streets and a soulful spirituality far removed from the media-saturated din of contemporary life, your first stop should…

As the newest member of Leftover Salmon, banjo player Noam Pickelny has his work cut out for him — and he knows it. “These are really big shoes to fill,” he says, referring to the roots-based group’s late banjoist Mark Vann. Vann, who died of cancer in March, left quite…

Jon Fishman is feeling a little frantic, which is no wonder given his current schedule. For one thing, he recently became a father. And Phish, his mainstay act, is set to rock back into action this New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden. Pork Tornado, Fishman’s new moonlighting project, is…

Funky, jazzy, tribal, swampy. While it’s difficult to hang a tag on the Motet, one thing is clear: The band is enthusiastic. Recorded during a 2002 spring tour, Live begins the same way many of the Motet’s shows kick off, with wow drums and a percussion jam that would feel…

Boulder’s McCloskey Brothers Band crafts a sound that’s apropos of falling leaves, mountain streams and good times at high altitude. Composed of brothers David (banjo) and Todd (mandolin) McCloskey, bassist Steve Roseboom and drummer Dan Menchey, TMBB opens for Strangefolk on Saturday, October 12, at the Bluebird Theater. The outfit…

Whether contemplating the mercurial nature of love or denouncing brutish political oppression in the Third World, Spanish-speaking pop oufit Maná is a pleasant surprise. Despite an image and sound that at times feels shamelessly derived from better-known Anglo acts such as U2 and Sting, the band, which has garnered multiple…