Umphrey's McGee

[Spudman]

I watched Umphrey's McGee last night on PBS's Sound Stage. These guys are amazing. So versatile and tight. I was blown away. I've been listening to them but until I saw them I guess I really didn't appreciate them.

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With Huey Lewis
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[Algonquin]

Not familiar with them which clearly indicates I need to get out more.

Mulches Odyssey was EPIC!... I like that one tremendously :bravo:
Thanks for the post.

[R_of_G]

I have a big group of friends that are very into the "jam band" scene of which Umphrey's is one of the major bands followed the last few years. They all rave about how great they are live. I've heard lots of live stuff and while it's not necessarily what I am looking for personally, they are a super-tight band of highly skilled musicians. If you like what might be termed "prog-rock" for lack of a better term, you may like this. You may not, but it's worth checking out.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Oh yeah. I'm a big Umphrey's McGee fan. :AOK:

[Spudman]

Oh yeah. I'm a big Umphrey's McGee fan. :AOK:

I could see that. Same planet, right?:rockon:


The order information for the Sound Stage show which is beautifully shot is: 1-800-237-1100. Here is the trailer.

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[sunvalleylaw]

I got home from a movie and saw they were on, watched a minute, and thought you might like them Spud. I have it Tivoed for later. Looks interesting!

[hubberjub]

They have a really interesting system for improvisation. They use a set of hand signals that represent different progressions and patterns. You rarely hear a song played the same twice.

[Spudman]

A full video from the Sound Stage PBS show.
http://www.pbs.org/wttw/soundstage/video/umphreys_video1.html

[tot_Ou_tard]

I could see that. Same planet, right?:rockon:


Nope, but I hear them buzzing around the galaxy. Cool light show just as they go into warp drive.

(http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=4918&highlight=Umprey%27s+McGee)

[sunvalleylaw]

The father of one of the kids I coach is friends of these guys. He is from and currently lives in Chicago. He posted this vid on Facebook. It is so good! I am not usually a "jam band" guy, but I would go see these guys. Apparently they have a complex set of signals for musical moves they use with each other so each "jam" is orchestrated by their communication. Tio Kimo, are you into these guys?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N91TRQuhm6o

[kidsmoke]

Tio Kimo, are you into these guys?
[/video]

Yep. Still can't quite get my head around the high profile they now have become. The drummer, Kris Myers regularly drops in on open mics that friends and I go to for years now, I remember encouraging him like a coach would, 7 or 8 years ago...."hey, you guys are sounding great, keep it up!"....what a maroon. At that point I viewed them at Phish wannabes. And now look at them. As R_of_G pointed out, they have been giants on the jam band scene for years, and as is often the case, don't get the mainstream attention they're due. But they choose to not write radio friendly music. They love what they do, and make a good living at it.

Another example of Chicago's vibrant music community. Thanks for calling 'em out, Spud.

[Spudman]

Another example of Chicago's vibrant music community. Thanks for calling 'em out, Spud.

No problem. How could I not?

I had listened to snippets and bootlegs of them for a while without a lot of interest. Most groups labeled as "jam band" don't really get my attention. Then it was a couple of yeas ago when PBS showed a whole concert of theirs that I really understood the greatness of their musicianship. I think they are leagues above the rest in the genre because of this. I didn't know they were from Chicago though.

[R_of_G]

At that point I viewed them at Phish wannabes. And now look at them. As R_of_G pointed out, they have been giants on the jam band scene for years, and as is often the case, don't get the mainstream attention they're due. But they choose to not write radio friendly music. They love what they do, and make a good living at it.

Of course, there was a time in the early 90s when people viewed Phish as Grateful Dead wannabes despite sounding pretty much nothing like the Dead. They carved out their own sound much like Umphrey's has done.


I think they are leagues above the rest in the genre because of this.

I think some of that might be that despite its frequent use to describe bands, "jamband" is not really a genre. Bands that are part of that general scene run the range of genres. Yes, there are some generic jam bands that just ape the sounds of other more successful jambands but those burn out after a few festival runs and the bands that have their own sounds keep going.

[sunvalleylaw]

TK, the friend that pointed them out to me is a drummer. Kenneth McKean. I do not think he plays professionally, but he may have hit the open mics. Have you run into him? Anyways, he, and his son who plays violin and guitar, and who I coach skiing, were the ones turning me on to them. I am enjoying what I am hearing right now.

[kidsmoke]

SVL, the name doesn't ring a bell, but you and I are on FB....direct him my way. I still have my monthly open mic that I host. March was our best attended so far, we nearly hit the taverns capacity, and we usually have a kit. I've also had some notable violinists...one of my good friends is the violinist with "Scotland Yard Gospel Choir", and backed me up on an Alejandro Escovedo tune a couple months back. In April, I've got a gal who is a professional classical violist coming to play. (I like to keep it interesting) It's quite possible we're running in similar circles. Love to make the connection in some fashion.

[sunvalleylaw]

Ok, TK. Will do! Ken is a great guy. What is the name of the Tavern where you host open mic again?

[kidsmoke]

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