I think I have admitted my fondness for the peace-loving, hippie-noodling vibe that is more commonly known as “Jam Band Music” before. If not, I’m doing that here, and I am not ashamed. I loved the H.O.R.D.E. Festival before it got too poppy. I rejoiced when Phish got back together recently, and my mellow was really harshed when Jerry passed back in ’95. Perhaps my favorite experience with this type of music is when I caught the String Cheese Incident’s two sets at the inaugural Austin City Limts Festival in 2002. Nothing particularly special or historic occurred that evening, it was just really cool.

Now that SCI has transitioned into a part-time project, the members have been getting their new projects rolling pretty strong. The band that will likely retain many of SCI’s fans and become quite the hit on the festival circuit will be the Emmitt-Nershi Band (Official / Myspace). Comprised of Drew Emmitt from another groovy group, Leftover Salmon, and SCI’s lead singer, Bill Nershi, this group displays a much more focused set of tunes than that of Nershi’s former gang. Leaning heavily on Bluegrass and Roots-y sounds, the Emmitt-Nershi Band has been winning over the festival crowds that don’t typically worry about which color of acid is bad, as well as the post-modern Woodstocks that SCI had been such a staple of over the years.

Their new album, New Country Blues (SCI Fidelity), is a fine example of roots-with-a-groove. The album seems to confirm something I have felt for a long time regarding the similarities of the Jam-Band sound and Bluegrass. In a live setting, it’s the groove and musicianship that takes over and lends both forms of music a spontaneous and sublime vibe that can only happen live. It’s great to hear these guys put together a solid album that points to a new musical direction without abandoning their “roots”.

Emmitt-Nershi Band – “New Country Blues”