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”

The Zac Brown Band is perhaps the biggest story of surprising success in the realm of popular music in the last year or two. The ZBB was a hard working, relentlessly touring band who found themselves being signed by Atlantic Records and then watched their record, The Foundation get re-released (after selling a good amount at gigs and independently online), and then likely watched in amazement as their lead-single, “Chicken Fried” hit the top of the country charts. That specific chart-topper isn’t what  makes them unique in today’s glossy wasteland of mainstream pop country – it’s easily the worst song on that record – it’s their attitude and approach to the material that seems to stand out. Their vibe is distinctly southern without the shtick. Laid-back to the point that you think they’re from California instead of Georgia.

It is that very loose vibe that makes the Zac Brown Band a favorite at large festivals around the country, making them one of the few mainstream country acts that can command the stages at events that feature very small amounts of artists from the bubble gum streets of music row, if any. Earlier this year, ZBB played the storied tents of Bonnaroo and captured 4 of their tracks on a new EP. Zac Brown Band – Live From Bonnaroo (Atlantic) is a great example of a band that gets it. In a world where the environment is rife with cheeseball hat acts and whiny, self-indulgent indie princes, ZBB seems to find a happy medium in a live setting.

The selection of songs for the EP is inspired. “Toes”, a summery beach sing-along based in bittersweet reality, is what Kenny Chesney likely wishes he could record, but knows he would wreck it beyond belief. “Free”, another laid back original, gently leads into Van Morrison’s great, “Into the Mystic”. The following track is a breakneck rendition of “Devil Went Down to Georgia”. The closing number, “Who Knows”, a ska-tinged country jam (yes, you read that right) that brings the set to a satisfying end. The extended jamming at the end of the song is likely a nod to the historically jam-band intensive festival. Possessing a String Cheese Incident like quality, ZBB never delves into the drudgery of noodling, that would be too laid back for these guys from GA.