Allman
Brothers Band
Bassnectar
(DJ Lorin)
For the last decade, Lorin Ashton has helped
develop the North American underground dance music scene.
From touring full time as a DJ (an average of 125 shows
per year), to his production & remixing under the alias
Bassnectar, he has ammassed a dedicated fan base, crossing
over from hip hop to electronica to breakbeat to ragga/dub
to the jam band scene and the greater Burningman Scene.
Bassnectar has been a part of many Conscious Alliance events
and will continue to be at the forefront of spreading the
love of Conscious Alliance into the electronic dance scene.
Bluetech
Boombox
The signature sound of BoomBox reaches music
and dance lovers across the board. BoomBox combines the
talents of singer/songwriter/guitarist, Zion Godchaux and
producer/dj, Russ Randolph into a new style of music that
is infectious and irresistible to your senses. This evolution
in dance music is created by combining live instruments
and vocals with multi-track sequencing, turntables, and
samplers. Sounds emerge as distinct motives transcending
into delicate voice and smooth grooves.
Formed in late 2003, BoomBox spent most of 2004 in the studio
developing both their sound and their unique approach to
live performance, which combines beat-driven hypnotic grooves
(heavily influenced by electronic dance music, specifically
the “House” genre) with the musical exploration
and overall song approach of the Grateful Dead.
BoomBox’s high-energy stage show remains the heart
and soul of what they do, drawing people together from diverse
age, social and economic backgrounds. Russ and Zion constantly
refine their music to keep it fresh well into the future.
Bruce
Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen is an American singer,
songwriter, and guitarist, nicknamed "The Boss." He has
frequently recorded and toured with The E Street Band. Springsteen
is most widely known for his brand of heartland rock, rock
and roll infused with Americana sentiments. His eloquence
in expressing ordinary, every-day problems has earned him
a huge fan base. Conscious Alliance has collected a generous
amount of donations from Springsteen fans in the past and
will continue to utilize the support of Bruce Springsteen
himself.
Chris Berry & Pangea
Dark
Star Orchestra
The Chicago based tribute band presents its
critically-acclaimed live performances on a continual, nationwide
tour celebrating 40 years of Grateful Dead music. Each night,
the band decides on performing one show from the 2,500 that
the Grateful Dead performed during their 30 year tenure
as fathers of improvisational rock. Dark Star Orchestra
adapts their phrasing, voice arrangements, and even arranges
specific musical equipment for the various eras in which
they perform. At the end of every performance, the band
announces the date and venue where the original show just
covered took place. During the fall of 2005, DSO teamed
up in Conscious Alliance's hometown for one of the most
successful Fox Theatre food drive weekends ever.
Dave
Matthews Band
DMB has grown up quite a bit since there
first official gig at a rooftop party in Charlottesville
on May 11, 1991. Since 1992 the band has not only held extensive
sold out summer tours, but has also become one of the most
internationally acclaimed and philanthropic bands in the
music industry today. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina,
DMB and Conscious Alliance's joined forces at Red Rocks
and raised over 40,000 pounds of food and $7,000. With an
overwhelming response at the tail-end of the band's 2006
summer tour, DMB fans proved once again that the scope and
success of Conscious Alliance isn't limited to the jam band
scene.
Deep
Fried Pickle Project
Founded in '00 as a jug band, Deep Fried
Pickle Project now embraces other American roots music forms
as well. Bluegrass, Folk, Rockabilly, Blues and Honky-Tonk
tunes pepper their set lists. The Deep Fried Pickles helped
produce the first ever M.A.D.E. album, "Musicians Assisting
Disaster Efforts, A Conscious Alliance of Voices, Vol. 1."
Musicians from across the country and even Japan teamed
up on the album. All of the proceeds from the sale of this
CD went to Katrina victims.
Disco
Biscuits
In the years since the band sprang out of
the University of Pennsylvania party scene in the mid-'90s,
the Disco Biscuits have brought together the worlds of jam
bands and electronic music with its "trance-fusion" sound
that mixes the free-form improvisations of jazz with the
hypnotic rhythms which provided the soundtrack for rave
culture. The Conscious Alliance and The Disco Biscuits have
aligned to stage some of the most successful food drives
in music history. Conscious Alliance is always welcome at
the band's annual festival, Camp Bisco which has raised
several thousand pounds of food and large amounts of money
donations.
Dispatch
DJ
Ooah
DJ
Rootz
Notorious for his extended mixes and flawless
ear, DJ Rootz - aka Tim Bowers - is Boulder, Colorado's
ultimate underground DJ. Handpicking selections from every
end of the musical spectrum, DJ Rootz rocks dance floors
with an immaculate selection of tracks including foundational
funk and soul break-beats, electronica, reggae, underground,
new, and old school hiphop, and even disco and house. DJ
Rootz has been offering up his flawless DJing abilities
at countless Conscious Alliance after parties as well as
opening for several of the bands on this list.
Emmitt Nershi Band
EOTO
EOTO (End of Time Observatory) is a live
improvised looping project, drawing from the ethos of some
of the great DJ's and computer artists of the world. String
Cheese's Jason Hann (drum kit , sampler, sound design, computer
programming) and Michael Travis (keyboards, guitar, bass,
percussion, live mixing) use the latest looping technology
to create a DJ dance club environment with the power of
live drums. Because both of these musical prodigies hail
from the String Cheese Incident, it is no question that
they fully support the Conscious Alliance. This was evident
in the band's fall 2006 run where an enormous amount of
food and money donations were brought in.
Everyone
Orchestra
The Everyone Orchestra is a revolving cast
of stellar musicians brought together by drummer/conductor
Matt Butler for concerts, festival super jams and special
benefit events. EO performances are designed to create space
for each performer's musical personality to shine, engage
the audience as participants in the jam and to facilitate
a massive celebratory coming together featuring a conductor
directing both musicians and audience alike. Regarded as
one of the most philanthropic bands in the industry, they
continue to be one of Conscious Alliance's strongest allies.
Fareed
Haque Group
Guitar prodigy Fareed Haque enjoys a career
that spans a range of musical styles. Moving easily between
jazz and classical guitar, Fareed's versatility has created
a demand for him with prominent jazz and classical artists.
He has become a focal point of the renowned Rebel Alliance
jam which has raised thousands of dollars for various Conscious
Alliance hunger projects. He has also gotten his band, the
Fareed Haque Group involved in several Conscious Alliance
events.
Feist
Foo
Fighters
The band formed in 1995, after the death
of Kurt Cobain. Like Nirvana, Foo Fighters meld loud, heavy
guitars with pretty melodies and mixed punk sensibilities
with a sharp sense of pop songwriting. At the end of September
2005, Conscious Alliance, Foo Fighters and Weezer teamed
up to host a food drive at the Pepsi Center with all of
the proceeds and food going to benefit Gulf Coast disaster
victims.
Gov't
Mule
Gov't Mule is a southern rock/jam band formed
in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project, but has
taken on a life of its own. Like many jam bands, Gov't Mule
does not get much radio airplay but is popular due to constant
touring and intense fan loyalty. Big riffs, massive grooves,
and expansive improvisations are the hallmarks of Gov't
Mule's legendary live shows. The relationship between Gov't
Mule and Conscious Alliance stems from a series of food
drives in Burlington at Higher Ground. Since then, their
paths have crossed several festivals and Colorado events.
Greyboy
Allstars
The Greyboy Allstars are a San Diego jazz
group formed in the early 1990s. The band mixes soul jazz
and funk with a blend of hip hop beats, creating a style
of music referred to as boogaloo. The Greyboy Allstars hosted
a very successful Conscious Alliance weekend at the Fox
Theatre in February 2004.
Hot
Buttered Rum
Jack
Johnson
Jahsun
Jahsun's music is a mixture of pure positive
hip hop and conscious reggae. He is a modern day freedom
fighter chanting against Babylon. Deep into roots reggae,
his message speaks for itself. Jahsun has a song dedicated
to Conscious Alliance on the Deep Fried Pickle Project produced
M.A.D.E. CD (Musicians Assisting Disaster Efforts).
Jamie
Janover
Keaton
Simons
"An old soul in a young man's voice" is the
headline on the front page of the Los Angeles Times Calendar
section. The article is about 26 year old Keaton Simons,
whose voice is described as having a "lived-in quality that
will echo in our minds and hearts for years to come". His
style displays a taste of bluesy, rootsy, guitar-driven
songs & ballads, with stylish arrangements that showcase
his rich, often spooky melodies. His style has an appeal
to hip hop audiences allowing for him to share the stage
with Tre Hardson (Pharcyde) and N'Dea Davenport, Kim Hill
(Black Eyed Peas), underground hip-hop legend Medusa and
Snoop Dogg. Keaton starred in the famed Rebel Alliance V
(Toy Drive Benefit) where he and Fareed Haque had some of
the most amazing guitar battles ever thrown down on the
Fox Theatre stage. Keaton has helped spread Conscious Alliance
into the Los Angeles scene and has pledged his and his fans'
full support of Conscious Alliance.
Keller
Williams
Social Humorist & singer-songwriter Keller
Williams has funny songs, tasty guitar work, and funky jazz
treatments, often in jam band mode. Williams is considered
by many to be a master of the acoustic guitar, known for
his ability to solo over layers of spontaneously created
loops. He has aligned himself with many other Conscious
Alliance supported artists, mainly The String Cheese Incident.
From Burlington to Chicago to Denver, Keller Williams has
proved to be a critical addition to the Conscious Alliance
network.
MF
Doom
MF DOOM's lyrics are sometimes perceived
as eccentric. With an abundant use of polysyllabic rhymes
and bizarre metaphors, MF DOOM combines complex syntax with
phrasing to create a rhyme flow that is both exhausting
and entertaining. His songs commonly lack the typical verse/chorus
structure in favor of showcasing extended rhyme schemes
and strophic or repeating beats and melodies. MF DOOM will
continue to be a driving force for Conscious Alliance to
extend its message into the hip hop scene.
Michael
Franti & Spearhead
Michael Franti is a gifted and heralded spoken
word artist and political activist. As leader of the politically
and socially-charged group Spearhead, Franti is at the forefront
of hip-hop's renaissance, expanding the music's boundaries
as he draws on funk and soul-driven beats. Through his music
and poetry, Franti tackles a range of issues-the criminal
justice system, corporatization of our daily lives, AIDS,
gay rights, homelessness, the death penalty, drug addiction
and suicide. For the past four years Franti has produced
the annual "Power to the Peaceful" festival, which draws
over 20,000 people to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Franti and Spearhead always have open arms to Conscious
Alliance at this socially conscious festival as well at
any of their other events.
moe.
Naked
Rhythm
Naked Rhythm was born in Los Angeles in 2003
as a collaborative effort between Avi Sills and Alex Spurkel
with a vision of mixing ethnic/world grooves with electronica.
By seamlessly fusing exotic world music elements with electronic
dance beats Naked Rhythm exposes Western listeners to the
sounds of the Middle-East, India, Africa, and South America.
Naked Rhythm is on a mission to bring together people of
all cultures together through the common language of music.
As one of the fastest growing electronica bands in the industry,
they have helped spread the love of Conscious Alliance in
the Los Angeles music scene through a series of food drives
at the House of Blues and Avalon.
New
Monsoon
San Francisco rockers New Monsoon have been
storming across the nation, transforming audiences into
dedicated fans with their exhilarating marriage of world
rhythms and rock bravado. New Monsoon's vibrant percussion
and acoustic and electric instruments come together in an
irresistible blend of sophisticated songcraft, inventive
musical exploration and down home rock-n-roll.
Page
McConnell
Phil
and Friends
Renowned for his three-decade stint as the
bassist with the Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh proved a fan favorite
as much for his distinctive jazz playing as for his single-minded
devotion to the band, overseeing the quality of every legitimate
release. Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that
several different lineups of musicians have played under
the name while always exploring and interpreting Grateful
Dead music. The band initially teamed up with Conscious
Alliance for an unforgettable 8-night run at the Hammerstein
Ballroom in NYC. In the summer of 2006, the decision for
Conscious Alliance to do a full Phil and Friends tour proved
wise after the collection and distribution of thousands
of pounds of food and donations.
Pnuma
Trio
Riding on the cusp of futuristic innovation
while remaining in tune with their past influences, Pnuma
allows their musicianship to speak for itself, offering
beat-driven, precise compositions that still allow ample
space for free thought and movement. It's instrumental,
improvisational dance music for a new era in the live electronic
realm, appealing to jam fans, hip-hop heads, and electronic
dance party fanatics alike. This young band has been a great
way for Conscious Alliance to reach out to the younger fans
in the jam band scene. Only the sky is the limit for what
this relationship will bring to Conscious Alliance.
Railroad
Earth
Robert
Randolph & the Family Band
Robert
Walter's 20th Congress
Robert Walter's 20th Congress stands out
in today's resurgence of eclectic jazz/funk acts for their
lively and innovative approach to new jazz styles. This
keyboard wizard leads his band - and their sizable national
fan base - through adventurous but always soulful musical
landscapes, and is building a reputation as one of America's
finest jazz-funk keyboardists.
Rose
Hill Drive
Combining rock and blues with modern touches
and clever arrangements, Rose Hill Drive are often described
by reviewers as reminiscent of 1970's rock bands Led Zeppelin,
Black Sabbath and Cream. Rosehill Drive hosted its first
Conscious Alliance food drive at the Fox Theatre during
the weekend of April 5 and 6, 2005. Having Conscious Alliance
involved with RoseHill Drive has only further added the
diverse support group that exists in the Conscious Alliance
network.
Souleye
Souleye, a Colorado based MC, believes that
music is a true healing art. Souleye chooses to perform
all his shows freestyle, completely improvisational, because
he believes that it allows the audience to be present and
involved in the creation and collective energy of the music.
Each performance is genuine and can never be replicated
much like life. Souleye is a strong supporter of Conscious
Alliance, constantly incorporating the non-profit into his
freestyles and always welcoming the organization at any
of his shows. He will continue to be a stepping stone for
Conscious Alliance into the hip hop scene.
Sporque
Steel
Train
Equal parts rock, country, bluegrass, Latin,
funk and jam, Steel Train gives full vent to every musical
impulse in their collective souls. They are well noted for
their impressive live shows and 'jamming' ability. This
stellar young band has shown great interest in Conscious
Alliance and future of this relationship holds great promise
in future events.
Steve
Kimock Band
The Steve Kimock Band defies simple categorization.
Its players are renowned artists with diverse musical influences
and a shared love of stretching sonic boundaries. Its music
is a kaleidoscope of innovative compositions and dazzling
improvisations that range from the rush of exploratory fusion
and funk, to the roar of psychedelic rock, to the whisper
of a ballad so haunting and sweet that audiences fall silent
under its spell. The Steve Kimock Band has worked closely
with Conscious Alliance on several occasions carrying out
some of the most successful food drives the organization
has had in the northeast.
String
Cheese Incident
The bluegrass-based jam band the String Cheese
Incident is comprised of mandolinist/violinist Michael Kang,
guitarist Bill Nershi, bassist Keith Moseley, pianist Kyle
Hollingsworth, drummer/percussionist Michael Travis, and
percussionist Jason Hann. Formed in Boulder, CO, in 1993,
the group's self-described "sacrilegious mix of bluegrass,
calypso, salsa, Afro-pop, funk, rock, and jazz" quickly
built up a following on the local club circuit, and within
six months of their formation they earned an invitation
to open the legendary Telluride Bluegrass Festival They
initially gigged simply in exchange for free lift tickets
at ski resorts throughout the western U.S., but as the String
Cheese Incident's popularity grew they began taking their
music more seriously, soon averaging upwards of 170 live
dates each year and eventually setting up their own record
label, Sci Fidelity. In March of 2002, the first ever Conscious
Alliance food drive was held at the Fillmore Auditorium
in conjunction with the String Cheese Incident. Since then,
the two names have become almost synonymous executing hundreds
of food drives, raising several hundred thousand pounds
of food, and creating national network of dedicated youthful
volunteers. It is hard to say where Conscious Alliance would
be without the support of this all-star band.
STS9
As a collective of musicians and artists,
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) creates and expresses a musical
style that is unique unto itself. STS9 have taken their
passion for playing live instruments and married it to a
love for intricate composition and sound exploration. STS9
have as much of an affection for samplers and computers
as they do pianos, drums, bass, and guitars. The music blends
layered sonic landscapes, developed melodic movements, and
deep groove sensibilities. The music is simultaneously progressive
and retrospective. It draws from the core creative values
of the jazz greats and the funk-soul innovators while utilizing
modern advancements in music production creating sounds
with anything these geniuses can get their hands on. STS9
and Conscious Alliance first teamed up during a 3-night
run at the Fox Theatre 2002. Conscious Alliance has been
on tour with these musical philanthropists ever since that
unforgettable weekend - collecting and distributing several
hundred thousand pounds of food and bringing the level of
consciousness at each show to a higher level.
The
Dead
The Dead is a rock band comprised of former
members of the Grateful Dead. After the death of Jerry Garcia
in 1995, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann
continued playing under two different names. After touring
as The Other Ones in 1998, 2000, and 2002, the band officially
switched to simply The Dead adding Jimmy Herring, Jeff Chimenti
and Warren Haynes to this stellar cast. The Dead and the
Conscious Alliance teamed up in the “Wave that Flag” summer
tour in 2004 for an astonishing 35 day tour collecting and
distributing thousands of pounds of food and money donations.
The
Glitch Mob
The
Meters
The
Motet
The
New Mastersounds
Umphrey's
McGee
Umphrey's McGee is a progressive rock / jam
band from South Bend, Indiana whose music is often referred
to as "progressive improvisation." Umphrey's McGee possesses
deep musical roots. Though the band's approach to their
live performances has much in common with Phish and the
Grateful Dead (ever-changing setlists, constant improvisation,
two sets per night, open-taping policy), they are much more
influenced musically by progressive rock bands such as Yes,
King Crimson, Dream Theater, and Genesis, as well as heavy
metal bands such as Iron Maiden. However, there really isn't
a style of popular music that Umphrey's does not cover.
Artists covered in concert by Umphrey's range from Lionel
Ritchie to Metallica to Toto to Snoop Dogg. The band has
been working closely with Conscious Alliance for several
years staging full tour food drives as well as big weekends
in the Boulder/Denver area. Umphrey's continues to attract
network of fans that support the Conscious Alliance.
Vibesquad
Weezer
Weezer is a rock band from Los Angeles, California.
They have sold over 7.5 million records to date in the US.
They are considered to be one of the most popular groups
to emerge in the post-grunge alternative rock aftermath,
Weezer received equal amounts of criticism and praise for
their hook-heavy guitar pop. Drawing from the heavy power
pop of arena rockers like Cheap Trick and the angular guitar
leads of the Pixies, Weezer leavened their melodies with
doses of '70s metal learned from bands like Kiss. A very
successful Conscious Alliance event at the Pepsi Center
proved that the emo/rock scene can be just as responsive
to socially conscious events as the jam band scene.
Yonder
Mountain String Band
The Yonder Mountain String Band is an American
progressive bluegrass group from Nederland, Colorado. With
little radio support, Yonder Mountain has become one of
the fastest rising touring bands in the country, its fanbase
having ballooned over the past five years through steady
gigging and high-profile festival sets, all of which are
full of improv and none of which feature the same set list.
YMSB and Conscious Alliance have teamed up on several occasions.
The New Years Eve Fillmore shows always prove to be successful
with the 2007 NYE shows bringing in record food donations.
Zilla
Zilla is a Colorado based trio of musicians
with the live experience in mind. A 100% organic, improvised
experience, each Zilla concert proves to be a completely
new occurrence, with even the band members having no idea
where the music will take them night after night. Relying
on their uncanny ability to listen and incorporate their
individual talents into a group focused brand of live electronic
dance music, Zilla is sweeping the country by storm with
their rare breed of beats, bass and uncontrollable musical
fury making each performance exactly what live music is
all about: spontaneity, grooves, and a damn good dance party.
Because Zilla is based in Boulder, they have helped to create
a strong local network Conscious Alliance/Zilla supporters.
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