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by Ryan Goodman
Saturday night in the Bay Area proved once again that the "west is the best." In a town 2 weeks from nothing and 4 days from everything, a New Monsoon was hitting the coast. New Monsoon, one of the Bay Area's rising talents, took the stage at the Old Western Saloon in Pt Reyes Station, CA for what was to be a memorable night of exploration and veteran talent. Joined onstage for the first time was newest member, keyboardist Phil Ferlino adding another layer of depth to the already six man band. The Old Western Saloon was as packed as I've ever seen it with everyone grooving to the percussive sounds of Bo Carper's acoustic guitar work melding with the Eastern sounds of the tablas by Raja. The first set included an hour of originals and a smoking version of the Allman Brothers' "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed."
Set two brought only more surprises to the show when grammy award winner Paul McCandless joined them on stage for the entire set. After introducing Mr. McCandless as a member of Comotion, and long time String Cheese Incident and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones collaborator, the saloon was batting down the hatches for the best show it has ever seen. Set two proved to be more transcendental as Paul's horn work harmonized with the electric and melodic sounds of Jeff Miller's guitar. As the two seemed to play off one another, the now 8 piece band was absolutely limitless in the sound it was creating. With three drummers and the percussive fingerstyle of Carper, the band seemed to have one purpose in life and that was to move the crowd. Sandwiched between a ton of more originals, the Allman Bros. were paid tribute again with a tight version of "Hot Lanta." New Monsoon was definitely showcasing to the intimate crowd what raw power it can generate. As the time approached 1 am and the bartenders were calling last call, the storm seemed to pass, humbling all who witnessed it.
Check out New Monsoon at http://www.newmonsoon.com
Paul McCandless at http://www.paulmccandless.com
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