Emerald City Sax: Skerik Joins Greensky Bluegrass In Seattle

Greensky Bluegrass swung through Seattle’s Showbox At The Market on Thursday. The string quintet welcomed Emerald City saxophonist Skerik during the second set.

GSBG dusted off their cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic,” last time played January 2020 for a total gap of 149 shows, to kick off the concert. The band kept up the covers with Jimmy Martin’s “Hit Parade Of Love” next followed by originals “Forget Everything” and a pairing of “Worry For You” and “Don’t Lie.” Robin Davis’ “Prom Night” popped up for the first time since 2021 next ahead of “Get Sad.” “Courage For The Road” closed the set.

Greensky launched the second set with “Past My Prime” followed by “Take Cover.” Seattle’s own Skerik then got in on the fun. GSBG recently collaborated with the in-demand saxophonist at the 2022 High Sierra Music Festival. The sit-in began with the original “I’d Probably Kill You” ahead of a cover of the Sonny Boy Williamson II/Elmore James-recorded, Allman Brothers Band-popularized “One Way Out.” Guitarist Dave Bruzza led the band through the rocker ahead of Skerik tearing into the tune and getting a big rise out of his hometown audience when he sang the final line of the chorus into his sax mic. He also threw in a tease of one of the most iconic sax song’s fo all time, Gery Rafferty’s “Baker Street.”

Skerik would stick sound for another Greensky original, “What You Need,” before the quintet went it alone for “Murder Of Crows.” The second set and encore included two more cover bust outs, this time of Nathan Moore’s “Trying To Catch Me A Jesus” for the first time in 166 shows as the penultimate song of the second frame. The band’s first rendition of Bob Marley’s “Small Axe” in 105 shows closed out the evening.

Watch video of the sit-in below:

Setlist (via Phantasy Tour)

Set One: Crosstown Traffic, Hit Parade of Love, Forget Everything Worry for You > Don’t Lie, Prom Night, Get Sad, Courage for the Road

Set Two: Past My Prime, Take Cover, I’d Probably Kill You[1], One Way Out[1], What You Need[1], Murder of Crows, Trying To Catch Me a Jesus, Leap Year

Encore: Small Axe

[1] w/ Skerik (saxaphonics)