Jonathan Scales Plays Steel Pans With Umphrey’s McGee In Asheville

Umphrey’s McGee added a new musician to the deep roster of guests they have invited to share the stage over the course of their +25-year career during their concert on Saturday at the Salvage Station in Asheville, North Carolina. Acclaimed jazz steel pan player Jonathan Scales sat-in with UM on a pair of the band’s instrumental original songs.

UM took the stage for a one-set performance that followed opening sets by Eggy (featuring UM guitarist Jake Cinninger sitting in) and Stolen Gin. Saturday’s concert, which was the second straight UM/Eggy/Gin show at the Salvage Station, was constructed out of original Umphrey’s McGee material from the opening “40’s Theme” through the start of the encore. The lone cover of the night, the recently debuted “Cult Of Personality” by Living Colour, closed out the run in Asheville.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our friend Jonathan Scales is here to fuck shit up with us,” UM guitarist Brendan Bayliss declared. Scales’ group, the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, performed this weekend in nearby Durham, North Carolina.

Up first was Scales augmenting the Umphrey’s instrumental “It Doesn’t Matter.” The auxiliary player instantly jumped on the song’s melody and continued to mesh with the band throughout the 10-minute sequence. The collab seamlessly moved forward into another of UM’s instrumental compositions, their jazz-funk staple “Professor Wormbog.”

“That is Jonathan ‘I did my homework’ Scales everybody,” Bayliss remarked before Scales’ exit.

Scroll on for a couple of video clips of Scales’ sit-in and official full-show audio courtesy of nugs.net.

Official Audio (via nugs.net)

Setlist (via All Things Umphrey’s)

One Set: 40’s Theme, Out Of Order > The Bottom Half, It Doesn’t Matter [1], Professor Wormbog [1], Bridgeless > Staircase > Women Wine and Song, Ocean Billy > Believe the Lie

Encore: Escape Goat > Bridgeless, Cult of Personality

Notes:

• [1] with Jonathan Scales on steel pans