There was a time, back in the early nineties, when a group of proto-jambands all pushed their way up through the clubs and concert halls at the same time. Such was the soup from which the original HORDE tour emerged. Looking back, at Dave Mathew’s Band, Phish and even a much fatter John Popper, it seems like it was the golden age of jam style music. Now that Dave Mathews is a huge corporation, Phish is dead and Popper is thin, perhaps it’s time for some new jambands to grow up for the next crowd of college age kids looking for more challenging music.
Groovin' Ground has the potential to rise to the lofty heights of those past giants, as all of the important qualities are present in their magical music. They are extremely accomplished musicians, playing complicated passages with joy and grace. They’re masters of many different styles of roots music, from jazz and funk to folk, and they mix it up well with modern beats and breaks to produce a tasty shake. The lyrics are sharp and poignant in places, complete nonsense in others. There are just enough horns to keep it popping, but not enough to be over powering. As a jam experience, Groovin’ Ground is pretty flawless.
Their new album, Dome, is a monument to Jam culture. Every song is different and interesting, and they’re all tied together exquisitely. Some songs are pretty: “Arrow” and “Prisms” are beautiful and delicate on multiple levels. Some, like “Wiggin’” for instance, cook so hard they make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. But the best songs are elaborate compositions, filled with intricate rhythms followed by scorching improvisation. “Marmaduke Surfaceblow” is one of those; it’s a powerhouse of a song, a real joy.
What amazing, delightful music this is. It’s not too heavy or sweet. It makes you think, and it gets deeper with every listen. As a stand alone album, Dome works well: The pacing is outstanding and there are lots of cool cues from song to song. Making a solid album is a difficult task for most jambands - Groovin’ Ground did it on their first try. Maybe it’s beginner’s luck, but somehow I doubt it. It just works so well on so many levels.
It really does get better after every listen. That is such an important quality in improvisational music. If you like jam bands, here’s the heads up - this has the potential to be big. The time is ripe for a new crop of jambands to take off, and if Groovin' Ground is any indication of the freshman class there’s a lot to be excited about. They’re every bit as good as their predecessors. Jam music has a bright future in this band.
For more info see: groovinground.com
