A few weeks back Brock Butler played a solo acoustic show at Pawley’s Island Tavern in South Carolina, where he offered his usual mix of covers from the ’60s through today, sung and performed as only he can. Among the groups Butler covered at the March 28th performance were Ryan Adams, Pete Townshend, Adele, Massive Attack, Paul Simon, Sublime, Pearl Jam and Mumford and Sons.

Taper Chris Davis recorded Brock’s show and has posted a fantastic soundboard matrix to the Live Music Archive. Today we want to shine a light on Butler’s cover of Back In The High Life by Steve Winwood which he performed at Pawley’s Island. Back In The High Life was the title track to Winwood’s blockbuster 1986 album that featured backing vocals from James Taylor. Brock does Winwood proud with his solo acoustic version…

On Sunday morning Brock Butler kicked off the final day of the 2013 AURA Music Festival with one of his signature “Brockfast” sets. The human jukebox offered a mix of acoustic covers by the likes of Tom Petty, The Lumineers, Dawes, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and Eels as well as originals from his solo and Perpetual Groove repertoires.

Brock brought up a few guests to help out over the course of the set, one of which was vocalist/guitarist Emily Carroll. By having Carroll on stage to harmonize with him, Butler was able to debut a cover he’s always wanted to sing – Peter Gabriel’s Come Talk To Me. The song was right in Brock and Emily’s wheelhouse vocally. Thanks to Adam Firtel of Cheesehead Productions, we can share a video of Come Talk To Me from AURA with the added bonus of a performance of The Weather and The Wait from Butler’s Lately Here Though LP. Let’s take a look…

The organizers of Jam Cruise have just announced that troubadour Nathan Moore and Perpetual Groove front man Brock Butler have just been added to the lineup for Jam Cruise 11. For those that haven’t attended Jam Cruise in the past, this bit of news might not seem like a big deal, but for those who have – this is totally a big deal. Why? Because Brock and Nathan are a huge part of what makes Jam Cruise so special as the pair each hold court in their respective locales on the boat.

Brock Butler – Naive Melody

If you’ve followed my stories from the boat over the past three years, you know how fond I am of each performers’ willingness to play with whomever wants to jam and whatever cruisers want to hear. These musicians don’t care about what the schedule says, they realize how much money attendees have laid out and will do whatever they can to provide the once-in-a-lifetime musical experience that keep cruisers coming back year after year. If it’s 5AM, you can bet Moore will be rocking out at “The Spot,” while Butler will be playing a heady mix of covers and originals near the pool for a group of fans hanging on every note. Kudos to Cloud 9 Adventures for realizing Nathan and Brock’s value.

The Spot Highlights

• Previously: Final Night at “The Spot,” and Sunrise With Brock 

If any two musicians best exemplify what makes Jam Cruise so special, they are Perpetual Groove guitarist Brock Butler and Surprise Me Mr. Davis front man Nathan Moore. So it was only fitting that both artists were still performing unscheduled sets aboard the MSC Poesia for Jam Cruise 10 when I finally called it “a day” at 6AM on Saturday morning as the tall buildings of downtown Miami and Ft. Lauderdale drew near. Brock was at a table on the Pool Deck playing for a handful of cruisers, while Moore was holding down “The Spot” with an all-star crew of musicians.

[Brock Teaches Mitch Manzella Beck's Golden Age]

Butler has been a member of the Jam Cruise Family since 2005, when he performed on Jam Cruise 3 with the rest of his band. PGroove returned for Jam Cruise 5 in 2007 and Brock has been back for each and every cruise that’s followed. He understands that this isn’t a typical festival gig where you play your scheduled sets, collect your check and tune out. Brock spends the majority of the trip trying and succeeding in making magical, unexpected moments for his fans. When Perpetual Groove was announced as a performer on Jam Cruise 10, the full band’s first appearance on the boat since 2008, I wondered if this would prevent Brock from performing as much on this cruise. Thankfully, Butler wound up playing even more on JC10 than on previous ones as the PGroove sets were added bonuses to his daily solo sets.

• Previous Jam Cruise Journals: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4

On the final day of Jam Cruise 10 Brock treated cruisers to two sets, one announced and one unannounced, and gave a guitar lesson to cruiser Mitch Manzella, who won the lesson through a Positive Legacy auction. For his first set, which took place on the ship’s smallest outdoor venue, the Solar Stage at 5PM just as the sun was setting, Butler showed off the wide range of his cover selections by tackling Led Zeppelin’s Down By The Riverside, Dawes’ A Little Bit of Everything and Naive Melody by the Talking Heads. Yet it was the singer’s originals which stole this show.

READ ON

Within five minutes of boarding the MSC Poesia at Florida’s Port Everglades for Jam Cruise 10, I found myself sharing an elevator with John Oates and Bill Kreutzmann. The beauty of Jam Cruise is that both artists and cruisers share the same space and as we embarked on the tenth Jam Cruise the organizers have figured out which acts best embrace this “lack of a wall” between fan and artist and bring those people back each year. Yes, just five minutes in I was experiencing a magic moment with two of my musical heroes, who couldn’t have been nicer, and that was probably the tenth coolest thing that happened to me yesterday.

[MSC Poesia via MSC Cruises]

The boarding process got off to a late start on Monday due to the Poesia’s encounter with a sandbarge on the previous cruise, EDM destination vacation Holy Ship!, which led to a lot of sitting around for those who came earlier than the suggested 1PM arrival at the port. Once the boat started accepting passengers the embarkation process was a breeze and it wasn’t long before Jam Cruisers were sipping BBCs, Strawberry Daquiris and Pina Coladas on the Pool Deck on a warm and sunny afternoon. Organizers let the artists on first so once us normal folk got aboard, musicians were swarming everywhere. Around one corner I’d see Col. Bruce Hampton picking George Porter Jr.’s brain, while Skerik, Brad Barr and Marco Benevento were having a family reunion of sorts around a different corner.

READ ON

Longtime readers of Hidden Track are probably aware of my infatuation with Brock Butler’s solo acoustic shows. Not only does he offer stripped down versions of Perpetual Groove songs at his somewhat rare unplugged performances, but he also fills the setlists with covers by a wide range of both contemporary and classic artists. For today’s B List I’m going to point you in the direction of 10 sweet YouTubes that feature Butler covering the likes of Paul Simon, MGMT, LCD Soundsystem and Lionel Richie. Be sure to tap the Brock Butler collection on the Live Music Archive for downloadable and streamable recordings of dozens of his solo shows.

1. Kids (MGMT) – May 13, 2011

Butler deconstructs MGMT’s breakthrough single, using looping effects to layer percussive sounds and rhythmic strumming.

READ ON for nine more great covers performed by Brock Butler…

For a number of years now, I honestly feel the single, best kept secret in our scene has been the music of a single man: Brock Butler. Best known for his guitar playing and frontman persona of the Athens-based quartet Perpetual Groove, Butler has also thrived in an unconventional way in the solo spotlight.

[Photo by Jeremy Gordon]

Admittedly a friend since about ’03, Butler and I instantly formed a brotherhood of sorts, even joking at times that eventually we would start our own band simply titled, “BBBBBBBBBBBB…” (like the sound you make when you run your finger across your vibrating lips). Clever, I know, especially considering I can barely play a spoon. But, with Brock leading the way, I’d doubt anyone else would even notice. I’ve not only been lucky enough to call him a friend, but also stood by and been amazed by his lyrics, music and overall presence on more than a number of occasions. We’ve slept on each others couches and I have interviewed him in a number of formal settings, focusing mostly on PGroove. But today, as I said, I am going to let you in on the other half of his existence, which is simply a boy and his guitar.

Growing up in Virigina and studying in Savannah, Georgia, Butler and company finally settled down in their current home of Athens, a well-known breeding ground for artists as diverse as R.E.M. and Widespread Panic. And while Butler’s greatest notoriety is gained from his mammoth sounds with PGroove, he is simply a man who is seemingly in no rush and always tries to get lost in the “slow groove.” His solo shows won’t usually garner any huge touring notice, for he is much better known for sunrise sets on Jam Cruise, an impromptu late night hotel room session, or simply in any place where the mood strikes him. Drawing from a catalog of classic covers, heartfelt originals, delicate loops and gentle humor, I’m confident to say that Butler is a well guarded secret that once you hear, won’t be easy to get out of your head.

READ ON for more from Brian on Brock Butler…

“Why don’t you do more Cover Wars that feature vocal harmonies?” I was asked last week. A great question, and obviously the motivation for this week’s selection. Helplessly Hoping is a track from the 1969 self-titled debut album from Crosby, Stills & Nash. The song makes heavy use of alliteration, a device that Stephen Stills – who wrote the song – humorously points out at the trio’s performance at Woodstock (which was the band’s only second live performance). After Graham Nash says it’s one of “one of the best ever written”, Stills quickly says into the microphone, “Helplessly Hoping Her Helicopter Hovers Nearby”.

The Contestants:

Leading off this week we’ve got the Cover Wars debut of Acoustic Syndicate, a band from North Carolina known for their strong harmonies. Source: 12-28-2002

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READ ON for more covers of Helplessly Hoping…

Previously, I recapped the start of the penultimate day of music on Jam Cruise 9 and now I’ll finish the job. We left off with coverage of the “prime time” shows, which leads us to the late night action.

Up in the disco, a number of Moog instruments including keyboards, a guitar and a theremin were set up by the Bob Moog Foundation for cruisers to play with. While I’m a novice bassist with no experience on the keys, it was quite a thrill to make some noise on these expensive devices – especially the theremin. Over at the main stage, The New Mastersounds threw down a nasty set of soul-infused funk that was versatile from song to song, unlike the straight-shot New Orleans funk, which can be found around every corner on Jam Cruise.

Brock Butler – Do It Again

The New Mastersounds’ set was filled to the brim with sit-ins, so much so that the side stage area was the easiest place to find most musicians at that time. Zach Deputy, Jennifer Hartswick (on vocals and trumpet), Robert Walter, Roosevelt Collier, Skerik and James Brown horn section members Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis were among those who led their talents to the Leeds-based band’s ferocious set. Down in the Zebra Bar, “Vote to the Boat” winners Papadosio mixed modern electronica with elements of jam and rock to create an untz-tastic blend of music that had more soul than most of the jamtronica I’ve heard in the past. I only caught a song, but was impressed enought to want to take in a whole show.

• Previous Jam Cruise Journals: All Aboard, Knee Deep In It, Letter to 16-Year-Old ScottyB, Nourished Soul, Day Four – Part 1, My Jam Cruise Debut, Jam Cruise 9 Videos

While The New Mastersounds’ Pool Deck set had the most guest spots, Colorado’s Big Gigantic nearly challenged as the duo welcomed Brock Butler, Adam Deitch, Eric Krasno and Joel Cummins at various points throughout the two-hour set in the Zebra Bar. Brock had never heard the band before, but rose to the occasion laying down subtle, washed out textures. Krasno went in the other direction and shredded his way to glory. Sax wiz Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken filled the room with a group of fans who didn’t stop moving throughout the band’s performance thanks to an interesting blend of live music and DJ featuring Lalli’s otherworldly playing.

READ ON for more on Day Four of Jam Cruise 9…

Thanks to our pal JRapp, we can premiere a number of fantastic clips from throughout Jam Cruise 9, which finished yesterday upon the MSC Poesia’s return to Fort Lauderdale. We start with Living Colour front man Corey Glover, who was on the boat with Galactic, singing Glamour Boys with ALO…

ALO w/ Corey Glover – Glamour Boys

Next, we’ve got a short clip of a George Porter Jr.-led version of Sneakin’ Sally from the Jam Room which featured Pete Levin, Ian Neville, Raymond Weber and Tony Hall on bass…

Jam Room – Sneakin’ Sally

READ ON for more videos from Jam Cruise 9 including Bobby w/ GSW, Brock’s LCD Soundsystem cover, Lotus on the Pool Deck, JHa joined by Butler and Berg on Dawes’ When My Time Comes and much more…

Yes, I totally owe the readers a recap of the second half of Day Four on Jam Cruise 9 as well as the grand finale on Saturday, but before I go all newsy on ya, I wanted to tell the tale of my Jam Cruise performance debut.

[Photo by Tiny Rager]

At the start of the trip, one of the sets I was most excited to see was Brock Butler’s collaboration with DJ Wade “Wyllys” Wilby on the small Solar Stage at 5PM on the final day of the trip. Wyllys and Butler had teamed up back in October for a pair of gigs in the Southeast under the name AMBIENt, which gave Brock the opportunity to add textures to Wade’s music instead of the shredding that tends to happen during Perpetual Groove shows.

• Previous Jam Cruise Journals: All Aboard, Knee Deep In It, Letter to 16-Year-Old ScottyB, Nourished Soul, Day Four – Part 1,

Wade, a Hidden Track contributor and one of my BFFs, told me about an idea he had for the Wyllys/Butler set in which he’d call up to the stage a number of friends he’d met through the music of Phish to sing backup on one of that band’s early songs, Sanity. Wilby asked me to help round up some of our friends and bring them to his room at 1PM on the day of his set with Brock.

READ ON for more on my Jam Cruise debut…

Day Three of Jam Cruise 9 continued the trend of sit-ins at nearly every set during a full night of music that followed our stop in Roatan, Honduras. Those cruisers who wanted to sleep took full advantage during the stop at port, while plenty of adventurous types partook in all sorts of excursions on the tiny island.

Once 5:30PM hit, everyone returned to the boat and Easy Star All-Stars kicked off the action on the Pool Deck. The band mixed Beatles songs with Pink Floyd songs with a few of their originals mixed in for good measure. A break for dinner followed, though a Moog Workshop headed by Bob Moog’s grand-daughter featuring Scott Metzger, Nigel Hall, Robert Walter and a few more musicians took place in the Disco.

Last night’s “atrium piano set” was led by Zach Gill of ALO and Jack Johnson’s band. Zach took requests throughout and performed a ridiculously fun mix of covers including Billy Joel’s My Life, Warren Zevon’s Lawyers, Guns and Money, Elton John’s Bennie and the Jets and I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues and Beatles medley that featured A Little Help From My Friends and Hey Jude. When Gill couldn’t remember the lyrics to Hotel California, Jam Cruise attendee JRapp stepped in and helped Gill with the words. These solo piano sets continue to be a highlight of the cruises.

Jerry Joseph, Dave Schools and Stockholm Syndrome had the plumb, prime-time spot on the Pool Deck and blasted through a few hours of heavy rock. Karl D. made his first of many sit-ins during the Stockholm set, which also featured a tribute to Vic Chesnutt in the form of Vic’s original Whoa Death. Joseph seemed to fully embrace the Jam Cruise experience this time around after he wrote a cynical song about his last trip on the boat.

READ ON for more of the recap from Jam Cruise Day 3.

While the first day of Jam Cruise was fun and featured some terrific music, Day Two took things to a whole new level. No matter where you looked, artists were jamming with each other in configurations that you’d never expect. The day was relentless as the MSC Poesia was motoring down to Roatan, Honduras.

Chicago’s Cornmeal kicked things off on the Pool Deck just before noon to a surprisingly large crowd. Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee provided the first sit-in of the day by joining Cornmeal for a segment that included a cover of Elton John’s Bennie and the Jets that the ensemble nailed on every level. There was even a tease of Terrapin thrown in for good measure.

[Photo by Dave Vann]

If anyone read my Jam Cruise Journals from last year, you’ll probably recall how much I enjoyed Brock Butler’s performances. Brock was all over the place yesterday starting with a solo set on the smaller Solar Stage which featured a dream setlist that started with a cover of LCD Soundsystem’s All My Friends followed by the PGroove classic It Starts Where It Ends and Tom Petty’s Wildflowers. Under sunny skies and in 80 degree weather, Butler also treated cruisers to a Phosphorescent cover and his own The Weather and the Wait as well as Paul Simon’s Diamonds on the Soles of Shoes. The PGroove front man even showed off his freestyle skills during DMX’s Crime Stories.

READ ON for much more from day two of Jam Cruise

Under African Skies is the seventh track off Paul Simon’s classic 1986 album Graceland. We have previously done The Boy In The Bubble Cover Wars here at Hidden Track, but because of stupid IMEEM shutting down, a lot of those old editions no longer have audio embedded in them, rendering them a bit useless. At some point in the future we will go back and fix these old posts with direct audio embeds. But enough about that, on to the covers…

The Contestants:

Brock Butler, who also appeared in The Boy In The Bubble Edition, kicks us off with a killer solo rendition. Source: 12-30-2005

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Video from Amberland 2008 with a little help from Ayinde:

READ ON for the scoop on the rest of this week’s contestants…

I’m going to disperse with the formalities and journalistic pretense on this post and drop a “oh boy! oh boy! oh boy!” at today’s announcement that Brock Butler had been added to the already formidable lineup for Jam Cruise 9. Brock returns for his fifth Jam Cruise and fourth in a row. The Perpetual Groove frontman is the perfect musician for the boat – a guy who’s willing to play with anyone at anytime anywhere on the boat.

Back in January, I sat down at a computer mere minutes after Brock finished his sunrise set near the pool of the MSC Poesia and detailed what was one of the best moments of my career as a music fan…

I’ve always been a huge fan of Brock’s and catching his solo sets was at the top of my list of must-see moments. What a stroke of luck that I got an extra two hours of Butler delivering one emotion-filled song after another. I was able to cross the title track to Graceland off my list and it was a beaut – complete with backing vocals courtesy of myself and the other Jam Cruisers in attendance. Those who had instruments busted them out and helped accompany Brock as he reeled off the best mix of covers ever including Black Water, Wildflowers, Long May You Run and a Naive Melody blow out that ended things about 40 minutes ago.

David Gans of the Grateful Dead Hour is another stellar addition to the cruise, which departs from Ft. Lauderdale on January 4th returning on the 9th after stops in Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico.