Scott Murawski, guitarist for Max Creek, member of the Mike Gordon’s band and part of the Bill Kreutzmann Trio (BK3), among other projects, reflects back on a jam packed 2012 and looks ahead to an exciting year in 2013. Hidden Track contributor Parker Harrington talked with Scott recently about his reflections on the past year, his guitar, playing with some of his heroes and what he is looking forward to in the coming year. Murawski tells us about heading off for another Jungle Jam, recording a Mike Gordon album, tour dates with Max Creek, BK3 and more in Part One of our convo…
[Scott Murawski performing with Mike Gordon by Parker Harrington]
Parker Harrington: 2012 was quite a year for you. It started with Jungle Jam followed by travelling across the Atlantic with Mike Gordon for Jam in the Dam and London, then a full slate of Max Creek shows including some special ones like Gathering of the Vibes, the Haunted Halloween Bash, Strange-Creek and your Creekend Anniversary shows, among others. As you look back at the year, what were some of your highlights and what stands out in your mind from 2012?
Scott Murawski: Ah, well, Amsterdam was very, very cool. I’d never been to Europe before, so that was a great way to start seeing it. Such a fantastic city- we got to hang around for five days which was very relaxing. In London we had less time, so I didn’t get to see as much but still I managed to get over to Big Ben and other places and check a lot of it out.
And Jungle Jam was awesome. Costa Rica is just an incredible country. I went down there the first time to play with Mike Gordon and Bill Kreutzmann for a benefit that we did down there for the school system and that was my first exposure to Costa Rica and my first time playing with Bill Kreutzmann. We’ve been going back there in some configuration or another ever since. Now Creek has their annual thing down there as well. Costa Rica is such a great country. So I guess those two: Europe and Jungle Jam were the biggest highlights.
The Creek shows were, of course, also awesome. The Gathering of the Vibes is such a great thing that we’ve been involved in since the very first Gathering of the Vibes.
PH [interjects]: Have you guys played every single one?
SM: I’ve been to every one, I don’t think Creek has though. There was one year that Depth Quartet played and Creek didn’t. Also, there was a year that BK3 played as well as Mike Gordon’s band and I don’t think Creek performed that year, but yeah, I’ve been to every one. The first one was called [Deadhead Heaven] Gathering of the Tribe at SUNY Purchase and that was pretty cool. It’s unbelievable to think back to what that festival was – just a small stage in the middle of a college campus to the spectacle that’s its become in Bridgeport.
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