String Cheese Incident

[Dave James]

I recently began exploring jam band music, an interest that was primed by an extended dalliance with Phish. One band I've stumbled across that I'm enjoying a great deal is String Cheese Incident. Their studio output is fairly limited, but they've released tons of live material from their 2002 and 2003 tours. Some seriously good musicianship going on here and some pretty interesting music. They do across-the-board covers, everything from Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" to Coltrane's "Impressions" in addition to their own original material. They tend to get into extended and lengthly jams that go off in many different directions, none of which are not interesting. Anyhow, I'm finding this music to be very enjoyable. Anyone else out there share my enthusiasm for these guys?

Up over and out.

Edited November 24, 2004 by Dave James

[Bright Moments]

i am a big SCI fan!

Newbies should try "Outside Inside" and they will make a joyful sound! B-)

[.:.impossible]

My wife loved them for a while, and I have friends who also love them. I have to be in the right mood, though. I agree that their live CDs kill their studio albums. We've seen them a few times and they do put on a good show.

I think SCI is the epitome of the jam band sound, although Phish was always the band that got tagged. Phish was a rock band, first and foremost, whereas SCI really is a fusion of styles, including rock. They never really "rock out" if you know what I mean. They "rock out" the way Weather Report "rocked out." Phish "rocked out!"

Dave, have you seen that tower set from the PHISH "IT" DVD?

[gdogus]

Heck yeah!

I have about 130 live SCI shows (released to the trading community with the band's blessing, of course). Bill Nershi is a great guitar picker, Michael Travis an amazing percussionist, and the others are powerful players, too. Michael Kang's electric mandolin and fiddle are a great unique touch. Forget the studio stuff, and find some of those sweet soundboards from Fall 2000!

Edited November 24, 2004 by gdogus

[couw]

FWIW, you can download a whole bunch of shows from the internet archive

http://www.archive.org

[Guest ariceffron]

THE CHEESE WERE GOOD FOR A WHILE BUT NOW I DONT KNOW. THEY WERE PUT IN A WEIRD POSITION WHEN PHISH WENT ON HIATUS IN '00 AND THEY SUDDENLY BEACAME A ROCK BAND

[.:.impossible]

BTW, they do get my vote for worst band name (almost) ever. I think Hoobastank topped them in recent years. Yikes.

Check out Carnival. This is one of the first live releases from the band. 1999 I think.

[GloriousBlues]

I really like SCI's mixture of jamrock and bluegrass. I second the Carnival recommendation...it's mostly very upbeat, joyous music. They also release most of their shows on CD, at a very reasonable 15 bucks for 3-disc sets.

Why don't more rock bands have a banjo player????

[gdogus]

I really like SCI's mixture of jamrock and bluegrass. I second the Carnival recommendation...it's mostly very upbeat, joyous music. They also release most of their shows on CD, at a very reasonable 15 bucks for 3-disc sets.

Why don't more rock bands have a banjo player????

Dunno. SCI doesn't have one, either...

[GloriousBlues]

I really like SCI's mixture of jamrock and bluegrass.  I second the Carnival recommendation...it's mostly very upbeat, joyous music.  They also release most of their shows on CD, at a very reasonable 15 bucks for 3-disc sets.

Why don't more rock bands have a banjo player????

Dunno. SCI doesn't have one, either...

Hmmm...you're right. I could swear I remembered hearing a banjo in their band.

[gdogus]

They've had some guest banjo players sit in - most memorably, for me, was Tony Furtado on 11/17/2000.

[gdogus]

NP:

String Cheese Incident - January 27, 2000 • Wool Warehouse • Albuquerque, NM

[Guest akanalog]

cheesy easy-palatable music fomr the young hippies who are afriad of dissonance and scarier music.

sci's covers of jazz songs are so wimpy and lite-jazz.

and the lyrics to many of their songs are embarassingly cheesy and pseudo-wacky friendly young hippie lyrics.

at least phish was not afraid to explore the dark side sometimes.....

[.:.impossible]

Leftover Salmon is more my speed. Gotta love the polyethnic slamgrass.

BTW, I tried listening to Carnival the other night. Sounded super-cheesy...

[Quincy]

cheesy easy-palatable music fomr the young hippies who are afriad of dissonance and scarier music.

sci's covers of jazz songs are so wimpy and lite-jazz.

and the lyrics to many of their songs are embarassingly cheesy and pseudo-wacky friendly young hippie lyrics.

at least phish was not afraid to explore the dark side sometimes.....

Ah, I love the jamband scene when the bickering begins.

Like most bands in the scene, the singers could benefit from a pack & a half cigarette habit. The more tar the better.

[gdogus]

cheesy easy-palatable music fomr the young hippies who are afriad of dissonance and scarier music.

sci's covers of jazz songs are so wimpy and lite-jazz.

and the lyrics to many of their songs are embarassingly cheesy and pseudo-wacky friendly young hippie lyrics.

at least phish was not afraid to explore the dark side sometimes.....

Okay - let's see...cowardly, wimpy, friendly...got it. Thanks, akanalog!

NP:

String Cheese Incident - March 31, 2000 • Stubb's • Austin, TX

Edited November 28, 2004 by gdogus

[sal]

I used to be a big fan of these guys. From 1998-2001, I saw them probably 15 times or so. I agree that their musicianship is a step above most jambands. But after a while, I found that their jamming was getting a bit boring for my tastes. Many times the songs went on for alot longer than they needed to be. Phish's and the Grateful Dead's jamming was much more suited to my tastes.

I would be interested to see them in concert now. From what I hear, they are becoming quite good again....more like they were in the early days.

[AmirBagachelles]

Speaking of jam bands, how about a Butterfield Blues Band thread at some point. Would LOVE to hear from old timers who saw the original lineup. Also, I was listening to some great old Amboy Dukes this weekend. They could rock! Love that jangly and very James Gurley lead from Ted Nugent.

[Dave James]

I never saw the original Butterfield Blues Band, but I did see a slightly later iteration called Better Days up in Seattle many years ago. I believe they opened for another pretty good, underrated and long forgotten band called Blues Image. I'd love to have seen the original group with Bloomfield, Bishop et al. East, West is one of my all-time favorite tunes. Certainly some jam band-esque extensions going on in that one.

Up over and out.

[AmirBagachelles]

I couldn't remember Gurley's first name so I did a google to get it before I posted. I didn't know the whole sad story of Big Brother trying to get back together in the 70s after Janis left them.

Those really white hot SF guitar gods, Cipollina, Wilhelm, Gurley et al, they just sadly faded away so quickly after the SF scene settled down. Looking at the jam band circuit now, they seem like the old ballplayers who never saw good money let alone rock and roll money. I do remember the failed tries in the 70s by the SF All-Stars and The Dinosaurs though, it wasn't like nobody had the idea to jam for dough.

[chris olivarez]

I saw the Butterfield group with Bishop, Mark Naftalin,Phillip Wilson,Dave Sanborn,Gene Dinwiddie and Keith Johnson. Not much jamming per se but it was a super show.