Galactic returns to Telluride for 17th annual Blues & Brews Fest

15 Sep Galactic returns to Telluride for 17th annual Blues & Brews Fest

[click “Play” for Susan’s interview with Galactic’s Jeff Raines]

The New Orleans progressive funk band Galactic returns to Telluride for the 17th annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, September 17 – September 19 in Town Park. Galactic’s unique sound is a robust, edgy and highly improvisatory variation on Big Easy funk, including hip hop, electronica, fusion and jazz. Booty shaking sounds.

It’s shaping up to be a stellar year for Galactic. In February, the band released its groundbreaking new album “Ya-Ka-May,” a gumbo of New Orleans sounds from jazz to brass band, funk and beyond. With this release, the five-man group comprised of drummer Stanton Moore, bassist Robert Mercurio, saxophonist/harmonica player Ben Ellman, keyboardist Richard Vogel, and guitarist Jeff Raines – reaffirms their status as the quintessential modern day New Orleans band and one of the funkiest outfits in the known universe.

“Ya-Ka-May” is named after a Chinese-ish concoction of noodles, various mystery meats and hard-boiled eggs, all boiled together to make a kind of stew. Ya-Ka-May is revered as a hangover cure, something the Big Easy knows a thing or two about. (And something Blues & Brews attendees might want to consider as part of their weekend diet.)

For sure Blues & Brews attendees will be treated to tracks from Ya-Kay-May, which also featured Festival guest Allen Toussaint.

Galactic came together in 1984 when Raines and Mercurio, childhood friends from the Washington D.C. area moved to New Orleans to attend college. The duo became enamored of the local funk scene and acts such as The Meters and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and inspired by iconic Big Easy figures such as Professor Longhair and added other key players to the band.

Galactic has toured with acts including Widespread Panic, the Allman Brothers and B.B.King, the latter another of the Blues & Brews headliners.