Fundraiser for Telluride's KOTO: "Elephant Revival" and "Leftover Salmon", 2/25

22 Feb Fundraiser for Telluride's KOTO: "Elephant Revival" and "Leftover Salmon", 2/25

[click “Play” to hear Susan’s conversation with Elephant Revival’s Dango, Bonnie and Bridget]

The now legendary Leftover Salmon is the main event at Friday’s fundraiser for Telluride’s KOTO Community Radio. However, Elephant Revival, the opening act, is described by Suzanne Cheavens, KOTO musical director, as very “buzzy.”

It is the elephant in the room.

Elephant Revival is a Nederland, Colorado-based neo-acoustic quintet. The band plays a unique blend of an emerging new musical genre which marries –  somewhat improbably –  the core ideas of Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman about spiritual transcendence through intuition to original folk tunes, Scottish/Celtic fiddle tunes, traditional ballads, psychedelic country, indie rock, reggae, 40s/50s jazz standards, even hip hop. Friends and fans around Boulder/Ned describe Elephant Revival’s sound “Transcendental Folk,” shorthand for a rainbow of sonic colors. Peers and critics drop that idea and simply call it good:

“Elephant Revival is a magical blend of melodies and rhythms with their roots in the past and their hearts in the future,” Bill Nershi, String Cheese Incident

“Elephant Revival is living proof that the way high Colorado Front Range town of Nederland continues to inspire some of the finest and most creative music to be found anywhere. Following the lead, but not the footsteps, of groups like Leftover Salmon and the Yonder Mountain String Band, the five-piece Elephant Revival has created a unique and appealing modern acoustic sound simultaneously soaked in all manner of tradition,” Marquee magazine.

“Elephant Revival” is comprised of five singers and five songwriters: Bonnie Paine (vocals, washboard, djembe, musical saw), Sage Cook (electric banjo/guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, viola, vocals), Dango Rose (double-bass, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Daniel Rodriguez (acoustic guitar, electric banjo/guitar vocals) and Bridget Law (fiddle and vocals). Individually and collectively, band members have worked with some of the most iconic performers of our time from Bela Fleck to Michael Franti, Little Feat, Yonder Mountain String Band, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic –  and KOTO’s headliner Leftover Salmon.

“‘Elephant Revival’ invokes that breezy summer evening feeling that says kick off your shoes and dance by the fire. These talented neo-folk-grassers are earning praise from Colorado music lovers with their deft playing, lilting, earnest vocals and riverine grooves,” added Cheavens.

KOTOfm radio opened for business in 1975. Since its inception, the station has been wholly supported by the Telluride community, one of only six in the nation that accepts no advertising or corporate underwriting. The other five stations that are sans underwriting are Pacifica affiliates, with large syndicated programs to support them. KOTO relies on events such as this concert and biannual on-air fund drives to keep it alive.

The concert is at the Mountain Village Ballroom (formerly Telluride Conference Center), Friday, February 25, 7:00 pm.

To learn more about Elephant Revival, their latest CD, Break In the Clouds, click the “play” button and listen to my interview with Dango, Bonnie and Bridget.