Seedstock! - 2015 Bands

John Brown's Body

John Brown's Body's "Future Roots" uses reggae as a foundation, but incorporates dub, drum & bass, dancehall, hip hop and other musical explorations to create a sound both timeless and forward. However it's defined, people are buzzing about this progressive group from Boston and Ithaca, NY. The eight-piece band's explosive live show boasts super heavy rhythms, a three-piece horn section, air-tight drum and bass, and "the most gorgeous melodies in all of modern reggae music" (All Music Guide). JBB’s latest album, Kings And Queens (2013), debuted at #1 on Billboard and iTunes Reggae Charts.

Big Mean Sound Machine

Conceived during a lake house recording session in the summer of 2009, Big Mean Sound Machine formed in Ithaca, New York with one goal: to create music that stimulates both Body AND Mind. Today, BMSM’s collective of over a dozen analog artists spread out over the East Coast United States bring together the musical languages of West Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and North America to create a lush bed of rhythm and melody that embraces even the most hardcore fans of both Traditional Funk and Avant-Garde Jazz – and everyone in between. Anyone who has witnessed Big Mean Sound Machine live knows that their performances are among the heaviest and the sweatiest.

The Unknown Woodsmen

The Unknown Woodsmen - Phil Muka, Casey King, Pete Dawes, Josh Tracy, and Zac Doob - draw from the classic sounds of rock to create their own blues-reggae flavor of infectious rock grooves. Since its inception in 2011, the band has spent countless hours honing their signature sound and tirelessly gigging throughout the Northeast. Whether it is their crafty hooks, old-school grooves, or energetic stage presence, The Unknown Woodsmen have been captivating crowd after crowd at well-respected venues. Woodsmen fans, or “Woodspeople” (as they are affectionately referred to by the band), seem to come from incredibly diverse musical listening backgrounds, yet are somehow all able to converge and groove in complete solidarity at shows.

Digger Jones

With a sound larger than most five-piece bands, Digger Jones is a blues rock trio out of central New York influenced by blues from throughout the past century and rock 'n roll artists of the 60's, 70's and present. Brandishing classic influences such as the Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin, and more contemporary groups like the Black Keys and North Mississippi Allstars, Digger Jones has built a reputation for playing high-energy shows that give a nod to tradition while staying relevant for modern audiences. With a mix of instrumentation that includes harmony vocals, electric bass, drums, electric guitar and a harmonica that sometimes thinks it's a hammond organ, the trio mixes swampy blues with a down-home approach to rock 'n roll.

The Gunpoets

Off the beaten path, nestled in the deep gorges of Ithaca, New York, there are whisperings of a musical revolution in the air. The streets are abuzz as the new school hip hop sound of The Gunpoets echoes throughout the hills and valleys of the musically rich, small upstate town, and far beyond, capturing hearts all over the region. Heavy bass, hard hitting drums, silky smooth keys and sexy guitar licks sweep audiences away as listeners find their bodies unable to resist the explosive rhythms. Add turntables and some microphones? Well, let's just say people won’t know what hit ‘em.

2Wood (Dan & Joe of Driftwood)

Hailing from the Southern Tier of New York, 2Wood is an acoustic duo featuring Dan Forsyth and Joe Kollar, the original founding members of Driftwood. Formed in 2006 by what was first a simple collaboration between two friends bent on traveling the country playing folk music, Driftwood has turned into one of the hardest working bands in the business. In a post-modern world of skyscrapers and hand-held computers, Dan and Joe look beneath the concrete and circuitry to find their sound. Using acoustic instruments and a scrap wood kick box, they break down barriers between old and young, rockers and folkies alike.

Loren and Mark

Loren Barrigar and Mark Mazengarb share a unique musical chemistry and stage presence seldom found among musicians. Their diverse repertoire of original and arranged music consists of stunning guitar instrumentals as well as vocal duets, giving them wide appeal and strong audience connection. Influenced by Americana, Jazz, Country Western and Classical music, Loren and Marks unique style of guitar playing is largely built upon the thumb-picking techniques pioneered by guitar greats Merle Travis and Chet Atkins, and their songs feature Lorens superb vocals with some beautiful harmonies from Mark. Guitar playing like you've never heard before!

Danielle Ponder

Danielle Ponder's mission is to make people feel, make them think and make them dance and for over ten year this "soul house" has been doing just that! As the former lead singer for Black August and FIlthy Funk the Rochester, NY native has packed out music venues throughout the country, opening for legendary artist such as George Clinton and performing her original music to thousand of festival goers. With her new project Danielle Ponder and The Tomorrow People, she creates genre bending soul music fortified by the talented musicianship of Cory Owens on drums, Avis Reese on Keyboard, Timm Cash on Guitar and Skip Bunce on Bass.

DJ Gourd and Weasel Dust

With a mash-up of old school R&B, rock, and funk and new school hip-hop, soul, and electronic music, DJ Gourd and Weasel Dust will be holding down late-night Seedstock with the return of the silent disco. After JBB hits their last note on the main stage, head into the Meraki Forest and switch your wireless headphone receiver to the DJ of your choice.

Quona Hudson

Quona Hudson caught his first big break in the national songwriting scene in 2005 as a runner-up in VH1's Song of the Year contest. He has since toured clubs and festivals throughout the Northeast, leaving behind a trail of stories and songs along the way. Coming from a long line of musicians, with family roots in the mountains of Appalachia, Hudson had a guitar in his hand by the age of 6 and quickly found inspiration in his affection for Bluegrass, Americana, and Celtic music. Influenced by guitar greats such as Leo Kottke, Eric Clapton, and Micheal Hedges, and the vocal styling of Gregg Allman, Levon Helm, Van Morrison, he has carved a place in the next generation of American roots music by blending Americana and Pop with a slur. Hudson is now in the process of recording his debut album as a solo artist, due for release in late 2015.

Colleen Kattau

"Joe Hill would be proud. Great singer and organizer at the same time," Pete Seeger Colleen Kattau is a bi-lingual singer-songwriter and dynamic performer. Her music joins rhythms of Latin America with her own roots rock and folky jazz-laced compositions. Influenced by the voice and social message of artists like Lila Downs, Holly Near, Jolie Rickman, and Natalie Merchant, Colleen creates her own aesthetic style with an impressive vocal range and clarity of sound. Her innovative poetic lyrics cover a wide and varied range from soulful sensual songs to rise up and change the world anthems.

Seedstock VII Bands