Strangefolk
Originally formed as an acoustic duo "Strange Folk" in 1991, Strangefolk (now one word) added bass and drums within a year and took to playing the bars in and around the vibrant musical community of Burlington, Vermont. The band rounded out its sound further in 2000 by adding keyboards to the lineup. Strangefolk has since built a national following based on the impressive sales from five studio CD releases (The Demo Album, Lore, Weightless in Water, A Great Long While, and Open Road), and two live releases (Coast to Coast Volumes I and II), a rigorous touring schedule, and an annual festival that attracts thousands which the band has funded, promoted, and hosted for ten years called Strangefolk's Garden of Eden.
The Music
At the heart of Strangefolk's songwriting is a seamless blend of narrative lyrical content and inventive melody. Rock, folk, blues, and bluegrass influences converge to create an instantly recognizable sound, which keeps Strangefolk's listeners moving from start to finish. When punctuated with Strangefolk's trademark three-part harmonies and soaring lead guitars, the band's unique songwriting ability develops a natural avenue for the band to extend themselves in a live setting. The result is one of the more gratifying live music experiences around. Their latest project, Coast to Coast Volume II showcases the band's depth, variety, and continued growth as songwriters and musicians.
Jon Trafton - Guitar, Vocals
Articulating the "strange" aspect of Strangefolk, Trafton has developed a highly original and captivating lead guitar style. Jon's playing is both thoughtful and emotionally charged, shifting easily from tasteful accompanying licks during verses to screaming impact when a solo peaks. Jon's songwriting contributions feature an intriguing blend of pop, rock and country elements.
Luke Patchen Montgomery - Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Vocals
With influences like Stephen Stills, Michael Hedges, Cat Stevens and The Beatles, it's no wonder that Luke possesses such a powerful, yet tasteful vocal style along with some blazing guitar chops. Luke incorporates open tunings and flat-picking into his playing style and injects incredible energy and emotion into the band's improvisational jams.
Erik Glockler - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Glockler's style of bass playing is both grounding and melodic. Erik locks down the groove of each song with force, and when the time comes to stretch out live, he improvises melodies up and down the frets to weave a complex tapestry that complements Trafton, Montgomery and Scott. Glockler has penned many Strangefolk tunes and sings with a raw and textured voice, which lends an edge to the Strangefolk sound.
Russ Lawton - Drums
Russ grew up in the Boston area where he began drumming professionally, and studying with Gene Roma from the Newton Percussion Academy. Early in his career, Russ played in the band Zzebra formed by Nigerian born Lofty Amao from the London based group Osibisa. Lofty's afro-fusion group Zzebra based in Burlington Vermont toured the East Coast for several years before moving to LA. In recent years, Russ has been touring with Trey Anastasio of Phish and the Gordon Stone Band. Russ also keeps busy as a studio drummer and has played on the independent movies Mud Season, Mike Gordon's Outside Out, and the LA movie Left Hand Path.
Don Scott - Keyboards
Don utilizes styles ranging from jazz and rock to bluegrass and honky-tonk to create blistering solos, rich textures and funky rhythms. Preferring to stand while he plays, Don's passion and energy create a dynamic performance experience. He plays with a feel and passion that compliments other instruments in a way uniquely his own. Swirling keys and rolling Hammond organ combine to lay down a groove or bring songs to an explosive climax. His influences draw from artists like Bruce Hornsby, Oscar Peterson, Brent Mydland, Herbie Hancock and Ray Manzarek, to name a few.
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