G2 is another example of a band that took full advantage of their opportunities at IBMA this year. The trip from Sweden involves considerable expense and preparation, and these five talented musicians were determined to leave as big a footprint as possible behind after their trip to Nashville.

As the winners of the 2007 European Band Of The Year at the European World of Bluegrass, they garnered the IBMA showcase slot “reserved” for the EWOB winners. They played on the Wednesday brunch showcase during IBMA week, but unlike most invited showcase acts, they were also featured on the International Bluegrass Music Awards show and the weekend Fan Fest.

But this wasn’t a matter of pure kismet; the band had laid the groundwork in advance. Banjoist Jens Koch had attended IBMA on a number of occasions, and the entire band was there in 2008. They generated quite a buzz from their late night showcase slots last year, and worked the networking hard that whole week.

Perhaps most importantly, they retained US representation (Roe Entertainment) following IBMA 2008, and booked two brief tours here prior to IBMA ‘09. Nothing shows an eagerness to perform in the US more than, well… performing in the US!

Jens shared a few impressions of their recent IBMA experience:

“We felt like we did a good performance on the main stage, and the energy in that room was great. I think that it’s great to have people sit down and enjoy the music with some food, that never hurts. We got great reactions after that showcase and to us it meant the world compared to doing all the late night showcases where very few people actually show up and personally I think that it’s hard to perform that well in a little showcase room due to our constant fight with jet-lag (it’s like 8 or 9 in the morning for us when we do late night showcases), less sound reinforcement and the small crowds. So we loved to play the brunch showcase.

Playing the Awards Show was such a treat. It felt very special to walk on that stage and I think one of us said ‘what the heck happened down there?’ as we came back to the dressing room in the Ryman, followed by ‘My record collection was sitting in the front row looking at me.’ Scary and nice at the same time. The vibe at the Ryman was definitely something else!”

Their second CD on Sweden’s Cosmos Records is due out shortly, and a number of US labels have expressed an interest in licensing it for distribution in the States. (more…)

For a change, I was able to stay for all three main stage acts at Wednesday’s (9/30) lunchtime showcase, and I saw some very strong performances.

Darren Beachley & Legends Of The Potomac were up first. That may sound like a fairly grandiose name for a new band, but with former Seldom Sceners Tom Gray on bass, Mike Auldridge on resonator guitar, and former Bluegrass Cardinal Norman Wright on mandolin and tenor vocals, the name fits.

Their set featured music from an upcoming CD on Patuxent Records, with Darren Beachley (former member of Quicksilver) on guitar and lead vocals and Mark Delaney on banjo.

No matter how well they played or how solid the material they chose, nothing could overshadow getting to hear Wright’s soaring tenor on stage again! His voice was clear and strong and anyone who cherished his recordings with the Cardinals had to be immediately swept up in the sound – as I surely was.

The name also fits given that their style calls to mind what could be described as the Washington, DC bluegrass sound. Both The Country Gentlemen and Seldom Scene emerged from that community in the 1960s and ’70s, and Darren and the Legends carry it forward just fine.

Next up was G2, a young bluegrass band from Sweden. Wonder what a Swedish bluegrass band sounds like?

Well with these guys, it sounds exactly like it does in Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky or Tennessee. Their style is modern, but it’s clear that all five of them have intently studied the music, and they play it with a confidence and authority you might not expect from a young European band.

Almost all of their music is written by guitarist Christoffer Olsson, who also handles the lead vocals. As resonator guitarist Tobias Strömberg mentioned during the set, “It’s hard to believe all those big words come out of such a little man.” Olsson’s songs are thoughtful and original, avoiding the sort of stereotypes that can plague artists who work in a style that is foreign to their culture.

But all of these musicians could go to work for Doyle Lawson. Mandolinist Erik Igelström has obviously mastered his instrument, but plays with a highly individual style. Bass player Jimmy Sunnebrandt, like most of the band, grew up with a father who played country and bluegrass fiddle. Erik told a story about Jimmy as a tyke going with his father to shows, where he would sit in the front row reading Donald Duck comics until his dad would call him up to play a tune with them on fiddle. After he was finished, he would return to his seat and his reading.

Banjo picker Jens Koch really stands out, and is among the very best young, traditional bluegrass banjo players in any country. He works effortlessly in the JD Crowe/Ron Stewart idiom, and I can see him becoming one of the tops on his instrument in the next few years. Strömberg was impressive as well. (more…)

G2, our favorite young Swedish bluegrass outfit, will also be heading west to the US later this month. They will perform at the Bluegrass Legends Concert Series in Chicago on 9/26, and then on the Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour on the 28th.

After that, it’s on to IBMA in Nashville where they will be featured in the Wednesday brunch showcase (9/30), and on the Awards Show the next day (10/1). That is an honor for any bluegrass artist, but for G2, it will also mark the first time a European band will perform on the show.

G2 has been working on a new CD and though it won’t be ready in time for their US trip, they will be bringing a 3 song sampler to share with promoters and record labels. The new project will be released on a Swedish label, Cosmos Records, but the band is hopeful of finding a licensing and distribution agreement with a US label while they are in Nashville.

Here’s a taste of two of the tracks from the sampler, new songs from G2 guitarist and lead singer, Christoffer Olsson. Both will be featured on the next CD.

G2 consists of Tobias Strömberg on resonator guitar, Jens Koch on banjo, Christoffer Olsson on guitar, Jimmy Sunnebrandt on bass, and Erik Igelström on mandolin. Christoffer sings lead on both of those tracks, with assistance from Cia and Skip Cherryholmes on Gold Rush. Molly and BJ Cherryholmes contribute twin fiddles on that track as well.

Here’s a video of the guys at The Station Inn when they were in the States last year for IBMA. It shows that they know their traditional grass as well as the modern sound.

We just heard from G2, our favorite Swedish bluegrass band, with news about their next CD.

Banjo player Jens Koch tells us that they spent this past weekend tracking at Cosmos Studio in Stockholm, bringing them roughly to the halfway mark on the new project. Jens says that don’t have a title yet, but expect to see the new album released later in 2009.

“We’re having a blast making this project and of course, we can’t wait to get it finished. This time, we’re able to spend more time in the studio, which is nice. Our first album was made a bit faster and our move to Cosmos Studios certainly allows us to get that little extra into this project. The songs for this album are all originals, mostly written by our lead singer Christoffer and also, some co-writes, which makes our sound more personal.”

The guys even sent along a video they shot over the weekend, which introduces the band members and the new studio where they are recording this time around.