Joe Marcinek Band 
1 River Street

Guitarist/bandleader Joe Marcinek is omnipresent across the US jam/festival scenes for the past several years, renowned for assembling various ‘super-bands’ for all-star revue performances, like his popular Dead Funk Summit series. While I’ve enjoyed Joe’s onstage jamming late night in NOLA during Jazz Fest, latest LP 1 River Street is arguably the finest work thus far in his career. The diverse album unveils a smattering of styles, from funky rare groove and screamin’ psychedelic rock, to churning afrobeat and even a proper reggae. The sundry, dense document was the final project tracked at Alan Evans’ Iron Wax Studios in Western Mass. In addition to Al’s ever-choice production prowess behind the boards, the longtime Soulive drummer handled trap-kit duties with authority. Joe Marcinek’s bandmates for 1 River Street include all-world bassist Nate Edgar (The Nth Power), the ever-trusty Kris Yunker on keys, and a sturdy horn section of Brian BT Thomas (trombone), Jared Sims (sax), and Alex Lee Clark (trumpet). Captain and quarterback of this stacked squadron, an ever-humble and always-tasty Marcinek leaves few sonic stones unturned; yet the entire eight cut collection feels cohesive and organic. Hot tracks: “Carma”, “Ola Ola”, “In Memory of Iron Wax”

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