Perhaps the coolest thing to come out of the jam band world in recent years is Matt Butler’s Everyone Orchestra, an ever-changing supergroup comprised of talented musicians joining forces to create a series of improvised jams. The uninformed observer would have no idea that these seemingly flawless, well-composed songs were in fact devised on the spot, in that moment in time, based on non-verbal communication amongst members of a group who had never even shared the stage before (well, for the most part). Improv is something we often take for granted after seeing 1 or 1,000 too many shows, but Matt Butler and the rest of the crew made certain we did not fail to appreciate the magic that was happening on stage.
Despite the plethora of people involved (9, to be exact), there was not one who did not shine. The way this show operates is that each member of the group has one chance to lead the others in a lengthy jam, with Matt Butler guiding the process along. The ones that really stood out for me were the legendary Steve Kimock killin’ it on guitar, seemingly effortlessly; Todd Stoops (of RAQ & Kung Fu) crushing the keys; and Reed Mathis (of Tea Leaf Green) on bass. As always, Natalie Cressman and Jennifer Hartswick (of Trey Anastasio Band) tore the house down with their lovely, booming vocals and powerful horn skills. Ryan Montbleau lent his sultry pipes to the mix, adding his own signature style, and John Kimock held it down on drums to provide the life force for the whole experience.
If you ever have the chance to catch the Everyone Orchestra, it is not to be missed. These guys came together so flawlessly, you would think they had been playing together for years. Experiences like this give you a renewed appreciation for the jam band world and its roots — not to mention, everyone had a blast!
– Sara Furer
Photos by Chason Heins
