2. MADISON, WISCONSIN
NOT JUST NOAH (BUT NOT JUST JOHN)
Noahjohn comes up with something original while draw-ing on a myriad of influences. This five-piece outfit's sound is something like the Velvet Underground-meets-Cowboy Junkies playing off-kilter alt.country. With an instrumental tapestry that merges viola, cello and lap steel with keyboards, bass, drums, guitar and "saw," they create a strange-sometimes grating-but enticing sound. Ethereal vocals and dirge-like rhythms add to the majesty. The band has released three albums to date, the latest being the recent Water Hymns,which show-cases the haunting and atmospheric sounds of an accomplished and talented band. Highly recommended.
WWW.NOAHJOHN.COM

3. TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA
SOUTHERN HAND-ME-DOWN
Secondhand Jive is a spunky outfit with a soulful, good-time sound. The band formed in 1996 when two popular regional groups merged (minus a couple of members or, as they say, "the fat was trimmed"). Polished jazz, funky New Orleans grooves and R&B are merged with reggae and rock in a lively and sophisticat-ed manner. The band has toured heavily across the Southeast, with occasional forays further afield, sharing the stage with the likes of The Radiators, Aquarium Rescue Unit, Freddy Jones Band and more. They've been joined on stage by members of the Funky Meters, Leftover Salmon and Widespread Panic. Secondhand Jive has just released its self-titled debut album, which not only shows that they can whip up intoxicating grooves but that they also know the art of the song. The 11 cuts are laced with melodic playing, perfectly complemented by strong vocals and complex arrangements (they have two impressive lead singers). The sound is a warmhearted mixture of funk and jazz, something akin to the Meters meets Little Feat with a splash of fluid jazzy guitar. All in all, an impressive band that promises much.
WWW.SECONDHANDJIVE.COM

4. ATLANTA, GEORGIA
THREE 'S FUNKY
If you like funk-filled, guitar-driven rock then the power-trio Freak The Jones should tickle your fancy. For the past five years the band has earned a reputation as one of Atlanta's hottest rock bands. They also toured through-out the Southwest U.S. and released four albums, the lat-est being the impressive The Jones Motel. FTJ takes a classic rock sound (a la Cream or Hendrix) and updates it with a modern sensibility and a healthy dose of funky grooves. On disc they keep things tight but energetic. Most of the songs are hard-hitting and in the four minute range but they pack power. Guitarist Ira Camp gets some meaty, Hendrix-like tones into his playing while the rhythm section lays down solid backing. The band has opened for Greg Allman and Maceo Parker and also shares percussionist Yonrico Scott with the Derek Trucks Band (he guests on the new album). FTJ is more main-stream than either Gov't Mule or Derek Trucks but should find favor with fans of both those bands.
WWW.FREAKTHEJONES.COM

5. OMAHA, NEBRASKA
THE PLEASURE AND THE PLAIN
Strange Pleasures is a high-energy, rhythmic jamband. Formed in Omaha in 1995, they've since performed over 300 times, sharing the stage with notable bands such as Galactic, The Big Wu and The Disco Biscuits. Based on their recorded output to date, the EP Lyin' In the Sun and the recent full-length Waiting For Art, they deserve their place. Strange Pleasures draws on classic and progres-sive rock as much as modern-day jambands; influences of the Grateful Dead, CSNY and Pink Floyd find their way into the songs but the band avoids being derivative- their funky retro-rock grooves are polished, the songs strong and the vocals and instrumental embellishments are solid if not earth-shattering. Strange Pleasures may not be the most original band around but they have an unpretentious attitude. They also sound like they have a hell of a lot of fun delivering their aural pleasures.
WWW.STRANGEPLEASURES.COM

6. HALMSTAD, SWEDEN
SCANDNAVIAN WAKEUP CALL
Mr. Morning is a surprisingly good European jamband that formed in the west of Sweden a few years back with the motto "Organic music made by real people." Listening to their album Furry and Fine, it's obvious that they were initially inspired by West Coast legends such as the Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service in their late '60s heydays, but they have equally embraced the passion and sense of adventure of current jambands and champion the cause of Widespread Panic and Phish in Europe. The band's vocalist, Ola Kytta,imparts a blues edge to the band's loping, impro-visational- based songs and brings to mind a mellower Pigpen. Furry and Fine (Taxim) was recorded live in the studio with no overdubs. The 13-minute "Straight Line" and the 22-minute suite "Furry and Fine Jam" (which incorpo-rates Zappa's "Willie the Pimp") are both impressive. All songs are in English. Mr. Morning plays throughout Sweden and Germany and is often a fixture at European Deadhead conventions, but this is not a cover band-just five guys with a passion for improvisation-based rock.
HTTP://HOST.BIP.NET/MR.MORNING/MORNING.HTM

7. NEW YORK, NEW YORK
CHILDREN OF ZAPPA
Banned From Utopia is a ten-piece band that formed in the summer of 1994 for a gig at the Stuggart Jazz Festival as a tribute to Frank Zappa. BFU is much more than a Zappa cover band, though; in fact, most of the members at some point either recorded or played live with one of the late Zappa's many band configurations and their covers of Zappa tunes have more depth and insight than one would expect from a "cover band." The val-ues and influences of years of playing Zappa permeate their imaginative interpretations.
The band prides itself on continuing Zappa's tradition of blending spon-taneity, precision and satire within a rich, musical tapestry. While there's a lot of jazz in their sound, there are also elements of funk, rock, country and even a smattering of hip-hop. The band has toured throughout the U.S. and Canada, even playing some dates with the Seattle Symphony. They've also released their first studio album, So Yuh Don't Like Modern Art (Favored Nations). It contains six Zappa instrumental tunes, all given fresh arrange-ments, and five originals. The originals, especially "Christian Coalition Blues" and "Freeway Vigilante," are a strange juxtaposition of quirky, humorous lyrics and deceptively complex instrumental work. Though all are veteran players, they are "on the verge" with respect to introducing the Zappa ethic to a whole new generation of music fans and reinventing it in the process.
WWW.FAVOREDNATIONS.COM

8. BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT
BATTY FOR BLUEGRASS
The Rafter Bats are a lively sextet that venture into territory similar to Yonder Mountain String Band, Donna the Buffalo and Railroad Earth but in a rootsier fashion. They formed in 1997 and has been performing on the festival and club circuits in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. They are currently in the process of broadening their touring arena. Though they refer to their music as "bluegrass gone wrong," it sounds perfectly fine to this listener. The band plays both electric and acoustic instruments and performs both original and traditional songs. They've released two discs to date, the most recent being Into the Washboard Millennium.Though they keep most of the songs relatively short, there's plenty of intricate dobro, guitar, mandolin and fiddle. The songs are lively, the harmonies strong. If you enjoy any of the aforementioned bands or off-kilter bluegrass then the Rafter Bats are for you.
WWW.RAFTERBATS.COM