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Indie Outing: The Decemberists

Nate Query is wearing the purple shirt in the middle, Jenny Conlee is in the lower right corner

Names: Jenny Conlee, Nate Query

Band: The Decemberists

Instruments: keyboards (Conlee), bass (Query)

Indie-Jam connection: Before they played together in The Decemberists, Jenny Conlee and Nate Query were both members roots-oriented jamband Calobo. Conlee continues to explore some of Calobo’s more pastoral sounds in the Americana-inspired group Black Prairie (with additional members of Decemberists). She also appears on Jerry Joseph’s most recent live release and continues to collaborate with her husband, Jackmormons drummer Steve Drizos. In fact, she will perform with the Jackmormons throughout its New Year’s Eve run.

Notable jam moments: An important part of ‘90s jamband scene, Calobo was part of a tight knit group of Pacific Northwest improvisational bands that included Joseph and Jambay. The band released several albums and appeared on both coasts before fading away in 2000.

Lot Talk: “Matt Butler recently asked me to play a show with the Everyone Orchestra, but I chickened out because last time he asked me it was Stanton Moore and all these heavy-hitters. I can’t hold up to the people who do that every day, but I do like to think that I can live in both worlds a little bit,” Jenny Conlee, Relix