John Yax: Drums and Percussion.
Dan Ripke: Guitar and Vocals. Andy Benes: Guitar, Mandolin, and Vocals. Colin Murphy: Fiddle and Vocals. Jeff Friesen: Bass and Deep Impact.
The FUNKBRASS HORNS (Bill, Mike & Alan from Hullaballoo)
Funk, Bluegrass, Rock, Jazz, Latin, Reggae, Jam Band, and Blues. Frank Zappa, P-Funk, Medeski Martin and Wood, Johnny Cash, Phish, Grateful Dead, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bob Marley, James Brown, Flatt & Scruggs, Beatles, John Scofield, Stevie Wonder, Yonder Mountain String Band, Osborne Brothers, Ohio Players, Ray Charles, Moe, Zapp, Hendrix, etc......
Sounds Like
"This group blends seemingly incompatible music genres into something seemless and sublime. These guys are a lot of fun."
Mark Allender Bowed Radio
"The sort of music a person of any age or influence could enjoy. I urge you to go check these guys out no matter your genre of choice."
Back Forty is a staple of the Midwest live music scene. Over the last 5 years Back Forty has played just about every venue and major festival in Michigan and choice venues throughout the Midwest. The band has also recorded and released two full length albums and is working on their third.
Back Forty is comprised of Dan Ripke on guitar, Andy Benes on mandolin and guitar, John Yax on drums, Colin Murphey on fiddle, and Jeff Friesen on bass. The band is also joined regularly by their three piece horn section and a slew of guest musicians. Stephanie Kadel-Taras of the Ann Arbor Observer wrote "These musicians are just plain good, as in record-contract good."
This eclectic group of musicians and their backgrounds is portrayed in the music. One live set may contain Funk, Bluegrass, Rock, Folk, Reggae, Irish, Jazz, Experimentation, Blues, and Swing elements. Back Forty breaks down the genre barriers and just plays what comes naturally.
Robert Costa of Grand Rapid's On the Town Magazine commented "It is hard to pigeonhole the sound of Back Forty because it uses the elements of traditional bluegrass or soul or Irish folk or rock or whatever you thought you knew about a genre, and it blows it up, redefines it, and puts it back together in a way you have never heard. The stage presence is powerful, the musicianship is a wonder to watch, and they are no doubt a lot of fun."
OLD SCHOOL SHIRTS ARE BACK AT backfortymusic.com
LIVE TRACKS
Scroll down and click on a song (may take a minute to load. If songs do not load after a minute try refreshing pag). You can get all of our full recorded shows at www.archive.org
The simple fact that you share your birthday with at least 9 million other people in the world might make someone feel insignificant. I'm hoping that knowledge was blocked out by playing your track during last week's show.
Played one of your tracks during last week's show, I'd like to think at least one person got caught rockin out in their car on the ride home because of it.
I had a black leather bag that was mistakenly taken while we unloaded gear on Friday Morning. It had some guitar pedals and various other things in it. I am also checking with Papa Pete's from the Weekend Before - But I know I did not leave it there.
One pedal was a Digitech Whammy (Black) and the other pedal was a Mutron III! These pedals are valuable to me - but the Mutron III is broken and specialists need to fix it.
If you see it around - PLEASE LET ME KNOW!
I cant rock as hard without them.
Thanks so much,
Dallas Dallas@covertopsband.com or reply on Myspace...
