Yonder Mountain String Band
Encyclopedia
The Yonder Mountain String Band (abbreviated YMSB) is an American
progressive bluegrass
group from Nederland
, Colorado
. Composed of Dave Johnston, Jeff Austin
, Ben Kaufmann, and Adam Aijala, the band has released five studio albums and several live recordings to date.
ist Dave Johnston and mandolin
ist Jeff Austin were still in college
. Having met in Urbana
, Illinois
, Johnston requested Austin to join and sing in his band The Bluegrassholes. Austin, who played no instrument
, revealed to Johnston that he owned a mandolin
, who then told him to come to the performance and "play anything, just play fast and loud."
After the collapse of The Bluegrassholes, Johnston moved to Boulder
, Colorado, in order to further his bluegrass musical skills. Similarly, Austin moved to Colorado, but instead took up residence in Nederland. Johnston soon joined him there. It was during this time in Nederland
that Johnston and Austin met bassist
Ben Kaufmann and guitar
ist Adam Aijala at a local club named the Verve. In December 1998, the four musicians formed Yonder Mountain String Band which was to open for a band at the Fox Theatre
in Boulder. They have since developed both a bluegrass and jam band
fanbase, and can often be found on tour
. Their debut album Elevation was released on Frog Pad Records, an independent record label
run by the band, in fall 1999.
From 1999 to 2001 they performed as one of the many attractions at NedFest
, a music festival
held in the band's hometown. By 2000, the group was also playing larger venues, such as The Fillmore
in San Francisco
, California
. The band has released several live album
s with material from live performances, but fans are welcome to record the concert they attend for themselves, as the band is taper-friendly.
In 2005, their recording of "Think for Yourself
" was included on the album This Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul.
In 2008, the band performed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
in Denver.
In 2010, it was revealed that Yonder Mountain would host its very own music festival at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arkansas called Yonder Mountain's Harvest Festival. The same site that the larger Wakarusa is also held and the previous Mulberry Mountain Harvest Fest was held. The festival is back again in 2011 during October 13 through the 16th. As well as Yonder Mountain on the top bill for three nights, the headliners includes Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
, the Simcha Aknin Band, Railroad Earth
and the Emmitt-Nershi Band.
Ben Kaufmann - bass, vocals
Dave Johnston - banjo, vocals
Adam Aijala - guitar, vocals
run by the Yonder Mountain String Band. Used as a platform to launch their CD
s, the label has since released numerous albums, as well as an anthology
and some duet work by Jeff Austin and Chris Castino.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
progressive bluegrass
Progressive bluegrass
Progressive bluegrass is one of two major subgenres of bluegrass music. It is also known as newgrass, a term attributed to New Grass Revival member Ebo Walker. Musicians and bands John Hartford, New Grass Revival, J.D. Crowe and the New South, The Dillards, Boone Creek, Country Gazette, and the...
group from Nederland
Nederland, Colorado
The Town of Nederland is a Statutory Town established in 1885 located near the Continental Divide and Barker Meadow Reservoir in the mountains of southwest Boulder County, Colorado....
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Composed of Dave Johnston, Jeff Austin
Jeff Austin
Jeff Austin is a mandolinist and singer best known for being a part of the Yonder Mountain String Band....
, Ben Kaufmann, and Adam Aijala, the band has released five studio albums and several live recordings to date.
History
The band's history stretches back to when banjoBanjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
ist Dave Johnston and mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
ist Jeff Austin were still in college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
. Having met in Urbana
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Johnston requested Austin to join and sing in his band The Bluegrassholes. Austin, who played no instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
, revealed to Johnston that he owned a mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, who then told him to come to the performance and "play anything, just play fast and loud."
After the collapse of The Bluegrassholes, Johnston moved to Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
, Colorado, in order to further his bluegrass musical skills. Similarly, Austin moved to Colorado, but instead took up residence in Nederland. Johnston soon joined him there. It was during this time in Nederland
Nederland, Colorado
The Town of Nederland is a Statutory Town established in 1885 located near the Continental Divide and Barker Meadow Reservoir in the mountains of southwest Boulder County, Colorado....
that Johnston and Austin met bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Ben Kaufmann and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Adam Aijala at a local club named the Verve. In December 1998, the four musicians formed Yonder Mountain String Band which was to open for a band at the Fox Theatre
Fox Theatre (Boulder)
The Fox Theatre, commonly called simply The Fox, in Boulder, Colorado. It is a popular Boulder music venue for both college students and Boulder locals.-Location:...
in Boulder. They have since developed both a bluegrass and jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
fanbase, and can often be found on tour
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
. Their debut album Elevation was released on Frog Pad Records, an independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
run by the band, in fall 1999.
From 1999 to 2001 they performed as one of the many attractions at NedFest
NedFest
The Nederland Music & Arts Festival is an annual three-day outdoor music, arts and microbrew festival with camping located in the mountains of Nederland, Colorado on the shores of Barker Meadow Reservoir, just 17 miles west of Boulder, Colorado in the United States, typically held the last...
, a music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
held in the band's hometown. By 2000, the group was also playing larger venues, such as The Fillmore
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The band has released several live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
s with material from live performances, but fans are welcome to record the concert they attend for themselves, as the band is taper-friendly.
In 2005, their recording of "Think for Yourself
Think For Yourself
"Think for Yourself" is a song by British rock band The Beatles which first appeared on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. Written and sung by George Harrison, it is a warning against listening to lies. In his book I Me Mine he writes, "But all this time later, I don't quite recall who inspired that tune...
" was included on the album This Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul.
In 2008, the band performed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
in Denver.
In 2010, it was revealed that Yonder Mountain would host its very own music festival at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arkansas called Yonder Mountain's Harvest Festival. The same site that the larger Wakarusa is also held and the previous Mulberry Mountain Harvest Fest was held. The festival is back again in 2011 during October 13 through the 16th. As well as Yonder Mountain on the top bill for three nights, the headliners includes Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...
, the Simcha Aknin Band, Railroad Earth
Railroad Earth
Railroad Earth is a roots and Americana-based newgrass band from Stillwater, New Jersey. Their name was borrowed from the Jack Kerouac short story "October in the Railroad Earth," to which the band also has a song by the same name...
and the Emmitt-Nershi Band.
Members
Jeff Austin - mandolin, vocals- Jeff Austin picked up the mandolin only a few years before forming YMSB. He will often break into a freeform scatScat singingIn vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
during a song.
Ben Kaufmann - bass, vocals
- Ben Kaufmann's ability to write songs has formed a solid foundation on which the band's repertoire has grown steadily since 1998. Among his earlier compositions are, "The Bolton Stretch" (Elevation), "On the Run" (Elevation), and the epic live song "Traffic Jam" (Mountain Tracks, Vol. 3).
Dave Johnston - banjo, vocals
- Dave Johnston forms a great deal of the band's overall sound with his banjo. He sings in a low tone. Of all the members, Dave has contributed the most instrumentals, with Adam second. Jeff and Ben have put words to all of their songs.
Adam Aijala - guitar, vocals
- Adam Aijala's guitar playing forms a framework for many of YMSB's songs. One of Adam's most well-known songs, written back in the days of Elevation, is "Left Me in a Hole."
Discography
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Grass | US Country | US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
||
| Elevation |
|
— | — | — | — |
| Mountain Tracks: Volume 1 Mountain Tracks: Volume 1 Mountain Tracks: Volume 1 is a progressive bluegrass live album by the Yonder Mountain String Band. It was released in 2001 by Frog Pad Records.... |
|
— | — | — | — |
| Town by Town Town by Town Town by Town is the third studio album by the progressive bluegrass collective Yonder Mountain String Band. It was released in 2001 by Frog Pad Records... |
|
— | — | — | — |
| Mountain Tracks: Volume 2 Mountain Tracks: Volume 2 Mountain Tracks: Volume 2 is a progressive bluegrass live album by the Yonder Mountain String Band. It was released August 20, 2002 by SCI Fidelity, a Boulder-based independent record label.... |
|
11 | — | — | — |
| Old Hands Old Hands Old Hands is a progressive bluegrass studio album by the Yonder Mountain String Band. It was released June 17, 2003 by Frog Pad Records.... |
|
5 | 54 | — | — |
| Mountain Tracks: Volume 3 Mountain Tracks: Volume 3 Mountain Tracks: Volume 3 is a progressive bluegrass live album by the Yonder Mountain String Band; it is part of the live series Mountain Tracks. It was released on September 14, 2004 by SCI Fidelity.... |
|
2 | 67 | — | — |
| Mountain Tracks: Volume 4 Mountain Tracks: Volume 4 Mountain Tracks: Volume 4 is a progressive bluegrass live album by the Yonder Mountain String Band. It was released February 7, 2006 by Frog Pad Records... |
|
3 | 63 | — | — |
| Yonder Mountain String Band Yonder Mountain String Band (album) Yonder Mountain String Band is an eponymous progressive bluegrass album by the Yonder Mountain String Band. It was released May 9, 2006 by Vanguard Records.-Track listing:... |
Vanguard Records Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary... |
1 | 57 | 39 | 43 |
| Mountain Tracks: Volume 5 |
|
1 | 60 | — | — |
| The Show |
|
1 | — | 19 | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
Frog Pad Records
Frog Pad Records is an independent record labelIndependent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
run by the Yonder Mountain String Band. Used as a platform to launch their CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s, the label has since released numerous albums, as well as an anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
and some duet work by Jeff Austin and Chris Castino.