ROOTS MUSIC
The Bob Smiley Band plays high energy, dynamic, multi-stylistic roots music. This is not your grandfather’s bluegrass. From a base of bluegrass instrumentation, depending upon the show and song, you’ll hear influences ranging from acoustic country and pop to classical and jazz. You’ll hear rural roots and urban themes. You’ll hear well-crafted new music along with songs that may be familiar. You’ll hear exceptional musicianship in a jam band format that allows for improvisation and expression. You’ll hear powerful building harmonies and heartfelt solos. You’ll hear songs of substance that are carefully chosen for their place in a set that is built to take listeners on a musical journey and touch them in some way. And you’ll hear and see an ensemble playing with abandon in a presentation that is designed for the sole purpose of entertaining an audience.
The Bob Smiley Band performs from the cutting edge of American traditional music. Strong, dynamic, building vocal arrangements. Harmonies that are, at once, a product of Tim May’s soulful Mississippi strains and Marilyn Barclay’s Julliard School trained renderings, wrapped around the powerful vocal sincerity of Bob Smiley. Instrumental layering that features the 5 & 8 String banjo stylings of Tom Saffell. “His musical mission may one day bless us all,” states Pat Flynn of Newgrass Revival fame. Characterized as “the next major banjo innovator,” by Victor Wooten of Bela Fleck and The Flecktones. Tom’s banjo virtuosity is only understated by Tim’s mandolin and guitar mastery, Marilyn’s solid, innovative acoustic bass and Bob’s warm, dynamic and percussive rhythms and leads.
The Nashville Rage magazine calls it “feel good roots music"...
...They’re right.
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David Lyon wrote in a Sunday, June 3rd Boston Globe travel feature in reference to a recent TBSB performance at The World Famous Station Inn, “Nobody dances at The Station. They sit at simple tables, sipping their beers (or their cokes), and applaud madly at every instrumental break. Bluegrass buffs listen as intently as jazz aficionados.”
“If you like your bluegrass seasoned with big dash of good, original music, newgrass and jazz , you’ve got to catch this show.”
J.T. Gray, The World Famous Station Inn
"Bob Smiley is very appropriately named because he constantly grins from ear to ear during his show. He is obviously having a wonderful time and it shows in his performance. Hey, I would be smiling too if I were surrounded during every performance by some of the finest super-pickers and vocalists in Nashville."
Barney Hartline, Your Folk Connection Radio Show, KRCU Radio (90.9 F.M.), Cape Girardeau, Mo. www.yourfolkconnection.org
“What a fitting end to a night of musical amazement. A trip to Nashville wouldn’t be complete without a trip to The World Famous Station Inn, on Saturday Wooville spent the evening with the bluegrass sounds of The Bob Smiley Band. What a fine bluegrass band.”
Nelson Hopwood, Wooville Online Campsite |
