The Colorado native blue grass band let loose some new tunes in Starkville, Monday night. Leftover Salmon’s music, sometimes known as “Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass,” set stage at the State Theatre. Their long awaited Leftover Salmon album was released March 23.
This is the first studio album recorded with the new guys-Noam Pikelny, banjoist; Bill MeKay, keyboardist; Greg Garrison, bassist; and Jose Martinez, drummer.
After two years together on the road, Leftover Salmon came together and was produced by longtime Little Feat’s keyboardist Bill Payne. Leftover Salmon is the fourth studio album but the first with the new guy’s musical expertise.
Noam Pikenly, acoustic and electric banjoist for the band took time to talk a little bit about who Leftover Salmon is.
Kit: On Leftover Salmon’s Web site-is that Red Rocks behind you? What is it that makes that place so surreal?
Pikenly: It is a special place for us because the band up and started in Colorado in 1989. Red Rocks is awesome because you are playing in the mountains. There is tremendous history to Red Rocks and some of the greatest artists of all time have played there.
Kit: Favorite show you ever played?
Pikenly: All the shows on tour with Del McCrury last year. Getting the chance to play with those guys. My first show at Telluride last year was exceptional.
Kit: What is your favorite song to play live?
aPikenly:”Whispering Waters,” and “Doing my Time” are two songs we can go off in a 15 to 20 minute jam. You never know where the song’s going to end.
Kit: Leftover Salmon is your first studio album in five years? What made you guys do it?
Pikenly: This is the first studio album I am on, so it definitely feels like an accomplishment. It was the right time to record an album and we knew we needed to do it.
Kit: When describing your music what words do you use?
Pikenly: Variety music forms pasting together blue grass, rock, jazz, blues. We combine all of the musical styles differently than the style of music itself. Every rock has song has rock, every blue-grass song has some blue grass. Our music is a huge melting pot for all types of musical style.
Kit: When do you most writing of your songs?
Pikenly: Different for every one in the band. I tend to write closer to recording an album. If I hear something I try to capture the tune, but all bands writing seems to go in phases.
Kit: How did the name Leftover Salmon originate?
Pikenly: New Year’s 1989, Drew’s band Left Hand String Band and Vince’s band Salmon Heads played together for the first time. On the ride to the show the guys joked around if they were one band the name would be Leftover Salmon, and after that night of playing together the band became Leftover Salmon