…After the acts on Friday at La Fete de Marquete, I made my way over to the Terrace and caught Cornmeal. This jamgrass band from Chicago puts a new meaning into the phrase JAM GRASS…..a constant foot stomping tap tap tappin’ and fingers snap snap snappin’ good time. Cornmeal is: Wavy Dave Burlingame-Banjo,Vocals, Kris Nowak-Guitar,Vocals, Chris Gangi-String Bass, Vocals, JP Nowak-Drums, Vocals, Allie Kral-Fiddle, Vocals and the grass they have grown is certainly overflowing with some incredible jams. I mean there were moments of such gratifying sounds that I believe the band made the sky open up momentarily just to cool us all off. While obviously stepping in the history of bluegrass, Cornmeal takes their music to new levels and offers a middle finger of sorts to the boundaries of genres and adds some ole time favorites in all styles to their set. On this night, there were dashes of the talking Heads and some “Franklin’s Tower” riffs bounding in the air, and man that air was feeling and smelling right! This act really caught my attention and I look forward to the return visit from our neighbors.
CORNMEAL..winners of the 2008 New Groove Jammy.
