Bluegrass has always been embraced by the Jam community, thanks to Jerry Garcia’s abiding love of old-time music and the unique flavor he brought to his own translations. Native Virginian Larry Keel plays a similar role in the current Jam/Bluegrass scene as a flatpicking acoustic guitarist.    

These days, it’s hard enough for a Punk band to remain a cohesive unit for 26 months, let alone 26 years. But guitarist Chris Hannah and drummer Jord Samolesky have managed to keep Propagandhi active and relevant since launching the band in 1986.   

It was a wintry night three years ago at the Northside Tavern when Passion Pit turned the joint into a Synth Pop sauna; wild-eyed reviews of the show heightened expectations for the Massachusetts sextet’s return.   

Pianist Alejandro Ziegler was only 12 years old when a cerebral hemorrhage ended the brilliant career of fellow Argentine Astor Piazzolla, the originator of Neuve Tango and one of the world’s most revered musical giants.   

There are a million things to love about Twenty One Pilots. I’ll give you three. First and foremost, they’re from Columbus, Ohio, which practically makes them one of our own hometown heroes  

The Sea and Cake has never been too dedicated to any one concept. Fundamentally, the Chicago four-piece could cozily fit into your average Indie Rock festival, but the group’s not really interested in sticking to an aesthetic palatable for just that one subculture.   

Dayton’s music scene is similar to Cincinnati’s in that they’ve both given rise to a great number of bands that represent the incredible musical diversity within the respective band communities.The Werks are one of Dayton’s more recent success stories; the Jamadelic quartet officially formed five years ago.
  

 It’s been 20 years since five friends at Virginia’s Randolph-Macon College began practicing in a campus auditorium with an aim toward finding the musical Venn diagram center of Folk, Indie Rock, Celtic and Alt Country. 
  

 Many bands have become comic books — I’m looking at you, KISS — but few comic books become bands.   

For the uninitiated, Mike Watt has been doing what he can for more than three decades, beginning with his role as bassist in the Minutemen, the iconic Indie Rock trio known for its short, lacerating songs about everything from Michael Jackson and Ronald Reagan to Jesus and tequila.  

Though Jazz is the music saxophonist Jeff Coffin is most closely identified, his experience and passion extends well beyond the genre. 
  

Early this year, Nick Zammuto surprised fans and critics with his announcement that he was closing the book on The Books, his avant sonic collage project with Paul de Jong and a variety of supporting players.   

Brothers Mike and Jared Bell of Electronic band Lymbyc Systym were physically separated by time zones for three years while recording their third release, Symbolyst. But it’s clear they had synergy despite the distance between Brooklyn, N.Y., and Japan.   

In discussions about the world’s greatest guitarists, one name often unconscionably overlooked is that of avant Jazz six-stringer Bill Frisell. For the past three and a half decades, Frisell has created textural environments that are visceral and pastoral, actively engaging and passively contemplative, utilizing guitar skills that border on genius.  

Band of Horses is back and its music is sexier than ever. The members’ beards are luscious and their button-down shirts are oh-so-tantalizing, but it’s BoH’s awesome new(ish) sound that will truly make you squirm.