Band Dynamics NEVAH - NewGrass, BlueGrass prt-1

Hey there music lovers and fans of Nevah, I have finished, for the moment, discussing my search for better Banjo dynamics and thought I would address a topic of wider interest. Something that might appeal to those outside the banjo amplification crowd. And as NEVAH prepares to go into the Studio to record our first album, I thought I would broach a subject all bands and makers of music experience at one time or another … yes, you've guessed it … HOW DO YOU DO IT,  STAY TOGETHER WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS IN THE BAND?

Please note: These are my own thoughts on Nevah's Band Dynamics, and my own observations. And no innocent animals have been mishandled during this process.

NEVAH, Maine's atypical, progressive NewGrass, Bluegrass band, has some amazing dynamics. I am going to try and break down: who we are, what instruments we play, how we are able to function - especially with eight band members and a revolving sound person, describe all we are doing, how we do it, why it works or doesn't work, why we have been able to play in venues of all shapes and sizes, how we practice, how we approach our tunes, how we arrange songs, how we select our sets, how we set up, breakdown, coordinate, handle bookings … in general … how we survive and are able to function with such a large band, with so many different personalities, schedules, and our own professional situations.

I'm not sure of the exact order but I'll take from the list above and each blog will tackle one area.

First: Who is NEVAH?

NEVAH is made up of nine (9) folks - eight musicians and a revolving sound person - we come from a wide variety of backgrounds and I dare say, that each member is truly gifted in more than one area of expertise, but for now I will only list basic occupations. There are several lawyers, a town manager, a doctor, a mechanic, a research scientist, and a prestidigitator. Backgrounds as varied as our instruments.

What's nice about this smorgasbord of human beings is everyone brings something special to the table and offers an insight into each and every aspect of our bands journey. We all have experiences that lend a hand in our band decisions. As a matter of fact because of the make-up we are able to easily divide tasks. We rarely have to look outside the group to find someone who can "get the job done" - whatever that job or task may be. And, if we can't handle a particular project or aspect of any situation, someone in the band knows the perfect contact to handle anything. It's quite remarkable. I think there is a respect for each member of NEVAH, shown by and to everyone in the band and that is one major reason we continue to move forward at a nice pace.

The Men of NEVAH

NEXT NEVAH BLOG: The many Musical Instruments we play