by Elisa Zuckerberg, Founder of HearItThere.com
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Blues Traveler will be headlining the 10th Pound Ridge Harvest Festival scheduled for October 1, 2022. It’s an all-day event that includes live music, a beer and wine garden, vendors and games and activities for kids. Local bands Badger Scratch and Platinum Moon will open the festival followed by the iconic rock, pop, and blues band, Blues Traveler, taking the stage at 4pm. The two local bands were selected at the Pound Ridge Partnership‘s Battle of the Bands back in June.
The “Harvest Fest,” as it is affectionately known, is presented by the Partnership and an important fundraiser for the organization. The event is free, but parking passes and activity passes are needed, all available now on the Pound Ridge Harvest Festival website.
Several years ago I saw Blues Traveler rock out at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut. The audience was on their feet the entire concert! Band co-founder, lead vocalist, and harmonica virtuoso John Popper’s extraordinary “harp” playing and the band’s spirited pop tunes were definitely a crowd pleaser.
When Patti D’Agostino, the Harvest Fest publicity director, offered the opportunity to interview Blues Traveler I was thrilled. As a fan, I was very honored for the opportunity. Of course, I had questions of my own, but have to admit, in preparation for this interview I also employed a close relative who has seen them live many times, a super-fan named “Mike.”
Following is a short background about the band, if you are unfamiliar with Blues Traveler.
Blues Traveler is a GRAMMY award-winning American rock and blues band that was formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. Currently, the group includes singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla, and keyboardist Ben Wilson. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles including “Run-Around,” “Hook,” and “But Anyway.”
They’ve released 14 albums. Their latest record, Traveler’s Blues, was released in July 2021 and was nominated by The Recording Academy for “Best Traditional Blues” album at the 2022 GRAMMY Awards. If you haven’t listened, you should definitely check it out. The album includes original and classic tunes such as “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” “Roadhouse Blues,” and Gnarls Barcley’s hit “Crazy” with guest vocalist Rita Wilson. Musical guests include legendary guitarist John Scofield, Keb’ Mo’, The War and Treaty and many others. It’s an excellent listen from beginning to end.
John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla, and keyboardist Ben Wilson
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Tad Kinchla, the bass player for the band, was kind enough to answer a bunch of our burning questions. Enjoy!
Question 1 (Mike): On your most recent album Traveler’s Blues, you cover “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley and actress (and Tom Hanks’ wife) Rita Wilson is on vocals. How did that come about? Have you played “Crazy” live yet?
Tad: We came up with “Crazy” because it was a song John was listening to on the radio and came in with it. Certainly an unlikely one for us to cover but it was such a strong vocal that we thought it would be cool. Rita got on it because our producer Matt Rollings had played in her band and produced one of her albums. We have not played “Crazy” live yet.
Question 2 (Elisa): I watched the recent short clip of Chan talking with Gia Miller, editor-in-chief of Katonah Connect, while on the tour bus. What does it feel like to be touring again?
(Tad): Touring has been great since Covid had us off for a year. We really jumped right back in and had two successful summers of mostly outside touring. There seems to be a return to normalcy now and inside gigs don’t make you feel like you’re doing something forbidden. Overall, we’re pumped to be back out.
Question 3 (Elisa): Given your over 35-year history, what is your favorite venue that you’ve ever played?
(Tad): I think Red Rocks still holds its own as the best venue to play. Its history combined with the completely unique setting and build make it a special place for us. Also, we get to play there on the 4th of July every year. That’s always super cool in its own right. The Ryman Auditorium is also a favorite of ours. It just sounds sweet in there and you feel the history.
Question 4 (Mike): Who are the favorite musicians / bands that you’ve shared the stage with?
(Tad): Man, there have been lots. All sorts of different artists too. Short list, of musicians who played with us live, in no special order would be Gregg Allman, Taj Mahal, Vernon Reid, Ziggy Marley, Johnny Winter, Victor Wooten, Colonel Bruce Hampton, Brandford Marsalis, Betty Lavette, Dan Akroyd, Carlos Santana.
Question 5 (Mike): You’re probably tired of this question, but is there any consideration of bringing back the H.O.R.D.E. Touring Festival?
(Tad): Yes. There have been talks for the last 15 years of doing that. It really ends up being an issue of logistics and communication with the other parties that own the rights. We’re hoping to have something lined up in the next couple years. No promises though.
Question 6 (Elisa): I read on a dedicated Blues Traveler fan site that years ago you guys offered your fans the opportunity to share live recordings of your music without regard to profit. Is this true?
(Tad): Yes. 100%. That was and is our policy. That was based on the Grateful Dead’s policy for tapers. (Someone who records musical events for the benefit of the fanbase). All their idea.
Question 7 (Mike): I understand some of the band member(s) recently relocated to Nashville. Why do you think so many rock musicians (versus traditionally country musicians) are making the move to Nashville, like Jack White, the Black Keys and Peter Frampton?
(Tad): I moved to Nashville because it was so central for traveling so much. Easy to get everywhere and it’s a cool city vibe with real neighborhoods. Ended up in East Nashville and love it. I think for many musicians Nashville is a real place where the business of music is done. All facets of the industry are vibrant there and it’s in a beautiful, funky, hospitable city. AND, it’s in a conveniently central location in the US for touring and travel.
Question 8 (Mike): Several of you went to Princeton High School. I understand that you were schoolmates with Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors. Did any of you know Trey Anastasio of Phish? Who is also from Princeton, New Jersey that you jammed with while growing up in NJ?
(Tad): No. We didn’t know Trey in High School. He went to PDS (private) and we went to PHS (public). He was a little older so we didn’t totally overlap. We ended up crossing paths with them up in UVM for the first time in college. Or, I should say, at a college party.
Question 9 (Elisa): What new groups/musicians are you all into these days?
(Tad): Again, in no specific order, Vulfpeck, Anderson Pak, Tauk, Billy Strings, Alabama Shakes, Con Brio, Los Colognes, Anderson East, Marcus King, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, and Scary Goldings.
Question 10 (Elisa): I love your pop tunes, but really enjoyed listening to the new blues album. Having been to one of your concerts before, I know no matter what you play, it will be a blast. What can Pound Ridge Harvest Festival attendees expect?
(Tad): We like to mix it up. We’ve always tried to play at least a few songs from every album. As we don’t play two sets a night anymore we’ve had to shorten it down. But mostly we try to cover beginning to end of the band’s history. So we’ll probably be touching on a little bit of everything. Definitely the pop tunes can be expected, but we’ll also be doing some of the blues album.
(Elisa): Thank you very much for your time! I’m looking forward to seeing Blues Traveler on Saturday, October 1 in Pound Ridge!
Details and ticket information about the Pound Ridge Harvest Festival can be found HERE.
SEE YOU THERE!
