Six piece jazzgrass outfit Hot Brown Smackdown just released a long jam with their new single "Wish I Knew". It's bluegrass instruments creating complicated jazz riffs and melodies with the expert fiddle playing of Ellie Ruth and superb vocal harmonies from Ellie and the band. The song was built around a particular riff. Drummer and vocalist Arthur Geissler explains how the song came together:
"This song came from an idea our guitarist Anthony brought to rehearsal, sort of centered and built around the harmonized arpeggiated guitar/violin riff featured during the bridge. It inspired the rest of us and before long we had come up with this tune as it sounds today. Because of our grassy instrumentation you'll hear a lot of tones and timbres you'll already be familiar with if you listen to Hot Brown, but stylistically we think you'll find it's a bit different than any of our previous offerings - this time leaning heavily into our jazz and fusion influences."
"Wish I Knew" was recorded at Louisville's Deadbird Studio and features:
Anthony Le - electric guitar
Patrick Schroering - mandolin
Justin Cecil - bass guitar
John Blum - banjo
Ellie Ruth Miller - violin/vocals
Arthur Geissler - drums/vocals
"Wish I Knew" is now streaming everywhere.
