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What is slopgrass?
Every
Sloppy Joe performance draws on a deep well of original songs. This
material is frequently recombined with jug-band instrumentation all while band-members swap the guitar, fiddle, banjo,
mandolin, and bass around the stage. One observer claimed to see the
upright bass change players three times in one song.
In this era when many bands perform
out of a weak-eyed allegiance to pop-culture�s formula for �success� and a
soul-less mimicry of music that�s already �been there and done that� this
originality of sound and subject-matter is the refreshing difference that
sets Slopgrass apart from any other
stage-style.
Sloppy Joe has performed regularly in
the tall pines of the north country as well as the mountains and
cypress swamps of the south all the while maintaining their unique slopgrass sound. Although they are no strangers to these big stages, Sloppy
Joe has thrilled audiences from the rough roadhouses of America�s backwoods
to old-time rendezvous gatherings and community celebrations on Main street
USA.
Asking any other band to
play slopgrass might get a,
�You can�t get there from here!"
response.
Remember, "If it ain�t Sloppy Joe it
ain�t Slopgrass�!
GAVIN (Vocals, banjo, guitar, mandolin)
Many
of the original songs performed by Sloppy Joe are Gavin�s creation often
delivered in his rich baritone voice. Since the beginnings of Sloppy
Joe his definitive slopgrass banjo sound has evolved into a style somewhere
between 3-finger-pick-axe and clawhammer. With his roots set deep in the
rural woodlands of the upper mid-west, Gavin spent many of his formative
years traveling and working odd jobs. From roofer, falconer, migrant
harvester, desert ranger, farmhand to deckhand on a Bering Sea long-liner,
this lifelong exposure to the talk and experiences of �work�n folk� shows
itself in the lyrics and subject matter of his songs.
JEFF (Vocals, upright
bass, fiddle, banjo, guitar, jug, mandolin )
Jeff
is the undisputed Grandpappy of Slopgrass. His never-ending journey into
the middle of music itself has led him to jaw-dropping performances on
all the instruments listed above.
The driving rhythm of his� slap bass� has kept the dance floors full and he
has been rated one of the best bassists of the mid-west. His hillbilly
fiddle adds a warm southern flair that makes you want to �kick off yer
shoes� (no telling what you�ll take off when he picks a banjo! ). Jeff has
also written many of the songs considered cornerstones in the slopgrass
circle. Inspired by bluegrass, heavy metal, and country music since
adolescence, Jeff has been creating and playing music in various
arrangements, transcontinentally.
STEF (Vocals, guitar, upright bass, fiddle, banjo, musical saw )
Since the beginnings of
Sloppy Joe Stef Lee has evolved into �one of the best female
alternative country singers in the Midwest. Equally talented at lead and
harmony vocals, her singing is unfettered, genuine, soulful and homegrown. "
An accomplished painter, sculptor, cake artist, wheat weaver, and graphic designer
(including all of the Sloppy Joe artistry) Stef has applied her artistic
discipline for detail to her musicianship. Starting from scratch in
1998, she excelled on bass, guitar, and now, fiddle in stunningly short
time. Her confidence and adaptability on her instruments elevates every
performance and enhances the subtleties of all the slopgrass arrangements.
JIMERS (Washtub and upright basses, jawharp)
Jimers
has been with Sloppy Joe ever since first performing with them at the 18th
annual Minnesota Jug-band Competition, (which they won!) His homemade,
wash-tub bass is a sight to behold and gives the band their authentic
booming jug-band sound. A promoter of local,grass-roots music for
years, Jimers vision for spreading music has led him to playing many of the
newest Sloppy Joe arrangements on the upright bass. His enthusiasm for music
and sub-sonic presence on wash-tub is another defining aspect of slopgrass
that�s bound to make folks smile.
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