Musician Jeff Austin put the mandolin back on the map last Thursday at Fairfield Theatre Company. Austin, of Yonder Mountain String Band, performed with Danny Barnes on banjo and Johnny Grubb on upright bass.
Nowadays we assume most bands feature loud guitars and drums, but this did not stop Austin’s Trio from rocking out on FTC’s Stage One. The Bluegrass Jam-Band played everything from slow melodic lines to hard-picking, foot-stomping songs.
Grubb’s driving basslines gave the group a sturdy foundation. Barnes created a driving tone from his banjo. This gave Austin room for his attack: improvisation and rhythmic strum-patterns.
By this point in the show you could ignore your seat and row number. The crowd filled the gap between the first row of seating and the low-profile stage. The musicians were only inches from their audience and that is when the conversation began.
Austin took the audience on a journey; anything from your standard song with catchy lyrics to long improvisational jams. At one point, Barnes began to brush the head of his banjo creating a snare drum effect during Grubb’s bass solo. Austin and Barnes stare each other down during a fast, up-tempo section. Or the countless times Austin stood up on his tip-toes, belting into the microphone.
It did not take a crowd full of musicians to appreciate this intimate and musically spontaneous performance. Austin, Grubb and Barnes told their life stories onstage through their instruments. During each solo section you could feel the tension within the audience, musicians and their instruments. The audience called out each soloist by name, cheered and sang along to their favorite lyrics.
It’s guaranteed that each performance will be different from the last as these musicians are ones who play in the moment. Not to mention this was the first time that Barnes, Grubb and Austin had performed together as a trio.
Although Bluegrass may not appeal to most listeners, it is the live experience that will forever change your mind. Austin gave these uncommon instruments a prominent tone in the vast world of music. Furthermore, Austin engaged the crowd in a musical, personal and friendly manner; talking about family, making the crowd laugh and smile in between songs.
Austin began singing as a child in grade school and one thing led to another. With influences including Willie Nelson, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Grateful Dead, Austin has proved that music is a journey.
After catching a glimpse of what music had to offer, Austin realized there is more to music than meets the eye. Three weeks after he attended a Grateful Dead concert, Austin dropped out of college in pursuit of his musical dream.
Over 15 years later Austin has made a name for himself and his bands. He has toured nationwide, playing festivals and small venues, and he has recorded several studio and live albums with Yonder Mountain String Band.
“The beauty is that nothing is black and white. It’s all gray; it’s interpreted at the moment,” said Austin. His in-the-moment approach left this story sitting center-stage. In return, everyone left FTC with a smile on their face and the sound of Austin’s mandolin resonating in their ears.
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