CORAL CREEK
CORAL CREEK is a nationally acclaimed Colo-Caribbean Newgrazz band featuring the original music of Chris Thompson and Bill McKay (formerly of Leftover Salmon and Derek Trucks Band). Inspired by the islands and the mountains alike, CORAL CREEK conjures a unique vibe, delivering big sounds and high-energy shows that appeal to audiences across the newgrass, rock and jamband spectrum. Drawing influence from legends like John Coltrane, Jerry Garcia, Tony Rice, Professor Longhair and Dr. John, don’t be surprised when CORAL CREEK launches into a second line jam with tenor saxophone soaring over organ swells and a rolling banjo. Listen close and you might even hear some steel pan and coqie frogs.
CORAL CREEK launched into the heart of the Colorado music scene with the release of The Road Ahead (2010), produced by Bill Nershi of the String Cheese Incident. The addition of Bill McKay on keyboards and Nathan Peoples on saxophone solidified the unmistakable sound that is CORAL CREEK today, as captured on the eponymous album CORAL CREEK (2015) and FREE DOG (2018) – both produced by Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth. FREE DOG has all the lyrical imagery, tasteful harmonies and outstanding musicianship that you’ve come to expect from Colorado’s hottest up-and-coming band, once again transporting listeners from the heights of the Rockies to the sweet sands of the Caribbean Sea – hitting every honkytonk, bayou and beach bar along the way.
Since forming in 2015, CORAL CREEK has played campgrounds, beach bars, concert halls and festival stages across the US, Europe, UK and the Caribbean, sharing stages with music heroes like Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Bill Nershi, Drew Emmitt, Tim Carbone, Andy Goessling, Vince Herman, Andy Hall, Roosevelt Collier, Jeff Austin and other heavy hitters in the newgrass / jamband scene. Find us online at www.CoralCreek.net and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/coral.creek.band/.
FREE DOG: https://open.spotify.com/album/7Mgc9apHx3eZVW15Ge28Fj
Uptown Toodeloo
The Uptown Toodeloo String Band is a mostly acoustic project performing the music of the Grateful Dead infused with high-energy bluegrass jams and powerful vocals.
The Uptown Toodeloo String Band is a fresh new project on the Colorado front-range, comprised of established Colorado players bringing a big sound and loyal audiences. Uptown Toodeloo features pickers from notable Colorado bands including Leftover Salmon, Great American Taxi, DeadPhish Orchestra, Coral Creek, and The Holler! All players are steeped in the tradition and music of the Grateful Dead.
This is not a bluegrass band playing Grateful Dead songs. And this is not “just-another-Grateful Dead tribute band” playing bluegrass instruments. The Uptown Toodeloo String Band combines the best of foot-stomping bluegrass music with the psychedelic style, arrangements and melodies of the good ole Grateful Dead. We're not playing Reckoning here folks, we go deep in the jams where acoustic instruments ought not go.
RUM CREEK
RUM CREEK with Drew Emmitt at GoldenGrass Bluegrass Festival
(featuring members of CORAL CREEK, Hot Buttered Rum and The Grant Farm)
Americana – Newgrass – Traditional Roots
This ain't Pappy's bluegrass! .. when Chris Thompson & Nathan Peoples (of CORAL CREEK) team up with Erik Yates (of Hot Buttered Rum) and Adrian Engfer (The Grant Farm) you’re gonna hear something a bit out of the ordinary. But when you hear that high lonesome saxo-fiddle soaring over the rolling banjo... you’ll be glad you found RUM CREEK. Sounds different - Sounds good!
Guitar / Banjo / Saxophone /Bass + 4 voices, lots of original and traditional tunes, sea shanties and grassy island music.
Chris Thompson & Friends - SOLO, DUO, TRIO
Chris Thompson is a Colorado-based singer/songwriter and founding member of Americana/Jamgrass bands CORAL CREEK, RUM CREEK and Uptown Toodeloo String Band (a Grateful Dead tribute). Produced by newgrass greats, Bill Nershi (of String Cheese Incident) and Tim Carbone (of Railroad Earth), Thompson performs a diverse repertoire of original music spanning the genres of rock, country-bluegrass, blues, folk and island music, while engaging audiences with time-tested favorites from the Grateful Dead, The Band, CSN, Neil Young, Jimmy Cliff and more. On the grassier side, Thompson will riff on traditional fiddle tunes and bluegrass classics from the likes of Bill Monroe, Peter Rowan and Sam Bush.
Thompson has released six albums of original music, receiving airplay across the US, UK and Europe; Free Dog (2018), Coral Creek (2015), Forty Years (2012), Watch Me Fly (2012 - w/Susannah), The Road Ahead 2010 and Livin On Vacation (2007 - w/Susannah). He has played campgrounds, beach bars, concert halls and festival stages across the US, Europe, UK, Mexico and the Caribbean, sharing stages with music heroes like Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Bill Nershi, Tim Carbone, Andy Goessling, Vince Herman, Drew Emmitt, Andy Thorn, Luke Bulla, Todd Sheaffer, Andy Hall, Roosevelt Collier, Jeff Austin, Tyler Grant and other heavy hitters in newgrass/jamband arena. More information at www.CORALCREEK.net or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/coral.creek.band/ .
CORAL CREEK STRING BAND
CORAL CREEK STRING BAND - performing at a wedding in Keystone, CO
The CORAL CREEK STRING BAND is a dynamic and talented acoustic project from Colorado, USA, playing genre-bending original music and unique renditions of traditional bluegrass tunes and Americana classics. CORAL CREEK performs the original music of Chris Thompson (guitar/vocals) and features some of the top acoustic players in the Colorado music scene today including Jordan Ramsey (mandolin/vocals), Dan Andree (fiddle/vocals), Chris Elliott (banjo/vocals) and Kalin Capra (bass). With the release of two solo albums, FORTY YEARS and THE ROAD AHEAD (produced by Bill Nershi of the String Cheese Incident), and 2 CORAL CREEK albums (produced by Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth), Thompson has emerged on the Newgrass scene as a song-writing force appealing to traditional bluegrass and jam-band audiences alike.
CORAL CREEK has played campgrounds, beach bars, concert halls and festival main stages across the US, Europe, UK and the Caribbean, performing and recording with distinguished artists including Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, Bill Nershi, Kyle Hollingsworth and Keith Moseley (The String Cheese Incident); Drew Emmitt, Vince Herman and Andy Thorn (Leftover Salmon); Adam Aijala and Allie Kral (Yonder Mountain String Band), Andy Hall (Infamous Stringdusters), Todd Sheaffer, Andy Goessling and Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth), Pete Wernick (Hot Rize), Greg Garrison (Punch Brothers & Leftover Salmon), Stephen Mougin (Sam Bush Band), Anders Beck (Greensky Bluegrass) and more. Originally from Rochester, MN, Thompson has lived and performed in Europe, Mexico, Southern Africa, the Caribbean and throughout the US. In 2001, Chris settled down in Colorado, planted roots and started writing and recording his unique flavor of roots music.