Jake Schepps

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Born: November 1, 1969    Primary Instrument: Banjo

Jake Schepps and Expedition plays engaging, dynamic material that reflects the Colorado aesthetic of roots music. The Expedition Quartet remains true to the artistic values of stringband, yet draws on certain jazz sensibilities, such as improvisation, more extended harmonies and creative composition. The recent release Ten Thousand Leaves features the Quartet and was produced by Matt Flinner. Jake Schepps and Expedition is a partner band of The Steampowered Preservation Society.

Jake Schepps is known for his intelligent touch on the banjo and his imaginative variation on stringband music. He has studied traditional and progressive bluegrass with banjoists Mark Vann and Tony Trischka, as well as composition and jazz from trumpeter Dave Douglas and pianist Art Lande. Jake is a frequent contributor to Banjo Newsletter, the banjo community’s premier print journal, and also plays in the ‘chamber-grass’ ensemble Strings of Tao. In addition to music, Jake teaches emergency wilderness medicine around the world.

Ryan Drickey is armed with a Masters in Violin Performance and holds the 2007 RockyGrass Fiddle Championship. His indomitable abilities and experience stretch from American and Scandinavian fiddle tunes, to jazz, tango, and classical music.

Greg Schochet is an integral part of Colorado's music community, in demand as a performer, producer, and educator. Equally adept on guitar and mandolin, Greg is fluent in bluegrass, swing, country, folk, and blues. Greg was a founding member of Runaway Truck Ramp and currently performs with Halden Wofford and the Hi-Beams, Colorado’s acclaimed honky-tonk and western swing band. Greg produced and performed on Jake’s CD Expedition.

Eric Thorin has the ability to make everyone sound better. A bassist with an indefatigable groove and monster chops, he is in demand and often plays with Brother Mule, Matt Flinner, Drew Emmitt, Tony Furtado, K.C. Groves, and Art Lande. Eric teaches bass at the Yellowstone Jazz Festival. In 2004, Eric produced a collection of songs for Japanese elementary school children learning English.

Last Updated: August 26, 2007
From JazzMando.com: Jake Schepps is easily labeled a progressive banjo player. The term is hardly oxymoronic anymore, with trailblazers such as indefatigably versatile Bela Fleck and jazzer Pat Cloud, there is already a new standard credibility of the instrument breaking the bounds of banjo convention, producing amazing literature beyond folk/hillbilly or “swamp” music. Schepps' compositional skills alone demonstrate this propensity, but we enjoy his playing as well. Jake Schepps's plays well and his music is beautiful. Rather than being overtly bold or edgy, his performance is covertly calculating and intuitive, melodies easy to remember, yet always fresh and never redundant. “Progressive” string bands should always be this easy to listen to.
As a Leader

Ten Thousand Leaves
2007
Produced by Matt Flinner
Tracks: Track; Track.
Jake Schepps: 5-string banjo
Ryan Drickey: violin
Greg Schochet: guitar and mandolin
Eric Thorin: bass:
with:
Matt Flinner: mandolin
Adam Aijala: guitar

1) Todo Buenos Aires (Astor Piazzolla, arranged by Jake Schepps)
2) The Seagull (Matt Flinner)
3) Origami
In the American West
4) Somerset
5) Chimayo
6) Rocky Ford

7) Bluegrass Schlep (Greg Schochet)
8) The Zipper
9) Lodi (Eric Thorin)
10) The Rise
11) Cute-nik

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Primary Instrument:
Banjo

Location:
Boulder, CO

Willing to teach:
Intermediate to advanced students

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Featured recording “Ten Thousand Leaves”
Ten Thousand Leaves
Self Produced (2007)

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