Grammy nominee Infamous Stringdusters bring their bluegrass vibe to Rochester

The Infamous Stringdusters at a recent outdoor concert. (Courtesy photo)

A week from today the bluegrass phenom band Infamous Stringdusters will be at Madison Square Garden going for their first Grammy, one of five bands vying for coveted best album of the year.

But before they hit the Big Apple they'll bring their tight, harmonic, jamgrass vibe to the Rochester Opera House on Thursday for one show only.

The band's been around for a decade or so, coming out strong in 2007 with three awards at the International Bluegrass Music Association awards: Emerging Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Fork in the Road (in a tie) and Song of the Year for the album's title cut.

But the Grammy award would be huge, says band vocalist and dobro player Andy Hall.

"We're pretty excited about that," Hall said in a recent telephone interview with The Rochester Voice.

Hall said the band got together in Nashville where they were all session musicians. Hall, himself, has backed up country stars like Dolly Parton and Lester Scruggs among countless others.

"We were all studio musicians, and one day we just decided to make our own music instead of playing others," he said.

They're often labeled as a progressive bluegrass band, but Hall said their sound - just like their name - is more unique than that.

Even Hall's instrument of choice is unique. A dobro is a wood-bodied guitar with a slide and a resonator that is played face up.

The other four in the band are Andy Falco (guitar), Chris Pandolfi (banjo), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle) and Travis Book (double bass).

The band does an occasional cover like "Up on Cripple Creek" of The Band fame, but mostly they write their own songs and lyrics.

That process - of producing a song - is a labor of love that sometimes results in something everyone likes and goes onto the playlist, or it can end up getting tossed in the circular file if they can't make it work, says Hall.

"We all have unique styles, and we've been doing this together for 12 years," Hall said. "Playing so much together the band develops its own sound.

"So what happens is one person will bring a written song to the band, in a raw form. Then we open up the arrangement, and it goes through the 'Stringduster filter.' Each member will put their stamp on it, and if we can make it work, we will. Sometimes it does, and sometimes they get left behind."

He said the band's rhythms and tightness are their strength.

"Rhythms are where I really notice the uniqueness of this band. Nothing feels as together as the Infamous Stringdusters," he said adding when he occasionally does a side gig he notices it.

The Infamous Stringdusters "Laws of Gravity" album is the one vying for a Grammy next Sunday.

Expect to hear some great tracks from it on Thursday.

To see a video of a song "Laws of Gravity" click here.

For tickets click here.