“Hey everyone, welcome back to Schecky’s Jam Bands, the place where we dig deep into the bands that keep the spirit of improvisation, community, and straight-up grooves alive. Today, we’re heading into the tribal, spiritual, world-infused universe of a band that really carved out its own lane in the jam scene of the ‘90s and beyond — that’s right, we’re talking about Rusted Root.

So, let’s get into it.”

“Rusted Root was formed back in 1990 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by frontman Michael Glabicki. He was joined by percussionist Liz Berlin, bassist Patrick Norman, and a rotating cast of other talented musicians who built up the group’s massive rhythmic sound.

As for the name? ‘Rusted Root’ reflects that earthy, grounded, organic vibe they were going for — something primal and rooted in the soil, but with a bit of grit and rawness too. It perfectly matches their sound, which blends rock, world music, African and Latin percussion, and good old jam-band exploration.”

“What makes Rusted Root stand out is their multi-layered percussion and global influences. You don’t just hear guitars and bass — you hear congas, djembes, bongos, and rhythms inspired by West African and Latin traditions. Combine that with Glabicki’s soaring, mystical vocals, and you’ve got something that feels both spiritual and festival-ready.”

Hey now, jam family — welcome back to Schecky’s Jam Bands, the podcast where we dive deep into the stories, sounds, and spirit of the bands that keep the improvisational flame alive. Today, we’re going back to the source — the godfathers of the jam scene, the band that changed how we think about live music: The Grateful Dead.

Whether you’re a lifelong Deadhead or just getting your feet wet, this episode’s going to explore how this legendary band formed, how they got their name, their most essential tracks and live jams, and the strange magic that keeps their music alive decades later.

The Grateful Dead’s story begins in Palo Alto, California, in the early 1960s. The band’s roots lie in the countercultural swirl of the Bay Area — a time when the folk revival, beat poetry, and psychedelic experimentation were all colliding.

Jerry Garcia, the heart and soul of the group, was a bluegrass banjo player who loved improvisation. He met Bob Weir, a young rhythm guitarist, on New Year’s Eve in 1963. They soon teamed up with Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, who brought the bluesy swagger; Phil Lesh, a classically trained trumpet player turned bassist; and Bill Kreutzmann, a jazz-influenced drummer.

By 1965, they were calling themselves The Warlocks — but when they discovered another band had the same name, they needed something new.

“Welcome back to Schecky’s Jam Bands, where we shine the spotlight on the bands that make every night feel like a new adventure. Today, we’re talking about one of the most enduring and beloved names in the jam scene — the one and only moe.

If Phish and the Dead laid the groundwork, moe. took it, strapped on some distortion pedals, and built a whole new playground. So let’s dig into how they came to be, their signature sound, and of course — some of their most unforgettable jams.”

“moe. got its start back in 1989 at the University at Buffalo in upstate New York. The founding lineup included Rob Derhak on bass, Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier on guitars, and Vinnie Amico on drums, who joined a few years later to solidify the classic lineup.

Now, the name? Believe it or not, there’s no deep mystical story here. Originally, the band was called ‘Five Guys Named Moe,’ after a Louis Jordan song, but eventually they just shortened it to moe. — with a period at the end. That period has become part of their brand — and moe.rons, as their fans call themselves, wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Hey hey jam heads — welcome back to Schecky’s Jam Bands, the podcast where we dive into the roots, grooves, and improvisational journeys of the bands keeping the jam scene alive. Today, we’re heading straight into the heart of Ohio to shine a light on a band that has built a reputation for explosive energy, fearless jams, and a fiercely loyal fanbase: The Werks.

If you haven’t given these guys a serious listen yet, trust me — you’re missing out on some of the most versatile, genre-hopping jams of the last two decades.”

“The Werks formed back in 2005 in Dayton, Ohio. The story goes that Chris Houser on guitar, Rob Chafin on drums, Chuck Love on bass, and Dave Bartoletti on keys came together out of a shared love for both jam titans like Phish and the Dead — but also for hard rock, funk, and electronic music.

As for the name ‘The Werks’? It started as a casual phrase in the band’s circle of friends — if something was top-notch, the whole package, they’d say it had ‘the works.’ When the band started gigging, the phrase stuck. They dropped the ‘the’ and stylized it as The Werks. A name that basically says: you’re gonna get everything — rock, funk, electronica, shredding jams — all in one show.”

“Welcome back to Schecky’s Jam Bands, the podcast where we dive deep into the legends and rising stars of the jam scene. Today, we’re talking about the band that sits on the throne of the jam-band kingdom. The group that took what the Grateful Dead pioneered and brought it into a new generation. That’s right—we’re talking about Phish.”

“Phish formed in Burlington, Vermont back in 1983 when Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Jon Fishman, and Jeff Holdsworth started jamming together at the University of Vermont. Soon after, Page McConnell joined on keyboards, and the core four that we know today—Trey, Mike, Page, and Fish—were solidified.

The name ‘Phish’ actually came from drummer Jon Fishman’s nickname, ‘Fish,’ and they stylized it with a ‘ph’ to make it stand out. Pretty simple, but iconic. And over time, they’ve become the defining jam band of the modern era—selling out arenas, headlining festivals, and even hosting their own massive festivals, like Big Cypress in 1999, which went all night into the new millennium.”

Welcome back, friends, to another episode of Schecky’s Jam Bands — your guide to the weird, wild, and wonderful corners of the jam band universe. Today, we’re diving into one of the most beloved and unique groups to come out of the modern jam scene — Twiddle.

Now, if you’ve ever set foot at a festival in the past decade, you’ve probably heard their name tossed around, often followed by someone saying, “Man, you gotta catch their set.” And they’re right.

So, who are Twiddle?

The band was formed back in 2004 at Castleton State College in Vermont. Founding members Mihali Savoulidis (guitar and vocals), Ryan Dempsey (keys), Brook Jordan (drums), and Zdenek Gubb (bass) built the band around a shared love of improvisation, genre-bending, and storytelling. Vermont, of course, being the fertile soil that gave us Phish, made for the perfect incubator.

And the name Twiddle? Well, legend has it that it was born out of playful banter between the band members — kind of a whimsical, nonsensical word that stuck. It reflects their vibe perfectly: lighthearted, fun, but with depth if you dig in.

Hey hey, jam lovers, welcome back to another episode of Schecky’s Jam Bands, where we take a deep dive into the best grooves, improvisations, and stories in the world of jam. Today we’re talking about a band that’s carved out their own corner of the jam universe with a blend of rock, funk, psychedelic, and just enough weirdness to keep things beautifully unpredictable. That’s right—we’re talking about Big Something.

Big Something formed back in 2009 in Burlington, North Carolina. The core lineup includes Nick MacDaniels on vocals and guitar, Jesse Hensley on lead guitar, Doug Marshall on bass, Casey Cranford on sax and EWI, Josh Kagel on keys and trumpet, and Ben Vinograd on drums.

The band originally started playing under the name anonymous but later shifted to Big Something—a name that captures the band’s personality perfectly: playful, tongue-in-cheek, and a little mysterious. When people asked what kind of band they were, instead of boxing themselves into one genre, they simply said, “We’re a big… something.” And it stuck.

Welcome back to Schecky’s Jam Bands, the show where we dive deep into the best bands pushing improvisation, energy, and genre-bending creativity. Today, we’re talking about a powerhouse of progressive rock-fusion that’s been taking the jam scene by storm — TAUK.

TAUK hails from Oyster Bay, New York. The core members — Matt Jalbert on guitar, A.C. Carter on keyboards, Charlie Dolan on bass, and Isaac Teel on drums — came together with a shared love of blending progressive rock, jazz, funk, and electronic sounds into something entirely their own.

The band originally started as a group of friends playing music in high school. After cycling through different lineups and names, they officially became TAUK in the late 2000s and began carving out their spot on the national jam circuit.

The name TAUK comes from Montauk, the easternmost tip of Long Island, where the band would retreat for inspiration and jamming. They shortened it to “TAUK” to keep it punchy and memorable — a simple word that’s now become synonymous with instrumental, groove-heavy, exploratory jams.

Welcome back to Schecky’s Jam Bands, where we unpack the stories behind the bands lighting up festival fields coast-to-coast. Today, we’re diving into Baltimore’s own gleaming beacon of funk and good vibes: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong began in 2009 as a dorm-room project between college freshmen Greg "Scrambled Greg" Ormont and Jeremy Schon at the University of Maryland. From humble beginnings jamming on covers and silly original songs, the band organically expanded and began touring.

The name? It literally jumped off a “Psychology 101” textbook page. Greg spotted the phrase “pigeons playing ping pong”, pointed it out to Jeremy, and both instantly agreed – that was their name. He later linked it to B.F. Skinner’s famed pigeon experiments, connecting positive reinforcement to how music rewards and habit-forming performances feel.

Hey, jam heads, welcome back to another episode of Schecky’s Jam Bands, the show where we dive deep into the grooves, the magic, and the madness of the jam band scene. Today, we’re heading to Prescott, Arizona, to talk about a band that’s been steadily climbing the ranks of the jam community with their explosive improvisation and fearless setlists — Spafford.

Spafford formed back in 2009 when guitarist and vocalist Brian Moss met bassist Jordan Fairless at an open mic night in Prescott. The two hit it off instantly — Brian had this soaring guitar tone and knack for taking solos into uncharted territory, while Jordan brought a steady but adventurous bass groove. They later added drummer Nick Tkachyk and keyboardist Andrew “Red” Johnson, locking in that signature Spafford sound: equal parts funk, rock, jazz fusion, and psychedelia.