Bluegrass event of the century and Heartfest

by Chris Aaland

Colorado has a special relationship with Hot Rize. In many ways, the quartet has defined the bluegrass and acoustic music scene here since its inception in 1978. In those early years, Hot Rize occasionally found its way to town to play at our revered old music dive, Farquahrts. Riding on the coattails of the surge in bluegrass popularity started by the New Grass Revival’s annual Telluride Bluegrass appearances and a blossoming Bohemian scene in Boulder, Messrs. Forster, O’Brien, Sawtelle and Wernick put the Centennial State on the musical map.

During its 12-year run, Hot Rize released five studio albums (six if you count “The French Way,” their Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers offering in 1984) and regularly toured the nation. But Colorado was Ground Zero for the quartet that all lived in the Boulder area. The sum was greater than the individual parts, which is no knock to the four talented individuals who filled various roles like All-Pros on a Super Bowl champion team.

Electric bassist Nick Forster was the emcee and served as an ambassador and visionary of sorts. For the past 21 years, he and his wife Helen have been the driving forces behind the weekly radio show, eTown (which airs Thursday nights at 11 on KSUT). eTown typically brings in two national musical acts each week and honors deserving individuals with E-Chievement Awards for making their communities a better place.

Banjo wizard Pete Wernick was the sage. A doctor who holds a PhD in sociology from Columbia, Wernick was mentored by Tony Trischka, Béla Fleck, Steve Martin and other banjo players and was the first president of the International Bluegrass Music Association from 1996-2001. Bluegrass is just the tip of Wernick’s musical iceberg: Check out his jazz with the Live Five and Flexigrass.

Multi-instrumentalist and lead vocalist Tim O’Brien was the genius. Artistic and driven, O’Brien’s work concurrent with and post-Hot Rize has stretched into country, folk, rock, Celtic and other genres. He’s no stranger to Durango, having performed here countless times with various combos, sister Mollie, songwriting partner Darrell Scott, and others.

And guitarist Charles Sawtelle was the heart and soul. His business card featured his name with just one word – “Expert” – a nod not only to his sense of humor (he assumed the persona of “Slade” in Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers), but a statement steeped in reality.  

Sawtelle was a renaissance man, an expert in many ways. He battled leukemia for more than half a decade before dying in 1999.

Hot Rize has forged on with occasional festival appearances since, freeing its members for countless side projects. I recently received an advance copy of “When I’m Free” – their first studio record since 1990. Buoyed by ace guitarist Bryan Sutton – heir apparent to Tony Rice as the world’s best acoustic guitarist – the album is chock full of original material penned by all four men, plus a few traditional numbers and two choice covers.

More urgently, Hot Rize returns to Durango for the first time since the early ’80s when they play the Community Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. This will be the bluegrass event of the century for Durango and, as of today, plenty of tickets remained. Without Hot Rize, there’d be no Leftover Salmon, no String Cheese Incident, no Yonder Mountain String Band. Back in the day, Hot Rize carried the traditional bluegrass torch much more so than the New Grass Revival, yet remained accessible to younger fans steeped on the Grateful Dead and other neo-hippie acts.

As if Hot Rize weren’t enough, fellow bluegrass legend Peter Rowan and Yungchen Lhamo play a fundraiser for Tara Mandala at 8 p.m. Saturday in Pagosa Springs. Rowan and Lhamo will take listeners on an East-meets-West musical journey. Catch them live on KSUT at 11 a.m. Friday.

This one hits close to home for me: Heartfest 2014, a Children’s Organ Transplant Association-sponsored fundraiser in honor of Liam Maddox, will be held Friday at the Powerhouse Science Center. Starting at 9 a.m. is a family run/walk on the river trail. In the evening, music from The Assortment, food, drink and a silent auction are planned.  

Auction items include a ski package to Jackson Hole, DMR lift tickets, Rockies tickets and souvenirs and much more.

Liam was born Nov. 1, 2013 at Mercy Regional Medical Center. When he was 5 months old, his heart failed and he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. A life-saving heart transplant was performed at Seattle Children’s Hospital last April. He was released from the hospital in mid-May and he’s responded well to the transplant. As many of you know, Shelly and I lost our son Gus when he was five months old just a few years ago. The outpouring of support from the Durango community helped us through the dark times. Our collective generosity is needed once again.

The arrival of autumn brings new fall beers, and Ska has two seasonals hitting the shelves this week. Tuesday the 16 saw Hoperation Ivy Fresh-Hop IPA arrive at local liquor stores, while this Tuesday sees Autumnal Molé Stout. This year’s Ivy – #24 in Ska’s Local Series – was brewed within hours of the hop harvest in August. This batch is “all-Colorado,” using fresh Colorado Cascade hops from High Wire Hop Farms in Paonia and grain from Colorado Malting Co. in Alamosa.  

This year’s Molé – the release of which coincides with the fall equinox – begins the third year of Ska’s Seasonal Stout Series. As always, it’s an ale brewed with cocoa nibs, spices and ancho, guajillo and Hatch green chiles.

Carute Roma plays a benefit for Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center from 5:30-7:30 Friday night at the Rochester Hotel. Happy hour starts at 4:30 and, yes, dancing’s required. Donations will be accepted for this group that’s brought positive change for immigrants the past 15 years.

Hot Rize’s recorded output makes up this week’s Top Shelf list. You need all of them in your collection.

• “Hot Rize,” 1979.
• “Radio Boogie,” 1981.
• “Hot Rize/Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers Live – In Concert,” 1982.
• Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, “The French Way,” 1984.
• “Traditional Ties,” 1986.
• “Untold Stories,” 1987.
• “Take It Home,” 1990.
• “So Long of a Journey,” 1996 reunion concert, 2002.
• “When I’m Free,” 2014.

With a solid kick and a red hot lick? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.