How to go
Who: Missy Raines & The New Hip, with The Henhouse Prowlers
Where: Canal Street Tavern, 308 E. First St., Dayton
When: 9:30 p.m. Friday, March 12
Cost: $10
More info: (937) 461-9343 or www.canalstreettavern.com
Artist info: www.missyraines.com
Missy Raines has been named bassist of the year seven times by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Bluegrass is still a part of her musical DNA, but as her latest album, “Inside Out,” reveals, she’s equally adept at cocktail jazz, folk, acoustic pop and country.
“I like the whole uniqueness of the album,” Raines said. “I feel like we’re influenced by what’s around us, but at the same time its relationship to bluegrass is not necessarily in the sound. Its connection, to me, is the folks I’m most influenced by within the bluegrass genre, like Bill Monroe, (who) were all innovators.
“They all did their own thing based on what they were being influenced by at the time,” she continued. “They took it another step and did something that hadn’t been done before. I’m not putting us into their league, but we are being influenced by the idea of allowing the elements that ring true to stay there and then see what happens.”
One aspect that separates Raines’ band, The New Hip, from many of the bluegrass acts she has performed with is the inclusion of a drummer.
“To me the drummer is the heart of the band and part of the music,” she said. “Having played bluegrass most of my life, I really wanted to have the opportunity to explore multi-rhythmic sounds. I really wanted a drummer, not just to keep time, but to create a foundation under a lot of the material so we could further develop the multi-rhythmic things that excited me. My goal isn’t to do something just beyond bluegrass, but just to do stuff I like.”
Raines brings The New Hip to Canal Street Tavern for a performance on Friday, March 12. The Henhouse Prowlers will also perform.
“I’ve worked at Canal Street in various configurations in times past,” she said. “(Owner) Mick Montgomery and I go way back, and we’ve been working for awhile on trying to come up with something for this winter, and we finally got a date that worked. I’m really looking forward to coming back there.
“When I think about Dayton, Ohio, I think about folks like Suzanne Thomas and The Hot Mud Family, and of course Dry Branch Fire Squad,” Raines added. “When I was a kid I used to hear the Hot Mud Family, and they were just uniquely different. I’ve always enjoyed Dry Branch, so to me it’s sacred bluegrass ground. Even though this isn’t a bluegrass band, I’m just excited to come back to Canal Street.”
Contact contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.
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