Folking around with style

By: Trevor Flynn

Posted: 3/5/10

If you didn't grab a cushion, a latte, or a beer and fill in a little of your last Friday night with some live acoustic sweetness at Olmos Perk, you might want to check out the next gig featuring Jasper's Cast, a vivacious band of four Trinity students.

Though listed on My Space as bluegrass/folk, that genre does not adequately describe the groups' unique sound. The mountain dulcimer played by Sophomore Eric Elliott and mandolin played by Sophomore Scott Riggle are the heartstrings of rhythms ranging from relaxing jigs to rockin' ballads. Junior Jackson Floyd powers the sound with guitar/bass and Junior Zach Brush with the Congo drum. The result is an energetic acoustic blend of bluegrass, folk and Nashville twang that the band members refer to as "Newgrass."

With a two-hour time slot at Olmos Perk, Jasper's Cast opened with the original tune "Steel Crazy," a light-hearted love song featuring the smooth tones of main vocalist Elliott and sustaining harmonies sung by Floyd. Riggle later plucked the traditional "Arkansas Traveler" on the mandolin as the rest of the band struck up a clap-stomping rhythm and encouraged the crowd to join, demonstrating the dynamic spirit of folk friendliness that is so essential to the group.

"We like having fun, we hope that fun spirit comes across to the audience," said Riggle, describing an attitude further demonstrated when the band played a cover of The Beatles' "Do You Want to Know a Secret?" and Elliot asked an audience member for a quick dance.

After the additional covers of "Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin and "Hey Yah!" by Outkast, the group had exhausted its repertoire and began to improvise rather than repeat songs. As each of the musicians present could play the guitar in addition to at least one other instrument, it was both easy and entertaining for the guys to mess around on a blues scale and throw in some whistling or harmonies here and there.

While Jasper's Cast has yet to release an album, several of the current performance favorites were released on the first and last album by the bands' predecessor, King Minty Philosophers. Elliott and Riggle each fulfilled their current roles in this trio, with Sophomore Adan Gonzalez playing guitar and harmonizing.

Despite the trio's breakup earlier this year, a King Minty Philosophers album release party was hosted last month, during which Jasper's Cast appeared to promote hardcopy sales by performing King Minty Philosophers songs.

For that evening's encore, Gonzalez joined Elliott and Riggle in their last appearance together.

"We each had a part in this song. It's what we started with and it's what we're going to end with," announced Gonzalez. The three then played "German Mountain Ballad," arguably the brightest, most upbeat song between the two bands, ironically about the frustration of writing an essay on Nietzsche.

From these roots, Jasper's Cast continues to compose new tunes and seek new gigs, recently appearing on Tiger TV's Studio 21. Riggle affirmed that the band would be happy to play at the Tigers' Den if it were reinstated as a bar, adding, "we'll play anywhere there's alcohol."

When asked if Jasper's Cast would continue after Trinity, Riggle said, "I hope so: our goal by the end of the next semester is to be playing a lot of gigs and folk festivals and ultimately to get a deal."