The Expedition Quartet profile picture

The Expedition Quartet

Peace

About Me


While rooted in the stringband tradition, the Expedition Quartet is not bound by any one tradition. Their set is as likely to include bluegrass stomps, traditional fiddle tunes and swing standards, as an Argentine tango, Brazilian choro, or an original modern stringband composition. The Expedition Quartet didn't form like an ordinary group, and it follows that their music is far from ordinary. In 2006, after hearing banjoist Jake Schepps' solo CD, the Durango Meltdown Festival insisted Jake put together a band to perform. Seizing the opportunity to showcase Jake's unique vision of adventurous stringband music, he recruited some of the most accomplished acoustic musicians from Colorado's thriving acoustic music scene. Despite being the most adventurous group at a fairly traditional festival, The Expedition Quartet's sets were an unqualified success, and it was clear that the expedition had just begun.
In 2007, the band released the all-instrumental album Ten Thousand Leaves , which was produced by Nashville’s Matt Flinner . It was called “One of the top 10 releases of 2007” by JazzReview.com, and “Highly Recommended” by Dirty Linen. Music from the CD received an International Acoustic Music Award, in addition to being selected for Global Rhythm Magazine’s November 2007 CD Sampler.
The Expedition Quartet is a partner band of The Steampowered Preservation Society ..

____________________________________________________________ _________

Jake Schepps is a banjo renaissance man and the creative force behind the Quartet. Renowned for his intelligent touch on the banjo and imaginative variation on stringband music, Jake was featured on the cover of Banjo Newsletter in July 2008. In addition to music, Jake teaches emergency wilderness medicine around the world.

Fiddler Ryan Drickey is armed with a Masters in Violin Performance and holds the 2007 RockyGrass Fiddle Championship. His indomitable abilities and experience stretch from America to Scandinavia, and traditional fiddle tunes, to jazz, tango, and classical music.

Greg Schochet is an integral part of Colorado's music community, in demand as a performer, producer, and educator. Equally adept on guitar and mandolin, Greg is fluent in bluegrass, swing, country, folk, and blues. Greg was a founding member of Runaway Truck Ramp and currently performs with Halden Wofford and the Hi-Beams, Colorado’s acclaimed honky-tonk and western swing band.

Young Ian Hutchison is one of the busiest bass players in Colorado. Ian graduated magna cum laude from the University of Denver with a jazz performance degree won several distinctions, including jazz student of the year and outstanding senior jazz recital, and was awarded a two-week trip to study music in Nagoya, Japan.

____________________________________________________________ _________
Click to zoom in on my visitor map!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 8/18/2005
Band Website: expeditionquartet.com
Band Members: To book The Expedition Quartet, contact Jake Schepps .

The Expedition Quartet features
Jake Schepps : banjo
Ryan Drickey : violin
Greg Schochet : mandolin & guitar
Ian Hutchison : upright bass.
Influences: Sooooooooooo many.
Sounds Like: adventurous stringband music

"New Wagon" at the Boulder Theater 1/23/08

"Nao Me Toques" at the Boulder Theater 1/23/08

"Paint It Shut" at the Nissi's with special guest Matt Flinner
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Summer Expeditions

Hello Friends,((Lots of news to report!  We are proud to announce our new bass player, the young phenom IAN HUTCHSION.   While Eric lives on in our photos for the time being, he will be incredibly bus...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:40:00 PST

One of the ten best recordings of 2007.....

From JazzReview.com:Banjoist Jake Schepps, violin master Ryan Drickey, guitarist Greg Schochet (who also plays mandolin), and string bassist Eric Thorin have combined their estimable talents on one of...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 03:45:00 PST

Arts Presenters Conference and beyond.......

The Expedition Quartet is off to New York City to partake in the Arts Presenters Conference as part of the Northern Realms Showcase.Saturday, January 12Gibson Suite :: Hilton Hotel3:30 and 10:00Sunday...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 07:00:00 PST

Review in Bluegrass Unlimited

From Bluegrass Unlimited December 2007. "On the Edge"This is one of the more complicated records I've yet reviewed. How to convey all or even part of what I'm hearing in these 11 instrumental tracks. ...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:07:00 PST

Global Rhythm Sampler Track!

Todo Buenos Aires was selected for the Collector's CD in the November/December issue of Global Rhythm Magazine. Here is what they had to say about it:"You might not think of the banjo as an improvis...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:05:00 PST

news of the week

The Expedition Quartet has been chosen as a partner band with the Steam Powered Preservation Society, alongside the likes of Uncle Earl, Bruce Molsky and the wonderful Jeff and Vida.Banjo Newsletter's...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:40:00 PST

Tunes from new record posted.

The new album "Ten Thousand Leaves" is getting mastered next week, but I wanted to share a couple of tunes sooner. "The Zipper" features Greg Schochet on guitar, Matt Flinner on mandolin, Ryan Drick...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:07:00 PST

New recording in the can!

We had an amazing week last week at Notably Fine Audio recording the next album with producer Matt Flinner. He coaxed the best out of all of us and fostered an intensely creative environment; one whe...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 05:10:00 PST

Memphis bound........

We are going on a short tour this weekend (see www.jakeschepps.com/events), and special guest Matt Flinner will be sitting in on Sunday (2/18) at Nissi's in Lafayette, CO. Then we are off to the 2007...
Posted by The Expedition Quartet on Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:16:00 PST