I was prepared to enjoy The Howlin’ Brothers at the Extended Play Sessions at Alternate Root TV, but I had no idea just how much! In fact, I enjoyed them so much I saw them a few days later at Atwood’s Tavern!

The Howlin’ Brothers

The announcement for the show promised a foot-stompin’, loud hollerin’ show, and the Brothers delivered just that (with emphasis on the foot stomping).

First, let me tell you that they are not blood-related but they are clearly brothers-at-heart. The members of the band are Jared Green on guitar, harmonica, and foot-stomping, Ben Plasse on bass, and Ian Craft on banjo and fiddle; all three perform vocals.

Ian Craft

Ben Plasse

Jared Green

The three met as undergraduates at Ithaca College and moved to Nashville, where they still reside, after graduation. Their style has a solid base in bluegrass and country traditions, but they have transformed the old songs into something fresh and exciting.

Jared

They are touring to support the release of their sophomore album, ‘Trouble’, and the songs they performed at the Session came from that album. At the Atwood’s show, they drew from both albums as well as some traditional songs that I recognized (and probably other original songs that do not appear on either album).

Ian

Ben

They each write the songs; it appeared that the songwriter took lead vocals on his own songs, but that might not be the case with all their music.

The foot stomping comes not only from the audience but from Jared who dances on a platform built by his wife as a holiday gift a few years ago. The platform is well used and clearly much loved. Jared is fun to watch – his body is almost motionless, but his legs and feet are in constant motion on the songs that feature his stomping.

Jared, airborn

Jared, stomping his feet

Jared, stomping his feet

The Atwood’s show was quite different, not only because the audience was somewhat less quiet than the audience at the Session. There was a different kind of energy – not necessarily more or less energy – possibly because there was room to dance at Atwood’s and a number of people took advantage of that.

Jared at Atwood’s

Ben at Atwood’s

Ian at Atwood’s

I suggest buying both of their albums; they are different, and I can see that they have grown in the two years between releases.

The Brothers were named by Mother Jones magazine as one of the eleven most intriguing acts at the recent Americana Music Festival; I have seen many of the others and I understand why the Brothers are on this list. My guess is that it won’t be long before they are playing larger venues than the 85-person Atwood’s. Go see them now and get in on the ground floor!