Shoehorn’s Ten-Year Dylanfest Retrospective

Uncle Shoehorn played every single Dylanfest event at the Warwick Valley Winery since the very first one back in 2005.  Sadly, we didn’t think to begin recording our performances at this event until 2009.  This page shares the best two or three cuts from our set each year between 2009 and 2017 (with the exception of 2012 when “a hard rain” fell, preventing us from having recording devices in the field).  We’ve also included photos from each year’s event and even a few videos!  We hope you enjoy revisiting these special moments as much as we enjoyed making them!


2009

If memory serves, this was the first gig we played with Max Aronov on the bass guitar who had recently joined the group.  We also had special guest, Ryan Muehlbauer playing banjo which you can hear on both these tracks.

 

Like a Rollin’ Stone

The Weight -> Mighty Quinn the Eskimo

Click to View Photo Gallery from Dylanfest 2009

 


2010

Strangely, no photos of this year’s Dylanfest event seem to exist.  However, the recordings attest to our existence that day with some smoking keyboard honky-tonk by the inimitable Michael Fossa and sweet 3-part harmonies of Toddy, Skunk and Sweet T (aka Tony Vee).

 

Quit Your Low Down Ways

 

He Was a Friend of Mine

 


2011

This was a steamy, humid day and the band produced an equally hot Memphis Blues. Then to cool things down, they performed couple of achingly sweet vocal harmony songs.  Tony Vee dedicated Forever Young to his six year old son.

Stuck Inside Mobile with the Memphis Blues

 

Queen Jane Approximately

 

Forever Young

Click for Photo Gallery from Dylanfest 2011


2013

Gotta Serve Somebody

 

Lay Lady Lay

 

Maggie’s Farm

 


2014

One of the more memorable outings for the band at this year’s event!  Joined by the incomparable and electrifying E’lissa Jones on fiddle for the Dylan epic, Hurricane, the band also enjoyed Papa Joe Steinwand’s backing on the squeeze box.  Sweet T tries his hand at some swampy slide guitar on the raging Duncan & Brady.

Pretty Peggy-O

 

Duncan & Brady

Click to view Dylanfest 2014 Photo Gallery


2015

Todd purchased a nifty new ukelele over the winter and was pumped to play it.  Dylanfest 2015 was the first show where he broke out the “uke” and if you listen you can hear it on I’ll be Your Baby Tonight.  Keeping with the “wooden music” theme, Sweet T broke out his trusty Ovation acoustic guitar to do the flood story, Crash on the Levee.

I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight

 

Crash on the Levee

 

It’s All Over Now Baby Blue

 


2016

2016 was a seminal year for Uncle Shoehorn.  In late Fall 2015, the band quietly began recruiting horn players from the Hudson Valley jazz and funk scene with the intention of moving in a funkier, New Orleans inspired direction.  Ultimately, in January of 2016, the band re-emerged as a 7-piece (ultimately growing into an 8-piece) funk, classic soul and R&B band billed to this day as Uncle Shoehorn’s Funky Dance Party, packing rooms in the Lower Hudson Valley and Northern NJ.  Yet, proving true to its roots, Uncle Shoehorn made sure to retain its dedication to classic rock like Dylan and the Dead, producing custom horn arrangements where none existed previously and curating the catalogs of classic rock performances to find horn arrangements written for some of their favorite songs.  This year’s Dylanfest featured Tenor Sax player Barton Schindler and Trumpeter, Rick Savage.

New Morning

 

Meet Me in the Morning

Click to View Dylanfest 2016 Photo Gallery


2017

In full effect, Uncle Shoehorn’s Funky Dance Party plays a blistering set of horn-infused Dylan and The Band material with horn parts famously penned by the late, great New Orleans producer and performer, Allen Toussaint who wrote the horn parts for The Last Waltz.  Having added Eric “The Nooch” Iannucci on trombone, the horn section was rounded out and the sound was described by Doc Grizzante as, “The fattest sound to ever come off the winery’s stage”.  This year also had Uncle Shoehorn opening up for legendary Larry Campbell.

Ophelia

 

Across the Great Divide

 

Rainy Day Women Number 12 & 35

 

Ain’t Got No Home

View Photo Gallery for Dylanfest 2017


  DOWNLOAD ALL AUDIO FILES HERE


Special Thanks

The band would like to thank the following people for all their love, support and kindness across the years – without whom, none of this would be possible:

The Auntie Shoehorns | Kate Vee, Stacy Congdon, Kerri Lapenna, Jenn Aronov

The Shooters (photogs and videographers) | Matt Price, Rusty Smeltzer, Leah Marie Kirk, Vernon Webb

Shoehorn Krewe (roadies, techs, sound and lighting) | George “Cosmo” Weymer, Will Orozco, Chris Amato, Mason Vee, Sancho

Winery Management | Jason and Erica Grizzante, “Doc” Grizzante, Jeremy Kidde, all the Winery Staff

Sound Engineering for Dylanfest | Steinwand Sound, Joe Steinwand Jr., Joe Steinwand Sr.

 

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