7 Walkers

7 Walkers walking in the sky 

 7 Walkers watching from on high

7 Walkers offer their protection

           7 Walkers looking down from heaven    

-Robert Hunter        

The new 7 Walkers CD is finally released today.  After seeing 7 Walkers (Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali, George Porter Jr. and Matt Hubbard with Robert Hunter penned songs) at MagnoliaFest and streaming them on Internet Archive, I am more than excited about hearing the studio album.  You should be too! 
Besides, how could a guy with a blog name like Hometown Hiker not appreciate a band called 7 Walkers?



Here is a superb review from Dennis Cook on JamBase:

7 Walkers (arriving November 2 on Response Records) is the most organic, original music to come out of the core Grateful Dead alumni since the passing of Jerry Garcia. It's worth getting right down to brass tacks since 7 Walkers goes for the creative jugular in such a lusty, exuberant manner. With richly imaginative lyrics penned by Dead scribe Robert Hunter, the band is comprised of percussion master Bill Kreutzmann, psychedelic blues rock marvel Papa Mali, New Orleans funk pioneer George Porter, Jr. and multi-instrumentalist & longtime Willie Nelson collaborator Matt Hubbard. Even on paper this quartet is lethal, but that's nothing compared to the roiling energy when they come together in the flesh. With their collective pedigree, there's an enormous pool of possibilities and their self-titled debut reflects all their swirling undercurrents AND coalesces into fascinating new shapes, fresh colors forming on the surface of things as dark, interesting eddies move below. Put another way, there's something powerful and primal and beautiful going on in the music of 7 Walkers.  Read entire article here.

Magnoliafest 2010 Initial Lineup

The lineup looks really good so far for MagnoliaFest 2010. I know that Black Betty and I are stroked and stoked to see it up and posted after the small turn-out for Suwanee SpringFest this year. I must say that I am intrigued by the joining of Bill Kreutzmann and Papa Mali in 7 Walkers, especially knowing that Robert Hunter has penned a number of songs specifically for them. No way am I going to miss that show. 

Railroad Earth, hell yes! The jam is always sweeter when the train comes to town!  Keller and Keels, awesome new album, see them every chance we get!  Donna the Buffalo, Peter Rowan, can we have MagFest without them? I think not.  Cornmeal, Col. Bruce, how about a fantasy jam with Allie Kral and the Quark Alliance?  Jeff and Johnny Mosier, we love them guys around here. Can't wait to see them again!  Dread Clampitt, hot, hot, hot!  Mike and Ruthie are one of our all time favorites. We are so happy to be able to see them back in Suwanee!

So far, so good. I can't wait to see what else MagFest has in store for us!