A dulcimer wizard, a pure-voiced poet, and a fearless guitarist create a sparkling, harmony-driven sound that is fresh and innovative. Intricate arrangements, unique harmonies "so tight, they pulse" (Mary Cliff-WETA-FM), and a sense of fun are the hallmarks of every Jubilant Bridge performance, a surprising range of critically-acclaimed originals, contemporary songs, and instrumentals. Although they come from a rich aural tradition, they surprise audiences with counter melodies, changing time signatures, well-chosen dissonance, and their singing of what could be instrumental leads. The instruments go beyond simple accompaniment; the arrangements and the songs themselves are meshed. The band uses the vocabulary, but steps outside of the conventions, of folk, rock, and pop---not simply stitching together genres, but folding the seams under.
Mountain dulcimer wizard and vocalist Willie Jaeger takes what is often thought of as a "simple" folk instrument and discovers its complexity. His unique style of playing, and his popularity as a teacher at the renowned Swallow Hill School of Music, inspired Westword, Denver's alternative weekly, to vote him Denver's "Best Local Folkie." He has also been a finalist in the national mountain dulcimer championship at Winfield, Kansas. An engaging singer, he also plays hammered dulcimer and guitar, and composes instrumentals and the occasional song.
Vocalist and guitarist Carol Van Alstine provides Jubilant Bridge with most of its distinctive original songs. She comes to songwriting by way of poetry. Often inspired by dreams, her emotionally wise songs depict states of mind and heart and the conflicts between them. Her voice has been described as "striking," "ethereal," and "far purer than Michael Jackson's fondness for gloves." "How did such a big voice come out of such a small person?" audiences frequently ask. Her musical experiences range from performing as a solo entertainer to singing soprano in Renaissance choirs.
Scott Bennett, the "Andre Agassi" of the guitar, plays in an oblique style that is all his own---listening to the band's CDs is the only way to hear him play the same thing twice. He is one of Denver's most sought after musicians. With Runaway Express, he played with John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for four years. He has also been the guitarist for Bonnie Phipps and the Elastic Band, whose two Parents' Choice Award-winning CDs he produced. Other production credits include Mary Flower, Chuck Pyle, Carla Sciaky, and John Dillon. Additionally, in 1999 he received the Townes Van Zandt songwriting award for two songs he co-wrote. Rock, pop, and folk-all musical styles are fair game for the fearless Bennett.
Jaeger and Van Alstine originally performed together as a duo and have two previous self-produced recordings, "Crazy Like The Wind" and "Another Run At the Mountain." When Bennett joined them to produce their third recording, he added a whole new "dementia" to the proceedings, and they took their music in a new direction with the release of "Under Shattered Skies," their debut CD. Dirty Linen hailed its "great harmony vocals," "compelling dulcimer playing," and "intelligent and thoughtful" lyrics, and Victory Review proclaimed it "a rich aural feast." The band has just released their new CD, "Happenstance," which was recorded at world-class studio Colorado Sound.
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