The RunniKine: Champions of Booty Funk

It’s no secret that I have a wealth of hard working and supremely talented artists and musicians in my tribe. How I wound up with such an incredible group of creatives as my friends is beyond me, but I did, and boy am I grateful things shook out this way. The gentleman that make up The RunniKine are some of the most dedicated musicians and kind hearted humans you’ll ever cross paths with.  Will Trask lays down ever so danceable drum beats, Jon McCartan holds down the low end on the bass, and Eric Luba simply slays the keys. Together they make really, really nice noise, guaranteed to make your booty shake. When they aren’t playing music, you can usually find them playing video games and eating hot wings. When they are playing music, it’s something so funky, joyful, and real that you can’t help but dance. All of their sets are improvisational, meaning nothing is planned in advance and everything is done spontaneously, in the moment. No two shows are ever the same, and these guys seriously bring the funk. As a vehement supporter of the “no plan plan”, and the huge revival we’re seeing in funk music, I’m a big fan of what the RunniKine is doing. Get out and see these guys play. Your dancing shoes will thank you.

Catch the RunniKine this Saturday night 5/21/16 at the Lazy Dog in Boulder for the official Upslope Get Down after party. Prepare for a damn good time.

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Jaden Carlson

 

The first time I met Jaden was in 2013. I was 24 and had just returned home to Colorado from a long year living in Honduras. She was 12, and her band was using the rehearsal space in a dingy South Boulder basement that belonged to some of my musician friends. There were always people coming, and going, and crashing, and jamming, and hanging out at that wild, music filled house. Jaden was one of them, and so was I. I showed up one day after her rehearsal for one reason or another and was introduced to her and her mother Kelly. Over the past few years I’ve had the privilege of getting to know her as not only an astonishingly talented musician, but also an incredibly creative and downright hilarious young woman. She’s 15 now, and is continuously evolving and improving as an artist. I’m constantly in awe of the way she is always unapologetically herself. I see her growth, and even some of my own in the images we made together recently and I can’t help but smile. What a wild world it is, and oh how the time flies by. Cheers to you Jaden, I’m so glad our paths crossed in this life.

Meet The Jaden Carlson Band

I hate to break up the photos from my wild southward adventure, but It’s not every day you meet a 12 year old who can shred guitar the way Jaden does, so I had to share these photos. Simply put, Jaden is amazing, and we had an incredible afternoon romping around Boulder with her band for this shoot. I had so much fun with these guys I was not quite ready for it to end when we realized we had to pay our parking meters.The Jaden Carlson band is made of vibrant, soulful people whose love for music and dedication to their art is inspiring. And Jaden, well she’s downright beautiful, quirky, and hilarious. After our shoot I went to see her and her new bandmates–Will Trask and Eric Luba–play their first gig together at The Armoury in Denver, and I was blown away. Their sound is big, and funky, and lead by an incredibly impressive young girl who is wildly talented and will only get better and better as time rambles on. Big things are happening for this little lady, and  The Jaden Carlson Band is certainly not to be missed. I can’t wait to see what happens next for these fabulous people.
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