Artist of the Month – Twisted Pine: A Video Collaborative History

It’s fulfilling when you see a band for the very first time and think “wow, this is going to be one of my favorite band’s for eternity” then you flash forward a decade and it still stands true. Such is the case with Twisted Pine.

The very first time I saw them *I believe* was at Freshgrass in 2014, where they took home the Freshgrass Band award and were a 5 piece. They made their way around the Camber-ville scene and beyond. Slaying bluegrass nights and each of the members popping up in this and that configuration. For some reason it took almost 3 years before we did some video collaboration with them.

That first session took shape at Green River Music Fest back in 2017. The 4 piece, including songwriter Rachel Sumner at the time, and Chris Sartori, Kathleen Parks and Dan Bui from the steadfast present line up met up with me backstage at the fest as we talked about where we might stow away to shoot something. The inside of the building at Greenfield Community College was more classroom than cool offstage vibe, so we found a quiet space amongst the greenery out back and they launched into this one take of The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. An ever flowing and undualting tune that takes more than turn.

Fast forward a year to the first ever Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots festival. The Twists had become pals at this point and knowing I was involved with GMBR, had a camera and there was a cozy tiny cabin backstage we could squirrel away into before they lit the dance tent on fire later than evening…we took the opportunity to film this ripping take on “Lee Street Tune”. I love this band, but I think this video session was the moment that solidifed Kathleen as my favorite fiddler. The entire band is on fire, the funkiness and groove just off the charts.

The following year at GMBR we were back at it again, but out in the Farmer’s Field for sessions and with the addition of Anh Phung on flute…which at first I did a double take of. It took only a couple of notes before I was completely sold on this new formation of the group. True to form their cover of Father John Misty’s “Well You can Do It Without Me” was something all their own and the infectious ear worm “Come Along Jody”…well, just wait for that bass drop. DAAAAAAAMN!

Back at it again after the pandemic and at GMBR, we took to the woods in what ended up as my favorite videos that I ever shot in my collaboration with GMBR…and we get the addition of Ethan Robbins on guitar. The vibe, the coloring straight out of camera and of course the performances were out of this world. Just beyond the woods camping and off the trail on the way to the Lamplighter stage, these “Evergreen Sessions” are moments I will forever cherish. I am so grateful to Kathleen, Chris, Dan and Anh for these moments. Plus, that Wheelie Von D…come on now.

Come back to 2023 at GMBR and things shifted a bit. Jill, one of the founders, asked if I could organize and run a pop up stage in the middle of the fest grounds and film those performances, so a lot of effort went into making that happen and Twisted Pine did not disappoint. As a soft rain began to sprinkle from the skies, folks piled around the tiny covered pergola and danced and stomped to a ripping 3 tune set from the band…here are those.

Anyway, I can’t say enough how much I love this band. How much I have appreciated their trust and collaborative spirit over the years. And their music and spirit will live on…