Skeleton Crewe in Carpinteria

SKELETON CREWE – ROB BARRACO, BARRY SLESS, STEPHEN  INGLIS, PETE SEARS & JAY LANE  

The worlds of Hawaiian slack key guitar, psychedelic pedal steel, masterful  keyboard, bass & drum work converge as five virtuosos of the jam band  scene announce the formation of Skeleton Crewe. Born from a  serendipitous collaboration in early 2024, this unique musical collective  features Rob Barraco (Dark Star Orchestra, Phil Lesh & Friends, The  Dead), Barry Sless (Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros, David Nelson Band, Phil  Lesh and Friends), Grammy-nominated Hawaiian slack key guitarist  Stephen Inglis (Billy Kreutzmann), Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship, Hot  Tuna, Phil Lesh & Friends, David Nelson Band) & Jay Lane (Dead &  Company, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, Ratdog).

The group’s formation dates back to January 2024, when Sless and Inglis first joined forces for what was intended to be a one-off performance. The  chemistry was immediate and undeniable. The duo’s successful California shows caught the attention of keyboard virtuoso Rob Barraco, who joined forces with Inglis during a Dark Star Orchestra show at the Hawaii Theatre in April 2024. The natural musical connection between all three players led to the formation of Skeleton Crewe Trio, which in turn led to the addition of Barry’s longtime musical partners, Pete Sears & Jay Lane, on bass & drums.

This collaboration brings together many musical traditions: Inglis’s mastery  of Hawaiian slack key guitar (he’s a recipient of the prestigious Ki Hōʻalu  Legacy Award), Sless’s pioneering pedal steel work that has graced stages  with Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, Barraco’s sophisticated keyboard artistry that  earned him a place in The Dead’s lineup (an experience that preceded  nearly two decades holding the keyboardist chameleon role within Dark  Star Orchestra), the dynamic improvisational work of Pete Sears on bass,  and the solid improvisational drumming of Jay Lane.

Each performance, Skeleton Crewe promises to offer high-level artistry, hosting an intimate evening of original compositions (many of which were written by Robert Hunter in collaboration with Barraco), Grateful Dead interpretations, and dynamic improvisations that span genres from traditional Hawaiian to psychedelic Americana.