On May 11th, 2020 we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 30db release - One Man Show. Jeff’s family and Brendan Bayliss recently unearthed an unreleased track titled “Jesus, Grant Me Mercy”.

In early 2006, after going through similar hardships , Jeff Austin and Brendan Bayliss teamed up to perform some side gigs, mostly for their own entertainment. After writing and performing many original tunes, the two decided to put together a full band and hit the studio. On May 11, 2010, 30db released their first and only album titled “One Man Show,” followed by a quick live show jaunt through the midwest. Jeff’s family and Brendan recently unearthed an unreleased track titled “Jesus, Grant Me Mercy.”

“I’ve always loved the song and I feel like you can really get a sense of Jeff’s emotions through this version. It’s pretty moving to me, how honest he was”, says Bayliss.

We’ll let the track do more of the talking…

JamBase has released Jeff Austin Band’s alternate take of Phish's “Waste” as part of the "Gimme Shelter In Place" series. This beautiful cover was dedicated as a surprise for his wife when originally recorded and it's equally as heartfelt a tribute today.

In 2016, following the previous year’s successful Songs Of Their Own Grateful Dead covers series, JamBase launched the Twenty Years Later project that presented bands covering songs from albums released in 1996. Among the highlights of 20YL was a Jeff Austin Band cover of Phish‘s “Waste” from the album, Billy Breathes. Austin dedicated and surprised his wife with the cover of “Waste.”

Back in 2016, the Jeff Austin Band was in San Francisco for a pair of gigs at Great American Music Hall. While in the Bay Area, Austin and his band mates — banjoist Ryan Cavanaugh, bassist Max Johnson and guitarist Ross Martin — ventured over to JamBase’s former offices to record a Twenty Years Later session. In addition to recording a few “Waste” takes (that he dedicated to his wife), Austin also led the band through his original “Underground,” which was published in 2016 in addition to “Waste.”

While digging through the JamBase video archives, a few alternate versions of “Waste” were discovered. The first take, which the band did not know was being recorded, contained a certain excited energy and rawness typically only found in a first take. We almost went with that version, but instead settled on another “Waste” outtake. A little tighter and a bit more polished, the alternate “Waste” that was chosen features a blistering solo by Cavanaugh, alongside Austin’s nimble playing and emotional vocal delivery.

https://www.jambase.com/article/gimme-shelter-in-place-jeff-austin-phish-cover-waste-alternate-version

A special tribute to Jeff Austin as part of Episode 2 of WWG TV : “Colorado - Back to the Roots” on Friday 4/3 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET via the WinterWonderGrass Facebook and YouTube channels. This never before seen footage of Jeff Austin Band had fans dancing in their safe, socially-distanced space and cured some quarantine blues.

With this video we reflect deep into WinterWonderGrass' roots with a look into the space that shaped us: the magic, mysticism and mountains of Colorado. Enjoy this never before seen footage with our amazing community. We all breathe, we are one.

Jeff Austin created this mixtape back in 1998 as a reference tool for the bluegrass tunes that became the foundation of covers which comprised early Yonder Mountain String Band sets. This Spotify playlist represents Side A of that cassette. Side B contains a live show from the Nederland, CO band Fireweed; featuring Austin, Dave Johnston, Ben Kaufmann and Patrick Latella on guitar.

As Latella reflects, “this lineup of Jeff, Dave, Ben, and myself had 2 shows in August and September of 1998, one at the Community Center in Nederland and one at the Fox Theatre in Boulder. The Fox show is especially notable as it featured the debut of a new band in the area, the Yonder Mountain String Band, which had just formed.”

Patrick offered to Jeff that they end their Fireweed run with that Fox Theatre show and that they do the first half of the show with Fireweed, then bring out Adam Aijala (Yonder's guitarist) and do one song as a 5 piece. The quartet then finished the set as the, now well known, Yonder Mountain String Band.

We hope you enjoy this relic from Jeff Austin history.