BIO

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 Krewe. 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 traces back to January 2024, when Sless and Inglis
first joined forces for what was meant 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 Krewe Trio which in turn led to adding 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 Krewe 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.