Leftover Salmon’s polyethnic Cajun slam comes to Copper Dragon

Factoid:Leftover Salmon is playing at 10 p.m. Thursday at Copper Dragon with Broken Grass. For more information on Leftover Salmon, go to www.leftoversalmon.com

Bands performing variations of bluegrass have become widely recognized throughout the United States. This is a movement that has even generated its own sub-culture of earth-conscious, party-driven followers. One such band is Leftover Salmon.

Leftover Salmon is the product of a merger in 1989 between lead vocalist Vince Herman, mandolin player Drew Emmitt and former banjo player Mark Vann. The trio was then joined by Greg Garrison on bass, Bill McKay on keyboards and vocals and Jose Martinez on percussion. On March 4, 2002, Vann died from cancer, and his banjo position with the group has since been filled by Noam Pickelny.

The name Leftover Salmon is a combination of The Salmonheads and Lefthand String Band, which were the two bands the three founders were originally from.

The band is currently on tour to promote its recent release on Compass Records, “Live.” Leftover Salmon is playing at 10 p.m. Thursday at Copper Dragon with local slamgrass dealers Broken Grass. The tour will take the band from the Southeast, up through the Midwest and back over to the Northeast. The group is known for its contagious dancing songs and fun group atmosphere.

“Live” is a nine-track compilation of select songs from concerts performed at The Fillmore in Denver and San Francisco, and at the 2001 Salmonfest. According to the band, this latest album’s sole intent is to get the listeners moving and to encourage people to have a good time.

Leftover Salmon’s previous 1999 release, “The Nashville Sessions,” featured guest performances by Lucinda Williams, John Popper, Taj Mahal, Bela Fleck and Waylon Jennings.

Although there was some dismay over continuing the band without Vann, the group kept in mind Vann’s final message that just as March 4 was the day he died, it also literally meant to “march forth.” The band is confident that Pickelny is the right choice since he is bringing more than 13 years of experience with the banjo into the mix.

“Mark was one of the world’s greatest and most unique banjo players,” Pickelny said on the band’s website. “He will never be replaced. But Mark and I share somewhat of a similar approach to the banjo in technique and philosophy. I’m really proud to be carrying the torch.”

Reporter Jared DuBach can be reached at [email protected]