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 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 Crewe 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 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.
