Steve Grothmann, upright bass, bass guitar
Daniel Hall, drums
Shepherd Lane, pedal steel
(with Peter Lamb, tenor sax, on the recording)
BIO
Danger Hall--Steve Grothmann (bass), Daniel Hall (drums), Shepherd Lane (pedal steel), often with a variety of guest players--makes deep-grooved, partly improvised music with original tunes and unexpected covers. Shepherd’s pedal steel chord voicings—ethereal? cosmic?—leave plenty of space for rhythmic improv.
Daniel, Steve, and Shepherd share long histories together in the Raleigh/Chapel Hill/Durham music scene. In the Countdown Quartet in the early 2000s, Daniel, Steve, and saxophonist Peter Lamb gigged extensively nationwide playing old-school R&B and trad jazz. After too many years, in early 2024 Steve and Dan began to play and conceptualize a new group. Shepherd, already playing with Steve in Raleigh's psychedelic rock combo, Clear Spots, joined soon to provide a chordal instrument that allows broad freedom for rhythm and other instrumental voices. Peter Lamb also joined soon and appears on the group's 2025 album.
These friends bring broad musical tastes—sources or influences you might hear include Sonny Sharrock, Sonny Rollins, Can, Charlie Haden, house music, David Bowie, traditional Cuban son, Monk, Eric Dolphy…their goal is to avoid limits.
Over the decades these players have contributed to a ton of NC groups.
Daniel was in the Countdown Quartet and was a founding member of The Old Ceremony, who he worked with for 18 years and six albums. He toured for five years with Chatham County Line and has recorded and performed with many more, including Judy Collins.
Shepherd performs with traditional country group, Tonk, which he founded in 2010. He joined Clear Spots with Steve in 2021. He also played with Mommy.
Besides leading Clear Spots, Steve currently also plays with the Chip Robinson Sextetto and the Johnny Folsom 4. He performed and recorded with Countdown Quartet, Whiskeytown, Tonebenders, King Rippers, Kenny Roby, 6 String Drag, and more.
Peter (with the group through 2025) leads the eclectic NC jazz institution, Peter Lamb & the Wolves, which he founded in 2009. He often gigs in trios and other side groups and has performed and recorded with many others, including Maceo Parker, Ben Folds Five, Clay Aiken, and Countdown Quartet.
The original quartet with Peter recorded the group's debut album in the fall of 2025 at Stadium Heights Sound, Durham, NC.