JamBase | Cluster Flies’: Club d’Elf Covers Phish’s ‘Sand’
Cluster Flies’: Club d’Elf Covers Phish’s ‘Sand’
JamBase
By Team JamBase, Apr 13 2021
JamBase presents Cluster Flies, a covers compilation reimagining Phish’s album Farmhouse, complete with bonus songs and revamped tracklist. Each of the songs on Cluster Flies will be featured via daily episodes of The JamBase Podcast with interviews with the musician that recorded the cover. Today’s episode features Club d’Elf’s cover of “Sand.”
Born of a desire of Phish to improve their groove, the pulsating rhythm of “Sand” has launched many memorable jams over the past two decades for both Phish and TAB. Improvisational ensemble Club d’Elf has been a Boston institution for years, holding court at Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge. Their approach fit perfectly with their Cluster Flies cover of Phish’s “Sand” (not to be confused with Club d’Elf’s own original titled “Sand”).
Club d’Elf is a revolving door of talented musicians, led by Mike Rivard, that combines Moroccan music with jazz and psychedelic influences to create something truly fresh each time the collective performs. Rivard recently spoke with JamBase’s David Onigman for the The JamBase Podcast about recording Club d’Elf’s cover of “Sand,” which features vocalist Jen Kearney. Rivard breaks down the cover’s atypical time signature, discusses the arrangement and recording process and much more.
