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While rooted in the stringband tradition, the Expedition Quartet is not bound by any one tradition. Their set is as likely to include bluegrass stomps, traditional fiddle tunes and swing standards, as an Argentine tango, Brazilian choro, or an original modern stringband composition. The Expedition Quartet didn't form like an ordinary group, and it follows that their music is far from ordinary. In 2006, after hearing banjoist Jake Schepps' solo CD, the Durango Meltdown Festival insisted Jake put together a band to perform. Seizing the opportunity to showcase Jake's unique vision of adventurous stringband music, he recruited some of the most accomplished acoustic musicians from Colorado's thriving acoustic music scene. Despite being the most adventurous group at a fairly traditional festival, The Expedition Quartet's sets were an unqualified success, and it was clear that the expedition had just begun.

In 2007, the band released the all-instrumental album Ten Thousand Leaves, which was produced by Nashville’s Matt Flinner. It was called “One of the top 10 releases of 2007” by JazzReview.com, and “Highly Recommended” by Dirty Linen. Music from the CD received an International Acoustic Music Award, in addition to being selected for Global Rhythm Magazine’s November 2007 CD Sampler.

The Expedition Quartet is a partner band of The Steampowered Preservation Society..

Jake Schepps is a banjo renaissance man and the creative force behind the Quartet. Renowned for his intelligent touch on the banjo and imaginative variation on stringband music, Jake was featured on the cover of Banjo Newsletter in July 2008. In addition to music, Jake teaches emergency wilderness medicine around the world.

Fiddler Ryan Drickey is armed with a Masters in Violin Performance and holds the 2007 RockyGrass Fiddle Championship. His indomitable abilities and experience stretch from America to Scandinavia, and traditional fiddle tunes, to jazz, tango, and classical music.

Greg Schochet is an integral part of Colorado's music community, in demand as a performer, producer, and educator. Equally adept on guitar and mandolin, Greg is fluent in bluegrass, swing, country, folk, and blues. Greg was a founding member of Runaway Truck Ramp and currently performs with Halden Wofford and the Hi-Beams, Colorado’s acclaimed honky-tonk and western swing band.

Young Ian Hutchison is one of the busiest bass players in Colorado. Ian graduated magna cum laude from the University of Denver with a jazz performance degree won several distinctions, including jazz student of the year and outstanding senior jazz recital, and was awarded a two-week trip to study music in Nagoya, Japan.

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