Backwater Opera

Nicole Balderas / Senior Staff Writer

Many Denton musicians list UNT’s music program, abundant nightlife and creative atmosphere as a few reasons for the city’s impressive amount of musical talent.
A supportive community heavy on collaborative musical efforts and local bands’ refusal to be pigeonholed into one genre has contributed to the diversity and talent on display in Denton.
Backwater Opera, whose four members are UNT music alumni, exemplify this through collaborative shows with other genre-defying bands and a sound so unique it needed its own name: chambergrass.

The members of Backwater Opera: from left to right; Carlo Canlas, Robert Sherwood, August Dennis and Marisa Korth relax in Paschall’s Bar the day before heading out on tour. Photo by: Desiree Cousineau
The group – vocalist, guitarist and mandolin player Robert Sherwood, bassist August Dennis, vocalist and guitarist Marisa Korth and violinist and vocalist Carlos Canlas – brings its classical training to bear on songs, falling somewhere in between bluegrass, indie folk and a string quartet.
Korth and Sherwood, who are married, said the band tries to stay humble and graceful. They still play free “Tree Shows” on the lawn outside Denton’s Courthouse-on-the-Square, the quartet illuminated by lights strung up in nearby trees.
“We adopted the policy, ‘Leave the place better than you found it,’” Korth said.
The group, which formed about two years ago, performed at bluegrass festivals in Arizona and Colorado.
Bassist August Dennis said they received a warm welcome.
“That’s why we love bluegrass,” Dennis said. “Everyone is so friendly and open. A guy will see an up-and-comer and invite them onstage.”
Sherwood said it was at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado that the band decided to try something new with its sound.
“We went on and played our set and were pretty wild. We thought, we could go with the bluegrass band sound but that wasn’t really us. We still have the ‘wang-dang-a-dang’ though,” Sherwood said, mimicking the twang of a banjo.
Korth said they decided to throw rules and restrictions out the window, a sensibility that fit right at home when they returned to Denton.
“The only rule in the band is everything has to be done on your instrument,” Korth said. “If you want a percussion sound or a weird seagull sound you have to do it on your instrument.”
Backwater Opera has helped other bands in Denton’s tight-knit community, most recently when friends in the group Seryn needed a string section.
Banding together
Seryn, a five-piece act that crafts walls of sound out of banjos, ukuleles and any other instrument at their disposal, found itself with the opportunity to perform at a TED talk, the technology, entertainment and design conferences that provide a spotlight for creative minds. The band, known for instrument-swapping performances, played at an independent sector of the event in July in Westlake, Texas.
“They didn’t have a musical act so we asked and they totally took the bait,” said Nathan Allen, guitarist and singer for Seryn.
Although not the first time the bands joined forces, Backwater Opera violinist Carlo Canlas filled in for the high-profile gig.
“The slogan with TED talks is ‘ideas worth spreading,’” Canlas said, and Denton bands like Seryn and Backwater Opera have plenty of ideas to share.
Room to grow
Unlike large music towns such as Austin, Denton’s relatively small size allows for a closer, intertwined music community where genre divisions are meaningless.
“People start bands because they’re friends and find out each other can play music,” Allen said.
For many young Denton bands, house shows and local bars are a stepping stone into the local community.
“I think it is dynamic and thriving and really diverse,” Allen said. “Denton doesn’t just have one genre, it has every genre: country rock on Fry Street – hip hop, dance, electronic, metal, bluegrass.”
Allen said the city was a melting pot for creativity, which allowed musicians to be engaged in multiple projects at a time.
“I saw a post from someone at Hailey’s the other night that said ‘Literally I’m playing in four different bands this week’,” Allen said. “No one in Denton is just doing one thing and I think that may be the key. Everyone is doing something with someone else.” - NT Daily, Denton, TX

I'd been hearing rumors about the Live Oak opening off of Magnolia for a long time, and, to be honest, I didn't pay a lot of attention.

A lot of restaurants and bars have been opening up lately (and a few closing), and I just figured this was going to be yet another trendy bar that occassionally shoves a few tables out of the way for live music. I couldn't have been more wrong, as I found out when the place opened last weekend. Pulling up, I had no idea what to expect. There is still construction all around, and the entrance to the place seemed more like the back door of the DMV than a music venue. Once inside, though, it was a different matter entirely.

Backwater Opera was on the stage performing was they call "chambergrass." It's bluegrass, with a classical feel. They threw in a bit of gypsy jazz here and there as well, and I could have listened to this stuff all night. The musicianship was phenomenal. A lot of weird fusion bands don't really work on anything but a novelty level, and that's initially what I feared here. But the music was enjoyable on any level you cared to approach it from. Their last song even reminded me a bit of New Country, by Jean Luc Ponty. The Denton based act consists of Robert Sherwood (mandolin, vocals, guitar), August Dennis (bass), Marisa Korth (vocals, guitar) and Carlo Canlas (violin, vocals). I can't wait to hear more from them.

The hall itself is one of the nicest I've been in. It's an upscale venue with amazing sound and superb stage lights. We also get a real, grown-up sized stage, and a room with functioning acoustics. Honestly, this reminded me of an above-ground version of the Scat Jazz Lounge, only better. The place was filled with actual tables and chairs, and I was just barely able to grab the last empty one at the far side of the room.

The headliner for the night was Hot Club of Cowtown, which is a western swing/jazz outfit out of Austin. The musicianship of this band is astounding, better than anything I've heard in the genre. The instrumentals were frantic and precise, and the vocals were authentic. They also ventured into gypsy jazz territory occasionally, and I appreciated that greatly. The band consists of Elana James (violin, vocals), Whit Smith (guitar, vocals) and Jake Erwin (bass, vocals).

If you're a fan of western swing, you're going to love these guys, but I'm really not. While Backwater Opera completely stood on its own merits, not so with Hot Club of Cowtown. When you take away the nostalgia factor from the western swing, it just loses something. That's often true of bands that perform a nostalgic genre, and I've felt the same about certain rockabilly, roots, and bluegrass bands -- or even some purveyors of my beloved blues and jazz. I always find myself asking if I would like it minus the historical context, and in this case I just wouldn't. (They are about to embark on a national and internationl tour, so you're next chance to see them in Texas won't be until August 30 in Austin.)

I am a fan, however, of The Live Oak. Fort Worth just seems like a brighter place knowing it's there, and I look forward to many incredible shows in this place. Owner Bill Smith -- the father of Casey Smith, who runs the terrific The Where House -- told me that he feels his whole life has been leading up to this and he seemed as proud as a new father. Funkytown has needed a real grownup venue like this one for a long time -- and near Southside is the perfect place for it. Telegraph Canyon will be there next weekend, and if you're smart you will be too. - dfw.com

"Robert Sherwood (mandolin, vocals, guitar), August Dennis (bass), Marisa Korth (vocals, guitar), and Carlo Canlas (violin, vocals) are the musicians who make up Backwater Opera - a group that stitches the sound of bluegrass music into a classical indie-rock tapestry. It's an aesthetic the band calls "chambergrass."
Take the mournful ballads of The Civil Wars, the nostalgic warmth of Nickel Creek's music, the eerie innovations of The Greencards tunes, and then put a classical spin on it all. What you'd get is a stoic, old-timey, twanged-out sound with cinematic lyrics and a standstill vibe. That's what Backwater Opera's chambergrass sounds like.
Hailing from Denton, Texas, and having come together only two years ago at the University of North Texas, the band cut its teeth performing free concerts outside an old courthouse in Denton town square (a monthly practice the group proudly continues). "Really, we've become classical mixed with bluegrass with an element of folk," says Korth, as the band's tour vehicle careens toward the Oregon Coast to yet another gig.
Seasoned, hungry, and focused, coming off a first place win at Arizona's "Pickin' in the Pines Bluegrass and Acoustic Music Festival," Backwater Opera is posed to push chambergrass up and down the West Coast. With songs ranging from sorrowful to blisteringly introspective, and vocal harmonies sweet enough to melt even the harshest capital pacific northwest ice, this band is one to keep in mind and on the playlist." Dante Zuniga-West

Eugene Weekly, Volume XXXI, Number 3
- Eugene Weekly

"Robert Sherwood (mandolin, vocals, guitar), August Dennis (bass), Marisa Korth (vocals, guitar), and Carlo Canlas (violin, vocals) are the musicians who make up Backwater Opera - a group that stitches the sound of bluegrass music into a classical indie-rock tapestry. It's an aesthetic the band calls "chambergrass."
Take the mournful ballads of The Civil Wars, the nostalgic warmth of Nickel Creek's music, the eerie innovations of The Greencards tunes, and then put a classical spin on it all. What you'd get is a stoic, old-timey, twanged-out sound with cinematic lyrics and a standstill vibe. That's what Backwater Opera's chambergrass sounds like.
Hailing from Denton, Texas, and having come together only two years ago at the University of North Texas, the band cut its teeth performing free concerts outside an old courthouse in Denton town square (a monthly practice the group proudly continues). "Really, we've become classical mixed with bluegrass with an element of folk," says Korth, as the band's tour vehicle careens toward the Oregon Coast to yet another gig.
Seasoned, hungry, and focused, coming off a first place win at Arizona's "Pickin' in the Pines Bluegrass and Acoustic Music Festival," Backwater Opera is posed to push chambergrass up and down the West Coast. With songs ranging from sorrowful to blisteringly introspective, and vocal harmonies sweet enough to melt even the harshest capital pacific northwest ice, this band is one to keep in mind and on the playlist." Dante Zuniga-West

Eugene Weekly, Volume XXXI, Number 3
- Eugene Weekly

Aside from the fitting geographical location, UNT harbors a music school of high regard. So, what else should three classically trained double-bass majors do when they meet a skilled violinist? Start a band, of course!

Enter Robert Sherwood (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Marisa Sherwood (guitar, vocals) and August Dennis (bass), who met violinist Carlo Canlas at a coffee-shop performance. For the three bass students, being trained on the same instrument placed them all on an identical musical wavelength—but adding Canlas was the finishing touch. Together, they form Backwater Opera.

From the coffee shop to taking first place at festival competitions—including just finishing 35 Denton earlier in the month—Backwater Opera’s covered a lot of ground since founding in 2009. Their instrumentation can only be described as Johann Bach meets Nickel Creek; bass and violin offer a sophisticated alternative as the boys juxtapose their sound with the plunkings of the mandolin and guitar. Robert and Marisa’s playful duets and powerful solos are enrapturing on originals like “Kathleen’s Farewell,” and fun on covers of The Beatles and The Strokes.

Marisa provided some insight to the group’s unique sound before they hit Juggling Gypsy on Saturday, March 31st.

encore (e): How do you incorporate a modern appeal into chamber music and bluegrass—or chambergrass?
Marisa Sherwood (MS): Because of our classical roots and bluegrass instrumentation, chambergrass seemed like the perfect description. I wish we could say that we coined it, but after a year of use, we learned that there are actually a few bands who already call themselves chambergrass. We’re just happy that the idea is spreading!

New music is constantly emerging, and we’re always finding something new and different to inspire us. I think the easiest way to bring a modern twist to “older” genres is by simply throwing the idea of genres out the window and just playing what we feel the song needs.

e: The band is just over two years old, but you seem to have accomplished so much in the short time together.
MS: Two years doesn’t sound like a long time, but when you put the amount of work required to succeed as a modern DIY band, sometimes the two years seems much longer. We are endlessly proud of what we have accomplished so far, and hope that it sends a message to all new bands that if you put enough time and hard work into your craft, you can accomplish just about anything. That’s not to say that it’s been an easy road, though.

The biggest tools that a band has at their disposal today are social networking (both online and in person), the magic of open-mic nights which give a group an outlet to practice their performance and meet other musicians, and websites like SonicBids or Reverb Nation, which have numerous free festivals and gigs that you can submit to. You just have to take the time to sift through the huge list to find ones that are relevant to you.

e: Is your new EP still expected this month? And why release an EP rather than make another full-length album?
MS: We’re actually in the process of recording the EP now, so you can still expect to see it really soon. The primary reason we decided to record it is because the songs from our first album have all been rewritten since losing a former fifth member (Larry Vanderpool on cello). Although we are so proud of our original LP, we are recording this in order to give our audience an accurate representation of what our current live sound is. Since we’ll be touring and thus introducing ourselves to brand-new audiences, we wanted to have this in the meantime until we record our official LP this coming May.

e: What’s the deal with Tree Shows?
MS: The downtown Denton square lawn is easily our favorite stage. We started to do Tree Shows to serve the purpose of getting our music out into the Denton scene while providing performance practice for ourselves, which we believe is just as important as private practice.
Eve - Encore Magazine - Wilmington, NC

Aside from the fitting geographical location, UNT harbors a music school of high regard. So, what else should three classically trained double-bass majors do when they meet a skilled violinist? Start a band, of course!

Enter Robert Sherwood (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Marisa Sherwood (guitar, vocals) and August Dennis (bass), who met violinist Carlo Canlas at a coffee-shop performance. For the three bass students, being trained on the same instrument placed them all on an identical musical wavelength—but adding Canlas was the finishing touch. Together, they form Backwater Opera.

From the coffee shop to taking first place at festival competitions—including just finishing 35 Denton earlier in the month—Backwater Opera’s covered a lot of ground since founding in 2009. Their instrumentation can only be described as Johann Bach meets Nickel Creek; bass and violin offer a sophisticated alternative as the boys juxtapose their sound with the plunkings of the mandolin and guitar. Robert and Marisa’s playful duets and powerful solos are enrapturing on originals like “Kathleen’s Farewell,” and fun on covers of The Beatles and The Strokes.

Marisa provided some insight to the group’s unique sound before they hit Juggling Gypsy on Saturday, March 31st.

encore (e): How do you incorporate a modern appeal into chamber music and bluegrass—or chambergrass?
Marisa Sherwood (MS): Because of our classical roots and bluegrass instrumentation, chambergrass seemed like the perfect description. I wish we could say that we coined it, but after a year of use, we learned that there are actually a few bands who already call themselves chambergrass. We’re just happy that the idea is spreading!

New music is constantly emerging, and we’re always finding something new and different to inspire us. I think the easiest way to bring a modern twist to “older” genres is by simply throwing the idea of genres out the window and just playing what we feel the song needs.

e: The band is just over two years old, but you seem to have accomplished so much in the short time together.
MS: Two years doesn’t sound like a long time, but when you put the amount of work required to succeed as a modern DIY band, sometimes the two years seems much longer. We are endlessly proud of what we have accomplished so far, and hope that it sends a message to all new bands that if you put enough time and hard work into your craft, you can accomplish just about anything. That’s not to say that it’s been an easy road, though.

The biggest tools that a band has at their disposal today are social networking (both online and in person), the magic of open-mic nights which give a group an outlet to practice their performance and meet other musicians, and websites like SonicBids or Reverb Nation, which have numerous free festivals and gigs that you can submit to. You just have to take the time to sift through the huge list to find ones that are relevant to you.

e: Is your new EP still expected this month? And why release an EP rather than make another full-length album?
MS: We’re actually in the process of recording the EP now, so you can still expect to see it really soon. The primary reason we decided to record it is because the songs from our first album have all been rewritten since losing a former fifth member (Larry Vanderpool on cello). Although we are so proud of our original LP, we are recording this in order to give our audience an accurate representation of what our current live sound is. Since we’ll be touring and thus introducing ourselves to brand-new audiences, we wanted to have this in the meantime until we record our official LP this coming May.

e: What’s the deal with Tree Shows?
MS: The downtown Denton square lawn is easily our favorite stage. We started to do Tree Shows to serve the purpose of getting our music out into the Denton scene while providing performance practice for ourselves, which we believe is just as important as private practice.
Eve - Encore Magazine - Wilmington, NC

"The most innovative band on the program [of the 2012 Florence Winter Folk Festival] was Backwater Opera from Denton, Texas. Four classical music students with eclectic tastes created chambergrass, combining folk, bluegrass, rock, and classical licks and intricately woven harmony and whistling." -Burney Garelick

Siuslaw News, 122nd Year, Issue No. 5 - Siuslaw News

"The most innovative band on the program [of the 2012 Florence Winter Folk Festival] was Backwater Opera from Denton, Texas. Four classical music students with eclectic tastes created chambergrass, combining folk, bluegrass, rock, and classical licks and intricately woven harmony and whistling." -Burney Garelick

Siuslaw News, 122nd Year, Issue No. 5 - Siuslaw News

After a trip to New Orleans during spring break, Abigail Glavy knew she had to do something for the people affected by the Gulf oil disaster.

“I got a feel for the community, and I found out how important the Gulf was to people,” said Glavy, a 19-year-old public relations student at the University of North Texas.

“I couldn’t wait to help clean it up,” she said.

To help, Glavy organized the Save the Coast Benefit show, an event scheduled for 6 to 10 p.m. today at Art Six Coffee House, 424 Bryan St. in Denton.

“I wanted to bring the whole city together,” she said. “We’re not by the Gulf, but we can still help out.”

There will be a $5 cover charge at the door and a donation box, she said, with all of the proceeds going to Matter of Trust — an organization that collects hair to help soak up oil spills — and the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Florida.

Proceeds will be split evenly between the two organizations, she said.

Sam Roberston, An Absence of Color, Sundress and Backwater Opera are some of the bands performing during the event.

“There will be a little something for everyone,” she said.

A hair stylist will be on hand to trim hair for donations to Matter of Trust, Glavy said.

“I thought it would be a fun way to kick the show up a notch,” she said. - Denton Record Chronicle