Rodrigo Ruiz, Trevor Gabriel, Nathaniel Grohmann, Elijah Chen, Jason Keiser – photo © Steven Glaze
California guitarist and composer Jason Keiser has introduced several new members of his New Acoustic Collective, a group dedicated to performing and recording the new acoustic music pioneered by artists like David Grisman and Tony Rice, and the new pieces Jason and his bandmates write.
Now with Keiser in NAC are Trevor Gabriel on mandolin, Elijah Chen on guitar, and Ryan Triolo on bass. They join Jason on guitar and Nathaniel Grohmann on cello.
Chen has been with the group the longest, having grown up playing old time music with his family’s band, The Corn Lickers, with whom he still performs. Also a professional musician, Gabriel teaches and plays around the Bay Area, and runs his own business, Cactus House Recording. Triolo also hails from the San Francisco region, and has played with many artists and outfits over the years, including a new bluegrass act, Bay Area Special, in which Elijah is also a member.
Together they are finishing work now on the fourth album for the quintet, this time with a focus on duet pairings.
Keiser shared his excitement about this next project.
“The record’s theme is centered around duets between members, featuring different instrumentation including mandolin and guitar duets, guitar and cello duets, bass and cello duets, and also includes a few full ensemble pieces to round out the record as well. The album ranges from mostly originals to pieces by our influences including David Grisman, Tony Rice, jazz standards, and more!”
Sounds like something to look forward to. Expect to hear more details soon from Adhyâropa Records, as a summer ’25 release is anticipated.
