The worlds of Hawaiian slack key guitar, psychedelic pedal steel, masterful  keyboard, bass & drum work converge as five virtuosos of the jam band  scene announce the formation of Skeleton Krewe. Born from a  serendipitous collaboration in early 2024, this unique musical collective  features Rob Barraco (Dark Star Orchestra, Phil Lesh & Friends, The  Dead), Barry Sless (Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros, David Nelson Band, Phil  Lesh and Friends), Grammy-nominated Hawaiian slack key guitarist  Stephen Inglis (Billy Kreutzmann), Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship, Hot  Tuna, Phil Lesh & Friends, David Nelson Band) & Jay Lane (Dead &  Company, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, Ratdog). 

The group's formation traces back to January 2024, when Sless and Inglis  first joined forces for what was meant to be a one-off performance. The  chemistry was immediate and undeniable. The duo's successful California  shows caught the attention of keyboard virtuoso Rob Barraco, who joined  forces with Inglis during a Dark Star Orchestra show at the Hawaii Theatre  in April 2024. The natural musical connection between all three players led  to the formation of Skeleton Krewe Trio which in turn led to adding Barry's  longtime musical partners Pete Sears & Jay Lane on bass & drums. 

This collaboration brings together many musical traditions: Inglis's mastery  of Hawaiian slack key guitar (he's a recipient of the prestigious Ki Ho??alu  Legacy Award), Sless's pioneering pedal steel work that has graced stages  with Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, Barraco's sophisticated keyboard artistry that  earned him a place in The Dead's lineup (an experience that preceded  nearly two decades holding the keyboardist chameleon role within Dark  Star Orchestra), the dynamic improvisational work of Pete Sears on bass,  and the solid improvisational drumming of Jay Lane. 

Each performance, Skeleton Crewe promises to offer high level artistry  hosting an intimate evening of original compositions (many of which were  written by Robert Hunter in collaboration with Barraco), Grateful Dead  interpretations, and dynamic improvisations that span genres from  traditional Hawaiian to psychedelic Americana.