From playing local gigs at ski resorts in exchange for free lift tickets, the band is composed of Michael Kang (acoustic/electric mandolin, electric guitar, and violin), Michael Travis (drums and percussion), Bill Nershi (acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, and electric slide guitar), Kyle Hollingsworth (piano, organ, Rhodes, and accordion), and Keith Moseley (bass guitar), and, in 2006, Jason Hann (auxiliary percussion).
The String Cheese Incident has been described as a democratic ensemble rather than a band, since all of the members contribute their own original compositions to the group’s burgeoning library and share the vocal burden on a number of cover versions as well as their own songs. If a de facto leader had to be named, such a title would probably fall upon Nershi, who is responsible for the bulk of the group’s original song library.
From their management, Madison House Inc.:
"The String Cheese Incident has emerged as one of America’s most significant independent bands. Born in 1993 in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, SCI has since released 6 albums, 3 DVDs and countless live recordings from their relentless tour schedule. Their 14 year history is packed full of surreal experiences, epic moments, groundbreaking involvement and huge accomplishments. They have been recognized for their commitment to musical creativity and integrity, for their community spirit, philanthropic endeavors, and for their innovative approach to the business of music.
When The String Cheese Incident’s growth first started gaining momentum over a decade ago, when the internet was just beginning to take hold and the major-label business model was failing, the band decided to make music on their own terms.
Since then, The String Cheese Incident has gone on to carve out a completely different approach to the business of music; they are truly pioneers of a new way of “making a band.” With the World Wide Web as their tool, SCI was among the first artists to disseminate information via the internet, such as tour dates, release information, and other news, to their growing fan base. Rather than doing business on such terms as “the bottom line,” The String Cheese Incident put their music and their fans first, opening companies of their own, including a ticketing company, a merchandise company and a fan travel agency, to best serve their community. The band’s record label, SCI Fidelity Records, has always operated under the same ideals. Even early on, SCI Fidelity embraced downloadable music and file sharing, delivering SCI’s “On the Road” series, where every show the band plays is made available for download on the internet. Whether they realized it at the time or not, The String Cheese Incident was inventing grassroots band development. Today, literally hundreds of bands are using some version of this same approach to building a band.
The String Cheese Incident’s commitment goes well beyond their immediate community, and even beyond the music community as a whole. Early on, the band took a serious interest in giving back to the communities that they visited, and they were among the first performers to encourage “Green” shows and tours. SCI’s support has helped give rise to such not-for-profit organizations as Conscious Alliance, Rock the Earth, and Head Count. In 2002, when the band’s right to sell tickets to their own shows became threatened by ticketing giant Ticketmaster, the band stood strong for the independent music community and filed a lawsuit against the company. All the while, The String Cheese Incident has stayed committed to music as a creative endeavor, not just in their recordings but also in their live performances. The list of SCI’s special guests and collaborators is long and diverse. Their annual events such as Horning’s Hideout, and holiday shows such as New Year’s and Halloween, have helped redefine the concert experience and has garnered the band a reputation as live music vibe innovators."
Some side groups are eoto, zilla with Jamie Janover, Zuvuya, Honkytonk Homeslice, Billy nershi's Plue Planet, Pangaea, The Trancident & Keller Williams with Moseley Droll and Sipe
San Jose
The String Cheese Incident Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sun is shining, the birds are singing
Other children are calling
The gang's all here and there's no time for waiting
As they run down the alley, merchants sort their fare
Preparing for the day, they wait for today's first pay
Not impatient not eager, they're familiar with the meter of
Just another day in the streets of San José
They sing
A-oom, a-oom, buenos dias
A-oom, a-oom, como estais
A-oom, a-oom, how is your family
A-oom, a-oom, so good to see you today
Pedro knows it's time to go home now
The sun is sinking, the birds have stopped singing
Other childrens' mothers are calling
At home they know a meal will be bubbling
As they run down la calle, musicians fill the air
With songs of love, songs of love and despair
Conqueros, charangos, all sensing the tempos of
Just another night in San José's light
They sing
A-oom, a-oom, buenas noches
A-oom, a-oom, hasta mañana
A-oom, a-oom, time to go home now?
A-oom, a-oom, just sing one more song for me
transposed by: TheDreadfulGreat
The String Cheese Incident's song "San Jose" is a heartwarming tribute to the vibrant streets of San Jose, as seen through the eyes of a young boy named Pedro. The song paints a vivid picture of the daily routines of life in the bustling city. In the morning, Pedro wakes up to the bright sun and the cheerful singing of birds, quickly meeting up with his friends to play and roam the alleyways while local merchants get ready for a day of selling their wares. The atmosphere is lively, yet calm - everyone is used to the rhythm of life in San Jose.
As the day wears on, Pedro and the other children are called back to their homes by their mothers, where they know that a warm meal will be waiting for them. The streets take on a different tone at night, with musicians filling the air with love songs and haunting melodies on their guitars, charangos, and other instruments. Pedro and his friends soak in the magic of San Jose's moonlit streets, singing the familiar refrain of "A-oom, a-oom" as they head home.
The song's lyrics echo the sense of community and togetherness that can be found in cities around the world, especially ones like San Jose, where the streets are filled with music and laughter even in the face of daily struggles. The verses are filled with vivid imagery that captures the spirit of San Jose, making the song a beautiful tribute to a vibrant city.
Line by Line Meaning
Pedro wakes in the morning
Pedro starts his day in the morning
Sun is shining, the birds are singing
The weather is sunny and the birds are chirping
Other children are calling
Pedro's friends are calling him
The gang's all here and there's no time for waiting
Pedro's friends are ready to hang out without any delay
As they run down the alley, merchants sort their fare
While Pedro and his friends run down the alley, merchants are preparing their goods for today's business
Preparing for the day, they wait for today's first pay
The merchants are waiting for their first customers to start selling their goods
Not impatient not eager, they're familiar with the meter of
The merchants are not eager to make sales but are used to the slow pace of business
Just another day in the streets of San José
This is a typical day in San José's streets
They sing
Pedro and his friends start singing a song
A-oom, a-oom, buenos dias
They sing 'Good morning' in a rhythmic way
A-oom, a-oom, como estais
They ask 'How are you?' in a rhythmic way
A-oom, a-oom, how is your family
They ask 'How is your family?' in a rhythmic way
A-oom, a-oom, so good to see you today
They express joy in seeing each other in a rhythmic way
Pedro knows it's time to go home now
Pedro realizes that it's time to head back home
The sun is sinking, the birds have stopped singing
The sun is setting, and the birds have stopped chirping
Other childrens' mothers are calling
Pedro's friends' mothers are calling them back home
At home they know a meal will be bubbling
Pedro and his friends know that their mothers will have cooked a meal for them at home
As they run down la calle, musicians fill the air
While running down the road, they hear musicians playing in the air
With songs of love, songs of love and despair
The musicians play songs about love and heartbreak
Conqueros, charangos, all sensing the tempos of
The percussion and string instruments are in sync with each other
Just another night in San José's light
This is a typical night under San José's light
They sing
Pedro and his friends start singing again
A-oom, a-oom, buenas noches
They sing 'Good night' in a rhythmic way
A-oom, a-oom, hasta mañana
They say 'See you tomorrow' in a rhythmic way
A-oom, a-oom, time to go home now?
They question 'Is it time to go back home?' in a rhythmic way
A-oom, a-oom, just sing one more song for me
They request 'Just sing one more song for me' in a rhythmic way
Contributed by Brody A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dana Wright
on Water
“Phosphorescent, luminescent, nature’s show astounds me”
Dana Wright
on Water
“Cicadas, in minor, all sing a melody so inventing” 100% correct.