Hood Smoke

“Bryan Doherty bends the bass into something rarely heard, but entirely worth the price of admission.” So says All Music Guide, and they’re right: Much like Doherty’s brilliant bass playing, his band Hood Smoke blends soul and pop a la Rufus, David Byrne and The Band. Hood Smoke’s line-up reads like a “who’s who” of Chicago music masters, all of whom have played with everyone from Quincy Jones to Koko Taylor to Steve Coleman and Howard Levy. Rising star Sarah Marie Young’s voice will no doubt turn heads with its uncanny combination of grit and precision. Her voice and her bandmates’ undeniable chops make Hood Smoke’s album, Laid Up In Ordinary, a must-hear release of 2013.