New Ragged Union Release, Pyramid Stairs

It had been since 2017 that I last saw Ragged Union on stage. At that time, they were

within a stacked Durango Bluegrass Meltdown lineup with several of my favorite

bluegrass singers: Robert Greer, David Parmley, Kathy Kallick, and Greg Blake… Within this heavy field of competition for the crowd, as attendees roamed from theater to theater in that storied Southwest town, Ragged Union delivered. No surprise for bluegrass fans who follow the Front Range scene. Still, flashforward to the 2025 Midwinter Bluegrass Festival of north Denver, and my anticipation was high for taking in their original music after years of absentee fandom on my part.

Over those years the band had been busy, touring in different configurations with

varying lineups, and returning in 2024 – and dialed in for Midwinter – with a five-piece

format that presented their full potential. Along with the incomparable, Annie Sirotniak, I was an emcee for the event and took note of the “unexpected arrangements” phrase in their band bio. What was to be unexpected in today’s world of predominantly original bluegrass music? To the delight and awe of those attending Midwinter, Ragged Union brought the blend of tight musicianship and the freedom of improvisation that only talent at the highest levels can achieve.

In this writer’s opinion, their arrangements of original songwriting were next level, or

what I’ve been hearing in a few rare bands, a certain “Phish” element (with apologies if

Phish is not an influence in the least). Bands on the scene such as The Infamous

Stringdusters and Stillhouse Junkies bring instrumental sections to lyrical songs that

aren’t improvisational jams, but instead, composed chords and melodies that

complement the verses and flow around a chorus. There is a “movement” feel, where

the verse/chorus structure of traditional bluegrass breaks open like a storm through the Rockies: one cloudburst bringing the ferocity of hail upon the ridgeline, the sweet

fragrance of new growth sprinkles in the valley, and the depth of rising waters to the

canyon. In bluegrass (thankfully) it’s not the “Reba” or “Squirming Coil” of a college-level thesis approach; it’s a seasoned skill that a certain few are daring to bring to the

bluegrass stage. I heard it in Ragged Union live at Midwinter and I hear it again in their

new album, “Pyramid Stairs.”

The movement of Ragged Union’s unexpected arrangements can be heard right off the opening track of “Spell the Rain.” What one may initially take as a peppy waltz soon

flows into cascading chorus vocals in a seemingly changed meter from verses, then

with a belting out bridge toward the end, the melody brought out by the fiddle

throughout. Are these three different songs? No, lyrically there is connection.

Melodically there is unison. As a band they deliver the movements to create the unified

song.

Now don’t get me wrong, song after song of “Pyramid Stairs” isn’t some sort of Vegas

Sphere trip demanding a multisensory lightshow. Straightforward bluegrass is tried and true, though with the original storytelling of band founder, Geoff Union, at the forefront. A veteran and highly respected flat-picker, singer, and songwriter of Colorado, the Fayetteville, North Carolina native, Union is the primary songsmith of Ragged Union. If “thinking outside of the box” is an admirable trait in business, then it’s Union’s “thinking outside of the git-box” that finds success in bluegrass. As the band states in their press, “Geoff is known for a songwriting style that’s light and bouncy on the surface, but lyrically deep and complex, with plenty of twists and turns in the music to make the listener come back again and again.”

Continuing on the resounding path of “Pyramid Stairs,” the songs “Knoxville” and

“Chickamauga” take the listener along that tried and true, while “Lower Than Lonesome” again finds the unexpected, this time with a chorus harmony blossoming from the dim lights and thick smoke with the colorful dynamics of a pop hook, pulling the listener into a “So long, so long, so long…” singalong.

After the singing and instrumentation prowess of “Nightbird” and “Porcupumpkin,” I was happily surprised when the one cover of the album came around with the swing of a lost love traveler in Marshall Tucker Band’s, “This Old Cowboy.” Personally, I’m a huge fan of that 1970’s country folk rock vibe of Charlie Daniels, NRPS, the Dirt Band, and of course, Marshall Tucker Band. Cover a song out of this vast catalog and you’ve got me along for the ride.

The album digs deep into its final few tracks, with, “The Porch Swing” being the epitome of Ragged Union’s signature sound of unexpected arrangement. The song is sit-for-a-spell reflection of changing tempos, a twisting narrative, improvisational sections of heavy rhythm and dancing leads, and a fiddle-driven melodic lick holding it all together with purpose. After this song-of-the-album, you’re set up for the sublime bowing instrumental of “Baker City” and lyrical sendoff of, “That Old Used to Be.”

But to end on a quick note of definition, what exactly is “sublime bowing”? Well, it’s

Rebekah Durham. A Midland, Texas native, world-class violinist, Durham is the not-so-

hidden weapon of the album, as her Juilliard trained fiddling intricacies find the keening notes of bluegrass melody and rawness of the old time.

At the 2025 Midwinter Bluegrass Festival my biggest takeaway was how truly awesome all the Colorado-based bands performed (more than holding their own among national tightens of the genre). Stage banter was professional, but personal. Songwriting was catchy, yet poignant. Musicianship was skillful, while finding breath. Era after era of Colorado bluegrass falls upon the ears of the State’s fortunate acoustic string band fans. We’re spoiled, but we work for it. We support the bands by attending shows, purchasing T-shirts and wearing them proudly, slapping stickers on our coolers, and hitting-up festival after festival like touring kids of old. An enjoyable way to carry-on this “work for it” attitude and bolster today’s vibrant era of Colorado bluegrass is to attend a Ragged Union show or jump online to track down a copy of their new release, “Pyramid Stairs.”

Ragged Union is:

Geoff Union – guitar and vocal

Rebekah Durham - fiddle and vocal

Elio Schiavo - mandolin and vocal

Chris Elliott – banjo

Ian Haegele – bass

And more of their “unexpected arrangements” can be found at:

https://raggedunionbluegrass.com/