Pressing Strings and Driftwood

Pressing Strings

Hailing from Annapolis, Maryland, Pressing Strings is a powerhouse trio–led by guitarist and vocalist Jordan Sokel–has earned a loyal following with their genre bending blend of blues, rock, and folk, wrapped in soul-stirring storytelling and toe tapping grooves. Their music resonates with the emotional grit of blues, the laid back swagger of folk, and the urgency of modern rock.

Whether delivering heartfelt ballads or energetic anthems, Pressing Strings weaves lyrical introspection and high-caliber musicianship that feels both fresh and familiar. Sokel’s smokey voice and intricate guitar work is complimented masterfully by a star rhythm section. Held down tightly by drummer Justin Kruger–an energetic and charismatic performer whose style mirrors his outside the box personality and unique approach to the instrument, along with bassist Nick Welker–a solid and stoic figure who picks melodic lines and chordal voicings that makes the trio sound full and lush.  All three members sing, adding harmonies reminiscent of southern California in the 70’s. Together they push the limits of what a trio can do and provide an immersive, feel-good vibe that hits the audience’s heart as hard as it does the ears.  Visit their website.

Driftwood

The Upstate New York folk-rock group Driftwood—founded by Joe Kollar and Dan Forsyth, and now including Claire Byrne, Joey Arcuri, and Sam Fishman—continues to evolve its shapeshifting folk approach.

Their transformative sixth album, December Last Call, was recorded in the very basement where the dream began. It lyrically reflects on the group’s journey through life changes and the pandemic, while sonically looking ahead by experimenting with hard-rocking electric guitars and percussion alongside their bluegrass roots.

A key strength is the breadth of talent, with Claire, Joe, and Dan all contributing as songwriters and vocalists. This collaborative push-pull is “at the heart of what we do,” says Dan Forsyth, leading to a self-produced effort focused on capturing their distinctive live energy. The band relies on a devoted, crowd-funded community of “supporters” and “friends” who see that Driftwood is about more than music. As Joe Kollar summarizes, “Driftwood is basically a beautiful friendship that happens to play music together.” Visit their website.