Michael Glabicki hears it all the time. Someone returning from South America, Australia or some other distant port of call reports hearing Rusted Root at a bar, a nightspot or some other public gathering. Of course, music is the international language, and American music specifically tends to have a resonance that transcends cultures. But Glabicki, who performs with Rusted Root on Saturday at Mr. Small's Funhouse Theater in Millvale, thinks there's another element at play that goes back to the band's earliest stages. "Starting out, I wasn't that into the actual meaning of the lyrics," says the lead singer and guitarist. "It was more the tones underneath the words, what that was communicating to people. We did it here in Pittsburgh, we developed it in front of an audience, and you could see people responding to tones and rhythmic patterns that I hadn't heard of. They were just sort of coming out, so I can see someone in Brazil having that same experience based on it being a real response based on something that is unique." There are three remaining original members of Rusted Root: Glabicki; singer, guitarist and percussionist Liz Berlin, and Patrick Norman on bass and vocals. Newer players include percussionist Jason Miller and guitarists Dirk Miller and Colter Harper. Harper, whose background is in jazz, has especially brought a new dimension to the band. "I'm really excited about his approach to not only playing solos, but how he layers inside the band," Glabicki says. "He also has traveled several times to Africa and has studied guitar there. So the combination of the African and the jazz guitars is a unique thing." Rusted Root, currently recording new material for an album slated to be released later this year, is starting its 18th year. Yes, that's right; the band formed in 1990, and Glabicki says he had no doubts that the band would succeed and endure. And, he insists, he was always sure that the band would not remain static or locked into its original sound. "It's incorporating more ideas now," Glabicki says. "Different ideas in the songwriting itself are able to be approached. ... Dirk Miller does some really great textural, ambient stuff, and Dirk and Colter play off each other really well."

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Rusted Root

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