A folk group hailing from “the beautiful hills of Roxborough,” Turtle Ridge performs music steeped in a long lineage of bluegrass and Americana. But listen closely and you’re bound to hear influences ranging from rock to jazz and more. The group will bring its unique sound to the Pastorius Park Concert Series on Wednesday, June 25 at 7:30 p.m.

“We definitely have a lot of Midwest emo influences as well as jazz, rock and blues,” guitarist and vocalist Dav Shields said in an email. “We're all musicians from different backgrounds. Nolan, our bassist, went to school for jazz performance and our banjo player, Doug, is a multi-instrumentalist local legend who prefers to play songs that are public domain. He learned banjo for our band. Colin has a theater background and did vocals in the past for a more rock/punk/hardcore band and I'm self-taught on guitar.” 

This heady mixture of genres makes for songs that are in turn expansive and intimate, loaded with choruses that insist listeners sing along. Even if genres like Midwest emo and hardcore have you scratching your head, Turtle Ridge’s genre-expansive approach to songwriting can be immediately appreciated the moment you hear them play.

This is not to suggest that Turtle Ridge’s music is a radical reinterpretation of American traditional music, but rather a celebration of it. “We love to explore the old time/bluegrass instrumentation,” Shields said in the email. “Having a banjo and using a string band to work together to form a drum set of sorts for our rhythm parts and using the extra space from no percussion to really emphasize the vocal harmony.” Those vocal harmonies might be thought of as Turtle Ridge’s secret weapon. On songs like “The Best of This” and “Apocalyptic Love Song,” the union of the band member’s voice soars. 

Turtle Ridge knows that keeping traditions alive means infusing them with new ideas and perspectives. The band draws on its rich and varied musical background to enliven their music, making for a folk and bluegrass sound that is as vital as  ever. 

Turtle Ridge will play two 45-minute sets, with a 15-minute intermission in between. Chairs are available for rental, but bringing your own blanket or folding chair is strongly encouraged. The Pastorius Park Summer Concert series is always free, but donations to the Chestnut Hill Community Association are greatly appreciated. 

For more information on the full Pastorius Park Summer Concert lineup, visit chestnuthill.org