Jackson Hole, Wyo.-When an exceptional specimen is large enough to call it Lunkur, you know it’s worth holding onto. Teton Valley’s latest talent bond—a six-piece rock unit that embraces a jam-oriented approach to their sound—fuses blues, classic rock, jamband, country, and eclectic originals that aim to get people on the dance floor and having a good time.

Lunkur lead singer-guitarist Dahvi Wilson is backed by Ward Blanch and Paul Kelly on electric guitars, Abbott Frank on percussion, bassist Kent Garwick, and drummer Bernie Unruh. A majority of the current lineup formed just over a year ago, hinged through the Knotty Pine open mic night that Garwick once hosted. 

“Open mic night was an important jumping off place for all of us…we realized that we had something good,” Wilson said. “This is the first rock band I’ve played in, and its SO much fun. I think all of us had a dream of being in a band. We decided to go for it and started getting better, and have had a pretty good reception around town which has made it fun.” 

Wilson’s gravelly voice fits the cover material well, digging into classics like “Bobby McGee,” “Not Fade Away,” “Preacher Man,” and “Superstition.” The edge in her voice is a newfound tool for Wilson, who cut several albums with a college a cappella group and performed for Bill Clinton in the White House. Moving from a coffee shop setting to playing music that people dance to has coaxed a new style from within.

“This gravelly voice has found me. I’ve never experienced this before,” said Wilson, who notes Janis, Motown, blues singers and fusion music as influential.  “It’s been a real evolution and discovery process. I get to show off a fun range that’s been challenging with some of the material.”

Lunkur currently has seven original tunes and is developing a writing process. Wilson and Ward have created the spark for new song ideas, and the rest of the band crafts their own part based on the central groove. 

For one of Wilson’s tunes, “Don’t Make Me Beg,” she recorded ideas that she envisioned for each instrument; and in an unorthodox approach, scatted the musical ideas. The balance of delivering fun, danceable cover tunes mixed with a drive to infuse more original music into the setlist has been a good equation for the sextet. 

“We all have different inspirations, and have had some heated discussions about what material to play,” Wilson admitted. “I joke with the guys that I’ve learned more about male communication from being in this band… I like to think that I bring a slightly different perspective, and I joke a lot about being one of the few local bands with a female singer…it doesn’t hurt them to have some skimpy clothes on stage from time to time.” PJH

Lunkur will take stage at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in The Trap Bar at Grand Targhee Resort on Cardboard Box Derby Day, and at 10 p.m. the same night for Grand Targhee Ski Patrol’s Annual Spring Ding Dong at Toni’s Pizza in Driggs. To scope the Lunkur sound, surf to www.lunkur.com or

www.myspace.com/lunkur . 

Lunkur