At first, Polytoxic was a joke.
Not that these three guys are music newcomers. Far from it. Each one came to the improv-
rock trio with a music pedigree deeply rooted in the local jam scene.
Then, two years ago, one of the three – keyboardist CR Gruver – was tapped to play with the Atlanta-based Southern rock band Outformation, of which Widespread Panic guitar tech Sam Holt is a key member. That meant the beginning of an even more exciting ride for Polytoxic.
Today, Gruver’s higher profile paired with Polytoxic’s consistent local gigging means the band has managed to distinguish itself in a region oversaturated with jam bands.
We caught up to Gruver just as Polytoxic and Outformation prepared for a February mini-tour of Colorado and the Southwest.
Q: “Gruver” sounds like “groover.” That’s surely not a coincidence?
A: It is an honest coincidence. My daddy was a Gruver. His daddy was a Gruver. We’re all a bunch of Gruvers.
People think it’s a stage name all the time. I get plenty of ribbing for it. My ancestors came from Holland, where the name was Gruber. But a lot of names were reinterpreted at Ellis Island.
Q: There’s so much improv rock in Colorado. Is that because there’s so much talent, or do mediocre jam bands get gigs because there are so many Colorado jam fans?
A: It’s a beautiful blend of both in my mind. There is great talent in (the state), and there’s a lot of support. A good music scene depends on that symbiosis. I hate to judge anyone else’s music because whether a band is good or bad is all in how someone perceives them.
I guess some bands are regurgitating things that came before them – that’s true of any genre. This is a great place to be in a jam band. People here go out and see music on a nightly basis.
Q: There’s this idea that great rock bands are generally foursomes. Are there merits to a trio?
A: The merits are endless for us. Primarily, it’s a musical thing. Since I play bass with my left hand and keys with my right hand, we can turn on a dime, whether that means changing the key or the tempo or the groove. It gives us a lot of musical and improvisational freedom. Financially, having three people enables us to get one hotel room instead of two. Travel takes less time, and there’s one less person to pay at the end of the night.
We actually stumbled into the whole trio thing. It started with just me and (singer-guitarist) Tori Pater doing an acoustic duo. Then this drummer (Chad Johnson) started showing up at all our gigs, and he was really pretty good, so we decided to keep him.
Polytoxic plays Monday nights at the Washington Park Grille. The band is also on tour in February with Outformation. Look for shows in Keystone, Boulder, Fort Collins and Denver.
