There are many different bands that play funky, eclectic, and
psychedelic music. Most of this music is usually improvisational
or jam-oriented. This kind of music is expansive and genre-crossing.
Some of the bands that play this kind of music are the Grateful Dead,
the Allman Brothers Band, Phish, Widespread Panic, the String Cheese
Incident, Leftover Salmon, moe., Umphrey's McGee, the Big
Wu, Strangefolk, and Soulive.
A big contributer towards keeping this music successful and
enjoyable is the guitar. Several bands are guitar-oriented in
nature and their main, lead instrumentalist is a guitarist. Some of the
better guitar players in the scene are Jerry Garcia, Duane Allman, Dickey
Betts, Trey Anastasio, Chuck Garvey, Fareed Haque, Jake Cinninger, Jon
Trafton, Warren Haynes, and Jimmy Herring.
Southern blues is one popular genre. Several acts, such
as the Allmans, Widespread Panic, and the North Mississippi All-Stars play
this type of music. Another popular genre is New Orleans-style funk.
The Funky Meters and the Radiators are examples of bands that play this
kind of funk.