Red Rocks Interview and Photos: Reaching the Heights with Max Ribner (Medicine for the People)
Sunday July 26, 2015. The momentum was bubbling, and my Facebook news feed was flooding with pre-show photos and shenanigans. I relate the energy of the big day to the Super Bowl. The rocky terrain made me imagine an army of warriors going to battle somewhere in an ancient desert. However, like Nahko Bear says, “We are a part of something special.” So, for me as a fan, follower, friend, and tribe member, it was much larger than a football game. It represented unity, celebration, and a hint of what the future will hold. It felt as if the universe’s chosen band of wild children had landed on the largest stage in all the heavens in order to continue inspiring the current generations. Music moves people in the most magical way, it heals, and it teaches. As Nahko and Medicine for the People were breaking through a threshold and reaching a pinnacle moment in their lives, so was I. I left home on July 4th for an adventure across the country, and it was surely inspired by Nahko’s personal journey. It was the one-year anniversary of my music journalism journey, and my favorite band was playing at Red Rocks Amphitheater for the first time. My goals, intentions, and manifestations were coming to life. I was fortunate to link up with the giant peaceful man usually wearing bell bottoms and drinking green juice, Max Ribner of Medicine for the People, minutes before they went on stage, to ask him a few questions about the past, present, and the future.
“Max Ribner here. Red Rocks 2015. Playing flugelhorn with Medicine for the People. I’ve known Nahko Bear for 8 years, and this tonight is a pinnacle moment for our music career and offering for medicine. This is a huge moment. I’ve been through it with him in crumby old open mics at bars, to farmers markets, to yoga studios. Also, I didn’t mention this online, to troubled youth workshops, where we would offer it to the kids. So this a beautiful moment.”
Was this all in Portland?
“This was all over Hawaii, Portland, and all over the West Coast. Now, as you guys know, ‘Medicine’ has expanded to Australia, Bali, to Canada, to the States, Costa Rica, to Europe. They are going to do a London tour. I’ve been really blessed to reunite and rekindle with this brother here and the band with open arms and kind of just pick and choose where I can be playing these gigs with them again.”
So you’re doing your full-time band as well, then on the side, when you can make time you’re going to collab with Nahko?
“Yeah. So, my band is Max Ribner Band. Right now it’s kind of at a point where it’s resting. What’s been shown in the forefront is playing more with Nahko, back to the roots, and really getting up there on more platforms like this. Like Red Rocks, this big platform to share it, to give it, to love it. Yeah, of course, part of the ‘medicine’ is branching out and bringing medicine with the kids, with the elders, with dance. And that’s maxribnerband.com for all free videos and stuff like that.”
So playing with Nahko can build a larger platform for your band. Then, there is just more and more “medicine.”
“Yes, exactly. So we are all just elevating each other. Including the crowd. I want to make it clear. I think a lot of you guys know that the crowd is just as important as the band. We are all here at this experience together. In a sense Nahko is being… well, the musicians and Nahko are being messengers for this music, and we are reflecting it out to everyone that’s really joining forces and maybe that aren’t even joining forces. It’s really important to know that we are all in this together, we’re a part of this special moment.
Since we only have a little bit of time left (before they hit the stage), I’ll ask a couple quick questions. So back then when you first met Nahko you were playing at these ‘lower-level’ places, when you were just starting out and trying to get into your groove. Did you always know there was something special?
“Ah dude. Yeah. You could always know that. And our motto was if we even move one person in the room, we’ve done our job. And like that classic moment I just wrote about (facebook post) of him looking back at me after this cold night, just this interesting venue, with this bar, not a lot of people, just these cold streets carrying a cahon , the trumpet, the gear, the guitars. He just, he looked back, and he said, ‘It’s gonna get better,’ and I was smiling like ‘yup.’ But to know that all musicians go through that. To really think about what a rock star is. It’s really beyond. It’s walking that medicine off stage, so I’m really dedicating my time as well to be a positive influence. And to remember those moments, and not say, not think I’m higher because of where I’m at. Because we’re all climbing up this mountain together.”
Yes. We all each have our individual goals. Like myself, I’m trying to get there.
“Yeah, and you’re there.”
To share my passions, like this right now, with people. And you know “medicine.” Okay last question, since you guys are about to go on. Where do you see the rest of your 2015 year going?
“I see it mapping out more with Nahko to be honest. It’s just been clear. Then hopefully reintegrating some of my music here and there. Who knows? Maybe getting some of my songs to open up for his band. Then I can expand it, you know. Because, I’ve been kind of plateauing in a sense with the music. I’m ready for it to expand, but with the flugelhorn I can go wherever I want. And to really work with what I got. And for one, I believe in the medicine, I believe in Nahko. And I believe in this message. There’s a reason Spirit has called me back here. You can expect more flugelhorn with MFTP in 2015 and onward.”
Alright I really appreciate your time, and I look forward to talking to you again real soon.
Since then, I have been in communication with Max, who also has his own seven-piece band, Max Ribner Band (funk./soul/jazz/R&B/rock/world). It includes a huge extended musical family. He is a Berklee College of Music graduate and chose to root in Portland, Oregon’s music scene. This is where he would eventually join forces with Nahko Bear. Thank you to The String Cheese Incident for inviting the tribe to play before your show. Thank you to Max and the rest of the tribe. Don’t forget to follow your dreams!
Photography by Josue Rivas (josuerivasfoto.com)