There isn’t a Seven Daysies award for Most Hustle in the Vermont Music Scene. But if there were, ZacK James would take home the prize in 2026. The Brattleboro native and Burlington resident — you’ll read about his swiftly ascending indie-rock band Robber Robber in next week’s Soundbites — is a seemingly inexhaustible font of musical energy and songwriting.
On top of Robber Robber’s release earlier this month of Two Wheels Move the Soul, to widespread critical acclaim, James’ other band, Dari Bay, dropped a fresh track titled “We’re Gonna Be Okay” on April 7. A dreamy slice of indie rock, complete with a music video of James and his partner and Robber Robber bandmate Nina Cates cavorting in the woods, the song is an advance single from a forthcoming album titled Surprise Wish, out on June 26.
James is also a full-time member of Portland, Ore., indie-rock outfit Unknown Mortal Orchestra and often performs with fellow Vermont acts Greg Freeman, Lily Seabird and Lutalo. Did I mention he wrote and recorded much of the recent Robber Robber and Dari Bay music while finishing up his studies at the University of Vermont? Just writing all of that wore me out.
“We’re Gonna Be Okay” is streaming now on major services.
Burlington composer, singer and keyboardist Tyler Mast is dropping a new album soon. The LP, Pegasus, is a follow-up to 2022’s In the Company of a Friend and the EP I Could Get Used to Your Love, which came out in March. To celebrate, Mast has released an advance single, “Rolling in the Sand.” It’s a breezy folk-rock number on which Mast’s buttery-smooth voice channels a romantic, almost pop vibe. Check it out at tylermastmusic.com.
New music and cultural project Root Sounds Productions is launching with an open house on Tuesday, April 21, at the Black River Innovation Campus at 60 Park Street in Springfield. According to a press release, the organization is an “artistic and cultural production company dedicated to preserving, transforming, and transmitting ancestral musical traditions,” particularly those of central Africa.
Founded by married duo Paulin Lukombo Sinu, a composer, percussionist and educator born in central Africa and raised in the Congo Basin, and Johanna Sorrentino, a communications strategist and performing artist from Springfield, Root Sounds’ open house is “an evening dedicated to a deeper understanding of music history, and a dialogue on how cultural exchange can bring a community closer together.”
The open house will feature a documentary on music from the former Kingdom of Kongo, a live musical performance showcasing the connection between African rhythms and genres such as blues and jazz, and a conversation on community building, complete with Congolese coffee, tea and chocolate.
The organization gets right down to business the next day. Its first official class, a six-week course on African drumming, kicks off Wednesday, April 22.
“The rhythms of Central Africa are at the root of so much of the music the world loves — jazz, funk, gospel, popular music,” Sorrentino said in the press release. “We want people in Vermont to feel that connection, to develop music skills based on it, and to experience how learning together across cultures builds something real in a community.”
To learn more, visit rootsoundsproduction.com.
Good news from the folks at What Doth Life: The Windsor-based musician collective has officially become a nonprofit.
Founded in 2010, WDL has been a passionate force for Vermont music, particularly in the southern reaches of the state, releasing dozens of albums and compilations from Green Mountain musicians and bands such as the Pilgrims, Carton and McAsh, among others. The org has also raised money for flood relief and held multiple community fundraisers, all while promoting indie artists and helping foster a scene in Vermont’s otherwise spread-out musical ecosystem.
“Organizing as a nonprofit will allow us to support more musical projects and endeavors for our community, and give us more freedom with resources that support our mission,” the WDL board said in a press release. “We aim to support and protect artistic vision, open venues to present works to audiences, and provide tools to sharpen skills needed to be successful in all musical endeavors.”
To keep up with news, releases, shows, fundraisers and more, visit whatdothlife.com.
Finally, the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival announces its entire 2026 lineup on Wednesday, April 15 — aka the street date of this issue. Read a full rundown of this year’s fest right here on the Seven Days website when the lineup is live.
This article appears in April 15 • 2026.
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