MohaviSoul to perform Saturday at the Poway Library

The Poway Library will be going bluegrass this Saturday at 2 p.m. with a concert by MohaviSoul.

The concert, part of the San Diego County Library’s award-winning Acoustic Showcase concert series, is free and open to the public.

MohaviSoul is a San Diego-based, five-member bluegrass band with roots in folk and Americana. It is made up of Mark Miller on guitar and lead vocals; Randy Hanson on mandolin; Orion Boucher on bass; Jason Weiss on banjo and Dan Sankey on fiddle.

“If you talk to traditional bluegrass (performers), they’ll say we’re not bluegrass,” said Hanson. “We play contemporary bluegrass with a twist of Americana, folk and soul.”

MohaviSoul formed in 2012, and has released two albums, “Every Second” in January 2013 and “Blue Diesel” in December 2013. Hanson said the group is getting ready to work on its third album. “It’s a blessing to play with such great people,” said Hanson. Each member of the group brings something unique to the band’s musical stylings. “We have a wide variety of musical influences and styles,” said Hanson. “It’s a neat mix.”

Miller, in addition to playing guitar and performing lead vocals, is also one of the group’s principal songwriters, along with Hanson. Born in West Virginia, Miller has been performing in bands since he was in high school, and released a solo album, “Lonesome Now,” prior to forming MohaviSoul.

Hanson has been performing bluegrass, country and folk music for over 30 years with a number of groups, including the Bluegrass Pelicans and The Vigilante Band, a group in New Mexico that Hanson described as “kind of a cult thing.” When he’s not making music, Hanson is a scientist. “I love making music and playing with a group. It’s a great way to express yourself,” he said. “I come from a long line of musicians. It’s kind of a family tradition.”

Boucher is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music, where he studied musical therapy. He is originally from Bishop in California and has been featured on both of the group’s albums.

Weiss is a native of England and has recorded his own original music as well as being part of several other groups, including The Tail Draggers and Plow. Weiss is also a jazz guitarist, and brings that to his unique banjo style.

Sankey, originally from Pennsylvania, is the most recent addition to the group. In addition to playing the fiddle, he also plays the mandolin, banjo and guitar. He recently released a solo album, a traditional and contemporary bluegrass album, “Second Wind.”

MohaviSoul has been keeping busy over the last few months, performing at the Stone Brewing Company’s 18th anniversary festival at the Tin Roof Saloon in the Gaslamp Quarter and at LeStat’s West Music Venue in San Diego, among others.

Hanson said their Saturday concert will be the group’s first time performing in Poway. “The audience can expect a wonderful journey — over an hour long — of our original music and unique covers,” said Hanson.

Hanson said he was fond of performing in libraries. “I think library concerts are a great idea,” he said. “You get a lot more kids and older people (in the audience), and sometimes people wander in and stay for the whole concert. It’s great.”