DEL NORTE — Wildwood Sounds, 850 Grande Ave., Del Norte, presents The Milo Hayes Meld for a dance and concert on Friday, July 21 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15. Call 657-4757 or see wildwoodsounds.com.

This is a sweets and snacks potluck. Bring a favorite healthy snack to share, and as always coffee and tea are on the house.

?The creative collaboration of local music legend Bruce Hayes and award-winning Front Range band leader Charlie Milo, Milo Hayes Meld offers a new treat for local music fans.

“It’s really fun right now because we are still sort of ‘melding,’” Milo said. “The set list is a crazy game of tag amongst Bruce’s originals, my originals and a mixture of rock, bluegrass and rhythm and blues covers.”

Hayes, known for his collaborations with The String Cheese Incident and Acoustic Junction that helped define the acoustic jam band sound, plays a unique fusion of styles he dubs “rhythm and Celtgrass.” He continues the jam band tradition performing original songs and arrangements on a variety of instruments, including mandolin, guitar, dobro and more.

Milo’s creds include several Colorado Springs Independent Indy Music awards – Best Funk/Soul/R&B Artist four consecutive years, Best Bassist in 2012 and others. He performs in several groups that mix rock, funk, jazz, blues and roots music, creating an appealing variety of sounds that people can’t help dancing to.

With musical influences encompassing “everything from classical to bluegrass to metal to hip-hop and beyond,” Milo brings a wealth of diversity to the new band, which is essentially Milo Hayes Quartet, a band that has performed recently in Colorado Springs and Florissant.

Milo said he and Hayes started playing together about a year ago after meeting at the Pikes Peak Art and Music Festival in Colorado Springs, Milo’s home base.

“I sat in with him on a few tunes … then he came down and sat in with my trio at one of our Springs shows.”

With Milo Hayes Meld, “there’s a fair amount of improvisation and spontaneity that keeps it fun for all of us. It’s fun to play with Bruce because he has great chops … and knows how to put on a great show,” Milo said.