Jam Band Frontman Returns to UB to Tell his Story

Dylan Kader, UB grad, returns to his roots

In the song, “Story to Tell,” the band Creamery Station describes sights seen from their tour bus as the band makes its way across the North American continent from one gig to another.  The mountains, the roads, the landscapes, “they have a story to tell.”

Dylan Kader also has a story to tell.  He is the lead singer of the band, and his story begins at the University of Bridgeport, where he studied martial arts and Philosophy.  After graduating, he applied the physical and mental skills he acquired from these disciplines to learning to play guitar and mandolin, and he formed Creamery Station with his father and a group of friends.  From humble beginnings playing at parties and busking, Creamery Station established itself as a leading jam band in New England and beyond.  They now tour nationally, giving Dylan and his bandmates plenty of time to decipher the stories of the landscape as they bring their music to new audiences throughout North America.

Dylan returned to the University of Bridgeport recently to tell his story to students in Dr. Justin Caithaml’s Music in America class.  As a singer-songwriter immersed in American musical traditions, Dylan explained the ways that various genres such as jazz, blues, rock, funk, and folk music combined to shape his style of writing and performing music.  He also regaled the class with stories of his own experiences as a professional musician and what he has learned about the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial attitude. 

Dylan sprinkled his remarks with Taoist and Confucian quotations, demonstrating his background as a philosophy student at UB.  He also mentioned that taking a Music Theory class at UB provided him with exposure to a body of knowledge that he would go on to draw from and build on as a working musician.

Dr. Caithaml’s students had a chance to ask Dylan questions about music, art, and life on the road.  One student asked him about how he balanced his personal artistic integrity against the forces of the marketplace.  Another student asked how it felt to see his family of fans expand as the band became more popular.  Another student asked about the contemporary artists who inspire him, and another asked for advice about how to embark on his own musical career.  Dylan responded to all of the students’ questions with empathy and wisdom.

And, of course, he played some songs, starting with “Story to Tell.”  By the end of his short set, a Monday morning class had been transformed, through the power of music, into a funky party scene.  After the class, one of Dr. Caithaml’s students, Elias Lopez, remarked that the event made them think about how music is both outside of us and inside of us at the same time, and that it brings people together emotionally.  “I feel like music can be both a part of you and an extension of you.” 

Dylan Kader’s career is a dynamic example of the diverse and surprising career paths traveled by UB alumni. Check out Creamery Station’s website for upcoming gigs and browse their YouTube channel for music videos and concert footage. 

Dylan with the rest of the band