Favorite local jam band ZuhG releases its sixth album Saturday, March 14 at Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub.

With Field Trip, ZuhG returns to familiar territory. Quite literally, the band recorded at Sacramento’s Pus Cavern Recording Studio, as with the past five albums. And since 2013’s Calm and Clear was all-acoustic, Field Trip also renews ZuhG’s trademark super funky, horns-aplenty, full band sound, mixing in some reggae, jazz and rock for good measure.

For the past year and a half, frontman Bryan Nichols has lived on the Oregon Coast, with the band’s other eight members sticking in Sacramento. Now, Nichols spends much of his time surfing and hanging out with his dogs on the beach. 

“I got inspired by some new things,” he said. “It’s interesting living 500 miles from everyone else.”

Only three songs on the 11-track Field Trip were written in Oregon, but the move inspired its own song, “Imagine That.” It ties into the Field Trip theme, and indeed, this record is the closest to a concept album that ZuhG has ever come.

“We joke a lot that these tours feel like field trips you’d go on as a kid,” Nichols said. “Load onto the bus with all your friends and go somewhere new.”