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Andrew takes us in a bit of a different direction on this one, as he pays tribute to a lifelong love for mid-century, small group jazz he used to hear on the radio. Together with Ted Poor on drums, and Alan Hampton on bass – plus additional guitar from Jeff Parker and piano by Larry Goldings – Sunday Morning Put-On finds Andrew Bird paying direct homage to Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, and others. Andrew Bird plays Rabbit Rabbit in Asheville on July 18th, along with Nickel Creek and Mike Viola.

Jaclyn’s in for Julian this Thursday evening, and is ready to rhumba with you! Pokey’s one of those musicians whose work transcends any one or two genres. After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor (who also lived in Asheville for a time!) pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm. Through that shift, he felt inspired to dive into his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. “The songs that naturally come to me are upbeat and make you wanna dance or at least bop your head—they’re all very colorful,” says LaFarge. “I used to think of my music in dark blue, but now I see it in technicolor.”

It can be a workout trying to keep up with Americana’s most prolific songwriter! But for those who’ve lost count this is his 37th, and it’s filled with 11 wonderful new originals, performed by the band he’s been out on tour with lately. That tour recently included MerleFest (his “Favorite Place”?) and SkunkFest in our area. It will be officially released on June 21st on Sky Crunch Records.

As you might expect, this is some exquisite pickin’ from two of the best in the business! Recorded live on April 7, 2024, at Nashville’s American Legion Post 82, this new album features the acclaimed duo performing 20 traditional bluegrass and folk songs. They particularly highlight some favorite tunes of Doc Watson, Tony Rice, and Clarence White, but also perform covers from the likes of Bob Dylan and Blaze Foley.

Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste has his 9th album out, covering a wide variety of influences we dig here at WNCW. “This album is a statement regarding humanity, capitalism, Americana, the inner child, and the irony of faith,” says Batiste. “Written and recorded mostly live in single takes over two weeks, the album captures the raw immediacy of this moment for me. Collective creative expression draws on the roots of our earliest music in this country as a communal power.”

Over 50 years! That’s how long Ray Benson and his band Asleep at the Wheel have been together in Texas, continuously finding that balance between preserving the original magic of Western swing while freshening it up with each new album and personnel change. As a result, they remain the most important force in keeping the sound of Western swing alive. They’re celebrating with an extra-big emphasis on their love for the Lone Star State here, with help from folks like Billy Strings and (fellow Texan) Lyle Lovett.

Paul Cebar is well-known for his gigantic breadth of musical interests – from the obscure R&B and soul gems that he brought to his early band The R & B Cadets to the wide range of world rhythms he injected into his dance-friendly originals for the more recent projects The Milwaukeeans and Tomorrow Sound. This solo album, however, seems even wider in scope while featuring lyrics that feel more intimate in nature.

Released twenty years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Crescent City, Second Line Sunday, the new collaboration from Trombone Shorty and New Breed Brass Band, is more than just a party; it’s a reflection on culture and tradition, on family and community, on survival and resilience. “This album is a celebration of everything we thought we lost,” says Trombone Shorty. “It’s a celebration of all that we’ve been through and all that we’ve learned along the way. It’s a celebration of New Orleans.”

"Who Is the Sky?" is Byrne’s first album since releasing the acclaimed 2018 American Utopia, which was later adapted into a hit Broadway musical and HBO film. It was produced by the Grammy-winning Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus), while its 12 songs were arranged by the members of New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra. Guests include Paramore’s Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, and The Smile drummer Tom Skinner. "It’s subtle, self-critical, and unmistakably Byrne, merging thought-provoking storytelling with warm, artful instrumentation." – Consequence

Reunited with producer Matt Ross-Spang (Midwest Farmer’s Daughter, All American Made), and recorded in the historic RCA Studio A, Hard Headed Woman features duets with Tyler Childers and Jesse Welles, contributions from Kris Kristofferson and Rodney Crowell, and a Waylon Jennings song that his widow, Jessi Colter, urged her to sing.