Get to know this 2nd release from the group ISMAY, that intentionally transcends traditions and blurs boundaries. Avery Hellman, the Bay Area native behind ISMAY’s unique sound, says it was heavily influenced by the California ranch where they spent most of their 20s working the land. "My mom bought the ranch when I was 19 years old," Hellman remembers. "Environmental restoration was very important to her, and I was with her every step of the way, working to develop the ranch, raise cattle, replant creeks, and tend to the sheep. The perspective of my songwriting is very rooted in ranch life." The rural California landscape creates rich visual backdrops for the songs. Fun facts: 1. Hellman’s grandfather is philanthropist Warren Hellman, who founded San Francisco’s famed Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. 2. “Desert Pavement” was recorded at Asheville’s Echo Mountain Studio, with Watchhouse’s Andrew Marlin as producer and multi-instrumentalist.
Wednesday 1/24: ISMAY – Desert Pavement
