A leading voice of the harp, Brandee Younger recently made history at the 2022 Grammy Awards as the first Black female solo artist nominated in the Best Instrumental Composition category for her song ‚”Beautiful Is Black.” The mesmerizing track is from her 2021 major label debut album, Somewhere Different, that also received a 2022 NAACP…
Tony Trischka is considered one of the most influential living banjo players. Trischka’s EarlJam honors Scruggs, the pioneer of a unique three-finger banjo style and one of the most important figures in bluegrass. “The depth of Earl’s genius becomes ever more apparent when I transcribe his solos, which I’ve been doing my entire life and…
Widely considered one of the masters of the Django Reinhardt style, French guitarist Stephane Wrembel’s music has expanded to incorporate jazz, blues, classical, swing, flamenco and rock ‘n’ roll. He immersed himself in Django’s native Sinti culture (a Western European Roma group), learning from Sinti guitarists Angelo Debarre and Serge Krief. Wrembel then pursued studies…
Isaiah J. Thompson is the 2023 Cole Porter Fellow with the American Pianists Association. Thompson has performed with many acclaimed jazz artists, including Ron Carter, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Buster Williams. As a performer, he focuses on emitting love, spirit and respect, and conveying his own experiences and his everlasting love…
Seven years after his sensational SMF debut, bandleader and timple virtuoso Germán López returns with ALMA, a project comprised of musical collaborators performing his boldly original music. The timple soars above its assumed role as an accompanying instrument in his hands. Through ALMA, López connects listeners with flavorful melodies, rhythms and Canary Island “soul”. Please…
Marta Pereira da Costa is the first and likely only professional female Portuguese guitar player specifically versed in fado, the soulful music from Portugal recently acknowledged by UNESCO as part of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. She draws on threads of fado, jazz and Brazilian folk music, and is joined by fado singer Duarte for…
Part of the new generation of contemporary folk musicians, Lena Jonsson is one of Scandinavia’s most influential fiddlers. Her unique style combines a deep knowledge of traditional Swedish folk music and the youthful sounds of rock, pop, jazz, American old-time and bluegrass. Lena Jonsson is joined by Kristofer Sundström and Ian Carr.
