Darol Anger + Joe K. Walsh’s BLUR-GRASS (Sat)

Drawing on years of inspired collaboration and celebrated recordings featuring a creative approach to string band music, fiddler Darol Anger and mandolinist Joe K. Walsh have assembled an all-star band featuring some of their favorite musicians from the bluegrass and string band worlds. With Brittany Karlson (the Goodbye Girls, Molly Tuttle) on bass, BB Bowness (Mile Twelve) on banjo, and Alex Rubin (The April Verch Band) on guitar, the quintet explores and expands the sounds of the modern string band. From burning bluegrass to understated new acoustic, and with decades of improvisational experience, this ensemble’s deep interpersonal rapport and adventurous spirit lead the way.

One of acoustic music’s most influential fiddlers, Darol Anger has helped drive the evolution of the contemporary string band through his involvement with numerous pathbreaking ensembles such as his Republic of Strings, the Turtle Island String Quartet, the David Grisman Quintet, Montreaux, Psychograss, The Duo, Mr Sun, and Fiddlers 4 (for which he is GRAMMY-nominated).

Hailed by David Grisman as a “wonderful mandolin player,” Joe K. Walsh is known for his exceptional tone and taste. His years of collaborations with acoustic music luminaries include founding roles in the genre-expanding Mr Sun and pop-grass darlings Joy Kills Sorrow, projects with Matt Flinner, Scott Nygaard, and more. An associate professor at the Berklee College of Music, Joe has expanded the boundaries of string band music at festivals and performances around the world.

New Zealand’s most famous bluegrass export, BB Bowness, has a history of combining the traditional with the progressive, studying jazz performance on the bluegrass banjo at university. “J.D. Crowe co-mingles with the future,” says Tony Trischka. She is the winner of multiple IBMA awards for her band, Mile Twelve, and individual winner of the 2020 Steve Martin Banjo Prize for “outstanding accomplishment” on the banjo. Her euphoric energy and enthusiasm are not to be missed.

Freshgrass Award-winning guitarist Alex Rubin has brought his brand of flatpicking interpretations to stages all across the world, including 49 states as well as Australia, Estonia, Finland, Japan, and New Zealand. Formerly a member of The April Verch Band, Alex has interpreted a wide range of traditional string music for the guitar; his tone and technique allow for melodic expression of anything from Métis fiddle tunes through Scandinavian polskas to Appalachian melodies.

Bassist Brittany Karlson is an adventurous musician with roots in jazz, improvised, and Appalachian music. She is an active collaborator and has performed across the USA, Canada, and Europe in a variety of ensemble settings, including improvised trio Letter Castle and American old-time/bluegrass/Swedish string band The Goodbye Girls. She has performed at the Newport Folk Festival, Tranzac, the Lilypad, the Stone, Stockholm Folk Festival, and myriad clubs, restaurants, houses, apartments, basements, and outdoor spaces across the US. When performing solo, Karlson improvises, performs original songs under the moniker Karl, or ducks behind her bass to perform a lighthearted puppet show-style act with many props.  Karlson is a dedicated music educator, teaching early childhood music classes through students in their elder years. Karlson is an AmSAT certified Alexander Technique teacher. She grew up in the Chicagoland area and recently moved from Boston to New York.