Originally aired on June 30, 2008.
Tom Fudge: A new album called Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet was just released, featuring the music of... Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet. Washburn sings and plays banjo. The group also features the banjo playing of ten-time Grammy winner Béla Fleck . Casey Driessen plays the fiddle and Ben Sollee plays the cello.
It may sound unusual to have a banjo and a cello in the same group, and you can be assured this quartet takes a different approach to string-band music. You hear the sound of Appalachia but also the language of China. Béla Fleck, in fact, has become known for taking the banjo to the kind of musical places you don't often hear it. The Sparrow Quartet is in San Diego to perform at the
Belly Up Tavern
, and this morning, you are going to hear them perform their music on our show.
Guests:
- Abigail Washburn plays the banjo and sings.
- Bela Fleck, virtuoso banjo player and winner of 10 Grammy Awards.
- Ben Sollee, plays cello and has a new solo album called Learning to Bend.
- Casey Driessen , plays the fiddle and is a Grammy-nominated performer.
