Downhome in the Big City: Norah Jones & Andy Statman
Reggie Morris Reggie Morris

Downhome in the Big City: Norah Jones & Andy Statman

We'll spend time with two eclectic NYC-based musicians who mix up country with jazz and other traditions.  Multi-instrumentalist Andy Statman comes from a family steeped in Jewish musical traditions, but got the bluegrass bug playing with David Grisman and Tony Trischka.  We'll talk about his explorations of bluegrass, klezmer, free jazz and now duets with tea kettles. Then singer and pianist Norah Jones, known for her own personal stamp on jazz, shares the country side of life in her recent work with The Little Willies. Plus lots of "citified" country songs and downhome urban tunes.

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Modern Tradition: Ben Harper and Carl LeBlanc
Reggie Morris Reggie Morris

Modern Tradition: Ben Harper and Carl LeBlanc

The singer-songwriter Ben Harper has been on the scene since the early '90s, but now he's digging deeper into the blues with the legendary harpman Charlie Musselwhite.  We'll talk with Ben about the musical journey from his family's music store to his recent recording that he calls his "graduation" album.  Then an in-studio conversation with a guitarist who has played with Sun Ra and now plays banjo with Preservation Hall, New Orleans' own Carl LeBlanc.

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