Sam Amidon was the guest on NPR's World Cafe yesterday, talking with host David Dye and performing intimate takes on four songs off his new album. "On his fourth album, Bright Sunny South, Amidon draws from a variety of traditional folk material, weaving it into his own mesmerizing compositions," says the show. "With the help of [Thomas] Bartlett as a bandmate and producer, several tracks on the new album go beyond tradition to include free-jazz influences, as well as a cover of Tim McGraw's 'My Old Friend.'" Amidon is currently touring Europe and begins a month-long tour of North America in September.
The Vermont-born and raised, London-based musician Sam Amidon—who made his Nonesuch Records debut with the release of his new album, Bright Sunny South, earlier this year—was the guest on NPR's World Cafe yesterday. On the show, he spoke with host David Dye about the new album and performed intimate takes on four songs off the album with drummer Chris Vatalaro: "Short Life," "As I Roved Out," "Weeping Mary," and "My Old Friend."
"On his fourth album, Bright Sunny South, Amidon draws from a variety of traditional folk material, weaving it into his own mesmerizing compositions," says the show. "With the help of [Thomas] Bartlett as a bandmate and producer, several tracks on the new album go beyond tradition to include free-jazz influences, as well as a cover of Tim McGraw's 'My Old Friend.'"
Listen to the World Cafe episode at npr.org.
Sam Amidon is currently on tour in Europe, performing at a number of summer festivals in the coming weeks, including Haldern Pop in Germany, Green Man in Wales, Lowlands in the Netherlands, and Feeërieën in Brussels. He begins a month-long tour of North America at Hugh's Room in Toronto on September 5, followed by stops in Ottawa and the US Northeast, including a two-night stint at Jazz at Lincoln Center with Bill Frisell and three shows supporting Josh Ritter. For details and ticket links, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.
Bright Sunny South was produced by Amidon with Bartlett (a.k.a. Doveman) and legendary English engineer Jerry Boys (Buena Vista Social Club, Vashti Bunyan, R.E.M.) and recorded in London. The record features a band made up of Bartlett and multi-instrumentalists Shahzad Ismaily and Vatalaro. Jazz trumpeter Kenny Wheeler also makes a cameo. Amidon himself not only sings but also plays banjo, fiddle, acoustic guitar, and piano on the album. The Guardian, Mojo, and Q all give it four stars. Drowned in Sound calls it "his most emotionally and tonally complex LP to date." To pick up a copy on CD, MP3, or FLAC, head to the Nonesuch Store, where CD orders include a download of the complete album at checkout.
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