Sat 9/13 @ 7:30PM
In recent years, more and more folk musicians have been erasing lines between cultures and genres, emphasizing the cross-fertilization that’s always been part of traditional American music, crossing racial, cultural, socio-economic and geographic boundaries.
One brand new entry to the field is American Patchwork Quartet, which debuted in June 2024 and was nominated for2025 Grammy for Best Folk album for its self-titled debut album. Led by guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, a South Carolina native living in New York, the ensemble doesn’t just reach across mountains, valleys and states, but also across oceans to draw in influences from Africa and Asia and integrate them with jazz and country. The group also includes drummer Clarence Penn whose roots are in the Black church, and touring musicians, Chennai-born Carnatic violinist/vocalist Harini Raghavan and Japanese bassist Moto Fukushima.
They’ll perform in Northeast Ohio this week at Oberlin’s Finney Chapel. Go here for tickets.