KITE’S KEEP by Ben Garnett
Coming October 10
For fans of acoustic guitar music—this album is a revelation. The sophomore studio album by guitarist/composer Ben Garnett, KITE’S KEEP, presents an otherworld of acoustic storytelling. With the guitar as both centerpiece and collaborator, Garnett crafts vivid soundscapes that blend orchestral textures, conversational exchanges, and world-building atmospheres. Drawing from jazz, string band, and classical traditions, the music transcends genre, creating a space as intimate as it is innovative.
Featuring an all-star cast—Darol Anger and Brittany Haas on fiddle, Ethan Jodziewicz and Paul Kowert on bass, Chris Eldridge on guitar, and Matt Glassmeyer on piano—the album thrives on their dynamic interplay and collective improvisation within Garnett’s inventive, yet familiar, compositions. Guitar enthusiasts will revel in Garnett’s ability to harness the instrument’s full power without dominating the narrative, while music lovers of all kinds will find refuge in these series of lush, resonant tapestries. With KITE’S KEEP, Garnett further establishes himself as one of modern acoustic music’s most forward-thinking voices, delivering a work that is both a consummate celebration of the acoustic guitar and sonic stronghold for listeners to return to time and time again.
VÄSEN & HAWKTAIL
out now!
Väsen & Hawktail brings these two groups together at long last. It is an anticipated union for fans of the genre. Väsen (Sweden) is a folk-instrumental group of epic proportion internationally. It's no secret that their music is foundational to the members of Hawktail (USA), who you may recognize from Punch Brothers, Dave Rawlings Machine, Crooked Still, and their solo projects. Together, their sound is massive, with the full range of a symphony between them. The music blends Hawktail's bluegrass and old-time roots with Väsen's traditional Swedish music, and the album features selections from both bands' catalogues as well as new tunes written for this project. This is a natural collaboration built on years of mutual admiration, in which friends unite their 36 strings to create a euphoric wall of sound.
THE SNAKE
out now!
Sophomore duo fiddle album of Lena Jonsson (Sweden) and Brittany Haas (USA)
Brittany Haas and Lena Jonsson – two of the world's most sought after and buzzworthy fiddlers and composers – have released their first duo album in nearly ten years, The Snake (out June 28 on Padiddle Records). The project follows the pair of innovative and emotive instrumentalists on a winding journey through 12 joyful and bold tunes (including 9 originals) which were written and recorded in East Nashville over two weeks in March 2023. Since their self-titled 2015 recording, they each have worked and toured with an array of critically-acclaimed acts – Hawktail, Punch Brothers, The Goodbye Girls, Lena Jonsson Trio, and many more – honing their writing, arranging, and playing skills and sharpening their points of view. The Snake is adventurous and unbridled, contained only by confidence, taste, and trust. It blends freedom and tradition, combining old-time's grit, classical’s grandeur, bluegrass’ improvisation, and Swedish folk’s groove – as only Brittany Haas and Lena Jonsson could.