Punch Brothers

WELLS FARGO JAZZ PUNCH BROTHERS PUNCH BROTHERS TD Arena at College of Charleston May 27 at 7:00pm SPONSORED BY WELLS FARGO Chris Thile, mandolin Chris Eldridge, guitar Paul Kowert, double bass Noam Pikelny, banjo Gabe Witcher, violin PUNCH BROTHERS: The title of ideas of one guy into a band presenting the unified idea of five the newest Punch Brothers recording, guys. I had a very clear vision for The Blind Leaving the Blind borrowed from one of their new songs, is and I’m very proud how that turned out, but the reason to put more an exhortation than a taunt. Who’s yourself in this kind of situation is to have the opportunity to Feeling Young Now? contains some of the present a real sense of community to other people. When there most exhilaratingly direct, sonically daring are five dudes up there doing something as a unit that encourages performances the group has ever recorded. people to participate, that’s where Punch Brothers is exhibiting As the five members, ranging in age from a lot of growth. We can actually bring a sense of real musical their mid-20s to early 30s, have matured camaraderie, creative camaraderie, to people who come to our together on the road and in the studio, their approach to writing shows and those who listen to the records.” and performing has, conversely, become looser, simpler, and, Each of the individual musicians has crammed plenty of solo in a sense, more unaffectedly youthful. In fact, the title song work and/or other collaborations in between Punch Brothers —featuring rumbling bass, skittering violin, and wailing multi- commitments. Pikelny’s second solo disc, Beat the Devil and Carry tracked vocals—sounds like hard-charging string-band punk rock. a Rail, produced by Witcher, was nominated for a Grammy in 2013. The opening track, Movement and Location, feels like Steve Reich- Eldridge joined Pikelny on his record and, along with Witcher, on inspired indie rock, with rhythmically pulsing guitar, bass, and his tour; Kowert has played live dates in guitarist Jordan Tice’s banjo lines and the same flying-by-the-seat-of-the-pants spirit. trio with hammer dulcimer player Simon Chrisman, with which It came together over a matter of minutes in mandolinist/singer he released the album The Secret History. The peripatetic Thile Chris Thile’s living room. At this point, virtuosity is a given among was named a MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient in 2012; won these already prodigious players; the operative word for Who’s a Grammy for his work on The Goat Rodeo Sessions with Yo-Yo Feeling Young Now? is camaraderie. Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Stuart Duncan; released two recordings In 2006, former Nickel Creek member Thile instigated the with Brooklyn guitar savant Michael Daves; and toured with jazz collaboration that evolved into Punch Brothers when he recruited pianist Brad Mehldau. guitarist Chris Eldridge, banjo player Noam Pikelny, and violinist “Every little side project that we’ve done has helped us come Gabe Witcher to back him on a solo album, How to Grow a back to Punch Brothers with new ideas, new energy, and a new Woman. Bassist Paul Kowert joined the band three years later. sense of confidence—a righteous need to create stuff,” says They officially became Punch Brothers in 2008 with the release of Eldridge. “All of these things are fuel, they’re rejuvenating.” the debut album, Punch. Since then, says Thile, “Punch Brothers has gradually evolved from a band that existed to present the This performance is made possible in part through funds from the Spoleto Festival USA Endowment, generously supported by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. 98.

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