We know Chris Thile best from his time in both Nickel Creek and A.V. Undercover alums Punch Brothers, where his mandolin playing is both gorgeous and technically impressive. (You don’t win a MacArthur “Genius Grant” by just being okay.) Earlier this year, Thile rejoined Nickel Creek for a triumphant album and tour, and now he’s moved onto something a little different—another duo album with Edgar Meyer, a stunning bass player who’s worked with everybody from James Taylor to Yo-Ya Ma. (Meyer and Thile were both part of Ma’s Goat Rodeo Project.) Here’s an exclusive video of Thile and Meyer recording the song “Big Top” from their new Bass & Mandolin album, which may be the most appropriately titled record of the year. The track (and video) were recorded at Skywalker Sound in California. Below the video, tour dates for Thile and Meyer, coming soon to a classy concert hall near you. Enjoy.
Sep 17 Meany Hall for the Performing Arts Seattle, WA
Sep 19 Weill Hall, Green Music Center Rohnert Park, CA
Sep 20 Royce Hall Los Angeles, CA
Sep 21 Bing Concert Hall Stanford, CA
Sep 23 Newman Center Denver, CO
Sep 24 Stiefel Theatre Salinas, KS
Sep 25 Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Kansas City, MO
Sep 26 Bass Performance Hall Fort Worth, TX
Sep 27 Bass Concert Hall Austin, TX
Sep 30 Ingram Hall, Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
Oct 1 Newlin Hall, Centre College’s Norton Center Danville, KY
Oct 2 Swasey Chapel, Denison University Granville, OH
Oct 4 Modlin Center for the Arts Richmond, VA
Oct 5 Knight Theater, Levine Center for the Arts Charlotte, NC
Oct 6 Phillips Center for Performing Arts Gainesville, FL
Oct 8 Carolina Theatre Durham, NC
Oct 9 Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University Princeton, NJ
Oct 10 Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Troy, NY
Oct 11 The Town Hall New York, NY
Oct 12 Sanders Theatre Boston, MA
Oct 15 Wisconsin Union Theater Madison, WI
Oct 16 Michigan Theater Ann Arbor, MI
Oct 17 Symphony Center Chicago, IL