Artist: Jayme Stone, Baby States
Hometown: Longmont, Colorado
Song: “Josie-O”
Release Date: April 21, 2023
Label: Folklife Records
In Their Words: “‘Josie-O’ is a kaleidoscopic reimagining of an Appalachian tune that brings together hypnotic drones, West African rhythms and overlapping Steve Reich-like melodies. It’s a collaboration with Baby States, a Brooklyn-based band featuring Benjamin Lazar Davis (Maya Hawke, Okkervil River), Alec Spiegelman (Cuddle Magic, Anaïs Mitchell) and Jeremy Gustin (Jesse Harris, Rubblebucket). We all share a love of these old melodies and a curiosity about the wild places we can take them.
“I first heard this tune on Adam Hurt’s mesmerizing album of solo gourd banjo music called Earth Tones. I prepared the banjo with a piece of foam in front of the bridge to give it a gourd-like sound and Jeremy played drums with sticks that had long braided threads at the ends. They looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book and for some reason made sparks when they got close to the ribbons mics. Fortunately nothing caught fire!” — Jayme Stone
Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez
