Performance: American Patchwork Quartet

American Patchwork Quartet (APQ), led by multi-Grammy award-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross (also the founder and guitarist of the world-renowned Gullah group Ranky Tanky), binds timeless American folk songs with jazz sophistication, country twang, West African hypnotics, and East Asian ornamentation. Nominated for Best Folk Album at this year’s Grammy awards for their first self-titled debut album, American Patchwork Quartet is on a mission to reclaim the immigrant soul of American Roots Music. Their sound is a “masterful confluence of tradition and innovation, transcending culture, politics, and ideology.” Mirroring America’s cultural mosaic, they stitch together a story that’s both intricate and resilient and the fabric of their music is genuine . . . each carefully chosen piece dives deep into America’s patchwork soul and shares the joys, sorrows, and unwavering hope of a nation crafted by shared dreams and diverse histories. As the great ethnomusicologist and folklorist, Alan Lomax noted, “America has a patchwork culture made of the dreams and songs of all its people.” Led by Clay Ross on vocals and guitar, APQ also features Rini (Raghavan) on vocals, violin; superstar bassist, Moto Fukushima; and Rudy Royston on drums.