Observer Editor
Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart & Punch Brothers: University Musical Society.
An exciting acoustic double bill, with the great newgrass revival banjoist Béla Fleck leading his tight quintet in his unique blend of bluegrass, jazz, funk, world beat, and avant-garde electronic music. With fiddler Michael Cleveland, mandolinist Sierra Hull, guitar and dobro player Justin Moses, bassist Mark Schatz, and guitarist Bryan Sutton. The Punch Brothers play a mix of jam-inflected bluegrass, jazz, and classical music. Founded by celebrated mandolinist Chris Thile, its repertoire includes both originals and inventive takes on everyone from Jimmie Rodgers to the White Stripes. With fiddler Gabe Witcher, banjoist Noam Pikelny, guitarist Chris Eldridge, and bassist Paul Kowert. Also, on Dec. 14 (6 p.m., Cahoots, 206 E. Huron), local musicians TBA lead a workshop on American folk music and storytelling entitled “Roots of Red, White, and Bluegrass” ($15, pre-registration required at ums.org/performance/ums-101-bluegrass).
7:30 p.m., Hill Auditorium. Mask required if Washtenaw County is in the CDC’s high-risk category. Tickets $14–$81 (students, $12–$20) at tickets.UMS.org and (if available) at the door. 764–2538.
