The American Patchwork Quartet (APQ), led by Grammy award-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, binds timeless American folk songs with jazz sophistication, country twang, West African hypnotics, and East Asian ornamentation. A southern-born roots music aficionado, Ross intertwines with the other Grammy-winning artists: Falguni Shah, an eleventh generation Hindustani classical vocalist; Yasushi Nakamura, an internationally acclaimed Issei jazz bassist; and Clarence Penn, a drumming protégé of Ellis Marsalis whose fibers were honed by African American
church traditions. 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.
