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Artist
Grandma Sparrow
6+ albums
popcomedypsychedelicjazzvocal
about
Talking Grandma Sparrow–everyone’s favorite psychedelic choirmaster, that lovable hell-raising microtonal bearded lady, that little old lysergic man-maid, prancing and dancing and leering at the sweet musical notes. It’s Grandma Sparrow–all trumpeting tropes and stereo gestures, all fairy smoke and funhouse mirrors, crooning and swooning nonsense into the abyss. Grandma Sparrow, the anthropomorphized kaleidoscope, the anarcho pied piper of L.A., that cosmic trickster bearing a fragrant musical gift… Talking Joe Westerlund–composer, improviser, vocalist and percussionist, a core component of avant-folk/rock groups Megafaun, Califone, Gayngs and Mount Moriah. The recent album Appalachian Excitation (with liner notes by Jim O’Rourke), a collaboration between Megafaun and minimalist composer Arnold Dreyblatt, indicates the kind of adventurous modern folk musical currents that Westerlund explores. Other notable collaborators include percussionist Glenn Kotche (Wilco) and an old bandmate, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). Westerlund co-founded and performed in Sounds of the South, a Duke University commission to reinterpret selections from the Alan Lomax collection (also staged at the MusicNOW Festival and the Sydney Opera House). He earned a music degree at Bennington College, studying composition with Kitty Brazelton and Anthony Coleman, and percussion and improvisation with the iconic avant-jazz drummer Milford Graves. A trusted creative force in diverse music communities with an equal
top songs
1
The Piddletractor Welcome Anthem
3742Grandma's Song For You
2613This Is My Wheelhouse
2164Presenting: Alewishus, The Clown Prince of Piddletractor
1795Existential Mothersnakes
1646A Window of Happy Rhymes: A) Where Is My Daddy Longlegs? B) The Possum-Turnip Jamboree
1517Do you know who your Scrimpa is?
1478Shhh!!! Tiptoe Past The Oryoman!
1439The Pigsmilk Candycane
12510Story Time: A) Grandma's Pants B) Scrimpa Joins Tinkleminus in His Search for Alewishus C) The Bark Commissioner's Lunchbox
115