Zoe & Cloyd release Songs of our grandfathers

Zoe & Cloyd, who with their band will be among the US artists on the lineup at next weekend's Bluegrass Omagh 2023, had their new album Songs of our grandfathers released yesterday on the Organic Records label. The grandfathers of Zoe (Natalya Zoe Weinstein) and Cloyd (John Cloyd Miller) were respectively David Weinstein, a Ukrainian-born klezmer musician, and Jim Shumate, the North Carolina fiddler who recommended Earl Scruggs for a job with Bill Monroe. On the track 'We'll meet again sweetheart', Zoe plays Jim Shumate's fiddle.

The music of Zoe & Cloyd is built on this heritage. They state: 'Both styles [bluegrass and klezmer] are melting pots and it is fitting and natural for us to combine them in our music.' More details are on the Organic Records press release.

Update 23 May: The album is reviewed, and Zoe and Cloyd are interviewed, by Stacy Chandler on No Depression in the article 'In the deep end with... Zoe & Cloyd'.

© Richard Hawkins