Chris Thile is always up to something. The mandolin virtuoso might as well be a circus juggler, as well, considering all the projects he works on simultaneously.
Within about two weeks between October and November, two more of Thile's efforts came out. On October 23, Audible released the second season of The Energy Curfew Music Hour available. The musical variety show, hosted by Thile and Punch Brothers and recorded earlier this year, is set in a fictional future where power must be conserved. Music is only performed acoustically and around a shared microphone.
Thile co-created The Energy Curfew Music Hour with his wife, Claire Coffee, an established actor, writer, director, and producer in her own right (find her on Grimm, The West Wing, S.W.A.T., and Law and Order, as well as working as the director of “Live From Here”). Season 1 featured roots music guests like Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell, and James Taylor, while Season 2 includes Billy Strings, Andrew Bird, and I'm With her. But part of what makes the series so engaging is its cross-genre collaborations. Possibly unexpected musical guests like pop star-turned-Broadway composer Sara Bareilles, jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, and looping electro-pop artist Tune-Yards showcase just how much spontaneity, creativity, and a pure love of playing form the show's dynamic.
