The Folk Alliance International (FAI) 2025 is happening in Montreal and the Zenbarn Music Community is fortunate to be catching two compelling acts as they make their way north to the event: Session Americana of Boston and Humbletown of South Dakota.

SESSION AMERICANA

Session Americana spent time over the past couple of years working on new material and recordings. With the help of Alec Spiegelman (Cuddle Magic, Ana Egge), who edited and mixed songs recorded in various locations with various people, the recordings are now complete in the form of Island Barn Café the latest Session Americana record. But rather than a CD, vinyl, cassette or even digital release, there is only one copy of this record. It’s called The Artifact and the band has started a sort of “roaming gnome” with the album traveling from place to place being experienced and documented as it goes organically through the world. Imagine a Session Americana fan/friend gets a box in the mail with a little music player, some headphones and cables, a booklet. Will it be fun to put the headphones on and listen, maybe post a little photo on their socials or contact the band, and figure out who they would like to hand or mail it to next?

Turns out the answer is yes! The album went out like a garden gnome in November and folks seem to love it!

HUMBLETOWN

Formed in the humble prairie town of Vermillion, South Dakota, HUMBLETOWN has emerged as a powerful multi-genre bluegrass-inspired ensemble. Now based out of the Black Hills, the band is inspired by the quiet beauty of pine-filled forests, with original songs inspired by their home and travels, intricately performed on clawhammer banjo, flatpick guitar, and upright bass. With music that combines influences of bluegrass, old time, hot club swing, Americana, and classic country, Humbletown will take you on a musical journey that stretches across time and space.

Their 2022 debut album “The Path I Chose to Walk” received international acclaim. Americana UK’s review described the album: “The first impression on listening to these songs around virtuosos on clawhammer banjo and flat-picking guitar is that this entire collection must have been something discovered nearly a century ago by the great ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax.” Their album’s title track video “Vines” was premiered by Bluegrass Situation and Americana Highways described their album as “A little old-time country, folk & bluegrass. The musicianship is stellar, with fingerpicking on acoustic guitar & banjo. The mix of male & female vocals balances the material impressively.”

Humbletown has toured nationally and regionally and has shared the stage with such acts as Wood Belly, Charlie Parr, Damn Tall Buildings, Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band, Songs from the Road Band, and many more.