Twisted Pine And The Faux Paws

CRITIC’S PICK: String band music doesn’t always fit into a pigeonhole of bluegrass as these two genre pushing acts prove. Twisted Pine has been expanding their sound over a decade of live work to encompass a far more jazz oriented approach, highlighted by their flute player, not an instrument usually featured in string bands. They will be previewing a new, even more experimental album, Love Your Mind, due next month. The wittily named Faux Paws are equally impossible to nail down musically although they draw from similar acoustic, rural country influences but add some Celtic flair and a baritone sax. This is a wonderful pairing of terrific roots musicians which might lead to some frisky onstage collaborations. — Hal Horowitz