Time Jumpers on NPR

It was a blast starting the new year off with a feature on All Things Considered about Nashville's remarkable Time Jumpers. It's a disservice to call them merely a Western Swing band, as that genre covers so much musical territory, grounded in classic songwriting, sophisticated group arrangements and individual improvisational brio. I wish I'd had time in the piece to get into the interplay between steel player Paul Franklin and guitarist Andy Reiss. As one member told me, the two of them have become a section unto themselves, offering long unison parts and light-giving answers and counterpoint to the big fiddle section. It was poetic that the story ran on a Monday, the Time Jumpers' regular night at the Station Inn. If you haven't seen them, then you have something you must do in 2009. They are as good as anything you could see. Click HERE for the audio story, a transcript and web extras at NPR.