Born out of the musical community surrounding the legendary Los Angeles club Largo is the Works Progress Administration. With roots in country and bluegrass, the band's rustic American sound hearkens back to the time of the New Deal-era agency for which it was named. The core of the band - Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) and Luke Bulla (Lyle Lovett, Jerry Douglas Band, Ricky Skaggs) - were joined by a cast of high-profile contributors - for the band's September self-title release. With a string of dates scheduled here in the east, including a date Friday in Arden, the band discussed their new project.
Q: How did the band come together?
Glen Phillips:
Just after the turn of the century I had a project with Sean and Sara called Mutual Admiration Society. We'd wanted to collaborate again, but the stars didn't really align until a couple years ago when we played a show in Santa Barbara together and they brought along Luke, along with Benmont and Greg. There was enough chemistry there that we did a short tour and started planning a record. We'd worked with Pete before, so he was the first person we called, and he brought Davey into the fold.
Sean Watkins:
A lot of what WPA is, was born out of the music scene that surrounds the L.A. club, Largo, which really encourages experimenting with new musical relationships. The band mostly came from that web of musicians and a mutual feeling that those relationships and musical chemistry needed to be recorded and put to good use. And for many years, in the back of my mind, I'd always wanted to make a record with Luke and Glen. Whenever the three of us have played together over the years, there was always a spark of some musical connection that I hoped would manifest itself someday.
Q: What is the history of the relationships?
Sean Watkins:
I've known Luke the longest, 20 years. We grew up in the progressive bluegrass scene and have
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If You Go
Works Progress Administration
Arden Gild Hall
8 p.m.
$15/members, $20/general public
ardenclub.org
wpamusic.com
The Band
Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket)
Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek)
Luke Bulla (Lyle Lovett)
Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello)
Greg Leisz (Joni Mitchell)
Benmont Tench (Tom Petty)
Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello)
Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek)
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performed a lot together over the years but never in an official band. I met Glen in 2000 and have played many shows together. Benmont, Pete and Greg and Davey have deep musical roots together. Pete and Benmont have known each other since the Attractions and the Heartbreakers started 30 years ago. Benmont and Greg play a semi-weekly show that Sara and I do called the Watkins Family hour, where I first met Glen nine years ago.
Luke Bulla:
I met Sean and Sara Watkins at a place called Silver Dollar City near Branson, Mo. a little over 20 years ago. They were performing there as a very young Nickel Creek and I with my family band. Being from very similar musical backgrounds and having similar musical interests and pursuits, we were able to stay in contact and to play a fair amount together over the years. I have been a huge Glen Phillips fan since the mid '90s and met him through Sean and Sara at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in June of 2003. I've had the pleasure of getting to sit in with him a few times since then as well. Benmont, Pete, and Greg I met only in the last few years and I feel extremely privileged to have the opportunity to be in a band with them.
Q: What is like to assemble such a talented group of musicians together for a
project?
Sean Watkins:
I feel so grateful to be a part of a record involving these musicians that I respect and admire so much. Considering how musically diverse and busy all eight band members are, it all came together in a really natural and organic way. Making phone calls to the guys (Benmont, Pete, Greg and Davey) early on, I was really stoked at how excited they were at the idea of making this record together, even with such an open ended plan for what to do with it after it was all recorded and mixed. I remember looking around many times, while we were all there recording and realizing the musical history some of these guys share with each other. It’s staggering really and it gave those songs a certain gravity and purpose that only musicians could lend.
Glen Phillips:
I’m deeply in love with this project. The quality of songwriting, exquisite musicianship and pure love of music that the other seven players bring in is something that I would be perfectly content to absorb as a fly on the wall. To actually be playing and singing with them is humbling, inspiring, and generally completely freaking awesome. I'm honored to have been a part of what we've done, and I can't wait to see how it evolves.
