Belleville Roots Music Series
Tony Trischka's EarlJam
featuring
Michael Daves
Saturday, April 18, 2026
7:30pm
​
Opening act: Farayi
TONY TRISCHKA: A TRIBUTE TO EARL SCRUGGS
"Tony Trischka is known as the father of modern bluegrass"
- NY Times.
“Urban bluegrass whiz.” -Time Magazine
“One of the most impressive banjoists alive.” -Billboard
Tony Trischka is considered the consummate banjo artist and perhaps the most influential banjo player in the roots music world. For more than 50 years, his stylings have inspired a whole generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians with the many voices he has brought to the instrument.
Tony will be honoring the music of Earl Scruggs, pioneer of the three-finger banjo style and one of the most important musicians in bluegrass, or, in Tony’s opinion, in any genre. Trischka recently came into possession of extremely rare recordings of jam sessions with Scruggs and John Hartford, and he has transcribed and recorded Scruggs’s note-for-note solos from a number of these…many songs that Earl had never recorded. His latest album, EarlJam: A Tribute to Earl Scruggs, was nominated for a 2025 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album and features some of the biggest names in bluegrass. “Earl is my North Star, a lifetime pathway. And I’m not alone,” says Trischka, a banjo innovator and educator who has influenced everyone from Béla Fleck to Steve Martin. “Through his music, this shy kid from Flint Hill, North Carolina went on to enrich countless thousands of lives. At the age of 13, when I first heard 16 notes of Scruggs style banjo playing, I put down my folk guitar and mercilessly pestered my parents to buy me a banjo. Once in my hands, that 5-string became my obsession and has been for 60 years.” He adds, “the depth of his genius becomes ever more apparent when I transcribe his solos, which I’ve been doing my entire musical life and with renewed vigor. Discovering new twists and turns in his playing is pure joy and in fact the inspiration for this tribute show and album.”his solo performances.
Born in Atlanta, Michael Daves grew up playing bluegrass in the grand old tradition of staying up late & singing loud. Although he’s since moved north, the Southern roots permeate his music, however traditional or experimental. Heralded as “a leading light of the New York bluegrass scene” by the New York Times, Daves has garnered attention for his work with Chris Thile, Steve Martin, Tony Trischka, and others in addition to his solo performances.
This is the version that will be found on EarlJam2 recording. Billy Strings will not be performing at Belleville Roots Concert on April 18
Opening for Tony Trischka is Farayi.
With her warm, soulful voice, Farayi Malek has captivated audiences around the globe as a Grammy-nominated vocalist with Danilo Pérez’s Global Messengers. Now, she’s returning to her musical roots, embarking on a new chapter of her journey.
“The Idaho born Malek grew up loving bluegrass, American folk, and gospel, with influences from her Zimbabwean father. Now a Grammy nominated vocalist, writer, and instructor, she has been called by former President of Berklee and founder of the Salt Lick Incubator Roger Brown as a “once in a generation voice.” - CLASSIC CHICAGO MAGAZINE
The child of a Zimbabwean immigrant and a white American mother, Farayi grew up in a small, rural town in Southern Idaho, playing the fiddle and absorbing the culture of seemingly conflicting communities. Her goal is to bring all the diverse sounds and experiences of her life into her music: the Gospel of the church she grew up in, the American folk music and hymns of her childhood, and the blues and jazz she studied, all woven into pure, resonant songs that allow her effortless vocals to shine.
Now a Salt Lick Incubator award-winner, Farayi is stepping out as a solo artist on her much-anticipated debut recording project produced by Alain Mallet [Phil Woods, Paul Simon, Paquito D'Rivera, Marc Johnson, and Madeleine Peyroux.] Her writing showcases very accessible themes with a unique compositional intelligence, demonstrated in songs like “Tonight”.
Whether she is engaging with her audience through performance or education, Farayi is driven by the desire to make people feel seen and at home in their otherness.
She released her debut EP in March 2025. Farayi will be performing a song on Tony’s upcoming album, which will be released in March 2026, and Tony is planning to join her on her upcoming project.