Earl Jam 2 by Tony Trischka, a recording from 2026, continues the banjoist's long-running dialogue with the legacy of Earl Scruggs through the lens of his own highly developed post-traditional style. Trischka, who studied banjo with Scruggs's own apprentices and then spent decades pushing the instrument into jazz, classical, and world music contexts, has always returned to Scruggs as a touchstone rather than a ceiling. The Earl Jam series — collaborative sessions in which Trischka invites leading banjoists to reimagine Scruggs's innovations — is an ongoing conversation about where the instrument has been and where it can go. As a document of contemporary banjo at its most exploratory, the album reflects Trischka's unique position as both a keeper of the tradition and one of its most restless interrogators.
Tracklist
- 1 Columbus Stockade Blues alt version 3:03
- 2 Red River Valley alt version 3:27
- 3 Old Cacklin' Hen 2:36
- 4 Mom & Dad's Waltz 3:42
- 5 Gentle on My Mind alt version 6:25
- 6 Maple On The Hill 3:36
- 7 Lost John alt version 2:32
- 8 I Still Miss Someone alt version 3:37
- 9 That's All Right 3:01
- 10 Bill Cheatham alt version 2:10
- 11 Down in the Willow Garden alt version 4:46
- 12 Bile Them Cabbage Down Source Recording 1:03
- 13 Here Comes the Bride 1:42
- 14 Chicken Reel 0:34
- 15 I Wish We Had Our Time Again alt version 2:54