Session Americana

Late one Sunday night in October 2003, fate brought Session Americana together for their first jam at Toad, the cozy Cambridge, Massachusetts bar where their story began. It wasn’t planned in any way; one of the booked acts didn’t show up, so vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Ry Cavanaugh rallied some musicians in the room, one of whom was drummer Billy Beard, who was in the band with Cavanaugh that played earlier that evening and was Toad’s booking agent. That decision sparked the first iteration of what we now know as Session Americana.

After setting a microphone on a small table, they started playing an impromptu jam, completely unaware that the spontaneous session would spark a decades-long musical journey. What began as some friends swapping songs around a table has grown into something much bigger, evolving over the past 20 years into a weekly residency at a popular Cambridge club and an international touring ensemble that’s celebrated for its distinctive and engaging approach.

Name, Early years, Lineup

The name “Session Americana” first appeared when Toad bartenders scribbled it on the sandwich board outside the bar on Sunday nights while the group was transitioning into a full-fledged band. Their first three recordings were released under the name Table Top People (Volumes 1, 2 and 3), a nod to the distinctive setup of their live performances. Since then, Session Americana has recorded over a dozen albums, performed at clubs and festivals across the US and Europe and formed rich, collaborative relationships with a diverse range of fellow musicians.

By deliberately sidestepping the conventional expectations of the music industry, they’ve carved out a joyful, unique path that is reflected in their musicianship and the camaraderie at every show. The band members switch between instruments effortlessly, share lead vocals and co-write the material, constantly seeking new creative partnerships. They tour in the spirit of a bygone era, preferring intimate venues, leisurely meals with long-term friends and the perfect glass of wine.

The original lineup was the sextet of Sean Staples (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Jim Fitting (harmonica, vocals), Ry Cavanaugh (multi-instrumentalist, vocals), Billy Beard (drums, vocals), Kimon Kirk (bass, vocals) and Dinty Child (multi-instrumentalist, vocals). In early 2009, when Kirk moved to Los Angeles to collaborate with artists like Aimee Mann and Grant Lee Phillips, Jon Bistline replaced him, though Kirk continued as the primary touring bassist and eventually rejoined the band full time. After Staples left in 2009, the lineup became the tightly knit quintet that it remains today: Child, Fitting, Beard, Cavanaugh and Bistline.

Table Top People, Becoming “Session Americana,” Albums

When the time came to record, the band decided to create an album of kid- and family-friendly songs, along with some intriguing covers. Produced by Billy Conway and engineered by Tom Dube, the project turned into two volumes released under the name Table Top People, a title Conway suggested, feeling it was more evocative than their original “sandwich-board” moniker, Session Americana. Both albums were recorded live in Cambridge, Massachusetts at High-n-Dry Studios, founded by the late Mark Sandman of Morphine. The early sessions featured contributions from several of the band’s friends, among them guitarist-singer Dennis Brennan, Asa Brebner, Laurie Sargent (of Face to Face) and Chris Ballew from the Seattle-based Presidents of the United States of America.

The band’s next few recordings featured collaborations with various other musicians before the group added more original material and officially changed their name from Table Top People to Session Americana. Six years in, Sean Staples developed vocal issues and had to step away, prompting several lineup changes. A key addition during this time was vocalist-fiddler Laura Cortese, who played a prominent role on the band’s Love and Dirt and Pack Up the Circus albums. As Session Americana became the band members’ primary musical focus, original material began to dominate their sets, with only two or three covers in a typical 16-song performance.

In 2019, the band recorded the album Northeast, which delves into the rich tapestry of popular and folk music from the Northeastern United States, filtered through the eclectic tastes and voices of the Session Americana community. They invited friends and collaborators from across New England to contribute, without any restrictions on era or genre. Their latest LP, Rattle & Clatter – Twenty Years (so far) of Session Americana, is a retrospective that serves as the perfect introduction to the band for newcomers, offering a sweeping look at the full scope of their career (so far).

Collaborations, Guest artists, Moving outdoors

A defining feature of Session Americana is their frequent on-stage collaborations with a wide range of musical guests. Notable artists like Rose Polenzani (who recorded “When the River Meets the Sea” with them in 2008), Jennifer Kimball (Cavanaugh’s wife), Dennis Brennan, Peter Wolf, Rachael Price, Patty Griffin, Aoife O’Donovan, Duke Levine and Laurie Sargent have joined them on stage, which has turned their weekly sets into mini-events, drawing in crowds and leading to consistently sold-out shows. Since around 2016, Brooklyn-based guitarist-singer-songwriter-producer Jefferson Hamer, known for his many contributions to folk and traditional music, has toured with Session Americana more than anyone else. He’s been an integral part of the band’s development and co-produced and performed on their 2016 album Great Shakes, which marked a significant phase for the band.

Although the band initially became known for their intimate, seated performances around a table with a single mic, they modified their setup after returning to performing in 2021 following Covid shutdowns. Since then, most of their shows have been at outdoor venues, where the band performs in a horseshoe formation, with drums anchoring one side and a field organ on the other. This change allowed them to move more freely on stage while still enabling them to interact similarly to when they were sitting at a table; it also suited large, outdoor venues in which audiences were spread out. The shift also brought a more electric sound to their performances, adding energy while still preserving the collaborative, interactive feel of their earlier setup.

Notable appearances, Touring

Session Americana has headlined clubs and art centers throughout Massachusetts including Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Groton Hill Music Center and The Cut in Gloucester. Their collaborations have extended far beyond Boston and the Bay State, starting with a pivotal trip to Montpelier, Vermont’s Langdon Street Café, encouraged by renowned singer-songwriter-playwright Anaïs Mitchell. They have residences at The Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, are a mainstay at the Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield, Maine and appear regularly in Northampton, Massachusetts at The Parlor Room, and the Iron Horse Music Hall.

The band has discovered enthusiastic fan bases throughout Europe, performing in Scotland, Ireland, England, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Sweden. Every 18 months, they embark on a whirlwind of shows, performing as many as 38 times over six weeks. Though this might sound grueling, the band members say it’s a joyful reunion of close friendships, fueled by great food, drink and the shared energy of special places. In addition to being part of Session Americana, Dinty Child is known for his work with Chandler Travis (NRBQ, The Incredible Casuals) and continues to perform with him on occasion. That collaboration led to Session Americana performing at The Avalon Theater in Easton, Maryland, which has blossomed into a tradition; the band has returned to the venue annually for the past 14 years.

According to members of the group, those kinds of almost familial relationships have fueled their passion over the past 20 years. Unlike most bands’ grind of tour buses, endless highways and sleepless nights in impersonal hotels, Session Americana thrives on intimate, genuine encounters. They travel to small-but-vibrant spots where longtime friends await to share meals, stories and excitement, which is a rare and refreshing approach to life as a band. Over the past two decades, the four original members have rarely missed a show (each averaging only three absences), and that commitment speaks volumes about their bond. The group’s unique table-top and now horseshoe stage setup – both literal and symbolic centerpieces of their performances – makes audiences feel welcome, as if they’ve stepped into the band’s living room for an evening of wonderful music and friendly banter.

Discography

• Table Top People Vol. 1 (2005, Hi-n-Dry)
• Table Top People Vol. 2 (2005, Hi-n-Dry)
• The Blue Void Trilogy (2006, Hi-n-Dry; Session Americana was the studio band for French artist Bruno Green’s Void trilogy)
• TableTop People Vol. 3: Beertown (2007, Hi-n-Dry)
• When the River Meets the Sea (Rose Polenzani with Session Americana (2008, Hi-n-Dry; recorded in 2006)
• Diving for Gold (2009; produced by Paul Q. Kolderie)
• Live (2011)
• Love and Dirt (October 2012; produced by Paul Q. Kolderie)
• Pack Up The Circus (May 2015; produced by Session Americana and Anaïs Mitchell)
• Great Shakes (2016; produced by Session Americana and Jefferson Hamer)
• Live at the Haybarn Theatre (2018)
• Northeast (2019)
• The Rattle and the Clatter / Twenty Years (so far) of Session Americana 

(by Karl Sharicz)