Jim Kweskin—mentioned by Bob Dylan in Martin Scorsese’s Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story on Netflix and in the Timothée Chalamet film A Complete Unknown—has built a legendary decades-long career, earning praise from USA Today as a “superb finger-picking guitarist and dedicated explorer of the arcane.” At 84 years old, the jug band/jazz/blues/folk luminary now shares the fruits of his latest collaboration, Doing Things Right, out on April 25 via Jalopy Records. Featuring five-time GRAMMY Award-winner Cindy Cashdollar on slide guitar, producer/bassist Matthew Berlin, and a dynamic ensemble of longtime colleagues, the new album harks back to an era of string-band “skiffling,” reviving the joyous spirit of vintage live music halls where western swing, folk, and blues coexisted seamlessly.
The band has just unveiled a spirited, western swing-flavored single, “Four or Five Times,” a tune originally recorded by Byron Sturges in 1927, brought to new life by Kweskin and fiddle player Matt Leavenworth. Mixing wry humor with foot-tapping rhythms, it’s a glimpse into an album that weaves together pre-war jazz, jug band music, folk, blues, western swing, and hokum. The lively group of collaborators includes singer Samoa Wilson (Kweskin’s niece, praised by the NY Times for her “sweet, effortless” vocal style), three-time Boston Music Award-winner fiddle player Matt Leavenworth, renowned blues singer Racky Thomas, trumpet player Annie Linders, and drummer Steve Langone, each of whom bring fresh energy to these time-honored songs.
Much of the inspiration for the project comes from producer and bassist Matthew Berlin’s family roots, tracing back to a 1930s Newport News, Virginia dancehall run by his grandfather. With the album’s broad repertoire—ranging from Ma Rainey’s “Farewell Daddy Blues” to Irving Berlin’s “What’ll I Do”—Kweskin and his multi-generational band embody the spirit of skifflers, early 20th-century traveling musicians who took pride in mastering an array of styles to entertain any crowd. This modern-day revue also showcases such beloved classics as “Mardi Gras Mambo,” “Mona Lisa,” and the jug band staple “Casey ’n Bill,” while restoring to prominence the quirky delight of obscurities like “Duck’s Yas Yas.”
Across his storied career, Kweskin rose to prominence leading the Jim Kweskin Jug Band in the 1960s, sharing stages with Linda Ronstadt and Janis Joplin, making national TV appearances—including one particularly memorable moment on The Tonight Show where Johnny Carson joined on kazoo—and performing at the original Newport Folk Festival five consecutive years. Rock historian Ed Ward once ranked Kweskin’s band alongside The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Byrds for their influence, claiming their music laid the groundwork for groups like The Grateful Dead, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and The Lovin’ Spoonful. Now, with Doing Things Right, Kweskin continues that lineage, proving that even in the digital age, the heart of jug band music and its traditional roots remain vital and alive.
To celebrate the album’s release, Jim Kweskin & The Berlin Hall Saturday Night Revue will host special shows on April 8 at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, and on April 11 at Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn, NY (both without Cindy Cashdollar). Doing Things Right officially arrives on April 25 via Jalopy Records. With its unique combination of spirited performances, playful collaborations, and a heartfelt embrace of American roots traditions, this new collection reaffirms Jim Kweskin’s enduring role as a torchbearer for the vibrant music of yesteryear—made new again for today’s listeners.
Doing Things Right Track Listing
Four or Five Times (feat. Matt Leavenworth)
Casey 'n Bill
When I Grow Too Old To Dream (feat. Samoa Wilson)
Show Me The Way To Go Home (feat. Racky Thomas)
Sail My Ship Alone
What’ll I Do (feat. Samoa Wilson)
Mardi Gras Mambo (feat. Racky Thomas)
Duck’s Yas Yas (feat. Annie Linders)
Mona Lisa
I Get The Blues When It Rains (feat. Samoa Wilson)
Viper Mad (feat. Samoa Wilson)
We’ll Meet Again (feat. Samoa Wilson & choir)
Farewell Daddy Blues (feat. Samoa Wilson)
Right or Wrong
