Max Wareham has just released an amazingly self assured “debut” full length, “Doggomit!” and will feature this material at Whately Town Hall on 4/5. Max sat down with me to chat about the recording which highlights an all-star band including Peter Rowan, Chris Eldridge, David Grier, Chris Henry, Laura Orshaw, Mike Bub, and Larry Atamanuik.! Pretty heady company for a debut album! Our conversation touches on Wareham’s beginnings as a jazz guitarist, his discovery of the banjo and his “bluegrass sabbatical” with family member Peter Rowan in California.

We talk about the writing of this batch of songs, Max’s love of bluegrass history, and the book he’s currently working on with Banjo legend Butch Robins. Max talks about bluegrass almost like a team sport and incorporates this theme into his tribute to the Boston Bruins called “The Black & Gold” which is included in the segment. The album includes several bluegrass classics but features mostly Wareham’s original songs and tunes. Peter Rowan sings a few and cowrites as well on “Daggomit!”. We finish our segment with Max’s intro to “Gone, Baby, Gone” which Peter Rowan sings and improvises in the studio. It’s an instant classic in the vein of “Ruben” meets “500 Miles”. First take magic! We finish with “Bar Blues” an instrumental which features all the wonderful players on this most refreshing disc.

Find out about the artist at MaxWareham.com as well as the show at WatermelonWednesdays.com