American Roots- PAD Showcase SESSION
Welcome to Week Five (5) of the PAD Showcase SESSIONS! These artists exemplify the plurality of American music, weaving together tradition and innovation to create something distinct, individual, and uniquely American.
America’s music, like its culture, is a vibrant patchwork, with each voice adding to its ever-evolving identity. From the mountains to the valleys, from bustling cities to quiet countrysides, this tapestry of sounds reflects diverse experiences. These traditions have shaped our nation’s past and continue to influence its future.
—Clay Ross
Meet the host: Clay Ross
Photo courtesy of the artist
Clay Ross is a 2x-Grammy Award-winning musician and cultural ambassador from South Carolina. Known for blending traditional and contemporary influences, he is the founder of Ranky Tanky, which brought the Gullah music of the Southeastern United States to global audiences, and American Patchwork Quartet, whose album of reimagined traditional songs earned a 2025 Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. As a teaching artist at Carnegie Hall and a U.S. State Department cultural ambassador, Clay has fostered dialogue through music education and diplomacy. His collaborations with Gregory Porter, Snarky Puppy, and Bobby McFerrin, among others, reflect his versatility across genres. With a deep commitment to inclusivity and social justice, his work bridges cultural divides and celebrates America’s diverse musical heritage.
Meet the Artists
Queen Esther
Photo credit: Catherine Hancock
Described as “...the unknown queen of Americana…” (LIRA), Queen Esther’s creative output musically is the culmination of several critical Southern elements, not the least of which are years of recording and touring internationally as front-woman for several projects with her mentor, harmolodic guitar icon James ‘Blood’ Ulmer, including a stint in his seminal band Odyssey.
Raised in Atlanta, Georgia and rooted in Charleston, South Carolina’s culturally rich and enigmatic Lowcountry, a region with African traditions and Black folkways that span centuries and continue to inform her work, she embraces a deep and abiding love of lost American history along with her wide-ranging and ever changing sonic influences, as she leans heavily on the bluing of the note.
Cary Morin
Photo courtesy of the artist
Described as “one of the best acoustic pickers on the scene today,” Cary Morin brings together the great musical traditions of America like no other. With deft fingerstyle guitar and vocals that alternately convey melodic elation and gritty world-weariness, Morin crafts an inimitable style often characterized as roots-infused Native Americana with hints of bluegrass, folk, blues, and rock. He has performed at renowned venues across the globe, including the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center, and is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades.
Cary has played renowned venues including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Paris Jazz Festival, Winter Park Jazz Festival, Folk Alliance International, River People Festival, Shakori Hills Festival, the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Rochefort En Accords festival in France, Copenhagen Blues Festival, and many more.
The Lee Boys
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The Lee Boys are one of America’s finest African American sacred steel ensembles. The Lee Boys grew up in the church where their father was a pastor and a steel player himself. “Sacred steel” is a type of music described as an inspired, unique form of Gospel music with a hard-driving, blues-based beat. The musical genre is rooted in Gospel, but infused with rhythm and blues, jazz, rock, funk, hip-hop, country and ideas from other nations. When The Lee Boys bring their joyous spiritual sound to the stage, audiences instantly recognize that this is not “sitting and listening” music: dancing, shouting out, and having fun are considered essential parts of their tradition. Founder and bandleader Alvin Lee explains “The inspiration and feeling that comes along with our music is the reason that people feel good. It is like the new music on the block and it’s just getting ready to explode!”
Sprig of That
Photo credit: Maya Bolduan
Sprig of That is a tabla, fiddle, and acoustic guitar trio making a hearty stew of contemporary acoustic music. Founded out of friendship and personal respect, the group aims to fuse three musical and personal identities into a cohesive musical statement. While the group draws most obviously from American bluegrass, contemporary jazz, European fiddle styles, and Hindustani drumming, the resulting sound is both all of and none of those.
With projects like a tour of Minnesota elementary schools in partnership with Carnegie Hall and Minnesota Public Radio, and 8 Threads — a project commissioning eight diverse Minnesotan music makers, the group's mission always comes back to building and supporting community.
Michela Marino Lerman
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Michela Marino Lerman is a celebrated tap dance artist, musician, improviser, choreographer, and educator, celebrated for her dynamic performances and innovative approach to the art of tap dance. Her work primarily explores the intersection of tap and music, particularly jazz, positioning tap not only as dance but also as a significant form of music . Recognized by Downbeat Magazine as “jazz’s premier tap dancer” and described by The New York Times as “an outstanding jazz musician,” she has garnered widespread acclaim for her contributions to both fields.
The Huffington Post has referred to her as a “hurricane of rhythm.” She has been highlighted multiple times in The New York Times, including being featured in T Magazine alongside her mentor and dear friend Anna Deavere Smith who recognized her as her artistic heir. Quincy Jones has also praised her as an “absolute tap dancing star who knows her roots.”
American Patchwork Quartet
Photo credit: Jack Randall
NYC-based American Patchwork Quartet (APQ) is on a mission to reclaim the immigrant soul of American Roots Music. Grammy-winning vocalist Falu Shah, two-time Grammy-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, three-time Grammy-winning drummer Clarence Penn, and Grammy-nominated bassist Yasushi Nakamura showcase the dynamic diversity of contemporary culture by reimagining timeless songs from America’s past. APQ draws on a repertoire of centuries-old American folk songs that highlight America’s immigrant roots. They showcase America’s dynamic present by combining the diverse talents of four U.S. citizens, each with a unique cultural background. In this quartet, old songs are made new through creative arrangements that highlight the exceptional and well-honed skills of each band member.