Andrew Bird Trio transports KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio to (almost) bygone eras with their set of jazz standards.

Video directed by Kylie Hazzard and Angie Scarpa. All photos by Michael Quintero.

Andrew Bird Trio: KCRW Live from HQ

Intimate performances, fresh sounds, and candid conversations with a view.

Written by Marion Hodges Aug. 15, 2024

Grammy-nominated multidisciplinary musician Andrew Bird has always crafted his indie-chamber-pop songs with a keen ear toward classical composition. His latest LP Sunday Morning Put-On, released under the moniker of Andrew Bird Trio, is being touted as his first jazz record. Composed primarily of “Great American Songbook” standards, it plays as a logical move across Bird’s long arc of sonic exploration.

Naturally, we jumped at the chance to bring the trio in for an intimate rendering of several of the record’s choicest cuts. Consider it your sonic sojourn to the best-kept-secret, neighborhood hideaway of your dreams. Bird (vocals, violin, guitar), Alan Hampton (upright bass), and Ted Poor (drums, vibraphone) apply unique live contours to the bone-deep familiarity of songs like “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To,” “Caravan,” and “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was.” Plus, the trio re-interprets one of Bird’s enduring classics, “Why?”

Immerse yourself in it via the performance video at the top of this page and watch the interview video below to learn more about how it all came together. KCRW Music Director Anne Litt and Bird go way back, so their chat feels like dropping in on two of your most erudite friends having a very nerdy kiki. Topics include musical phrasing, how to replace a tenor saxophone with a violin, and receiving a proper jazz education from public radio.

Catch Andrew Bird Trio performing live at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24 as they open for Pink Martini — the latter of whom will be joined (as is often the case) by NPR’s Ari Shapiro.

More:

Andrew Bird | KCRW Live from The Village Studios (2022)

Andrew Bird | Live on Morning Becomes Eclectic (2019)

Explore more KCRW Live From sessions

Credits:
KCRW Music Director/Interviewer: Anne Litt
Directors: Kylie Hazzard and Angie Scarpa
Editor / Colorist: Angie Scarpa
Director of Photography: Matt Smith
Camera Operators: Milana Burdette, Kylie Hazzard, Matt Smith
KCRW Recording / Mix Engineer: Hope Brush
Executive Producer: Ariana Morgenstern
Producers: Anna Chang and Liv Surnow
Digital Producer: Marion Hodges
Digital Editorial Director: Andrea Domanick
Lighting Design: Jason Groman
Art Director: Evan Solano

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