We usually wait at least a year to bring a band back to Santa Fe. But the buzz generated by January's show with JT & the boys inspired us to welcome them back earlier. Steeped in the fragile, simmering soul-singing tradition of Curtis Mayfield and Sam Cooke, but also at home in the modern indie-folk realm carved out by Bon Iver and M. Ward, JT & the Clouds formed in 2004 in Chicago. Led by fiery-haired Jeremy "JT" Lindsay, who penned the songs “Scattered Leaves,” popularized by the Be Good Tanyas, and “Til It’s Gone,” a Po’ Girl staple, the Clouds are one of the Windy City’s best kept secrets. Here’s what various critics say about the music: It’s “low key and achingly gorgeous” (Chicago Tribune), “I'd swear this album was cut in 1972, that's how authentic it sounds" (Evolution of Media), “soul-wrenching melodies that move seamlessly from angelic to haunting, often in the same verse" (Toledo City Paper). The band’s latest release, Caledonia, is as shot through with soul as their live performances.

Brought to you by Southwest Roots Music & T-Cubed Productions. Special thanks to Rick Thaler for his ongoing support for JT & the Clouds.