Hanging with the Hadens

Legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden has been enjoying a raft of attention lately for his stellar new album Rambling Boy, released recently and featuring music near and dear to Haden when he began his career as a kid, touring the U.S. and performing traditional and country music with his family band.

Things have come full circle since, with the new album featuring his three daughters (triplets Petra, Rachel, and Tanya) as well as his son Josh, his wife Ruth Cameron, and a remarkable collection of special guests including Ricky Skaggs, Dan Tyminsky, Roseanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Jerry Douglas, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Haden's longtime collaborator Pat Metheny -- as well as famed actor and musician (and Haden's son in law) Jack Black, among others.

And it was an all-star lineup indeed that convened for two broadcast performances in New York this week. Here's the band taping remotely from WNYC's studios in Manhattan for an upcoming episode of World Cafe. There's almost too many legendary musicians to see them all, but in the frame you may be able to make out Charlie, Petra, Tanya, and Josh Haden; guitarist and fellow bassist (and album producer) Mark Fain; Dan Tyminski of Union Station, O Brother Where Art Thou, and solo fame; dobro master and Blue Highway member Rob Ickes; fiddle legend Stuart Duncan; and acclaimed guitarist John Leventhal.


The next day the same all-star cast reconvened for a performance on The Late Show with David Letterman, with Josh singing the lead on his self-penned "Spiritual," the wrenching ballad also known for its appearance on Johnny Cash's "Unchained" album.

Here's the band getting warmed up:


And performing: