Echo In The Valley Released!

"Two of the world’s most accomplished and innovative banjo players happen to be a married couple: Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn. They both push far beyond the bluegrass expectations of their chosen instrument: toward Africa, Asia, jazz and math-rock.  Echo in the Valley, their second duet album, is both constrained — only what the duo can play and sing live in real time — and audacious as it traverses a world of possibilities.” - Jon Pareles, The New York Times  "As musicians and as songwriters, Fleck and Washburn are predisposed to embrace the entire world — its sounds and its occupants alike. Echo in the Valley ties the many threads of their interests into a work that dazzles without sacrificing a shred of approachability.” - Stephen Thompson, NPR Music 

“They are powerful individually and even more powerful together.” – Tavis Smiley

“If I could talk to a younger me, I’d tell me to go slow,” she sings, as the banjo plucks furiously in an instrumental duet. “This time on earth, it moves so fast, and when it’s gone, it’s gone.” These aren’t complicated lyrics cased in metaphor, but a rather simple reminder to take a moment — as Ferris would say — to stop and look around once in a while. And it never hurts, especially if you’re Washburn and Fleck, to do this in a way that makes that time on earth sound just a little bit more beautiful. “ – Marissa Moss, The Bluegrass Situation

“[Béla and Abigail are] showcasing just how much fun can be had on the edge.” – Amanda Wicks, The Bluegrass Situation

“The haunting duet [“Don’t Let It Bring You Down”] finds Fleck and Washburn weaving spun-silver banjo lines into an ominous tapestry that mirrors the political discord in the months following Donald Trump's election. Washburn's repetition of the title line adds to the track's eerie vibe, while reinforcing a message of hope and resilience.” – Brittney McKenna, Rolling Stone