Performing with a who’s who of extra special guests, funk n’ soul duo Twilight Muse has released their new album, Collabs: Live at Garcia’s at The Cap on April 25th.
Performed at Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, the duo — composed of Meg Pollaro and Andrew Shapiro — orchestrated and performed a special evening of music collaborating across genres with different well-known artists performing classic covers and originals alike. The live album captures Twilight Muse’s unique versatility and penchant for delivering endearing live performances.
Their March single and Stevie Wonder cover, “Living for the City,” set the tone of what’s to be expected on the record. Their spirited version includes the boundless talents of Robert Randolph and seasoned groovesmith G. Love, elevating the track to new and modern heights. Both Randolph and G. Love played a hand in developing the collaborative record, and also perform on the final medley, a killer combo of “Not Fade Away” into “Who Do You Love.”
Shapiro and Pollaro were astounded by the depths of their collaboration—especially on the first single. They recalled the experience performing the song live: “As we played the amazing Stevie Wonder anthem… the energy kept surging and we could feel the crowd feeding off it. Before we knew it, Robert invited G. Love up on stage, and the two of them played dueling solos on pedal steel and blues harp—and the jam exploded into a full-on party.”
Though the album features a range of covers, it also features original tracks such as “The Mayor,” which features George Porter Jr., the legendary bassist of The Meters. “Recording ‘The Mayor’ with George Porter Jr. was pure kismet,” says Pollaro. “The early version was more mellow—closer to our debut—but our guitarist Joe Colgan came up with this riff that sounded straight out of New Orleans. We joked, ‘It’s like The Meters!’ Then suddenly, we were booked to open for George, and he graciously agreed to play bass on the song. It came together like magic.”
Collabs: Live at Garcia’s at The Cap also features John Popper of Blues Traveler on the track “Miss You > I Will Survive.” This track is the first on the album, and sets a different tone than the preceding single. Popper brings his background in blues to add an Americana flair to the song, featuring his distinctive harmonica chops.
More than anything else, the record distinguishes itself as the epitome of musical intellect and instinct from the first track to the last, and harnesses the unmistakable magnetism of live music collaborations. Through innovative covers and a range of genre-bending collaborations, Twilight Muse builds a repertoire of exciting tracks on Collabs: Live at Garcia’s at The Cap.
“This album is about spontaneity and gratitude,” the band shares. “The collabs pushed our sound in directions we never imagined—and they’ve inspired us to write a whole new wave of music that leans into that groove.”
