Yasmin Williams has been making a buzz for several years now, but is really hitting her stride with a new album that finds her collaborating with fresh voices and players including guitarist Kaki King and indie-folk star Aoife O’Donovan.
With King and violinist Darian Thomas, “Harvest” is Yasmin’s upbeat concoction of arpeggios and melodies, accented by the fiddle. On “Hummingbird,” she accompanies Allison de Groot’s clawhammer banjo and Tatiana Hargreaves’ fiddle with fiery picking, quick as a hummingbird’s wings. A multi-instrumentalist herself, Yasmin plays guitar, banjo, bass, and West African calabash drum on “Sisters”; it’s purely enchanting. With singer O’Donovan and several percussionists, “Dawning” features serene voices without words, conjuring a place of bliss.
“Malamu” stands out as Williams grabs an electric guitar for crisp riffing and lead melodies over an acoustic groove with drums and alto sax, echoing the instrumental joy of the Flecktones. Given this track – and the rest of the very fine album – it’s easy to understand why the multi-instrumentalist is becoming such a respected guitar figure and music maker. Progressive-acoustic music, once the province of David Grisman, Michael Hedges, and Béla Fleck, is in good hands with Yasmin Williams. – Pete Prown
This article originally appeared in VG’s February 2025 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
