Record Release Roundup

Folding Mr. Lincoln’s release party for their debut album Within My Reach happens March 21 at Rebecca’s coffeehouse in South Park, and the band will play two shows at next month’s Adams Avenue folk and roots fest. “Nancy [Mestyanek, vocals/percussion] and I have expanded the band to a five-piece,” says bandleader Harry Mestyanek. “We’ll play the album live, with guest singers Cathryn Beeks, Randi Driscoll, and guest guitarist Jon Lawton.” The band’s singing fiddler Alicia Previn is the daughter of noted symphony conductor Andre Previn.

Produced, recorded, and mixed by Jeff Berkley (of Berkley Hart) at Berkley Sound, Within My Reach will be available at iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, through Verizon, and at foldingmisterlincoln.com.

The new CD from fusion jazz guitarist Patrick Yandall, A New Day, debuts March 29, with a release party at Humphrey’s. Yandall informs, “I’ll have a guest keyboardist, Kevin Flournoy, an amazing player and producer who tours the world with the Pointer Sisters and Harvey Mason.” The Samoan-born, Michigan-bred Yandall appears regularly at local casinos, a sometimes thankless gig. “A manager at one place — who’s not there anymore — told me to tell the band to turn down, since the people were there for the food and not to listen to us. Makes you feel really special.” A New Day will be available at Amazon, CD Baby, and at patrickyandall.com.

The Focus Group’s release party for their self-titled debut CD is tonight, March 19, at the Belly Up.

CircaNow, who are recording an album with Rolling Stones producer Alan Sanderson, appear tonight at House of Blues.

The Long and Short of It will have a release party at the Casbah tonight for their new CD and LP CAW! An Unkindness of Ravens.

The Drabs are nearly done with a new album containing ten songs, some of which can be heard when they play March 21 at the Beauty Bar.

Bobby Fantasy’s new album (recorded at Jason Hee’s studio) is being prepared for release; he appears March 29 at O’Connells.

A.J. Croce releases Cage of Muses March 31.

Nickel Creek fiddler-gone-solo Sara Watkins releases her self-titled debut, produced by Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, on April 7.

As I Lay Dying release a three-DVD set, This Is Who We Are, on April 14, which includes performances taped at the Jumping Turtle in San Marcos.