LUKE WINSLOW-KING

Luke Winslow-King blends jazz, blues, classical, and folk into a powerful, cinematic sound. With fluid guitar work, fearless songwriting, and gruff yet tender vocals, his music leaves a lasting impression. Highly acclaimed for his brilliant songwriting, producing, and playing, The New York Times has praised his music as it “seamlessly melds Delta blues, gospel and jazz themes with personal, simplified lyrics that speak to his personal and artistic evolution.”

Originally hailing from Cadillac, Michigan, and now living in Spain, Winslow-King drank deeply from the wells of blues and rock, growing up immersed in Chess Records and classic rock radio. After a period of study in jazz guitar and classical composition, he picked up his instrument and lit out for the territories, busking on street corners with fellow musicians and performing Woody Guthrie’s “from California to the New York Island.” He soon fell in love with New Orleans, where he spent more than fifteen years honing his craft on the streets, studying with mentors ‘Washboard’ Lissa Driscoll and John Boutté, and forming a lifelong musical partnership with guitarist Roberto Luti.

As a songwriter, Luke Winslow-King refuses to try to squeeze songs into certain musical molds, working instead to absorb the lightning strikes of inspiration that arrive and to be attentive to the muse when she calls. Winslow-King carries this approach into the studio as well, trying to be in the moment and “let the song come alive.” Allowing magic to occur, the band tries to “imagine the audience,” to “bring the song to life,” and to “set them afire.

Winslow-King’s new album Coast of Light looks out over the edges of life, death, failure, hope, and love. The record was inspired by memories of exploring the city of Cádiz and the surrounding Costa de la Luz—the Atlantic side of Andalusia. The album unfolds as a collection of souvenirs, artefacts, and memories, assembled much like an impressionistic painting. Individual images and moments work together to create an overall feeling and shared meaning, recalling both surreal visions and stark emotional power. Together, these fragments form a poetic message—one that mirrors the emotional gravity and atmosphere of life on the Coast of Light.

The 12 songs on Coast of Light, were co-produced by Winslow-King and Roberto Luti at Jambona Lab Studios in Livorno, Italy. In addition to Winslow-King on guitar, percussion, and vocals, and Luti on guitar, the album features Simone Luti on bass, Piero Perelli on drums and congas, Nicola Venturini on Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, and piano and drums, and Giacomo Riggi on mallet percussion.

“Dangerous Blues” rides on prowling guitars and Luke Winslow-King’s growling vocals, channeling the raw, stripped-down feel of the Mississippi Hill Country. Discovered through an Alan Lomax field recording of Joe Savage singing a cappella under a Mississippi bridge, Winslow-King rebuilt the song from the ground up. “Roberto and I came up with a new guitar riff and rewrote the melody—something completely new,” he says. The result is a hard-edged blues that taps into life behind bars and the inescapable cycles of violence and incarceration woven into American life.

“Shoot from the Hip” charges forward on cracking snares and swaggering guitars, inspired by the wide-open landscapes of the Iberian Peninsula. Screaming leads evoke high-noon duels, while a psychedelic break nods to spaghetti westerns and frontier justice in a world gone reckless. The main theme of “Shoot from the Hip” is frontier justice. The song provides a commentary on the state of the world today, in which people are taking matters into their own hands. Winslow-King declares, “The song came through an exploration of the subconscious and a desire to be receptive on a more esoteric plane.”

“Don’t Worry Your Mind” rides a laid-back shuffle, with Hammond organ and hot guitar trading lines. It began as a lullaby before getting plugged in, evolving into an early rock-and-roll groove inspired by Wilson Pickett and Elmore James, while the lyrics still carry traces of their original waltz roots. As Winslow-King explains, the song’s lyrics can feel unique or unexpected because they were written in waltz time before being electrified and transformed into a rocking shuffle, allowing certain lines to appear in a new light.

“Teacher’s Desk” drifts in on ghostly vocals and a dreamlike haze, shifting between trippy reflection and driving rock. It opens into a shimmering, chamber-psych feel, with echoes of Jethro Tull, the Who, and Fairport Convention. Winslow-King calls it the most esoteric album track—almost an accident, emerging from half-dreamed images, hypnotic moments, and ideas the band stitched into something unexpected. “I felt like I went into a hypnotic trance to find the song,” explains Winslow-King. “I have no idea where it really came from. It ended up as a collage: images and flashes of dreams collided with the part Roberto played on his guitar and the rhythm our drummer, Piero Perelli concocted . It became something I never would have expected.” 

Winslow-King’s previous albums include Luke Winslow King (2008), Old/New Baby (2009), The Coming Tide (2013), Everlasting Arms (2014), I’m Glad Trouble Don’t Last Always (2016), Blue Mesa (2018), and If These Walls Could Talk (2022). He’s recorded with acclaimed artists such as George Porter Jr., Little Freddy King, and John Boutté. He has shared the stage with Jack White, Taj Mahal, Billy Strings, Rosanne Cash, and many others. His original song “Everlasting Arms” was performed by Dr. John in the Playing for Change: Songs Around the World series on YouTube.His music has been featured on Anderson Cooper Live (CNN), NCIS: New Orleans (CBS),and Deadliest Catch (Discovery).

Luke Winslow-King has toured extensively in North America and Europe, appearing on notable stages such as Austin City Limits, New Orleans JazzFest, Azkena Rock Festival (Spain), Tønder Festival (Denmark), Paradiso (Netherlands), and countless more.

Nine albums in, Winslow-King is still chasing new ground on Coast of Light. It’s his most adventurous record yet, with the band stretching out, taking chances, and leaning further into psychedelic and experimental territory. “We’re playing with more genres and tones than ever before,” he says. “It feels natural, and I’m comfortable here. I hope listeners are ready to come along for the ride.”