CHRIS THILE

He is undoubtedly one of those musicians who pushes boundaries. Not only because of his impressive technique and the seamlessness with which he jumps between genres. Above all because of his instrument, the mandolin. As limited in sound and range as it may seem, Chris Thile brings even large halls to a boil with it - described by the Guardian as "that rare creature: an all-round musician who can find his way in any style, from bluegrass to classical".

Chris Thile presents his first true solo album with his latest work, "Laysongs." It's just Thile, his voice, his mandolin and the intention to deal with his own spirituality.

"Laysongs" was written in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown in a converted church in upstate New York and is finally hitting the stage live. The centerpiece of the album is the three-part "Salt (in the Wounds) of the Earth," inspired by C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters," which Thile premiered in 2018 during a composer's residency at Carnegie Hall.

It was the first (and so far only) music he composed for it to be performed alone, which felt like an opportunity to sing some words that shouldn't necessarily be put into a colleague's mouth. And he had no idea that he was only at the beginning of what was to become a solo adventure, professionally and - who knows - philosophically.