The bad news out of western China just gets worse after Monday’s earthquake in the Sichuan province. So, with a bit of a heavy heart, we offer this new track from the bluegrass singer-songwriter Abigail Washburn, who frequently writes and performs in Mandarin. “Great Big Wall in China” is off her forthcoming self-titled album with the Sparrow Quartet (when Bela Fleck is your sideman, you know you’re doing something right), and it’s a lovely, restless and occasionally sinister elaboration on the genre of banjo-driven Sino-folk she all but invented on her album “Song of the Traveling Daughter.” Her set at last year’s Stagecoach Festival was an absolute joy to watch, but recent events just make this sad song hit even harder.

Abigail Washburn: Great Big Wall in China

-August Brown

Photo by Bob Delevante