Mike Gordon is currently on the road with his band in support of his new solo album The Green Sparrow. On occasion hes also invited some past collaborators to sit in for a few songs, including this past Tuesday at Minneapolis Varsity Theater. A few songs into Gordons extended set, guitar-virtuoso Leo Kottke emerged to play acoustic versions of his own William Powell and Pete Seegers Living in the Country.’ The odd couple recorded the latter tune for their second studio collaboration, Sixty Six Steps. Immediately after, the rest of Gordons solo band returned to the stage to help the duo through another track off that album, Rings. Throughout his storied career, Kottke has rarely collaborated with a rock-band.

The sit ins continued after Kottke left the stage. During his encore, Gordon invited out bass trumpeter Mike Williams for both Makisupa Policeman and Alphabet Street. Williams is best known as the lead trumpeter for the Count Basie Orchestra. Then, last night at Madison, WI’s Majestic, Chris Friday emerged to sing with Gordon and his band on Creedence Clearwater Revivals Born on the Bayou. In addition serving as Gordons current tour manager, Friday has also appeared with Jon Fishman in the shock-rock comedy group Touchpants.