A combo featuring five of Chicago's best and most versatile musicians, Scott Ligon, Kelly Hogan, Nora O'Connor, Casey McDonough, and Alex Hall, the Flat Five started as a side project that played out only once a year, but has since matured into a celebrated band that records and tours, albeit at their own deliberate pace. Recorded at Alex Hall's Reliable Music studio, the Flat Five's first album, It's a World of Love and Hope, was released by Bloodshot Records in October 2016. ~ Mark Deming