JT Nero (of JT and the Clouds) and Allison Russell (of Po'Girl) " now Birds of Chicago - had been friends and mutual admirers of each other's work for years before that friendship evolved into a musical and life partnership. They released their first studio album as a duo in 2012, and then followed up quickly with a live recording in 2013. Now, they've just put out their sophomore studio recording, 'Real Midnight' produced by Joe Henry. It's the last album recorded in Henry's acclaimed Garfield House studio in South Pasadena, CA, and it showcases beautifully the pairing of JT's songwriting with Allison's powerful yet understated vocals.

During their recent Northeast tour, the Birds of Chicago dodged a few blizzards and rolled into Saranac Lake, NY for a Folk Alley Session taping at Beehive Productions studio. Here, they're joined by Joel Schwartz on guitar and Chris Merrill on bass.