Luke Winslow-King blends jazz, blues, classical, and folk into a powerful, cinematic sound. With fluid guitar work, fearless songwriting, and gruff yet tender vocals, his music leaves a lasting impression.
Originally hailing from Cadillac, Michigan, and now living in Spain, Winslow-King drank deeply from the wells of blues and rock, growing up immersed in Chess Records and classic rock radio. After a period of study in jazz guitar and classical composition, he picked up his instrument and lit out for the territories, busking on street corners with fellow musicians and performing Woody Guthrie’s “from California to the New York Island.” He soon fell in love with New Orleans, where he spent more than fifteen years honing his craft on the streets, studying with mentors ‘Washboard’ Lissa Driscoll and John Boutté, and forming a lifelong musical partnership with guitarist Roberto Luti.
Winslow-King’s new album Coast of Light looks out over the edges of life, death, failure, hope, and love. The record was inspired by memories of exploring the city of Cádiz and the surrounding Costa de la Luz—the Atlantic side of Andalusia. The album unfolds as a collection of souvenirs, artifacts, and memories, assembled much like an impressionistic painting. Individual images and moments work together to create an overall feeling and shared meaning, recalling both surreal visions and stark emotional power. Together, these fragments form a poetic message—one that mirrors the emotional gravity and atmosphere of life on the Coast of Light.
The 12 songs on Coast of Light, were co-produced by Winslow-King and Roberto Luti at Jambona Lab Studios in Livorno, Italy. In addition to Winslow-King on guitar, percussion, and vocals, and Luti on guitar, the album features Simone Luti on bass, Piero Perelli on drums and congas, Nicola Venturini on Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, and piano and drums, and Giacomo Riggi on mallet percussion.
Nine albums in, Winslow-King is still chasing new ground on Coast of Light. It’s his most adventurous record yet, with the band stretching out, taking chances, and leaning further into psychedelic and experimental territory. “We’re playing with more genres and tones than ever before,” he says. “It feels natural, and I’m comfortable here. I hope listeners are ready to come along for the ride.”
Today, Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the video for the standout track “She Talks to the Flowers.” In his review of the album, Glide’s Jim Hynes says, “[Winslow-King] plies a dizzying blending of the guitars and keyboards for the psychedelic soundscape that yields the mysterious serenity found in ‘She Talks to the Flowers.’” Indeed, this song is dreamy and meditative with expansive and soulful sonic grooves, ultimately an artistic departure for Winslow-King. Ultimately, it is a soothing and beautiful tune that reminds us how Winslow-King continues to evolve his sound. Yet, the entrancing slide guitar solo reminds us that he is still always close to his roots.
Winslow-King describes the inspiration behind the tune:
‘She Talks to the Flowers’ arrives at the mystical heart of ‘Coast of Light’. The song feels like a quiet conversation between spirit and the living world around it — a gentle acknowledgment that nature carries its own intelligence, its own awareness, and its own secret lives unfolding alongside ours.
There is something centering about the way it moves, as if it invites the listener to slow down and step into a more subtle dimension of being. It reminds us that beyond the noise and urgency of everyday, there exists a parallel current of wisdom in the wind, in the soil, and in the silent language of growing things. As the lyric beautifully suggests, “you can hear them grow if you’ve time to lend,” capturing the song’s message that healing and understanding can come through patience, presence, and a willingness to listen.
Coast of Light as an album lives in that same space of reflection and illumination. It drifts between earth and ether, weaving together themes of awareness, presence, and the unseen connections that guide us. The record carries a sense of openness — “She Talks to the Flowers” becomes a moment of stillness and reverence, a song that listens as much as it speaks.
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