After an unusual career as a New York City Park Ranger, Andrew Vladeck walked out of Central Park to play more music. He brought with him his fascination for contrary things – the city and country, the modern and the historical, and sought ways to blend them together.

On his upcoming EP, Passing Knowledge (End Up Records), he balances spirited, lyrical-driven songs with finger-style instrumentation, deft wit, and some freewheeling fun. Produced by Misha Volf and mixed by Dave Schiffman, this recording signals a new direction for Vladeck, one in which he embraces his strengths: his virtuosic handle on traditional folk music (heretofore played only for his personal enjoyment), and his well-crafted songwriting (he won first place in the International Songwriting Competition, judged by Tom Waits and Brian Wilson).

A well-known musician in the Alt-Folk scene in NYC, Vladeck was born in Manhattan and raised amidst the woods of Harriman State Park. His music-loving family had three vintage jukeboxes filled with MoTown and Doo Wop 45s, an old upright piano and a guitar. His brother was consumed with Hip Hop, his twin sister with Country. From a young age he began experimenting, welding the edges of the different music he was hearing to form his own style, soldering pickups into his various old-time instruments.

Recently returned from a European tour and a regular at venues in New York, Andrew was featured on BBC’s The World, and was voted NYC Artist of the Month in The Deli Magazine. He’s shared the stage with Andrew Bird, The National, Marah, Hem, Brothers Creegan, Alejandro Escovedo, and many others. He’s also a founding member of the indie folk quintet The Honey Brothers and is a regular contributor to the NYC-based folk collective Balthrop, Alabama.

Passing Knowledge is Vladeck’s first release since 2008’s The Wheel. He will be touring extensively throughout the summer and fall in support of the new record.