In recent months, Peter

Case has been strolling quietly into acoustic

events and venues around Los Angeles, performing an engaging

handful of songs from Flying Saucer Blues, his new

album for Vanguard Records.

He'll reunite with the core band from the album —

acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Greg

Leisz, guitarist Andrew

Williams and drummer

COLOR="#003163">Sandy Chila — for a pretour

CD-release party on Thursday at Largo in Los Angeles.

Case, formerly of the

COLOR="#003163">Nerves and the

COLOR="#003163">Plimsouls, also has been busy

nurturing a pet project: a tribute to bluesman

COLOR="#003163">Mississippi John Hurt planned for

an early 2001 release. According to a Vanguard spokesperson,

Case has long been a fan of the melodic bluesman (who was

also the focus last year of Bill

Morrissey's thoughtful Songs of Mississippi

John Hurt (Rounder).

Smither, Lucinda

Williams, Van Dyke

Parks and John

Sebastian have already recorded songs for the

Case-produced album or are in the process of working on

tracks.

Case launches his tour with accompanist

COLOR="#003163">David Perales, who also appears on

Flying Saucer Blues, with an April 29 show at the

Bottom Line in New York, where he'll split the bill with

Chris Smither. Case's

full tour itinerary was still being confirmed at press time.