Formed in New York City in 2006, the Heavy Circles are a duo consisting of singer/songwriter Edie Brickell and her stepson, Harper Simon. (Brickell is the third wife of Paul Simon; Harper Simon is Paul Simon's son from his first marriage.) The two began holding recording sessions featuring a wide range of Harper Simon's friends, among them Sean Lennon (son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono), Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto, Martha Wainwright (daughter of Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, and sister of Rufus Wainwright), Matt Johnson, Joan Wasser, Inara George, Money Mark, Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow of Elysian Fields, and Pamelia Kurstin. The sessions resulted in a self-titled debut album by the Heavy Circles released on the Dynamite Child label on February 12, 2008. ~ William Ruhlmann