It’s a Sad and Beautiful World is the long-awaited, long-unreleased album by songwriter and producer J.C. Hopkins, featuring two members of The Band — Levon Helm on drums and Garth Hudson on keyboards — along with Martha Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, and a circle of exceptional New York musicians.

Recorded in the early 2000s but never before heard, the album captures a unique moment when American roots music, jazz, and singer-songwriter traditions intertwined in unexpected ways. Hopkins, whose songs have been recorded by Norah Jones (“Painter’s Song”) and Willie Nelson (“Dreams Come True”), began the project during the same era that Jones was still performing with his group in downtown Manhattan clubs.

Introduced by Martha Wainwright to Garth Hudson, Hopkins brought Hudson’s otherworldly organ textures into the sessions. Soon after, Levon Helm joined in, lending his unmistakable groove to six of the tracks. Together, they created something intimate yet cinematic — a set of songs that sound like they were unearthed from another time, yet feel strikingly present.

The music moves through moods of reflection, longing, and quiet revelation. There’s the warmth of analog tape, the unhurried chemistry of live musicians in a room, and the sense of discovery that comes when artists play not for commerce, but for the pure joy of making something real.

Two decades later, It’s a Sad and Beautiful World finally sees the light of day — a document of friendship, collaboration, and enduring artistry. It’s an album about time, loss, beauty, and the fragile hope that keeps art alive — proof that some music finds its moment when the world is ready to hear it.