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CARLTONE'S CORNER
August 4, 2010
Welcome to the 116th edition of Carltone's Corner!
Once again the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters is behind schedule. Who has time for music when the national media keeps going “Gaga” over Lyndsay Lohan being in the slammer, Chelsea Clinton getting married, Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin not getting married (again), the TV game show American Idol being in a state of disarray, Terrell Owens joining the Cincinnati Bengals, and the annual betting on whether or not quarterback Brett (how the heck is it pronounced “Farve”?) Favre retires or not? You do, of course! Leave the rest of this other BS to the great unwashed masses, and get out and see some bluegrass, old-time, country or other fine acoustic music.
Mill Valley at 40. The song “Mill Valley” by Rita Abrams is celebrating its 40-year anniversary, and Rita and two of the once-young singers were interviewed earlier today on the 4th by Michael Krasny on KQED-FM (88.5) in the SF Bay Area. If you missed the show you can listen here to an archived edition. Rita was recently featured in the Pacific Sun, and this Sunday the 8th there should be a story about her in the Pink Section of the SF Chronicle.
Webb on the web. There is an interview on National Public Radio as well as real nice stories in the NY Times and on the CMT site about singer/songwriter Jimmy Webb, who has won multiple Grammys for songs such as “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “MacArthur Park,” “Up, Up and Away,” “Galveston,” “All I Know,” “The Highwayman,” and “Wichita Lineman.” Webb has a new recording out titled Just Across the River, and some of these songs are on the disc, featuring guest artists such as Jerry Douglas, Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, Mark Koehler, Glenn Campbell and Billy Joel. Not a bad cast of singers to have on your project!
Home sweet home. If you are in the market to buy or sell a house in Marin County, consider contacting real estate broker and bluegrass singer Claudia Hampe for the best personalized service around. She has been selling houses in Marin for over 30 years and when she is not working the day job she can be found singing in the duo Keystone Crossing and in the band Keystone Station.
New Nunally DVD. East Bay bluegrass guitarist Jim Nunally has a new instructional DVD out titled The Art of Rhythm Guitar - Volume #2 - Walks and Runs. It is a follow-up companion to his previous Strums DVD. You can order it right now from PayPal or through Jim's website.
Take the Stage. The next Take the Stage session will start in late August so applications and deposits will need to be in by August 15th. It is an eight-session class which includes a sound class and a “graduation” performance that will take place at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on October 31st. The cost is $350, and applications and info can be found at the link above. The hosts also hope to put together another Peninsula/South Bay band that will practice there down south but come to the Freight for the welcome jam, sound class and show. In addition to newcomers there is a special track for already-existing bands that want to take their music to the next level with the help of folks like Kathy Kallick. Bands will get their own special evening show at the Freight in early November. People interested in this should send an email to hilary@nellrobinsonmusic.com.
The new movie Get Low, with Robert Duvall and Bill Murray, opens this week, and it has a great soundtrack with Alison Krauss, the SteelDrivers, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, and more. Can’t wait!
Giant Dead fans. Take me out to the ballgame! On the 9th it will be Jerry Garcia Day at Pacbell (or whatever corporate monolith the place is now named for) Park when the SF Giants play the Chicago Cubs on the 15th anniversary of the passing of the former guitarist for the Grateful Dead and banjo player for Old and In the Way. Bob Weir will sing the National Anthem and Mickey Hart will lead a kazoo ensemble on “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Some of the proceeds will be benefit the Rex Foundation. Will the Giants be wearing tie-dye uniforms?
Band vs. promoter. This is a great Youtube cartoon for anyone that has ever played in a band and has had to deal with a promoter or club owner. It would be hilarious if it weren’t so true to life...
The duo Misner & Smith is on the road again for six weeks promoting their new album Live at the Freight & Salvage. They will be in Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and all the way up the California coast. They'll be back in the Bay Area after Labor Day. Hope you caught them in the recent production of Woody Guthrie’s American Song at the Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley. Vampire photo. We have no doubt that most Carltone readers own a copy of Vampire Weekend’s album titled Contra. What, you never heard of the band? Uh, well, neither did we, but the album supposedly debuted at number one on Billboard back in January. On the cover is a photo of a young former model named Ann Kirsten Kennis, and she claims that the photo was used without her permission, so she is suing the band and the photographer who says he took her photo in 1983. The upshot from this tempest in a teapot? The band gets free publicity, and the retired model is now back in the news...
Fishwrap roundup. The late Marin County bass player Segovia Bader was written about in the Marin IJ, the SF Chronicle had stories about Elvin Bishop and Dusty Baker, bassist Ruth Davies, the ukulele, the West Coast Country Music Festival, and carpet cleaning drummer Larry Lynch, and Texas bad boy Kinky Friedman was seen in the SF Examiner.
Life's railway to heaven. San Jose singer/songwriter/performer Chuck McCabe passed away on July 23rd from pancreatic cancer. He was 65. Ben Keith, longtime guitar, piano, sax and pedal steel player with Neil Young, died recently of unknown causes. He was 73. Willem Breuker, the Dutch jazz composer and band leader, died on July 23rd in Amsterdam. He was 65. Bobby Hebb, songwriter and singer of the hit song “Sunny” back in the ‘60s, died on the 3rd in Nashville. He was 72. He performed with Roy Acuff’s Smoky Mountain Boys in the 1950s, and was one of the only African-American performers to appear regularly on the Grand Ole Opry. Mitch Miller, former orchestra leader, record executive, and conductor on his Sing Along With Mitch TV show from the early 1960s, died in New York on July 31st. He was 99. Mitch Jayne, longtime member and story-teller for the band The Dillards, passed away from cancer on August 2nd. He was 80. We can only hope that Mitch Greenhill, president of Folklore Productions, and Mitch Third, site manager for the Strawberry Music Festivals, are in good health...
Coming attractions. Strawberry Music Festival near Yosemite 9/2-6; Sausalito Art Festival 9/3-6; David Grier at Schoenberg’s Guitars in Tiburon 9/10; Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue at the Marin Country Mart 9/10; Anderson Marsh Old-Time Bluegrass Festival in Lower Lake 9/11; Swing Tonic in Petaluma at the Lagunitas Brewery 9/12, Aqus Cafe 9/25; Bluegrassin' in the Foothills in Plymouth 9/17-19; Slaid Cleaves with Michael O'Connor at North Bay Live 9/22; David Mize at Schoenberg’s Guitars in Tiburon 9/24; Hobbs Grove Bluegrass Festival in Sanger 9/24-26; IBMA World of Bluegrass in Nashville, TN, 9/27-10/3; Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park 10/1-3; Cheryl Wheeler with Jill Sobule at North Bay Live on 11/11 and 11/12; Steve Seskin, Craig Carothers and Don Henry at the Petaluma Arts Center 1/8/11.
Onward to the calendar…
The Sonoma County Fair started last month and it runs through August 8th. Music, rides, food, destruction derby, etc., can all be found there. You can see a Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue, Blue Oyster Cult, Foghat, The Rhythm Rangers, and lots more.
The 3rd Annual Bluegrass Campout in Isleton started on the 2nd and runs through the 8th, so most folks are either there or en route. Let the pickin’ begin!
Wonderful East Bay singer/songwriter Caren Armstrong will be hosting her annual birthday show at Strings in Emeryville on the 4th. She will be playing all news songs in the first set so arrive early to get a good seat, and she will be joined by Joshua Zucker on bass, John Haley-Walker on harmonies and other special guests.
The West Coast Songwriters North Bay Competition Playoffs will be happening at The Mystic in Petaluma with host Jan White on the 4th starting at 7 p.m. The cost is only $10 and all of the money goes to WCS. The judges will be Bill Cutler, Andre Pessis and Bonnie Hayes, and they will choose the Song of the Year.
The Sleeping Lady in Fairfax has a traditional Irish session every Sunday afternoon, jazz every Sunday night, and an open mic every Monday night. Check out their site.
Jammin’ in SF. The first Wednesday of the month bluegrass/country jam is hosted by Jeanie & Chuck Poling at the Plough & Stars in SF on the 4th, starting at 8:30 p.m. There is no cover but you must be 21 to attend.
West Marin guitarist Elvin Bishop is playing at Biscuits & Blues in SF on the 4th. He has a new CD out titled Red Dog Speaks.
19 Broadway in Fairfax has an open mic with Derek Smith every Monday, Danny Uzilevsky most Tuesdays, and lots more great shows. Go to the site for info.
The San Geronimo Valley Community Center has some hot shows this month. On the 4th see Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad, a refreshing mix of comedy, music, spoken-word and show-stopping burlesque. On the 6th it will be Napoleon Dynamite Film Night in the park (bring a low beach chair or blanket). And on the 21st see the Mystic Roots Band. They are LA Music Award winners for best Reggae/Pop album, have toured as reggae legend Pato Banton's official band for two and a half years, and have starred in their own reality TV show on The Learning Channel. Partial proceeds benefit the SGVCC.
Getting Kinky. Irreverent Texas country singer and novelist Kinky Friedman and his band are touring the West Coast for the first time in 20 years, so see them while you can, because you never know if and when they will come this way again. They will be playing on the 4th at Moe's Alley in Santa Cruz, on the 5th at the North Bay Live show at Studio E in Sebastopol, and on the 6th at the Palms in Winters. Yeehah!
Good things are happening Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys, Tuesdays are now new-to-Peri’s nights, and every Wednesday for $10 per participant there are professional swing dance lessons from 7:30-9 p.m. See Whiskey Pills Fiasco on the 4th, Otis Scarecroe with Tommy Odetto on the 6th (and 20th) from 5-8 p.m., The Royal Deuces on the 6th, Eldon Brown on the 7th, Sexy Sunday the 8th, Vintage City on the 12th, Culann's Hounds on the 14th, Andre's eclectic showcase on the 15th, Rusty Evans on the 20th, Eddie Neon on the 21st, Sage on the 27th, Aram Danesh and Austin deLone in 4AD on the 26th, and Songwriters' Sunday on the 29th.
Music is always brewing at the Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax. Bands play on Wednesdays starting at 8 p.m. Usually no cover, and great beer, food and music. See the 5th Annual Jerry Garcia Tribute show on the 4th with Barry Sless, Vince Herman and other special friends ($5 cover), Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue on the 11th, Snakebite Trio on the 18th, and Dgiin on the 25th.
Mill Valley percussionist Ian Dogle has a new group with Bill Douglas and Mimi Fox called Sympatrio, and they will be having their debut concert on the 5th at the 142 Throckmorton Avenue in Mill Valley. Drawing upon an extensive, worldly palette of musical genres and instruments, Sympátrio performs music that spans the musical gamut from Wayne Shorter to Chinese folk music to original compositions and thrilling free improvisations.
Swinging in SF. The Atlas Cafe in San Francisco presents the best in live bluegrass, old-time and Americana music every Thursday night from 8-10 p.m. On the 5th you can enjoy Western swing with The Saddlecats.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. There is comedy every Tuesday, the above noted Sympatrio on the 5th, Mort Sahl on the 14th, Hapa on the 21st, a production of “Into the Woods” on the 27th-29th, and more.
The Lagunitas Brewing Company Tap Room and Beer Sanctuary presents acoustic alt-country, Americana, bluegrass, and old-timey stuff as well as Latin/jazz and World beat. Music start times are 4:20 p.m. during the week and 3 p.m. on weekends.
The Shanghai Cowboys (David T. Carter and Rick Miller) on the 5th will begin an ongoing once a month happy hour stint at Aubergines Vintage Emporium in Sebastopol from 4-6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. Coming up in October will be six-state tour of the northwest by David T. Carter and Company, featuring Brad Leach on drums, Ken Braziel on bass, Rick Miller and David on guitars.
The Uptown Theatre in Napa presents The Lonely Boys on the 5th, the B-52s on the 9th, Ron White on the 12th, Cyndi Lauper on the 18th, and They Might Be Giants on the 21st.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, with no cover charge. See JL Stiles on the 5th, the Sonoma Mountain Band on the 6th, Andrew Freeman on the 7th, Kith & Kin on the 13th, Under the Radar on the 20th, Keystone Station on the 21st, Greenhouse on the 22nd, High Country on the 28th, and lots more good stuff.
The Coast Café in Bolinas has live music every Thursday night from 7-9 p.m. Look for wine and beer specials and beverage-only seating available during music.
Jammin' in Marin. The Marin Bluegrass Jam takes place on the first and third Thursdays of every month. The next ones will be on the 5th and 19th. The address is Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, just off the Corte Madera exit of Highway 101. The time is 7:30-10 p.m.
Sonoma County guitarist Kevin Russell has some gigs this month. On the 5th his band The Rhythm Rangers will be playing Western swing & alt-country at the Sonoma County Fair from 1-4:30 p.m. The music is free with regular fair admission. Kevin and Radar cohort Mike Capella will play at Cafe Azul in Petaluma as a duo on the 19th from 7-9 p.m. And on the 20th Under the Radar plays newgrass, swing & blues at Murphy's in Sonoma beginning at 8 p.m.
Lots of women are appearing this month at The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa. See Blondie on the 5th, Mary Chapin Carpenter on the 6th, Natalie Merchant on the 10th, and Melissa Etheridge on the 27th.
Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue have three gigs of import coming up. See them at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa on the 6th from 1-4:30 p.m., at Iron Springs Brewery in Fairfax on the 11th from 8-10 p.m., and at the Lagunitas Brewery in Petaluma on the 14th from 3-6 p.m.
At the Napa Valley Opera House you could see Jim Messina on the 6th and Tony n' Tina's Wedding on the 17th-29th.
San Anselmo’s The Craig Caffall Band (CCB) plays every Friday at Miss Pearl's Jam House in the Waterfront Hotel at Jack London Square in Oakland from 7-10 p.m. Craig also plays guitar with Maria Muldaur.
Saylor’s in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on most Saturdays. See Antar Blue Band on the 6th, Dale Polissar & Bart Hopkin on the 7th, Connie Ducey & Judy Hall on the 13th, Alex Markels & Tina Marzell on the 14th, Ken Husbands & Suzannah Smith on the 20th, Nigel Healy on the 21st, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 27th, and Eugene Huggins on the 28th.
In the Woods at the Masonic in Mill Valley has an open mic every Monday, the Beautiful Losers on the 6th, Mark Growden featuring Enzo Garcia and Brindl on the 7th, Kenge Kenge: Kenya's Luo Musical Roots on the 8th, Miles Schon Band B'day Bash with Honey Dust on the 14th, Chrome Johnson on the 20th, and The Fumes with Arann Harris & The Farm Band on the 21st.
Lauralee Brown will sing jazz & beyond on the 6th at The Pleasure is Mine at The Harbor Point Racquet Club in Strawberry (Mill Valley) from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and again on the 27th at Saylor's Restaurant & Bar in Sausalito from 7-10 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended for both venues. In between Lauralee will host Rancho Nicasio's Singer Songwriter Series on the 19th starting at 7 p.m. This month’s participants include The Windshield Cowboys, Jezebel, Roscoe Born, Mike Lipskin and more. This is a free show in the bar.
Sebastopol’s Doug Blumer has a mix of shows this month. On the 6th the Doug Blumer Duo will be at Max's Café in Corte Madera (60 Madera Blvd.) from 8-10:30 p.m., on the 11th Doug and a big cast of Bay Area All-Stars will play Buck Owens' Birthday Bash at the Elbo Room in SF, and on the 13th and 14th the Doug Blumer Trio will play at The French Garden in Sebastopol from 7:30-10:30 p.m.
The Marin Country Mart at Larkspur Landing and Local Music Vibe present three hours of family-friendly, live music every Friday through September 10th. Each free show, beginning at 5:30 p.m., is outside on the grounds. Shoppers and diners, as well as ferry riders, are encouraged listen to the music in a relaxing, social atmosphere at the start of each weekend. See The Courtney Janes and Savannah Blue on the 6th, Miracle Mule on the 13th, and Moonlight Rodeo with Rule 5 on the 20th. The Mart used to be called Larkspur Landing.
Mill Valley gitpicker Dore Coller is busy as usual. On the 6th he’ll be with Savannah Blue at the Marin Country Mart, on the 13th Blue will play the Good Old Fashioned Festival, on the 24th he’ll be back at Vasco, on the 26th at Bocci's Cellar in Santa Cruz, on the 27th with Trio Max in Half Moon Bay, on the 28th with Andy Turpin and Rick Carlsen for the Schooner Regatta at SF Yacht Club in Belvedere, on the 29th Savannah Blue plays The Sand Dollar in Stinson Beach, and on the 30th the Hot Club of Marin of does their Gypsy Jazz Jam at Taste of Rome in Sausalito.
Bluegrass invitational in Berkeley. Everyone is invited to the First Friday Invitational Bluegrass Jam on the 6th at Bacheeso's Mediterranean Restaurant in Berkeley. The house band will be pickin' and grinnin' from 6:30-9:30 p.m. The band for this date will be Bruce Campbell on bass, Craig Fletcher on banjo, Dan Large on mandolin, Josh Jakus on fiddle, and Larry Goldfield on guitar.
The Dead on the Creek Festival in Willits on the 6th-9th will have Deadwood Revival, Poor Man's Whiskey, the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Wake The Dead, John Reischman & The Jaybirds, Melvin Seals & JGB, Moonalice and more.
The Marin duo known as The Courtney Janes, while at the above mentioned Marin Country Mart on the 6th, will also play at the Wild Fox in Novato on the 19th and at Cafe Royale in SF on the 26th.
Three At Last has a busy August. They will be at Orchard Valley Coffee in Campbell on the 7th. On the 8th, they will be playing live on KPIG radio from 10 a.m.-noon, and later that night they will be at The Asana Tea House in Santa Cruz. They are on the bill at the 21st at The CurVille Dog Days Festival in Kenwood. The 27th finds them at the Barley & Hops Tavern in Occidental, the 28th at The Blue Heron in Duncans Mills, and on the 29th at the Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival.
Turn your radio on. Tune into Peter Thompson’s Bluegrass Signal radio show on KALW (91.7 FM) in SF every Saturday evening from 6:30-8 p.m.You can listen online on the KALW web site, and the first hour of the show is also broadcast five times each week on BluegrassCountry.org.
The North Bay band The Mild Colonial Boys will be playing at the San Gregorio General Store on the 7th at 2:30 p.m. The MCBs are John Caulfield, Kyle Alden, and Rory McNamara. The usual rules apply.
The Acoustic Vortex house concert series in Larkspur on the 7th will feature Sonoma County performer Teresa Tudury, and on the 21st they will be sponsoring a benefit concert for Marin Services for Women, one of the key resources for treatment of substance abuse in women in Marin County. The first set will feature Rebecca Folsom, who, with Celeste Krenz, is one-half of the Rhythm Angels. Hailing from Boulder, CO, she had a very successful solo career and toured with her own band. On some of the songs she will be joined by her new friends Kyle Alden, Bruce Victor, and maybe John Caulfield. The second set will feature the Bay Area Celtic band The Gas Men. Those interested in attending who may not yet be on the Vortex mailing list should email Bruce Victor at bruce@acousticvortex.com.
After a music-filled three-week trip to Ireland in July with shows in County Mayo, County Galway and Dublin, San Anselmo musician Kyle Alden is back in California with some exciting shows coming up this month. In addition to the San Gregorio General Store on the 7th (11 a.m. solo, and 3 p.m. with the Mild Colonial Boys), he’s playing on the 10th at Club Waziema in SF as part of CitySessions 7-Year Anniversary Show, and he’ll be hosting Troubadour Night on the 26th at the Sleeping Lady in Fairfax featuring singer/songwriters Amy Wigton, Peter Axell and himself. On the 21st he’ll be at the aforementioned Vortex with The Gas Men.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget is strumming through the summer. His jazz quintet Namely Us appears twice this month, first at the Two Bird Café on the 7th, then later on the 22nd at the Sleeping Lady Café. Then his alt-country/roots-rock band Moonlight Rodeo headlines on the 20th at the Friday night music series at Marin Country Mart.
Some shows of note at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley are the Bay Area bluegrass band 49 Special’s CD release show on the 7th, Joy Kills Sorrow on the 18th, three guitarists on the 19th (see below), the West Coast Jug Band Jubilee on the 21st, and the 22nd Annual Fiddle Summit on the 26th.
Sebastopol Benefit. The Sebastopol Center for the Arts is having a benefit on the 7th to generate some money for much needed repairs. Acts that will play include The Haute Flash Quartet, Michael Capella, Hugh Harris & Bobby Lee, Doug Jayne & Kevin Russell, Cori Wood & Friends, and Old Jawbone. Tickets are $10- $100, and they are available at The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa or by contacting Kevin at (707) 824-1858 or krussellmft@aol.com.
Young South Bay musician Francesca Nagle (formerly “Frankie”) will be having her CD release party at Senzala Restaurant in Sunnyvale on the 7th.
The Marin band Lansdale Station headlines the Julliard Summer Concert Music in the Park Series in Santa Rosa on the 8th at 5 p.m.
Paul Knight & Friends will be playing on the 8th at the Station House in Pt. Reyes Station starting at 5 p.m. The friends this week will be Butch Waller on mandolin, Steve Pottier on guitar, and Bruce Johnson on fiddle. No cover.
The Lost Cats members Jim Passard and Marc Babin will be at C'era Una Volta in Alameda on the 8th, at Bacheeso’s in Berkeley on the 13th and 20th, the full band will play at 19 Broadway in Fairfax on the 15th from 3-6 p.m., and then three of the Cats will be at The New Zealander in Alameda on the 26th.
At Vasco Restaurant in Mill Valley Matt Lax and Joe Kyle host a free music series on Tuesday nights from 8-10:30 p.m.
Sonoma County’s Adam Traum will be at the Finger-style Guitar Showcase at the Sleeping Lady on the 11th, at Max’s Café in Corte Madera on the 13th, at the Cur-Ville Dog Days Festival in Kenwood on the 21st, at Murphy’s After Farmer’s Market Party with the Traumatics on the 24th, at the Aqus Café in Petaluma on the 27th, and on the 28th at Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood from 1-3 p.m. playing solo acoustic.
Phil Hardgrave & The Continentals play at Peri's in Fairfax on the second Wednesday of every month, with the 11th the next date. The band has Bruce Lacey on upright bass and Brian Fischer on drums, with Phil singing and playing his hot Telecaster. It's mostly rockabilly, with a smattering of country mixed in.
The Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival in Bolado Park south of Hollister on the 13th-15th has Nell Robinson & Red Level, The David Thom Band, Barefoot Nellies, Savannah Blue, Jeanie & Chuck’s Country Roundup, Highway One, Sidesaddle & Co., Houston Jones, California Borderline, Pearly Blue and many more California artists.
The Mendocino Stories and Music Series on the 13th at 7:30 p.m. presents original and standard jazz tunes by Lynn Kiesewetter and The Mendonesians. Lynn will be bidding a bon voyage to son Bing, a jazz drummer, who is on his way to New York City. The five-piece band with keyboards, drums, bass, trumpet and sax will play at the Mendocino Hotel on Main Street. On the 14th the series will present the Swing Band Express featuring Jerry Olsen playing ‘40s and ‘50s rock and swing at 7:30 p.m. at the Hill House of Mendocino on Palette Drive. See The Lavender Grace Band at the Mendocino Hotel on the 20th at 7:30 p.m. This neo-folk ensemble plays an acoustic blend of Americana, soul, World and pop music. And on the 21st the Mendocino writers group The Usual Suspects will be at the Mendocino Hotel. There will be music with singer/songwriter Marcus McCallen opening the show at 7 p.m., and readings of original work start at 7:30.
Hopkin & Winge hit the Sebastopol hot spots. They'll be at the Pine Cone Cafe on the 13th from 7-9 p.m., and at the French Garden on the 25th from 7-10 p.m. For a preview, check out their new MySpace page at the link above.
Film festival in Sausalito? Who knew? Not in the town itself, but the 2nd Annual Sausalito Film Festival will take place at Cavallo Point in Fort Baker on the 13th-15th.
Twang Ditty will be playing country music on the 13th at the Druid Hall in Santa Rosa and at the Gravenstein Apple Fair on the 14th.
The Mystic in Petaluma has Robben Ford on the 14th, The Mother Truckers plus Chrome Johnson on the 15th, and The BoDeans plus Dan Navarro on the 17th.
Drew Pearce is presenting two shows of songwriters this month. See Amaré Silva, Michael Bloch and Misisipi Mike on the 14th at the Bazaar Café in SF starting at 7 p.m., and on the 22nd it will be Allie Moss and Lauren Zettler at a house concert in Sausalito.
At the Gravenstein Apple Fair in Sebastopol on the 14th-15th you can see The Brothers Comatose, Twang Ditty, Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, The Wild Catahoulas, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, and more.
The annual Saw Players Festival will be buzzing in Felton on the 14th and 15th. Some of the best saw players from all over the world go each year to compete in the annual “Saw-Off Contest” for the fun and glory of being chosen and being recognized as the year’s best saw players. It’s an interesting and fun event suitable for the whole family, and it’s free.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the third Sunday of the month. See them on the 15th starting at 3 p.m. at 19 Broadway in Fairfax. They play barnyard bebop and swingin’ cowboy jazz. Johnny Cuviello, Bob Wills' drummer at 94 years young, lives in Milpitas and he often sits in on a few songs about every other month.
The Marin Jamvitational bluegrass showcase takes place on the 17th from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Whipper Snapper (1613 4th Street, between F and G Streets) in downtown San Rafael. The restaurant offers “Cal-Caribe” food that blends Latin flavors with local farm fresh ingredients. No cover
Bending the Rails. Three acoustic guitar innovators – Alex de Grassi, Bob Brozman, and Walter Strauss – will cross tracks and explore new terrain for contemporary acoustic guitar at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse on the 19th at 8 p.m.
If you are up for a road trip, the Beavergrass bluegrass festival in Corvallis, OR, on the 20th and 21st will have, among others, the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, Tony Furtado, and Joy Kills Sorrow.
Be one of the many folks headed for the Golden Old Time Campout at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville 20th-22nd.
North Bay singer Moss Henry will be performing at The French Garden in Sebastopol on the 20th from 7-10 p.m. No cover.
Michael Stadler and Richard Brandenburg in Santa Clara. It will be an evening of roots, folk, country and old-time on the 21st at 8 p.m. at the Mission City Coffee Roasting Company. Michael Stadler is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, performing a broad mix of country, folk, bluegrass, swing and old-time. Richard Brandenburg is a Bay Area singer and songwriter whose thoughtful, well-crafted songs reflect his love for the classic country music of the early to mid-twentieth century. He will open for Michael and probably sing and play a few duos with him.
The Cotati Accordion Festival takes place on the 21st and 22nd, so be aware if you happen to find yourself in the town…
Murphy Productions is now producing shows at The Palm Ballroom, a new venue for live music and dance. It is located in central San Rafael right off 101 adjacent to the Seafood Peddler. See Hot Buttered Rum on the 21st, The Itals on the 26th, and Mark Karan & Jemimah Puddleduck on the 27th.
Maurice Tani, Jenn Courtney & 77 El Deora bring their "Hell Yeah! Turn it Down!" acoustic set to the Noe Valley Ministry in San Francisco on the 21st. Joining them will be Bay Area favorites Misisipi Rider.
Keystone Station at Murphy’s in Sonoma on the 21st. Keystone is a traditional bluegrass band from Marin County whose members are all bluegrass veterans. Formed in the winter of 2001 the quintet is one of the premier bands on the Bay Area bluegrass scene. Its members are Claudia Hampe on guitar, Dave Earl on mandolin, Kenny Blacklock on fiddle, Kris Hare on banjo, and Carltone on bass. The band’s repertoire is based on the songs of such notables Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers and Flatt & Scruggs. With haunting three-part harmonies, and hot instrumental picking on acoustic instruments, Keystone has a lot of fun when they play.
The Curr-ville Dog Days Festival in Kenwood on the 21st will feature Johnny Harper, Solid Air, Three at Last, Adam Traum, Dale Henry Geist, Larry Potts, Lindalou & Michael, and The Bodie Travelers.
Lindalou and Michael, besides playing at Curr-Ville, can also be found playing the Windsor Farmer's Market at the Windsor Town Green on the 29th.
At Rancho Nicasio you can see The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience on the 22nd and Asleep at the Wheel on the 28th and 29th. The Cowlicks will open on the 29th.
There will be pickin’ of gospel, bluegrass and old-time music as usual up in Sebastopol on the fourth Sunday of this month, and the date is the 22nd. It takes place from 2-5 p.m. at the Sebastopol Christian Church, 7433 Bodega Avenue, in Sebastopol. Bring acoustic instruments and your favorite gospel songs to sing.
The Doug Adamz Trio will be at The Station House Cafe in Pt. Reyes Station on the 22nd from 5-8 p.m. Fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and bass alert is in effect. Doug will also perform solo after the potluck at 6 p.m. at the Windsor Acoustic Guitar Series on the 28th in Windsor. For information and reservations, contact Scott Nevins scottn@sonic.net.
The Ruminators can be seen performing at Aubergine in Sebastopol on the 26th from 8-11 p.m.
The 16th Annual Bodega Seafood Art & Wine Festival goes from 28th-29th, and some of the acts to see there are Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks, Jules Broussard, Three At Last, Incendio, Greenhouse and Gator Beat.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
Mill Valley artist and musician Kimrea plays with her band Dreamdogs every Monday night at the no name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band.
Andrew Freeman, besides performing solo on the first Saturday of every month at Murphy’s in Sonoma, continues to play Tuesday evenings at Giordano's (Columbus and Broadway) in SF at 7 p.m.
Ed Neff and Friends are playing bluegrass every Thursday at the Willowbrook Ale House in Petaluma from 6:30-9:30 p.m. There is no cover, and you get to hear some of the finest traditional bluegrass in the North Bay. The regular pickers are Ed Neff on fiddle, Mike Wilhoyte on guitar, Jeff King on bass, Paul Shelasky on fiddle, and Larry Cohea on banjo. The address is 3600 Petaluma Boulevard North. Call (707) 775-4232 for more info.
**************************************************************** July 17 , 2010
Summertime blues. Who has time for a case of the summertime blues (unless, of course, you are now-tough-to-find-an-acting-role Mel Gibson) when here we are halfway through the season and there is still so much great music to see/hear? Turn off CNN, FOX and American Idle and get the heck out of the house!
The end of the world. The World Cup football/soccer games have mercifully come to an end, so fans everywhere no longer have excuses to be drinking Bloody Marys at 7 a.m. in sports bars while blowing on their vuvuzelas. We can only hope that those annoying horns don’t make their way to baseball and football stadiums here in the US. Speaking of which, how’s this for a frightening new band idea: a vuvuzela, didgeridoo, accordion, saw, banjo and bongos…
Summer reading. While the great unwashed masses this summer are reading books about conspiracy theories and vampires, bluegrass and acoustic music fans are standing in line to buy the new book titled Blind But Now I See: The Biography of Music Legend Doc Watson by Kent Gustavson. Other music books of note that have been out for a bit are Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story by Tim Stafford and Caroline Wright, Man of Constant Sorrow by Ralph Stanley and Eddie Dean, and King of Queen City: The Story of King Records by Jon Hartley Fox.
Band scramble. According to a report on the Bluegrass Blog, the West Coast bluegrass band Sawmill Road has decided to call it quits.
Calling all luthierites. Want to learn how to work on acoustic instruments? Then consider attending the Luthierie Camp with Roger Siminoff in Atascadero from the 18th-23rd. Roger will be building an H5 mandola. It is a week long program in his facilities in Atascadero. Attendees will learn all the processes for building an arched top/back f-hole instrument and will leave with a fully assembled mandola.
Harwood podcast. The latest edition of Live From Bay 6 from Harwood Productions features singer/songwriter Kyle Williams, and you can watch it here.
Jerry the Giant. On August 9th it will be Jerry Garcia Day at Pacbell (or whatever corporate monolith the place is now named for) Park when the SF Giants play the Chicago Cubs on the 15th anniversary of the passing of the former guitarist for the Grateful Dead. Bob Weir will sing the National Anthem and Mickey Hart will lead a kazoo ensemble on “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Some – but not all – of the proceeds will be benefit the Rex Foundation.
Speaking of The Dead, there is a new set of recordings available titled Road Trips Vol. 3, No. 3 that commemorates the magical and transformative spring of 1970 – The Dead's early and late shows at the Fillmore East on May 15, 1970.
Talkin’ ‘bout Mill Valley. This past week there was a reunion of some of the Strawberry Point School Mill Valley singers in honor of the 40th anniversary of the song “Mill Valley” by Rita Abrams. Look for a story about the event by Joel Selvin in an upcoming Sunday SF Chronicle.
A Preservation Hall Jazz venue in SF? This could happen, according to a story in the Chronicle.
Back in the pink. Pink Floyd founders Roger Waters and David Gilmour are planning to play together again on stage at least once more. The upcoming appearance stems from the 2009 edition of the Hoping Foundation Benefit, which raises funds for young Palestinian refugees. The two, according to reports, have not been in close contact over the years…
Take the Stage. The next Take the Stage session will start in late August so applications and deposits will need to be in by August 15th. It is an eight-session class which includes a sound class and a “graduation” performance that will take place at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on October 31st. The cost is $350, and applications and info can be found at the link above. The hosts also hope to put together another Peninsula/South Bay band that will practice there down south but come to the Freight for the welcome jam, sound class and show. In addition to newcomers there is a special track for already-existing bands that want to take their music to the next level with the help of folks like Kathy Kallick. Bands will get their own special evening show at the Freight in early November. People interested in this should send an email to hilary@nellrobinsonmusic.com.
Listen here on National Public Radio to an interview with rockabilly guitarist Bill Kirchen.
Fishwrap roundup. In the SF Chronicle read about Latin percussionist Pete Escovedo and Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre. In the Marin IJ there were stories about artist Mia Brown, the bands Tin Hat and Purvis & The Stray Dogs, The Other Café 30th Reunion Show, and Sausalito guitar maker Dan Jones. LA bluegrass singer/songwriter Susie Glaze is featured on page 16 in the recent edition of The Sounding Board, CF Martin’s monthly newsletter.
Life’s railway to heaven. Legendary country singer/songwriter Hank Cochran, who wrote such classics as "I Fall to Pieces," "She's Got You," "Make the World Go Away," "A Little Bitty Tear," "The Chair," "Don't Touch Me," and "Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurtin' Me," passed away in Nashville on the 15th at age 74. Gospel singer and pastor Walter Hawkins died in Ripon, CA, on July 11th, from cancer. He was 61. He first rose to prominence in 1969 while singing in his brother's group, The Edwin Hawkins Singers, who had a hit with the song "Oh Happy Day." Stanley Williams, founding artistic director of the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in SF, died on July 2nd in SF. He was 60.
Coming attractions. Dead on the Creek in Willits 8/6-9; Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival near Hollister 8/13-15; Outside Lands Festival in SF’s Golden Gate Park 8/14-15; Saw Players Festival in Felton 8/14-15; Gravenstein Apple Fair in Sebastopol 8/14-15; Golden Old Time Campout at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville 8/20-22; Cotati Accordion Festival 8/21-22; Hot Buttered Rum 8/21, Mark Karan & Jemimah Puddleduck 8/27 at Murphy Productions in San Rafael; Strawberry Music Festival near Yosemite 9/2-6; Berkeley Old-Time Music Convention 9/8-12; The Brown Barn Bluegrass Festival in San Martin 9/10-12; Anderson Marsh Old-Time Bluegrass Festival in Lower Lake 9/11; Bluegrassin' in the Foothills in Plymouth 9/17-19; Hobbs Grove Bluegrass Festival in Sanger 9/24-26; IBMA World of Bluegrass in Nashville, TN, 9/27-10/3; Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park 10/1-3; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland, OR, 1/7-9.
Additions
The California World Fest in Grass Valley began on the 15th and runs through the 18th. Same site as the CBA’s bluegrass fest, but worlds apart musically… The Boulder Creek Bluegrass and Old-Time Festival started on the 16th and runs through the 18th, and some of the acts you can see there are Faux Renwah, Rainy Escobar, Page Brownton's Sidetrack, Regina Bartlett, Upcreek Drifters, Still Searchin', Heathen Hill, and Old Soles.
The Fabulosa Fest at Walker Creek Ranch in Petaluma continues through the 18th will feature lots of women singer/songwriters. Go to the site for info. There are music workshops, crafts, swimming, good food, healing practitioners and more.
The Doug Blumer Trio can be seen playing at The French Garden in Sebastopol on the 17th from 7:30-10:30 p.m., and then on the 21st they will be at Strings in Emeryville at 8 p.m.
Turn your radio on. Tune into Peter Thompson’s Bluegrass Signal radio show on KALW (91.7 FM) in SF on the 19th from 6:30-8 p.m. The show this week is titled Walking the Blues Part 2 (of 3). Hear bluegrass songs about perambulating, with music from, among others, Bill Monroe, the Bray Brothers, Charles Sawtelle, Doyle Lawson, The Grascals, Hot Rize, James Reams, Lynn Morris Band, Ronnie & Rob McCoury, Shannon Grayson & His Golden Valley Boys, Special Consensus, and Tim Graves. You can listen online on the KALW web site, and the first hour of the show is also broadcast five times each week on BluegrassCountry.org.
Missed Paul McCartney last weekend? Well then, the next best thing is the Beatle Tribute Night in the Union Room at Biscuits and Blues in SF on the 17th. Hosted by Jim Bruno and starting at 8:30, numerous Bay Area singers will be sharing the stage with the host.
Some of the bands to see at the Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival in Etna on the 17th and 18th are the Anderson Family, Donna Hughes, Bound to Ride, Shades of Blue, California Borderline, Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band and G2.
The Humboldt Folklife Festival in Arcata runs from the 17th-24th, and on the 18th you can see Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum playing a show. Go to the site for more info.
Allen Lam and Project #7 will be appearing at Borders in Alameda on the 17th at 6 p.m., playing an eclectic blend of music for your listening pleasure. The show is free, all ages are welcome.
If you are in Monte Rio on the 18th swing by the Village Inn on River Boulevard and you'll find Dave Hardy playing guitar on the deck for brunch, served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The 5th Annual Far West Fest happens on the 17th at Love Field in Point Reyes. Two stages with The Pimps of Joytime, Monophonics, Sister Carol, El Radio Fantastique, Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, Dgiin, Bo Bo Tempo, Brindl, Coastal Dave One Man Band -Sanctified Cigar Box, and more. The will be local oysters and plenty of quality local food, The Beer Garden, Far Afield Large Sculpture Exhibit, arts and crafts, a kids’ zone and much more. It all benefits worthy causes: Community Radio- KWMR, Area Preschools, Love Field Community Commons, and Home Base Youth Programs.
Fairfax singer/songwriter Jo D’Anna and East Bay songwriter Julie Larson will play at the Bazaar Cafe in San Francisco on the 17th from 7-9 p.m.
Hot time in the Woods. And no, we’re not talking about swinging golfer Tiger Woods, we’re talking about In The Woods Productions, the relatively new venue in Mill Valley at the Masonic Hall. Some shows you can see there this month are Norton's Knockouts on the 17th, Michael LaMacchia, Jeconte and Cheap Therapy on the 24th, and Ronnie Montrose Trio Unplugged on the 31st. The Woods also has an open mic on Mondays that is hosted by Austin deLone. Call (415) 389-6637 at 3:30 p.m. that day to sign up for a slot later that evening.
The Big Time Festival on the 17th revives the culture and traditions of the Coast Miwok at Kule Loklo, a replica of a Miwok village at Point Reyes National Seashore. The fest is a re-creation of a traditional Native American trade festival from those times, featuring demonstrations of basketry, flint knapping, clamshell bead making and other activities from an economy based on gathering, fishing and hunting.
Dana and Emily Rath will be sharing the bill with amazing west Marin banjo player Tim Weed at the Sleeping Lady in Fairfax on the 20th starting at 9 p.m.
The Marin Country Mart (known to everyone in the county as Larkspur Landing) has free concerts on Fridays from 5:30-8:30 p.m. See D'bunchovus on the 23rd and The Courtney Janes on the 31st.
Murphy Productions is presenting the Tommy Castro Band on the 23rd at The Palm Ballroom in San Rafael. Castro is famed not only for his hard-hitting, impassioned vocals, soaring guitar work and his blues-infused, rocking R&B sound, but also for his striking, original songwriting and exhilarating stage show. The band is Castro on guitar, Keith Crossman on sax, Ronnie Smith on drums, Scot Sutherland on bass, and Tom Poole on trumpet.
Wild time in Fremont. The trio version of the Marin bluegrass band Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue will be playing at the amphitheatre at The Niles Town Plaza Summer Concert Series in Fremont on the 25th starting at 1 p.m. along with Michael McNevin and Ron Thompson. This is a free show, and WB will go on first. The band – as noted in the previous newsletter – will also play at Murphy’s in Sonoma on the 24th.
The 18th Annual Catalan Festival will be taking place on the 24th and 25th at the Gloria Ferrer Winery in Sonoma County featuring the melodies of classical guitar, rhythms of flamenco dance, aromas of saffron and spice, and world-class wine.
Reminders
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, with no cover charge. See The Perfect Crime on the 17th, The David Thom Band on the 23rd, Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue on the 24th, Blue & Lonesome on the 31st, and lots more good stuff.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys, and every Wednesday for $10 per participant there are professional swing dance lessons from 7:30-9 p.m. There are lots of great shows this month, so go to the web calendar for details.
The Sleeping Lady in Fairfax has a traditional Irish session every Sunday afternoon, jazz every Sunday night, and an open mic every Monday night. Check out their site.
The Lagunitas Brewing Company Tap Room and Beer Sanctuary presents acoustic alt-country, Americana, bluegrass, and old-timey stuff as well as acoustic Latin/jazz and World beat. Music start times are 4:20 p.m. during the week and 3 p.m. on weekends.
The Mendocino Music Festival runs from through the 24th with various kinds of music (but mostly classical) in downtown Mendocino. Go to the site for complete info.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on most Saturdays. See Em K–Sizzlin’ on the 17th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 23rd, Jocelyn Steele on the 24th, Macy Blackman on the 30th, and Chris Goddard on the 31st.
19 Broadway in Fairfax has an open mic with Derek Smith every Monday and the Uzilevsky/Korty Duo every Tuesday. Go to the site for show info.
The Ain't Misbehavin' trio performs on the 17th at the Cove Cafe on Angel Island from 2-5 p.m.
Art, wine, beer and bluegrass. The San Anselmo Art and Wine Festival will be happening on the 17th-18th, and besides nostalgic rock and roll tribute bands there will be bluegrass being played there by the Marin County band Savannah Blue.
Houston Jones, with very special guests Stevie Coyle and Joe Craven, will perform at the Freight & Salvage on the 17th. HJ is the California based high-octane Americana quintet that formed in 2001. The band performs a mostly original repertoire that ranges from bluegrass and folk to blues and gospel and features Glenn Houston (lead guitar), Travis Jones (lead vocal, acoustic guitar), Henry Salvia (keyboard, accordion), Chris Kee (standup bass, cello, acoustic guitar), and Peter Tucker (drums). Chris, Peter and Glenn are all alumni of the Waybacks. Glenn was awarded "best guitarist" for 2009 by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday see the all-star jazz benefit for the theatre on the 17th, Barbara Higbie on the 23rd, and more.
Rancho Nicasio in West Marin has Moonalice on the 17th, Big Ben & His Snakeoil Survivors on the 23rd, Paul Thorn on the 24th and 25th, Chrome Johnson on the 30th, and others.
Dore Coller and Savannah Blue on the 17th & 18th SB will be pickin’ at the San Anselmo Art and Wine Fest from 10 a.m.-noon, and later on the 18th they will be at the Lagunitas Brewery Tap Room from 3-6 p.m. On the 23rd SB will play at Armando's in Martinez, and on the 24th and 25th SB plays the Alameda Art & Wine Festival from 10 a.m.-noon. On the 26th it will be the Hot Club of Marin's Gypsy Jazz Jam at Taste of Rome in Sausalito, and on the 27th he will be at Vasco in downtown Mill Valley from 8-10 p.m.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget has a busy two weeks left to go. The J2K trio, with Jesse Kincaid and Julia Harrell, appears on the 18th at Piccolo Pavilion in Corte Madera. His jazz quintet Namely Us on the 25th will play at the Sleeping Lady Café, and his band Moonlight Rodeo play at the Old Western Saloon in Pt. Reyes Station on the 31st.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the third Sunday of every month starting at 3 p.m. at 19 Broadway in Fairfax. On the 18th they’ll be playing barnyard bebop and swingin’ cowboy jazz. Johnny Cuviello, Bob Wills' drummer at 94-years young, lives in Milpitas and he often sits in on a few songs about every other month.
The Marin Jamvitational bluegrass showcase now takes place at Whipper Snapper (1613 4th Street, between F and G Streets) in downtown San Rafael. The restaurant offers “Cal-Caribe” food that blends Latin flavors with local farm fresh ingredients. The music now runs from 7:30-9:30 instead of starting at the later hour of 9 p.m. Go check it out on the 20th.
At Vasco Restaurant in Mill Valley Matt Lax and Joe Kyle host a free music series on Tuesday nights. Music from 8-10:30 p.m.
The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa presents Lyle Lovett on the 20th, REO Speedwagon on the 28th, Michael McDonald on the 30th, John Legend on the 31st, and more.
Music and more is always brewing at the Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax. Bands play on Wednesdays starting at 8 p.m. No cover, and great beer, food and music. See Chris Haugen, Aaron Redner & Friends on the 21st and Michael LaMacchia on the 28th.
The Uptown Theatre in Napa has Lyle Lovett on the 21st and Toad the Wet Sprocket on the 24th.
The Coast Café in Bolinas now has live music every Thursday night from 7-9 p.m. Look for wine and beer specials and beverage-only seating available during music.
Sonoma County's Americana artist Kevin Russell and his Western swing/blues/rock band, The Rhythm Rangers, will play at the Sebastopol Town Plaza on the 22nd from 6-7:30 p.m. This is a free event.
Swing Tonic delivers an eclectic mix of swing, folk, country, jazz, 'round-the-world delicacies and just about anything in between. Drawing from their varied musical background, the four members blend vocal harmony with the surprisingly un-clashing sounds of accordion, trumpet, guitar, mandolin and bass. See them play at the Spice Monkey Café in downtown Oakland on the 22nd starting at 7:30 p.m. No cover charge and kids are welcome.
Schoenberg Guitars. Besides being a wonderful acoustic guitar shop on Ark Row in Tiburon, Eric Schoenberg also has concerts and workshops there from time to time. See Jimmy Dillon & Lorin Rowan on the 22nd starting at 8 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
The Craig Caffall Band (CCB) plays every Friday at Miss Pearl’s Jam House in the Waterfront Hotel at Jack London Square in Oakland. No cover charge and they play from 7-10 p.m. When not leading his own band, San Anselmo’s Caffall is Maria Muldaur’s guitarist.
Nell Robinson & Red Level on the 23rd will play at The Craneway Pavilion Boilerhouse Restaurant in Richmond starting at 8 p.m.
Finger-style guitar wiz Walter Strauss and kamal'ngoni (hunter's harp) player Mamadou Sidibe from Mali, West Africa, on the 24th will play a special west Marin concert at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center.
Doug Adamz will perform hits from his new solo album Bernardo's Serenade at Joe's Garage (home of the Acoustic Tune-up) in downtown San Mateo on the 25th from 5-7 p.m. Doug Young, with his dazzling finger-style guitar work, will join Adamz in a special guest appearance. Contact Doug A at doug@dougadamz.com if you'd like to make a reservation or just show up at 308 6th Avenue in San Mateo. He will also be at the Sleeping Lady in Fairfax on the 29th.
The San Geronimo Valley Community Center, besides presenting the Walter Straus show noted above, on the 25th will host a benefit for the center featuring Steve Kimock, Greg Anton and many other special guests starting at 4 p.m. There will be activities for kids, yummy food, booths and more.
The Sonoma County Fair starts on the 27th and runs through August 8th. Check out details on the web site.
The Magic Juju Boathouse Concert Series in San Rafael, in conjunction with Drew Pearce, on the 28th will host Amber Rubarth. Concerts are at 8 p.m. and you can contact Dan Fontes for reservations at (415) 785-4530 or at danfontes@yahoo.com.
Three At Last will be headlining at The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on the 29th starting at 8 p.m.
Lindalou and Michael will play on the 31st at the Calistoga Farmer's Market from 9 a.m.-noon. They'll be joined by the 3 D's – Dan Brunetti, David Chapman and Duncan Draper.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
Andrew Freeman, besides normally performing solo on the first Saturday of every month at Murphy’s in Sonoma, continues to play Tuesday evenings at Giordano's (Columbus and Broadway) in SF at 7 p.m.
Ed Neff and Friends are playing bluegrass every Thursday at the Willowbrook Ale House in Petaluma from 6:30-9:30 p.m. There is no cover, and you get to hear some of the finest traditional bluegrass in the North Bay. The regular pickers are Ed Neff on fiddle, Mike Wilhoyte on guitar, Jeff King on bass, Paul Shelasky on fiddle, and Larry Cohea on banjo. The address is 3600 Petaluma Boulevard North. Call (707) 775-4232 for more info.
*************************************************************** July 2, 2010
Welcome to the 115th edition of Carltone's Corner!
Gone fishin’. As you read this hastily edited newsletter the Carltone staff is back east in Pennsylvania for a couple of weeks (and no, not to search for Osama bin Laden!)(however, noted philandering golfer Tiger Woods is nearby at some big tournament and half of the Carltone Clan is out there on the course watching him swing his clubs)(no official bimbo sightings yet though) to visit family and friends, so this edition is not as action-packed or complete as usual. Since we are on vacation there is also less style and substance than usual here. In many cases just links and dates are posted. Apologies in advance if your news did not make into this edition.
The betting here is that lately you were not visiting Michael Jackson’s grave on the anniversary of his death last Friday, you were not in line waiting to buy the newest electronic gadget from Apple, you haven’t been holed up in some bar at 7 a.m. nursing a high ball while watching some guys kick a soccer ball up and down a field in South Africa, and hopefully you have not been driving your family and neighbors crazy while you try to play the vuvuzela, which, to the delight of banjo players the world over, is now the most maligned musical instrument ever. That is, if a one-note piece a plastic can be defined as a “musical instrument.” The sun is high, the summer is here, so it is time that you got out of the house and had some fun!
New tunes. More than a few California bluegrass bands have new CDs out. Christmas is just a little less than six months away, so get a head start on your holiday shopping by going to the sites of the Kathy Kallick Band, Kitchen Help, OMGG, Oak Grove, and the Dalton Mountain Gang. 49 Special will be releasing their new one on August 7th at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley.
Maria vs. BP. Check out this poignant and heart-wrenching video produced by Mill Valley’s Maria Muldaur in response to the horrific oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, set to the haunting song "Well, Well, Well," written by Bob Dylan and Danny O'Keefe and sung by Maria and the wonderful Mavis Staples. Congrats to Del! Del McCoury is one of nine artists to win a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. In September, the 2010 awardees will attend a presentation and banquet at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Read the story here. And make plans now to see The Del McCoury Band & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band playing together on the 4th of July at the Marin County Fair in San Rafael.
Take the Stage. The next Take the Stage session will start in late August so applications and deposits will need to be in by August 15th. It is an eight-session class which includes a sound class and a “graduation” performance that will take place at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on October 31st. The cost is $350, and applications and info can be found at the link above. The hosts also hope to put together another Peninsula/South Bay band that will practice there down south but come to the Freight for the welcome jam, sound class and show. In addition to newcomers there is a special track for already-existing bands that want to take their music to the next level with the help of folks like Kathy Kallick. Bands will get their own special evening show at the Freight in early November. People interested in this should send an email to hilary@nellrobinsonmusic.com.
Fishwrap roundup. In the SF Chronicle read about Lester Chambers of the Chambers Brothers, standup bass player Marcus Shelby, Bay Area jazz producer Orrin Keepnews, bluesman Chris Thomas King and West Marin musician and farmer Elvin Bishop. Banjo picker Steve Martin was featured in USA Today. LA bluegrass singer/songwriter Susie Glaze is featured on page 16 in The Sounding Board, CF Martin guitars’ monthly newsletter.
Life’s railway to heaven. Last edition it was noted here that Marin musician Segovia Bader had passed away at the age of 57. His obit finally appeared last week in the Marin IJ, and you can read it here.
Coming attractions. Dead on the Creek in Willits 8/6-9; Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival near Hollister 8/13-15; Outside Lands Festival in SF’s Golden Gate Park 8/14-15; Saw Players Festival in Felton 8/14-15; Gravenstein Apple Fair in Sebastopol 8/14-15; Golden Old Time Campout at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville 8/20-22; Cotati Accordion Festival 8/21-22; Strawberry Music Festival near Yosemite 9/2-6; Anderson Marsh Old-Time Bluegrass Festival in Lower Lake 9/11; Bluegrassin' in the Foothills in Plymouth 9/17-19; Hobbs Grove Bluegrass Festival in Sanger 9/24-26; IBMA World of Bluegrass in Nashville, TN, 9/27-10/3; Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park 10/1-3.
Onward to the calendar…
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, with no cover charge. See the Sonoma Mountain Band on the 2nd, the All American Music Festival on the 4th, Carolina Special on the 10th, Amy Wigton & Peter Axtell on the 11th, Kimrea & Dreamdogs on the 15th,The David Thom Band on the 23rd, Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue on the 24th, Blue & Lonesome on the 31st, and lots more good stuff.
Mill Valley’s Jamie Clark and his band The Players will be playing original Americana-pop a free show at Ireland's 32 in SF on the 2nd from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover.
Bluegrass invitational jam. There is a new invitational jam scheduled for first Fridays at Bacheeso's Mediterranean Restaurant, 2501 San Pablo Avenue, at the corner of Dwight Way, in Berkeley. The next one is on the 2nd, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Deirdre Donovan is your host.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday see the English Beat on the 2nd, Tin Hat on the 8th, Perla Betalla on the 15th, an all-star jazz benefit for the theatre on the 17th, Barbara Higbie on the 23rd, and more.
The Marin bluegrass and old-time band Wagon will be rolling into the 269 Arlington Café in Kensington on the 2nd to play from 6:30-9 p.m. No cover.
The Craig Caffall Band (CCB) plays every Friday at Miss Pearl’s Jam House in the Waterfront Hotel at Jack London Square in Oakland. No cover charge and they play from 7-10 p.m. When not leading his own band, San Anselmo’s Caffall is Maria Muldaur’s guitarist.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on most Saturdays. See Mike Angel & Friends on the 2nd, Jazz Philosophy on the 3rd, Schuster Bay on the 9th, Stafford & Sturdevant on the 10th, Jef Labes on the 16th, Em K–Sizzlin’ on the 17th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 23rd, Jocelyn Steele on the 24th, T.B.A. on the 30th, and Eugene Huggins on the 31st.
North Bay purveyors of classic country Twang Ditty will touch down for a midday show on the 3rd from 12 noon-3 p.m. at the Montgomery Village Shopping Center in Santa Rosa as part of their Summer Concert Series. Catch them again in Union City on the 10th at Old Alvarado Park from 10 a.m.-noon, and enjoy the farmer's market. Finally, on the 16th they will be at the Twin Oaks Tavern in Penngrove from 9 p.m.-midnite with no cover.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys, and every Wednesday for $10 per participant there are professional swing dance lessons from 7:30-9 p.m. There are lots of great shows this month, so go to the web calendar for details.
The Sleeping Lady in Fairfax has a traditional Irish session every Sunday afternoon, jazz every Sunday night, and an open mic every Monday night. Check out their site.
The Lagunitas Brewing Company Tap Room and Beer Sanctuary presents acoustic alt-country, Americana, bluegrass, and old-timey stuff as well as acoustic Latin/jazz and World beat. Music start times are 4:20 p.m. during the week and 3 p.m. on weekends. Roy Book Binder will be playing a special show there on the 3rd starting at 3 p.m.
19 Broadway in Fairfax has an open mic with Derek Smith every Monday and the Uzilevsky/Korty Duo every Tuesday. Go to the site for show info.
The 38th Annual Old-Time Fiddle Contest will be taking place from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Marin County Fair on the 3rd. Good luck finding web info about the contest. Some of the acts that you can see at the fair are The Del McCoury Band & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, The Wailers, Tea Leaf Green, Little Feat, The Four Tops, and The Temptations.
San Anselmo musician Kyle Alden on the 3rd will be at the San Gregorio General Store playing solo from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., and then he will play there from 3-6 p.m. as part of the Mild Colonial Boys with Rory McNamara and John Caulfield. On the 9th he will be in County Galway, Ireland, with The Gasmen if you happen to be over there. And on the 29th he will be hosting Doug Adamz at Troubadour Night at the Sleeping Lady in Fairfax.
The Lost Cats will be swinging on the 3rd from12-1:30 p.m. on the Sutter Street Stage at the Fillmore Jazz Festival in San Francisco. On the 9th from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Cats Jim Passard and March Babin will be at Bacheeso’s in Berkeley, the duo will be at C'era Una Volta in Alameda on the 11th from 6-8 p.m., the band will be at the Beta Lounge in Berkeley on the 15th from 7:30-10 p.m., and the duo will be back at Bacheeso’s on the 16th.
Carlo Calabi, Sara Winge, and Bill Foss will make their sole appearance of the summer on the 3rd at the Pine Cone Cafe in Sebastopol from 7-9 p.m. Listen to their old-time harmony and then walk up the street to the Sebastopol fireworks at Analy High School.
On the 3rd Misisipi Mike Wolf and Going Away Party's Ryan Lim will be backing up Steve Owen at the Plough and Stars in SF. Steve is a songwriter with a bunch of CDs out. The Earl Brothers and Bluegrass Revolutionwill also be on the bill that night.
Jesse Kincaid will be on double duty this month-doing the 60's Dance Party with his band New Rising Sons with Boudeeka on the 4th and 25th at the Sausalito Cruising Club, and he will be joining singer/guitarist Kurt Huget and Julia Harrell/percussion in the songwriter-Irish-folk band J2K at Larkspur Landing on the 9th followed by Corte Madera's Menke Park on the 18th.
Nell Robinson & Red Level will play at the Yountville Veterans Home on the 4th at 2 p.m. This is a free event with a day of music and food, hosted by the Veterans Home. They’ll be doing some originals, some soldier stories material and their favorite bluegrass and country music. Then on the 23rd see the band at The Craneway Pavilion Boilerhouse Restaurant in Richmond starting at 8 p.m.
Lindalou and Michael will play at the Windsor Farmer's Market on the 4th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. accompanied by Dan Brunetti. There will be a quilt and flower show at the market that day and it takes place on Windsor's Town Green. They'll play again on the 31st at the Calistoga Farmer's Market from 9 a.m.-noon. They'll be joined by the 3 D's – Dan Brunetti, David Chapman and Duncan Draper.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget has a jubilant month ahead. His band Moonlight Rodeo will kick things off at the big July 4th celebration held at the Vets Home in Yountville, and then wrap up the month at the Old Western Saloon in Pt. Reyes Station on the 31st. The J2K trio, with Jesse Lee Kincaid and Julia Harrell, appears on the 9th at Shelley Champine's Friday night music series at Marin Country Mart (formerly Larkspur Landing), and also on the 18th at Piccolo Pavilion in Corte Madera. He's scheduled a debut showcase performance (joined by Julia Harrell) on the 13th at the Panama Hotel in San Rafael. You can find him on the bandstand with the Ray Simpson Big Band at the Corte Madera Rec Center on the 14th. Finally, his jazz quintet Namely Us has a pair of performances, first at the Two Bird Café on the 10th, followed by another on the 25th at the Sleeping Lady Café.
Petaluma Church Concerts has been on hiatus this summer while promoter Lance Walker has been adjusting to a new job and schedule. He plans to return in the fall, but in the meantime he has been involved in bookings for the Ben & Jerry's Stage at the Marin County Fair and sharing booking duties for the Gravenstein Apple Fair in Sebastopol. At the Marin Fair on the 4th see Rue Manouche, Duo Cascada de Flores, Sang Matiz (Latin flamenco jazz fusion) and Baba Shibambo. On the 5th see the Macintosh Pipe Band, The Healy Irish Dancers, members of the Red Hot Chachkas, Bochinche Jarana and Amadou Camara-Guinea Spirit. The Gravenstein Apple Fair (August 14th & 15th) will feature Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, Brothers Comatose, The Mighty Chiplings, Sang Matiz and The Matt Eakle Band among others.
The World One Festival 4th of July at Cerrito Vista Park in El Cerrito will feature John McCord, Euphonia, Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Dwight Tribble, Rocky Dawuni, Moh Aliliche, Evolucion, Doug Went’s World Beat and more.
Rancho Nicasio in West Marin has The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band on the 5th, Dave Gleason and Rosie Flores on the 9th, Moonalice on the 17th, Big Ben & His Snakeoil Survivors on the 23rd, Paul Thorn on the 24th and 25th, Chrome Johnson on the 30th, and others.
At Vasco Restaurant in Mill Valley Matt Lax and Joe Kyle host a free music series on Tuesday nights. Music from 8-10:30 p.m.
Music and more is always brewing at the Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax. Bands play on Wednesdays starting at 8 p.m. No cover, and great beer, food and music. See Silly Strings on the 7th, Blue Light River on the 14th, Chris Haugen, Aaron Redner & Friends on the 21st, and Michael LaMacchia on the 28th.
Jammin’ in SF. The first Wednesday of the month bluegrass/country jam is hosted by Jeanie & Chuck Poling at the Plough & Stars in SF on the 7th, starting at 8:30 p.m. There is no cover but you must be 21 to attend.
Bart Hopkin & Sara Winge will be back at the French Garden in Sebastopol on Wednesday the 7th from 7-10 p.m.
Bill Evans & Megan Lynch will be on tour in northern CA from the 8th-12th. Go to their site for complete info.
Sonoma County's Americana artist Kevin Russell is busy this month. His all acoustic bluegrass/newgrasss/swing/blues band, Under the Radar, will play at Lagunitas Tap Room on the 8th from 4:20-7:30 p.m. and again at Cafe Azul in Santa Rosa on the 10th from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Later in the month Kevin's Western swing/blues/rock band, The Rhythm Rangers, will play at the Sebastopol Town Plaza from 6-7:30 p.m. All the shows are free. And don't forget that Kevin will be hosting ace bluegrass pickers Steve Smith & Chris Sanders, along with bassist Bill Amatneek, at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts on the 9th. Doors open at 7:30, show at 8 p.m. Contact Kevin at (707) 824-1858 or krussellmft@aol.com for reservations or more info.
The Coast Café in Bolinas now has live music every Thursday night from 7-9 p.m. Look for wine and beer specials and beverage-only seating available during music.
Dore Coller (after celebrating his own, Peter Rowan’s and the US of A’s birthday on the 4th) on the 9th can be found pickin’ guitar with Savannah Blue at Smiley's Schooner Saloon in Bolinas at 9 p.m., on the 11th it's Caribbean R&B on Angel Island from 2-5 p.m., on the 15th Savannah Blue returns to The Atlas Cafe in SF, on the 17th & 18th SB is playing at the San Anselmo Art and Wine Fest from 10 a.m.-noon, later that day SB will be at the Lagunitas Brewery Tap Room from 3-6 p.m., on the 23rd SB will play at Armando's in Martinez, and on the 24th and 25th SB plays the Alameda Art & Wine Festival from 10 a.m.-noon. On the 26th it will be the Hot Club of Marin's Gypsy Jazz Jam at Taste of Rome in Sausalito, and on the 27th he will be at Vasco in downtown Mill Valley from 8-10 p.m.
North Bay singer/songwriter Moss Henry can be seen/heard singing at The French Garden in Sebastopol on the 9th from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Great food and drink, and no cover.
Schaef-Abel Productions at Studio E in Sebastopol is presenting Rosie Flores on the 10th. Plan ahead for Kinky Friedman on August 5th.
Finger-style guitar wiz Walter Strauss has a few Bay Area shows this month. On the 10th he will play solo at a South Bay house concert in Cupertino. Email Maureen at VeloFemme33@yahoo.com for info. On the 11th he’ll be in Niles (by Fremont) for a duo show with kamal'ngoni (hunter's harp) player Mamadou Sidibe from Mali, West Africa, as part of the Niles Town Plaza Summer Concert Series. On the 14th see him in Fairfax as a solo again as part of the Sleeping Lady Fingerstyle Guitar Showcase with guitarists Teja Gerken and Mokai. And on the 24th Walter and Mamadou will play a special West Marin concert at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center.
The Magic Juju Boathouse Concert Series in San Rafael, in conjunction with Drew Pearce, on the 10th will have the Palm Wine Boys, and then on the 28th see Amber Rubarth. Both of these events are at 8 p.m. and you can contact Dan Fontes for reservations at (415) 785-4530 or contact me at danfontes@yahoo.com.
The Mendocino Music Festival runs from the 10th-24th with various kinds of music (but mostly classical) in downtown Mendocino. Some of the acts to see are The Steep Canyon Rangers on the 12th. Go to the site for complete info.
The California Coast Music Camp in the Sierra Nevada Gold Country takes place from the 11th-24th.
The Uptown Theatre in Napa has The Gypsy Kings on the 12th, Leon Russell on the 14th, Keb Mo on the 16th, and Lyle Lovett on the 21st.
At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa see Yes and Peter Frampton on the 13th, Lyle Lovett on the 20th, REO Speedwagon on the 28th, Michael McDonald on the 30th, John Legend on the 31st, and more.
Triple bill in Berkeley. At the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley on the 15th the Marin County bluegrass band Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue will be headlining a bill with Susie Glaze & the Hilonesome Band and The Tuttles with AJ Lee.
Jammin' in Marin. The Marin Bluegrass Jam takes place on the first and third Thursdays of every month. The next one will be on the 15th. The address is Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, just off the Corte Madera exit of Highway 101. The time is 7:30-10 p.m.
Singer/songwriter Caren Armstrong will be performing on the 16th in Napa at the Cedar Gables Inn from 7-9 p.m. Consider making this a weekend trip to the beautiful Napa Valley. Innkeepers/owners Ken & Susie recently added a music series to their luxurious bed and breakfast mansion. Joshua Zucker joins Caren on bass.
Going Away Party will be playing the Plough and Stars in SF on the 16th. Jeff Kaplan will be playing banjo, Steve Owen will be playing guitar, Ryan Lim will be playing string bass and David Finch will playing the fiddle.
The Ain't Misbehavin' trio performs on the 17th at the Cove Cafe on Angel Island from 2-5 p.m.
Art, wine, beer and bluegrass. The San Anselmo Art and Wine Festival will be happening on the 17th-18th, and besides nostalgic rock and roll tribute bands there will be bluegrass being played there by the Marin County band Savannah Blue.
Houston Jones, with very special guests Stevie Coyle and Joe Craven, will perform at the Freight & Salvage on the 17th. HJ is the California based high-octane Americana quintet that formed in 2001. The band performs a mostly original repertoire that ranges from bluegrass and folk to blues and gospel and features Glenn Houston (lead guitar), Travis Jones (lead vocal, acoustic guitar), Henry Salvia (keyboard, accordion), Chris Kee (standup bass, cello, acoustic guitar), and Peter Tucker (drums). Chris, Peter and Glenn are all alumni of the Waybacks. Glenn was awarded "best guitarist" for 2009 by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.
There will be nothing but bluegrass being played at the Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival in Etna on the 18th-19th.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the third Sunday of every month starting at 3 p.m. at 19 Broadway in Fairfax. On the 18th they’ll be playing barnyard bebop and swingin’ cowboy jazz. Johnny Cuviello, Bob Wills' drummer at 94-years young, lives in Milpitas and he often sits in on a few songs about every other month.
The Marin Jamvitational bluegrass showcase now takes place at Whipper Snapper (1613 4th Street, between F and G Streets) in downtown San Rafael. The restaurant offers “Cal-Caribe” food that blends Latin flavors with local farm fresh ingredients. The music now runs from 7:30-9:30 instead of starting at the later hour of 9 p.m. Go check it out on the 20th.
Swing Tonic delivers an eclectic mix of swing, folk, country, jazz, 'round-the-world delicacies and just about anything in between. Drawing from their varied musical background, the four members blend vocal harmony with the surprisingly un-clashing sounds of accordion, trumpet, guitar, mandolin and bass. See them play at the Spice Monkey Café in downtown Oakland on the 22nd starting at 7:30 p.m. No cover charge and kids are welcome.
Schoenberg Guitars. Besides being a wonderful acoustic guitar shop on Ark Row in Tiburon, Eric Schoenberg also has concerts and workshops there from time to time. See Jimmy Dillon & Lorin Rowan on the 22nd starting at 8 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
Doug Adamz will play hits from his new solo album Bernardo's Serenade at Joe's Garage (home of the Acoustic Tune-up) in downtown San Mateo on the 25th from 5-7 p.m. Joe's is among the very best house-concert venues in the Bay Area. Doug Young, with his dazzling finger-style guitar work, will join Adamz in a special guest appearance. Contact Doug A at doug@dougadamz.com if you'd like to make a reservation or just show up at 308 6th Avenue in San Mateo. He will also be at the Sleeping Lady in Fairfax on the 29th.
The San Geronimo Valley Community Center, besides presenting the Walter Straus show noted above, on the 25th will host a benefit for the center featuring Steve Kimock, Greg Anton and many other special guests starting at 4 p.m. There will be activities for kids, yummy food, booths and more.
There will be pickin’ of gospel, bluegrass and old-time music as usual up in Sebastopol on the fourth Sunday of this month, and the date is the 25th. It takes place from 2-5 p.m. at the Sebastopol Christian Church, 7433 Bodega Avenue, in Sebastopol. Bring acoustic instruments and your favorite gospel songs to sing.
The Sonoma County Fair starts on the 27th and runs through August 8th. Check out details on the web site.
Three At Last will be headlining at The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on the 29th starting at 8 p.m.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
Andrew Freeman, besides normally performing solo on the first Saturday of every month at Murphy’s in Sonoma (but not this month), continues to play Tuesday evenings at Giordano's (Columbus and Broadway) in SF at 7 p.m.
Ed Neff and Friends are playing bluegrass every Thursday at the Willowbrook Ale House in Petaluma from 6:30-9:30 p.m. There is no cover, and you get to hear some of the finest traditional bluegrass in the North Bay. The regular pickers are Ed Neff on fiddle, Mike Wilhoyte on guitar, Jeff King on bass, Paul Shelasky on fiddle, and Larry Cohea on banjo. The address is 3600 Petaluma Boulevard North. Call (707) 775-4232 for more info.
For up to date state-wide bluegrass news three times a week, read my Almost Daily News column on the California Bluegrass Association web site.
As always, shows, dates and times are subject to change. Please contact any venue listed above to confirm appearances.
Cheers!
Larry
Resources
Marin Bluegrass Jam, Northern California Bluegrass Society, California Bluegrass Association, Murphy Productions, Hicks With Sticks Twang Newsletter, North Bay Music Listings, North Bay Concerts, Schoenberg Guitars, Murphy’s Irish Pub, Country Music Television, Rancho Nicasio, The Alpha Acoustic Concert Series,The Black Rose, San Francisco Folk Club, SF Bay Area Radio Stations, SF Celtic Music, 19 Broadway, Peri’s Silver Dollar Saloon, Iron Springs Pub, Rocker Oysterfeller’s, Marin Local Music Scene
Links
Dave Wellhausen Recording, Allen Lam/Professional Audio, Sound Reinforcement and Location Recording, Lou Judson Intuitive Audio Live Sound and Recording Perfection, Hot Buttered Rum, Kimrea, Poor Man’s Whiskey, Amazing Grace Music, Bay Area Bluegrass Radio Shows, Lauralee Brown & Company, Bread and Roses |
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| Larry's CD Reviews | Bluegrass Gold |
| Favorite Links | ||
| CA
Bluegrass Association Three decades of bluegrass in CA |
IBMA Int'l. Bluegrass Music Assn. |
Northern
CA Bluegrass Society Formerly the Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society |
| Murphy's
Irish Pub One of our favorite venues |
Sweetwater
Premier folk & acoustic venue |
Hicks
With Sticks Bay Area Twang |
| North
Bay Bluegrass Festival Annual Fest |
Stevie Coyle Bard of Marin |
Mike Melnyk Photography |