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CARLTONE'S CORNER
December 15, 2008
Here it is the middle of December and people everywhere are busy running around decking their halls, trying to be jolly, roasting chestnuts, buying things they cannot afford, imbibing eggnog, re-gifting fruitcake, and hopefully not running over slow-moving senior citizens en route. Here’s hoping your holiday season is joyful, merry, etc., and that the New Year will be better than the previous one…
Musical gift ideas. In the previous edition we offered up some gift ideas, and if you missed them you can look at them here. They are hardly strictly bluegrass, but they are suggestions that may be of help to during this holiday season.
Boogieing on the sidewalk. Sidewalk Boogie is Dave Earl’s newest CD from this year, and he was inadvertently left off the list last time. Ten of the 17 songs are his original blues. The styles range from acoustic Delta blues played on a National steel guitar to a couple of rockin’ boogie songs with a more arranged sound. There is harmonica on all cuts. Musical guests include Steve Freund, Gary Smith and Mark Hummel.
Some other fine releases from Bay Area musicians that were not on the list were The Waller Brothers’ The Old Photograph and Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands’ Live.
Other gift ideas – besides his “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” CDs – can be found on Dr. Elmo’s web site.
Take the Stage. The next session of the Take the Stage workshop will commence in January, and technically the final day for signups was the 15th. But since this is the season to be sharing, giving, and jolly, there may still be room for players (except guitarists) in the next day or two. So if you are still trying to decide, do so ASAP, as it is time for you to go to that next stage in life!
Turn your radio on. Tune into Peter Thompson’s Bluegrass Signal radio show on KALW (91.7 FM) in SF on the 20th from 6:30-8 p.m. The show this week is titled A(nother)Bluegrass Christmas, featuring all of your favorite bluegrass holiday tunes. You can also listen online.
IBMA Showcase Band deadline. If you are considering submitting your bluegrass band for a showcase slot at the next International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass conference in September of 2009 the deadline for doing such is January 15th. Go to the website for more info.
Want to get into the night club business? Well, there is one for sale/lease in downtown San Rafael. Apparently the venue once known as New George’s has been refurbished and is ready for the taking. Read the story here.
A breath of fresh air. The National Public Radio show Fresh Air With Terry Gross is by far the best arts radio interview show anywhere. It is a nationally broadcast show that can be heard on most NPR stations, and in the SF area you can hear it three times a day (KQED and KALW). Even better, if you miss a show you can always listen to archived interviews on your computer. Here are some recent examples: The Construction of Boston opera, James Moody & Hank Jones, Taylor Swift’s Fearless album, and year in review Tops In Pop.
Rick Jamison’s On Songwriting songwriter’s blog has a recent interview with Novato singer/songwriter Amy Wigton.
Music at the movies. There is a new film out called Cadillac Records that chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists. It has garnered some good reviews. However the elves here at Carltone World Headquarters have not had time to see it yet. One film that is available on video that has somewhat of a musical theme is called The Visitor, and it is quite good. It stars Richard Jenkins, a familiar face who finally has a lead role. He was also the father in the HBO series Six Feet Under.
Get out your handkerchiefs. “Hey, they’re playing my song!” No sooner did the band Coldplay get nominated for a slew of Grammys when Bay Area guitarist Joe Satriani filed a lawsuit claiming that Coldplay stole his melody. Satriani alleges that Coldplay's song "Viva la Vida" had "copied and incorporated substantial original portions" from his own track "If I Could Fly," recorded on an album released in 2004. Coldplay’s cold shoulder response was, essentially, “see you in court, Joe”… “How can I miss you if you won’t go away?” Britney has reportedly asked K-Fed to move back in with her. But, of course, you already knew this…
Life’s railway to heaven. Legendary folk singer Odetta died on December 2nd in New York from heart disease. She was 77. In 1963 she sang at Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech, and she performed at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass this past October. John Kelley, a fabulous singer/performer from Napa who played the third Friday of every month at Murphy’s Irish Pub in Sonoma for many years, passed away on December 14th from pancreatic cancer after being diagnosed in November. Omar Clay, Mill Valley jazz player and teacher at Tam High, died on December 4th from Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He was 73.
Coming attractions. Willie Nelson at the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa 1/13; Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band at the Freight 1/8, the Palms in Davis 1/9, Don Quixote’s in Felton 1/10, and Angels Camp 1/11; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland, OR, 1/9-11; Dale Miller on 1/10 at Schoenberg Guitars; Portland Old-Time Gathering 1/14-18; The John Jorgenson Quintet at the Petaluma Church Concerts 1/22; Mike Dowling on 1/23 at Schoenberg Guitars; Cloverdale Old-Time Fiddle Contest 1/24-25; The Chieftains at the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa 2/5.
Additions
The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley has some hot shows left this month. See The Christmas Jug Band on the 16th, Crooked Still (featuring fiddler Brittany Haas and cellist Tristan Clarridge) on the 18th, The Freight Holiday Revue Fundraiser with Laurie Lewis & Friends on the 21st, The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience on the 27th, and High Country and Jim Nunally & Dix Bruce on the 31st.
Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax has solidified its calendar. They normally have music on Wednesdays, but due to the two special Eves this month, they have altered plans. WTJ will play on Wednesday the 17th, but there will be a special show on Tuesday the 23rd with Rattlebox, featuring Lorin Rowan, Barry Sless, & Doug Harman. The pub will be closed on the 24th and 25th, and it will close at 8 p.m. on the 31st.
The Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol will have Crooked Still on the 17th, Leon Russell on the 19th, EOTO on the 28th and Albino on the 31st.
The Raven Theatre in Healdsburg is presenting The Bobs on the 19th and Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks on the 20th.
If you are one of the lucky ones with tickets you can see the Bay Area Americana band Houston Jones and Crooked Still at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico on the 21st. The show is already sold out.
Jamless in Sebastopol. Due to the holidays there will be no Sebastopol jam on the 28th as noted earlier.
Reminders
Nick’s Cove in Marshall keeps Tuesday nights hopping with Local's Night. Specials on food and beer, and great music. See the Courtney Janes on the 16th, Doug Adamz & Trio Bravo on the 23rd, and the Smiling Iguanas on the 30th.
It is that time of year again for the Christmas Jug Band to be back and playing a series of shows. See them on the 16th at the Freight, the 17th at the Palms in Winters, the 19th at the Mystic in Petaluma, and the 20th and 21st at the Masonic Hall in Mill Valley.
Fairfax musician Kyle Alden has a couple of shows this month with various folks. His new recording, Tangletown, is available now at gigs (and on the website soon). On the 16th at 7 p.m. he’ll be at Julie's Coffee and Tea Garden in Alameda with Curlew, playing Irish and Scottish instrumental music with grace and force; and on the 28th at 9 p.m. see him at the Plough and Stars in SF with fiddler John Sherry.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See Sacred Profanities on the 17th, Maybelle on the 18th, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 19th, Danny Montana & The Bar Association on the 20th, Andre and Friends on the 21st, Diamond Ortiz on the 24th (and 31st), Ruckus on the 26th, Friends of the River on the 28th, and more.
Mill Valley’s Dore Coller will be playing with the Hot Club of Marin on the 17th at 33 Revolutions in El Cerrito and at 142 Throckmorton on the 29th. On the 19th Savannah Blu, a Marin bluegrass band featuring Dore on guitar, Gary Kaye on banjo, Steve Kallai on fiddle, Dave Hanks on mandolin, and Dan Large on bass will be at Murphy’s on the 19th, and at the Plough and Stars in SF on the 26th.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station are Jesse Brewster on the 17th and The 85s on the 26th.
The Fourth Street Tavern in San Rafael has Parade Route on the 18th, Royal Deuces on the 19th, Ruckus on the 20th, Jack S*** on the 21st (and 28th), Mo on the 22nd (and 29th), Tres Borrachos on the 26th, and Flanelhed on the 31st.
Marin bluegrass jam. On the 18th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday, see Gaucho and Colm Ó Riain on the 18th, A Storybook Christmas on the 19th-21st, Mable John on the 20th, Bud E. Love on the 25th (yes, the 25th!) the Hometown Extravaganza on the 31st with Dan Hicks, Austin deLone, Maria Muldaur and others, plus lots more good stuff.
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 Sylvia Herold & Euphonia on the 19th. Show time is 8 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
The Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa has Celtic and bluegrass jams on most Wednesdays. Some shows of note there are The Carrtunes on the 19th, The Tonewoods on the 27th, and The Spindles on the 31st.
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 Debra Clawson & Sean Pagelow on the 19th, Eugene Huggins on the 20th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 26th, and Jazz Philosophy on the 27th.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, and there is never a cover charge for music. See Savannah Blu on the 19th, Dockside on the 26th, Green Farm String Band on the 28th, Greenhouse and The Carrtunes on the 31st, and more.
Out at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station you can see Hands On Fire on the 19th and 26th, join the Messiah Sing-Along on the 21st, and hear Bill Press on the 27th.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will making a duo appearance with Jesse Lee Kincaid at the Taste of Rome in San Rafael on the 19th and at the Bazaar Cafe in SF on the 29th. Their full band The New Risings Sons will present their brand of Americana blues at Taste of Rome in Sausalito on New Years Eve.
The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa will have Rasta Thomas on the 19th and The Nutcracker on the 20th and 21st.
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.
Mill Valley artist and musician Kimrea plays with her band Dreamdogs play every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band.
The Mystic in Petaluma has the Jug Band on the 19th, Zepparella on 20th, Blue Turtle Seduction plus Lansdale Station on the 27th, Cracker plus Camper Van Beethoven on the 28th, and Tommy Castro on the 31st.
Lauralee Brown can be seen/heard singing at Rickey's in Novato on the 19th with the Alex Markels Trio, and on the 26th with her band at Saylor’s in Sausalito.
Music benefit. On the 19th at 7 p.m. in Santa Rosa at the Glaser Center there will be a benefit for Michelle McFee, a longtime Bay Area music publicist and poet who worked with the New Riders of the Purple Sage and recently had cancer surgery. The lineup includes David Nelson, Pete Sears, Dave Getz and Peter Albin; Rubber Souldiers, the Beatles repertory band featuring David Gans, Chris and Lorin Rowan, Robin Sylvester and Jimmy Sanchez; and Bill Cutler & Friends (Peter Harris, David Perper, Steve Shufton and Pat Campbell). A silent auction of books, art and music memorabilia will also be held. The items include a signed 1980 Bob Minkin photograph of the Grateful Dead performing at Radio City Music Hall, mint condition Family Dog concert posters and a signed first-edition copy of Michael Chabon's novel The Yiddish Policeman's Union.
Mill Valley’s Maria Muldaur will be hosting a cool yule party on the 19th at Rancho Nicasio, and then on the 20th see her at Biscuits and Blues in SF.
Schaef-Abel Productions is presenting Girly Man on the 20th.at Studio E in Sebastopol.
Murphy Productions is presenting some excellent shows this month. See The Christmas Jug Band at the Masonic Hall in Mill Valley on the 20th and 21st, and the wonderful stage show (by Rita Abrams and Stan Sinberg) For Whom the Bridge Tolls on the 31st at the Seafood Peddler in San Rafael.
Danny Montana & the Bar Association will be at Peri's in Fairfax on the 20th, and the Dogtown Ramblers open. The BA is Danny Montana on guitar and lead vocals, Phil Richardson on fiddle, Dana Olsen on lead guitar, Tim Bush on bass, Larry Cragg on pedal steel and Beau Faw on drums.
Check out Nat Keefe’s Carnival at the Independent in SF on the 20th. Members of Hot Buttered Rum, The David Grisman Quintet, New Monsoon, Poor Man's Whiskey, Jambay, The Everyone Orchestra, BLVD and songwriter Forest Sun will be there.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the 21st 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 Westerleys return! The popular songwriting trio disbanded many years back, but Peter Axtell, Doug Blumer and Nancy Terzian (flying in from Nashville) will be performing on the 23rd at 7 p.m. at 33 Revolutions in El Cerrito. All ages welcome.
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.
Twang Ditty on the 28th can be seen/heard at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa.
Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area:
CHANTICLEER – MISSION ROAD 12/16 1:30 a.m.: “Enjoy the beauty of California's beloved missions and share the captivating experience of seeing and hearing this music performed in the setting for which it was written.”
FRANK SINATRA – A MAN AND HIS MUSIC 12/16 3 a.m.: “Frank Sinatra sang on television frequently, hosting a variety of specials and series; but, when he strutted through the empty hallways of NBC studios, took a stool next to a lonely microphone, and belted out the opening lines to ‘I've Got You Under My Skin,’ it was a TV revelation. Here was the mature, confident, and, at times, even swaggering, saloon singer and balladeer in a solo showcase. Vocally, Sinatra is in excellent form - clear and bold, with the dexterity of his 1950s recordings now colored by phrasing at once thoughtful and seemingly spontaneous - and the combination of top-notch arrangements and impeccably chosen material makes this special Sinatra's finest televised hour.”
SF BALLET'S NEW WORKS FESTIVAL 12/17 7:30 p.m., 12/18 1:30 a.m., 12/19 11:30 p.m., 12/20 5:30 a.m.: “In celebration of its 75th anniversary, the San Francisco Ballet mounted an ambitious festival of new works, ten world premieres by ten choreographers. Spark follows the creation of three of these works by some of the country's most renowned choreographers - Mark Morris, Margaret Jenkins, and Christopher Wheeldon - exploring the new directions they are taking this centuries-old art form. Morris has enlisted longtime friend Isaac Mizrahi to design the costumes and John Adams to compose the music for his ballet, both collaborators stellar figures in their own fields. Margaret Jenkins, the highly respected Bay Area choreographer, has members of the Ballet Company working in an entirely new way - within her modern dance tradition. Christopher Wheeldon, heralded as the next Balanchine, blends elements of traditional and classical ballet.”
DANCE IN AMERICA – SAN FRANCISCO BALLET'S NUTCRACKER 12/17 8 p.m., 12/18 2 a.m., 12/21 11:30 a.m., 12/21 9 p.m., 12/22 3 a.m.: “While The Nutcracker first premiered in St. Petersburg over a century ago, the ballet did not receive its first full-length production in America until the San Francisco Ballet presented the magical work in its entirety in 1944. It's been an American holiday tradition ever since. This Christmas season see the San Francisco Ballet's dazzling new interpretation of the holiday favorite, inspired by the San Francisco's 1915 Pan-Pacific Exposition and hosted by Olympic gold medalist and native San Franciscan, Kristi Yamaguchi.”
JOSH KORNBLUTH SHOW – MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS & SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY 12/18 7:30 p.m., 12/19 1:30 a.m.: “Think Perry Como and Igor Stravinsky have nothing in common? Think again! As Josh finds out from Michael Tilson Thomas, the connections between contemporary and classical music can often be surprising. For more than a decade MTT has earned international acclaim as the San Francisco Symphony's music director and conductor. But one of his proudest achievements to date is giving viewers an intimate look at classical music composition and performance through his PBS documentary series ‘Keeping Score.’ He's got a sneak preview for Josh – and we'll see what the maestro thinks of Josh's own talents on the oboe.”
BEETHOVEN'S EROICA 12/18 8 p.m., 12/19 2 a.m.: “200 years ago, Beethoven rewrote the rules of music when he premiered his Eroica Symphony, describing through music his own personal experiences. Filmed in and around Vienna, this episode explores what shaped Beethoven and the Eroica - his life story, his deafness, his rivals and patrons - and what makes the music so powerful still.”
STRAVINSKY'S RITE OF SPRING 12/18 9 p.m., 12/19 3 a.m.: “Almost 100 years ago, Igor Stravinsky shocked the western world with his ballet score The Rite of Spring, a highly charged and confrontational piece. Michael Tilson Thomas goes behind the scenes in St. Petersburg and Paris to discover the spirit in which it was written and the drama of the opening night that shook the music world to its foundations.”
COPLAND AND THE AMERICAN SOUND 12/18 10 p.m., 12/19 4 a.m.: “In the early 20th century, the sounds of America burst upon the world with jazz, blues, spirituals, folk, Latin and the sounds of Tin Pan Alley - each of them defining a different musical experience of being American. Aaron Copland listened and absorbed everything around him. Filmed in New York, Brooklyn and Prague, this episode visits the places and explores the ideas that shaped Aaron Copland's life and music.”
DISSONANCE AND HARMONY – ARABIC MUSIC GOES WEST 12/18 11 p.m., 12/19 5 a.m.: “Renowned music producer and record company exec Miles Copeland spent years in the Middle East scouting prospective musical talent. It was that search that prompted the creation of this documentary. The program offers new imagery of Arabs, not as patently anti-American, not as terrorists, but as artists, universally familiar in their struggle to share their talent and ideas. The film follows an eclectic mix of Middle Eastern musicians from their own very specific turf in the Middle East to the United States. Once there, in Los Angeles, they collaborate with other gifted musicians from the West, finding common ground between two cultures in conflict.”
FAITH HILL, JOY TO THE WORLD – A SOUNDSTAGE SPECIAL 12/19 9 p.m., 12/20 3 a.m.: “Top-selling country singer Faith Hill sings Christmas standards, backed by an orchestra at Chicago's Sears Centre Arena. Songs include ‘Silent Night,’ ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ and ‘Joy to the World.’"
DOWNE IN YON FORREST – CHRISTMAS FROM THE MIDDLE AGES 12/20 6 p.m.: “A Christmas concert is performed and in between the songs, Kemper Crabb gives background history of the song and history surrounding the time the song was written.”
CHICANO ROCK! THE SOUNDS OF EAST LOS ANGELES 12/20 11 p.m., 12/21 5 a.m.: “This program tells the lively, little-known story of how young Mexican Americans in East Los Angeles and nearby barrios – caught between two cultures and not fully accepted in either – found their identity by creating a new musical form – a blend of white rock, black soul and Latin rhythms. Far more than a local or Chicano story, the experience is all-American, a reflection and inspiration to all hyphenates in their journey to becoming Americans.”
RICHARD TUCKER GALA – AN OPERA CELEBRATION 12/21 1:30 p.m.: “This special brings together stars in the opera field in a night of favorite arias. Taped at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.”
HOLIDAY CONCERT – SAN FRANCISCO BOYS CHORUS 12/22 7:30 p.m., 12/23 1:30 a.m.: “The San Francisco Boys Chorus performs Marc-Antoine Charpentier's glorious Te Deum with full orchestra, including the royal additions of trumpets and drums, as part of its Holiday Concert. Maestro Ian Robertson, conducting. The work's brilliant, powerfully dramatic impact suggests that it must have been written in celebration of some special occasion, such as the August 1692 French victory at Steinkerque. SFBC's Concert Chorus and Men's Chorale join forces for this splendid performance. Also featuring all SFBC training chorus levels and Bellringers performing holiday favorites.”
POPS HOLIDAY PARTY 12/22 9 p.m., 12/23 3 a.m.: “Come celebrate the holidays with the Boston Pops Orchestra. This special will feature festive holiday music culled from over 35 years of programming. It will include musical archives and clips from the best of the best from Arthur Fiedler and John Williams, along with new selections from current Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart. From festive holiday standards to your favorite sing-alongs, it's a holiday party primed for the whole family.”
HAPPY HOLIDAYS – THE BEST OF THE ANDY WILLIAMS CHRISTMAS SHOWS 12/23 10 p.m., 12/24 4 a.m.: “This program features classic clips from Andy Williams' Christmas specials. Filling homes with seasonal cheer, the specials became a cherished holiday family tradition. The digitally re-mastered production numbers are complete with magnificent sets and costumes and a cast of singers, dancers and skaters. Quintessential moments include Williams' solos on ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Ave Maria,’ as well as performances with his brothers on ‘I'll Be Home for Christmas’ and with the Osmonds on ‘Silver Bells.’ Interviews with Williams, his son Bobby and Donny Osmond are interwoven with the show clips.”
GREY GARDENS – FROM EAST HAMPTON TO BROADWAY 12/23 11:01 p.m., 12/24 5:01 a.m.: “The 1975 Maysles brothers cult classic film Grey Gardens told the story of the eccentric and often humorous mother-daughter relationship between Edith Beale and her daughter Edie, aunt and cousin to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. This documentary looks at how their lives set the stage for the Maysles film and later the Broadway musical, both of which have impacted the art, entertainment and fashion communities.”
DJANGO FEVER, DORSEY, AND LAITALA 12/24 7:30 p.m., 12/25 1:30 a.m., 12/26 11:30 p.m., 12/27 5:30 a.m.: “Spark travels back to 1930s Paris when Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt lit the city on fire with his hot licks. Today the legendary Reinhardt is worshipped at Django Festivals around the world, as bands like The Hot Club of San Francisco try to emulate his style and verve. Next, visit with choreographer Sean Dorsey, who is carving out new space for transgender and queer artists in modern dance. Then see how experimental filmmaker Kerry Laitala creates works of handmade cinematic art, one frame at a time.”
THREE TENORS CHRISTMAS 12/24 9 p.m., 12/25 3 a.m.: “The Three Tenors - Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti – in a holiday special. Taped December 1999 at the Konzerthaus in Vienna and directed by David Mallet, The Three Tenors Christmas features popular Christmas songs as well as beloved carols and sacred songs. The three tenors are accompanied by The Vienna Symphony and joined by the Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen Children's Choir.”
RENAISSANCE CHRISTMAS 12/24 10 p.m., 12/25 4 a.m.: “A celebration of the soaring sounds of the holiday season from Chicago's celebrated Music of the Baroque Chorus and Brass ensemble. In this elegant concert, both Renaissance and Baroque pieces for chorus and brass are performed before a live audience at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit in Techny, Illinois.”
CHRISTMAS AT LUTHER – NIGHT OF GLORY, DAWN OF PEACE 12/24 11 p.m., 12/25 5 a.m.: “Breathtaking music, glowing candlelight and the robed choristers of Luther College capture the wonder and joy of the holiday season in a new special. For the past 27 years, Luther College has been sharing the gift of music with audiences far and near through televised performances. This year's special features performances by six choirs, the symphony orchestra, organ, hand bell choir, Christmas Brass and Percussion Ensemble; caroling; and the signature lighting of candles that encircle the audience in light. Luther's music program is internationally renowned for its tradition of excellence.”
IL DIVO – LIVE AT THE GREEK 12/26 9 p.m., 12/27 3 a.m.: “The wildly popular 'popera' quartet offers its sophisticated vocal stylings and cross-continental flair in a showcase of romantic, rich harmonies and heart-breaking ballads. These four charming, sexy, talented young men take well-known hits – both old and new – and turn them into masterpieces, transforming hit pop songs with a refined classical twist of new arrangements. Their well-trained operatic voices and the addition of lyrics in the Romance languages – French, Spanish and Italian – produce a sophisticated classical piece recognizable in its roots, but incomparable in its result. This special was taped in June 2006 during Il Divo's first World Tour at the stunning Greek Theater in Los Angeles before a capacity audience of 5000. The set list for the concert features many of Il Divo's most recognizable and popular tracks including their interpretations of mainstream chart-toppers.”
BERLIN CELEBRATION CONCERT 12/28 1:30 p.m.: “Leonard Bernstein conducts an historic Christmas day performance of Beethoven's ninth symphony in East Berlin. The Berlin Celebration Concert brings together musicians from East and West Germany, the United States, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union to participate in this musical celebration of the opening of the Berlin wall. This performance of Beethoven's ninth, the final movement of which is based on Freidrich Schiller's ‘ode to joy’ with its passionate plea for world brotherhood, features American soprano June Anderson among the vocal soloists, and a 100-voice chorus comprised of singers from East and West Germany. The contract term will allow stations to air the program for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall.”
GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET – DOCTOR ATOMIC 12/29 9 p.m., 12/30 3 a.m.: “John Adams' contemporary masterpiece explores a momentous episode in modern history: the creation of the atomic bomb. Movie director Penny Woolcock makes her Met debut with this production. Baritone Gerald Finley plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the title character, in this gripping adaptation of a story that changed the course of world history. Alan Gilbert conducts the opera's Met premiere.”
BIG BAND MAGIC! 12/31 7:30 p.m..: “War and the Depression melted away when the big bands started to play, and a generation forgot its troubles on the dance floor. This KQED-produced special takes a nostalgic look back at the dance halls and ballrooms that live only in memories – El Patio at Market and Van Ness, the Mural Room in the St. Francis Hotel, Sweet's Ballroom in Oakland, and many more. Filled with music, photos, archival films and dance sequences that recall the spirit of the age, the program tells a story that has remained untold for too long, revives the fondest memories of a generation, and treats viewers to a glimpse of this fabled past.”
MY MUSIC – 50'S POP PARADE 12/31 8:34 p.m.: “This special brings back more 1950's pop crooners, featuring performers that define the pop musical soundtrack from the 1940's, 1950's and early 1960's. Robert Goulet headlines and co-hosts the music and memories with Jerry Vale, Kay Starr, The Mills Brothers, Ed Ames, The Four Lads, The Four Aces, Patti Page, The Ink Spots, Tony Martin, Margaret Whiting, and more. The program features the usual My Music mix of new live performances and archival classics from the vaults including rare footage from Perry Como, Rosemary Clooney, Andy Williams and more.”
LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER – NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC NEW YEAR'S EVE GALA CONCERT 12/31 10 p.m.: “From Avery Fisher Hall at New York's Lincoln Center, Lorin Maazel conducts the New York Philharmonic in a glamorous evening of opera favorites by Johann Strauss Jr., Offenbach, Lehar, Suppe and more, along with an acclaimed opera diva to be named.”
**************************************************************************************** December 1, 2008
Welcome to the 96th edition of Carltone's Corner!
‘Tis the season to be jolly, according to the plethora of ads on TV and radio, but now that the government has “officially” announced that the economy is not only in a recession but has been in one for, oh, a year now, you may be finding it a bit hard to be decking the halls with boughs of holly as visions of sugarplums are dancing in your head. Good thing that the elves here are Carltone World Headquarters have been working overtime to bring you all of the merry music news you need to know about this month. Get the shopping done early (with the help of gift tips below), turn off the dancing game shows on TV and then get out of the house (if you are fortunate enough to still own one) and sample some holiday cheer while it lasts.
Watch out for low flying reindeer! Ah yes, the season is upon us, and visions of dollar signs are dancing in the heads of merchants the world over. Santa’s sweatshop workers have been working overtime to satisfy all of your guilt-buying needs this coming holiday season, and by now you are hearing your favorite yuletide tunes on the radio, in stores and in ads on TV. And everyone’s most loved holiday ditty, “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer,” sung by Marin County’s Dr. Elmo, is one of the songs in seasonal rotation. This year marks the 25-year anniversary of the video of the song, and heck, if you just can’t wait to see it on MTV, through the wonders of modern technology you can now beat your neighbor to the punch by watching the video here. Look closely to see if you see some familiar faces. But remember, is has been a quarter century...
Get into the spirit early! Elmo will also be playing his annual Christmas Show on the 7th from 4-6:30 p.m. for the first time at Rancho Nicasio in West Marin. His Reindeer Band consists of John Pierson on guitar, Dana Rath on mandolin, Kenny Blacklock on fiddle, Carol-Joy Harris and Donna Turner on vocals, and yours truly on bass. This show will feature a mix of Elmo’s twisted Christmas tunes and some bluegrass songs, and it is a guaranteed great time.
More Melnyk. Photographer extraordinaire Mike Melnyk has posted some more photos on his site from the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival event this past October. There was a show at the Velo Rouge in SF hosted by Jeanie & Chuck Poling on the Friday night of the fest, and here are the shots.
48 Hour Jam. Even though it may seem like eons from now, January is only a month away. More importantly, only 26 rooms have been set aside at the Doubletree Hotel in Bakersfield at a special CBA rate for the 48 Hour Jam II that will take place on January 9th and 10th. The jam will be just what it sounds like – non-stop picking in the jamming suites, halls, hotel rooms, elevators, and everywhere else in the hotel. The special room rate is $89 per night, but you need to call (661) 323-7111 to reserve your room now.
Take the Stage. On November 16th at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley part one of the Take the Stage band performance workshop “graduation” took place in front of a sold-out house. Three workshop bands were formed in September with players from around the Bay Area to learn and perform Americana, bluegrass and roots music with expert coaching from professional musicians. The bands were named Madfish, Last Train Home and Salvaged Mondays. It was a really special evening and a pleasurable experience for everyone involved. Two nights later the three established bands that went through the session coached by Laurie Lewis – 'Bout Time!, Dan Mills & Wendy Molin, and Redwing – got to play their big show at the Freight. The CBA is a sponsor of TTS, and at the show on the 16th for the first time an award was given to the Most Valuable Player of the workshop. Board President Darby Brandli presented a four-day Father’s Day Festival pass to participant Scott Peterson who not only played in two bands this session, but also participated in the fall 2007 workshop. TTS was created by program director Hilary Perkins (she is also known as Nell, through her bluegrass band Nell Robinson & Red Level), Lou Ponticas and Dan Barbee in the fall of 2007. David Zimmerman was also very instrumental making this current session a success. In the meantime, if you (or your band) want to take part in the next Take the Stage session, go to the web site for more information. Signups for the January series end on December 15th.
Songwriter's blog. Northern California bluegrass singer/songwriter/artist Rick Jamison’s new songwriter’s blog is called On Songwriting. In addition to providing insights, tips and examples, Rick also features other songwriters, sharing their thoughts, experience and wisdom on songwriting. The most recent interview is with Chris Stuart of the San Diego band Chris Stuart & Backcountry, and you can read the interview on the site. Backcountry also has a fabulous new CD out titled Crooked Man.
Maybe she and “Joe the Plumber” can sing some duets together! Ashley Dupre, the “former” call-gal that brought down the once-promising political career of erstwhile governor of New York Eliot Spitzer, told ABC News that she wanted to “focus on her music career as she loves to be a singer.” The big question is, do we really need to hear people like Dupre and Wurzelbacher sing? What is it with the media these days, being in such a rush to record these jokers? Isn’t it bad enough that we have TV game shows where the winning amateurs become instant recording artists? Haven’t we had enough of 14 year-old singing sensations and actors that want to sing? Whatever happened to the good old American tradition of, when someone became “infamous,” we either had the option of seeing them pose in a girly magazine or they started their own line of barbecue grill? Note to Ashley – don’t give up your day job…
A man and his banjo. If you missed the previous airings, the fabulous documentary Pete Seeger –The Power of Song will be broadcast on the 7th, 8th and 9th on KQED (Channel 9)(see listing below) in the SF area. There is also a movement to have Pete nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his lifetime of work promoting peace. Please go to this website to sign the petition, and tell others about it as well.
From tape to disc. If you have old tapes that you want to have on CD or in digital files, Lou Judson at Intuitive Audio in Marin is the man to see. He has been doing things such as people's parent’s tapes, old jazz, seminars, radio programs, studio album masters, etc. He has several professional tape machines and lots of expertise and experience. For more info, contact him at inaudio@sonic.net.
Congrats to Marin singer/songwriter Larkin Gayl, who found out recently that of more than 7,000 nominees, she made the short list (top 180) for the Grammys’ “Best New Artist” category, which is quite an honor.
Hear them before they were famous! Some early SF live recordings of the band The Doors were recently discovered collecting dust somewhere, and they have now been released as Live at the Matrix. Read the story here.
Gift ideas. It is that time of year for gift giving, and the staff here at CWH is offering up its usual ideas – CDs from (mostly) local artists, music festival tickets, books, and musical instruments. In some cases links have been provided, and in others you will have to seek out info on your own. If anyone has not been included here, sorry for the oversight, and you will get highlighted in the next edition. For the bands, go to their websites and buy direct from them, thereby cutting out the middle-dude. Here are the suggestions:
CDs: The Barefoot Nellies Let Me Down Easy; Earl Brothers Moonshine; Stairwell Sisters Get Off Your Money; Chris Stuart & Backcountry Crooked Man; The Waybacks Loaded; Bill Evans & Megan Lynch let’s do something…; Maria Muldaur Yes We Can; Bill Cutler Crossing The Line; Sawmill Road Bluegrass Band 1; 77 el Deora Hammer & Tongs; The Del McCoury Band Moneyland (includes a song by former Marin songwriter Joe New); Kenny Blacklock This Little Light; Eric & Suzy Thompson Dream Shadows; Kyle Alden Tanglewood.
Festival tickets: River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland, OR, 1/9-11; Sonoma Country Bluegrass Festival March 14th; Strawberry Music Festival on Memorial and Labor Day weekends; CBA Father’s Day Festival June 18th-21st.
Books: Teardrops in My Eyes: The Music of Harley “Red” Allen by Dennis Satterlee; Air Castle of the South: WSM and the Making of Music City by Craig Havighurst; I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny by Vivian Cash; Anchored In Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash by John Carter Cash; Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton; Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me by Patti Boyd and Penny Junor; Twenty Thousand Roads: The Ballad of Gram Parsons and His Cosmic American Music by David Meyer; How I Make $100,000/year in the Music Business (Without a Record Label, Manager, or Booking Agent) by David Hooper; Hallelujah Junction by composer John Adams; Bumping Into Geniuses: My Life Inside the Rock and Roll Business by Danny Goldberg; Sex, Rock & Optical Illusions: The Art of Victor Moscoso by Victor Moscoso; Traveling on a High Frequency: Photographs 1978-2008 by Jay Blakesberg; A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and the American Experimental Music by George E. Lewis; The Soloist by Steve Lopez.
Musical instruments: Amazing Grace Music in San Anselmo and Schoenberg Guitars in Tiburon.
A breath of fresh air. The National Public Radio show Fresh Air With Terry Gross is by far the best arts radio interview show anywhere. It is a nationally broadcast show that can be heard on most NPR stations, and in the SF area you can hear it three times a day (KQED and KALW). Even better, if you miss a show you can always listen to archived interviews on your computer. Here are some recent examples: musical journalist and filmmaker Robert Gordon; R&B singer Etta James; the late jazz pianist Dave McKenna; Philly soul songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff; and banjo legend Earl Scruggs. And on the NPR show All Things Considered there was an interview with blues singer Susan Tedeschi that you can listen to here.
Fishwrap roundup. In the Marin IJ there were stories about marinlocalmusic.com founder Shelley Champine, New Age pianist George Winston, singer/songwriter Sara Wasserman (daughter of bassist Rob Wasserman), and slide guitarist Roy Rogers. In the SF Chronicle read about young Tibetan rock and rollers, the SF State Stevie Wonder jazz class, Elvis Costello’s new talk show, and rock bands that have sold out.
Police log. Metal wimp: Are country singers tougher than heavy metal players? It appears so, at least in one case. Country singer John Rich is being sued for assault by bass player Jerry Montano, former bassist in the heavy metal band Danzig. They got into a fight in a hotel room in October, and Rich is accused of smacking Montano around. Can’t we all just get along?...“Do you really want to hurt me?” This is the title of a song from the defunct group Culture Club, a band that was led by singer George O’Dowd, more commonly known as Boy George. There is no word yet as to whether or not Georgie made the guy that he beat with a chain sing the song while the fun was taking place. One Audun Carlsen claims that he was falsely imprisoned, manacled and beaten by George and a cohort. Seems that the not entirely guilt-free Carlsen went to George’s apartment twice for a presumed “naked photo shoot,” only to be accused the second time by George of having hacked into his computer after the first visit…Bad rap: Marion "Suge" Knight, founder of bankrupt Death Row Records, was arrested in Las Vegas in the alleged beating of his girlfriend in August…“Man, how’d that stuff get in there?” Rapper John Forte was recently pardoned by President Bush. Forte, an affiliate of the group The Fugees, had been serving prison time for smuggling drugs. He was arrested at Newark International Airport in 2000 and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute. Police caught him accepting a briefcase with about $1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine in it…
Get out your handkerchiefs. Time for more rehab? This newsletter’s favorite artist, Amy Winehouse – who won a gazillion Grammys this year for her anti-rehab song called “Rehab” – is finally back in the news after many months of quietude. Wanna guess what for? Ah, that was too easy! Overdosing it is! Though just what the drug was (either legal of illicit) is still unknown. Maybe she was depressed because her publicist had not gotten her picture in the news lately. Or maybe she was down because her jailbird husband Blake Fielder just the day before lost his appeal against his 27-month jail term for assault and perverting the course of justice. Have no fear, readers…as amazing as it sounds, Ms. Winer is only 25 and heck, there are more albums to be made!
Life’s railway to heaven. Eric Breed, a.k.a. rapper MC Breed, died on November 22nd in Michigan of unknown causes. He was 37. Lawrence Wheatley, a longtime Washington, DC, jazz musician who refused to have his music recorded, died on October 19th of vascular disease. New England jazz pianist Dave McKenna passed away on October 18th at age 78.
Coming attractions. Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band at the Freight 1/8, the Palms in Davis 1/9, Don Quixote’s in Felton 1/10, and Angels Camp 1/11; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland, OR, 1/9-11; Dale Miller on 1/10 at Schoenberg Guitars; Portland Old-Time Gathering 1/14-18.Mike Dowling on 1/23 at Schoenberg Guitars.
Onward to the calendar…
Nick’s Cove in Marshall keeps Tuesday nights hopping with Local's Night. Specials on food and beer, and great music. See the Dogtown Ramblers on the 2nd, Vickie Guillory and the Sugar Cats on the 9th, the Courtney Janes on the 16th, Doug Adamz & Trio Bravo on the 23rd, and the Smiling Iguanas on the 30th.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See Andre Mottershead on the 2nd, Sacred Profanities on the 3rd (and 17th), New Rising Sons on the 5th, Peri's Blues Jam on the 7th, Diamond Ortiz on the 10th (and 24th and 31st), Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 11th, Tom Finch Group on the 12th, Jinx Jones on the 13th, Sexy Sunday on the 14th, Maybelle on the 18th, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 19th, Danny Montana & The Bar Association on the 20th, Andre and Friends on the 21st, Ruckus on the 26th, Friends of the River on the 28th, and more.
Jammin’ in SF. The first Wednesday of the month bluegrass/country jam hosted by Jeanie & Chuck Poling at the Plough & Stars in SF will take place on the 3rd starting at 8:30 p.m. There is no cover but you must be 21 to attend.
Music is 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. On the Wednesday the 3rd see Three Mile Grade (Tom Brigham, Matt Lax, Pat Campbell, Rob Bayne, and Steve Lanza), The Shut-in's X-Mas Show on the 10th, and WTJ Quartet on the 17th. The pub will be closed on the eve of the 24th, and plans for the 31st have yet to be determined.
Marin bluegrass jam. On the 4th and the 18th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m.
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 Eric & Suzy Thompson on the 4th and Sylvia Herold & Euphonia on the 19th. Show times are 8 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
Fairfax musician Kyle Alden has quite a few shows this month with various folks. His new recording, Tangletown, is available now at gigs (and on the website soon). On the 4th at 9 p.m. he’ll be at the Sleeping Lady Café (formerly Café Amsterdam) in Fairfax, singing original and Americana songs with friends Robbie Belgrade on percussion and sax, and Peter Lacques on harmonica; on the 6th from 3-6 p.m. at the San Gregorio General Store The Mild Colonial Boys (Kyle, Rory McNamara and John Caulfield) weave their monthly acoustic magic at the usual coastal haunt; on the 9th at 9 p.m. he’ll be back at the Sleeping Lady Café with Peter Lacques; on the 13th from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. playing solo at the San Gregorio General Store; on the 16th at 7 p.m. at Julie's Coffee and Tea Garden in Alameda with Curlew, playing Irish and Scottish instrumental music with grace and force; and on the 28th at 9 p.m. at the Plough and Stars in SF with fiddler John Sherry.
Murphy Productions is presenting some excellent shows this month. See Tito Gonzalez on the 5th at the Stage Dor Dance Studio in Sausalito, The Rowan Brothers on the 12th at the Acoustic Vortex in Larkspur, The Jug Band at the Masonic Hall in Mill Valley on the 21st, and the stage show For Whom the Bridge Tolls on the 31st at the Seafood Peddler in San Rafael.
The Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa has Celtic and bluegrass jams on most Wednesdays. Some shows of note there are Greenhouse on the 5th, The Rhythm Rangers on the 6th, The Farallons on the 12th, Under the Radar on the 13th, The Carrtunes on the 19th, The Tonewoods on the 27th, and The Spindles on the 31st.
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 Paul Robinson on the 5th, closed for a private party on the 6th (and 13th), Mindy Canter on the 12th, Debra Clawson & Sean Pagelow on the 19th, Eugene Huggins on the 20th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 26th, and Jazz Philosophy on the 27th.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will be wrapping up the year with some shows around the county this month. The New Risings Sons, including Mill Valley’s Jesse Lee Kincaid) will present their brand of Americana blues at Peri's in Fairfax on the 5th, at Taste of Rome in Sausalito on the 12th and also there on New Years Eve. A duo appearance with Jesse will take place at the Taste of Rome sister restaurant in San Rafael on the 19th and the Bazaar Cafe in SF on the 29th. Kurt also plays jazz with the Namely Us group, and they can be heard on the 7th at the Sleeping Lady Cafe in Fairfax.
Award winning Nashville bluegrass guitarist Jim Hurst will be appearing at a house concert in Sebastopol on the 5th at 8 p.m. For info contact Kevin at (707) 824-1858.
It is that time of year again for the Christmas Jug Band to be back and playing a series of shows. See them on the 5th at the 142 Throckmorton in Mill Valley, the 7th at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur, on the 8th at the 2 AM Club in Mill Valley, the 16th at the Freight, the 17th at the Palms in Winters, the 19th at the Mystic in Petaluma, and the 20th and 21st at the Masonic Hall in Mill Valley.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday and the Christmas Jug Band on the 5th, see Craig Jessup on the 6th, Jonathan Richmond on the 8th, Rhythm Village on the 12th, the Jam Dance Party with Narada Michael Walden on the 13th, Gaucho and Colm Ó Riain on the 18h, A Storybook Christmas on the 19th-21st, the Hometown Extravaganza on the 31st with Dan Hicks, Austin deLone, Maria Muldaur and others, plus lots more good stuff.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, and there is never a cover charge for music. See the Sonoma Mountain Band on the 5th, the Celtic jam on the 7th, Under the Radar on the 12th, Highway One on the 13th, Savannah Blu on the 19th, Dockside on the 26th, Green Farm String Band on the 28th, Greenhouse and The Carrtunes on the 31st, and more.
Out at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station you can see the Holiday Crafts Fair on the 5th-7th, Coleman Barks on the 10th, Winter Fireside Tales on the 13th and 14th, Hands On Fire on the 19th and 26th, Messiah Sing-Along on the 21st, and Bill Press on the 27th.
The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa will have Johnny Mathis on the 6th and 7th, Wynonna Judd on the 12th, Dave Koz & Friends on the 16th, Rasta Thomas on the 19th, and The Nutcracker on the 20th and 21st.
Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell will be playing with his band The Rhythm Rangers on the 6th at The Black Rose with special guests Bobby Lee & Steve Barbieri, and his band Under the Radar will be at Murphy's in Sonoma on the 12th and on the 13th see them at The Black Rose.
Mill Valley’s Dore Coller is busy as usual. On the 6th Savannah Blu, a Marin bluegrass band featuring Dore on guitar, Gary Kaye on banjo, Steve Kallai on fiddle, Dave Hanks on mandolin, and Dan Large on bass will be at the Record Store in West Portal in SF from 3-5 p.m., at Murphy’s on the 19th, and at the Plough and Stars in SF on the 26th. He will also be playing with Hot Club of Marin on the 17th at 33 Revolutions in El Cerrito and at 142 Throckmorton on the 29th.
Kleptograss. The acoustic/eclectic band Kleptograss (which features Marinites Paul Knight and Paul Shelasky) will be playing the Redwood Bluegrass Associates show on the 6th in Mountain View. Also on the bill are The Tuttle Kids.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
Twang Ditty has a few shows of note this month. On the 6th it will be at The Old Western Saloon in Point Reyes Station, on the 12th at Jasper O’Farrell’s Pub in Sebastopol, and on the 28th at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa.
See the Klezmer Conservatory Band at the JCCSF on the 6th at 8 p.m. Consistently lauded as one of the most virtuosic klezmer bands in the world, the KCB dishes up a saucy, foot-stomping mix of Yiddish music. Led by the legendary Hankus Netsky, the band's richly expressive big-band sound is a favorite of audiences of all tastes.
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.
The Snake Oil Saviors will be playing Western swing on the 6th at Smiley’s in Bolinas and on the 13th at the Old Western Saloon in Pt. Reyes Station.
Santa Rosa House Concerts proudly presents acclaimed Canadian-based singer-songwriters Po’ Girl for an evening of music and dining on the 6th. Po’ Girl’s music is 21st century roots music— urban roots with echoes of speakeasy jazz, the western lament, the accordion-strapped ghosts of European folk – all delivered with a soulful clarity and depth. Doors open 5:30 p.m., potluck dinner 6, show starts 7. Admission $30.00. Reservations required. Call (707) 538-1215 for details, or e-mail HouseConcerts@Monitor.Net.
Mill Valley’s Matt Lax, besides playing with Three Mile Grade at Iron Springs on the 3rd as mentioned above, will also be playing on the 6th with bassist Paul Olguin at Farley’s Coffee House in SF from 6-8 p.m.
Paul Knight & Friends will be playing out at the Station House Café in Pt. Reyes Station on the 7th starting at 5 p.m. Players this time will be Tim Weed on banjo, Debbie Daly on guitar, Annie Staninec on fiddle, and Hide Kawatsure on mandolin.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station are the Christmas Jug Band on the 7th, Beautiful Losers on the 12th, Jelly on the 13th, Jesse Brewster on the 17th, The 85s on the 26th, and others.
The enchanting vocal group Kitka will be playing a show at the Marin JCC on the 7th.
Mill Valley artist and musician Kimrea plays with her band Dreamdogs play every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band.
Who let the Dawg out? See David Grisman and John Sebastian together on the 10th at the Napa Opera House, and then check out The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience when they will be playing at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley on the 27th.
The Mayflower Chorus will be presenting their show Together Wherever We Go on the 11th-13th at the Showcase Theatre Marin Center in San Rafael and on the 14th at the Church of Saint Raphael in San Rafael.
Novato fiddler/guitarist Doug Adamz and Rusty Gauthier can be seen at the Station House in Point Reyes Station on the 11th from 6-8 p.m. and then Trio Bravo will be at Nick’s in Marshall on the 23rd.
The Mystic in Petaluma has Richard Thompson on the 11th, the Jug Band on the 19th, Zepparella on 20th, Blue Turtle Seduction plus Lansdale Station on the 27th, Cracker plus Camper Van Beethoven on the 28th, and Tommy Castro on the 31st.
Pink Sabbath can be seen playing an acoustic set on the 12th at 9 p.m. at Smiley’s Saloon in Bolinas.
The Rex Foundation 25th Anniversary Celebration will be one hot show at the Warfield in SF on the 13th. See Peter Rowan & Family, Michael Kang with Panjea, Jackie Greene, The Brass Mafia, and lots more.
Schaef-Abel Productions is presenting Kenny White in concert on the 13th at Studio E in Sebastopol, and then Girly Man on the 20th.
Lauralee Brown can be seen/heard singing at Rickey's in Novato on the 19th with the Alex Markels Trio, and on the 26th with her band at Saylor’s in Sausalito.
Music benefit. On the 19th at 7 p.m. in Santa Rosa at the Glaser Center there will be a benefit for Michelle McFee, a longtime Bay Area music publicist and poet who worked with the New Riders of the Purple Sage and recently had cancer surgery. The lineup includes David Nelson, Pete Sears, Dave Getz and Peter Albin; Rubber Souldiers, the Beatles repertory band featuring David Gans, Chris and Lorin Rowan, Robin Sylvester and Jimmy Sanchez; and Bill Cutler & Friends. A silent auction of books, art and music memorabilia will also be held. The items include a signed 1980 Bob Minkin photograph of the Grateful Dead performing at Radio City Music Hall, mint condition Family Dog concert posters and a signed first-edition copy of Michael Chabon's novel The Yiddish Policeman's Union.
Mill Valley’s Maria Muldaur will be hosting a cool yule party on the 19th at Rancho Nicasio, and then on the 20th see her at Biscuits and Blues in SF.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the 21st 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.
Danny Montana & the Bar Association will be at Peri's in Fairfax on the 20th, and the Dogtown Ramblers open. The BA is Danny Montana on guitar and lead vocals, Phil Richardson on fiddle, Dana Olsen on lead guitar, Tim Bush on bass, Larry Cragg on pedal steel and Beau Faw on drums.
Check out Nat Keefe’s Carnival at the Independent in SF on the 20th. Members of Hot Buttered Rum, The David Grisman Quintet, New Monsoon, Poor Man's Whiskey, Jambay, The Everyone Orchestra, BLVD and songwriter Forest Sun will be there.
The Westerleys return! The popular songwriting trio disbanded many years back, but Peter Axtell, Doug Blumer and Nancy Terzian (flying in from Nashville) will be performing on the 23rd at 7 p.m. at 33 Revolutions in El Cerrito. All ages welcome.
There will be no pickin’ of gospel, bluegrass and old-time music as usual up in Sebastopol on the fourth Sunday of this month.
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.
Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area:
CELTIC WOMAN – THE GREATEST JOURNEY HOLIDAY SPECIAL 12/03 1 p.m., 12/03 7:30 p.m., 12/04 1:30 a.m., 12/06 2 p.m., 12/07 9 a.m.: “The Celtic Woman journey to international renown began in 2005. This essential collection of their most beloved and memorable songs will give new fans an opportunity to catch up on their phenomenal success and old fans a chance to reminisce. Performances will include ‘Mo Ghile Mear,’ ‘Spanish Lady,’ ‘Christmas Pipes,’ ‘You Raise Me Up’ and many more. All of the songs are intertwined using stunning scenic and landscape images of Ireland. This special showcases the amazing vocalists Lisa, Chloe, Orla, Meav, Hayley and the awe-inspiring fiddler Mairead.”
ROY ORBISON & FRIENDS - A BLACK AND WHITE NIGHT 12/04 8:30 p.m., 12/05 2:30 a.m., 12/06 9 p.m., 12/07 3 a.m.: “Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Cocoanut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of ‘A-list’ Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of T-Bone Burnett, the stage band includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late 60s and early 70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate. It's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion of the performances. In every respect, this is a triumphant performance for Orbison and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.”
MY MUSIC – LOVE SONGS OF THE 50s AND 60s 12/05 8:30 p.m., 12/06 2:30 a.m.: “The 50s and 60s pop era meets early doo wop. This cross-over pop and R&B special includes never-before-seen performances with archival favorites of the 1950s and early 1960s (pre-Beatles era). Songs include a new performance of the original Penguins performing ‘Earth Angel,’ and Lenny Coco & The Chimes with a new performance of ‘Once In A While.’ The Tymes reunite to sing ‘So Much In Love,’ and the Clovers are together again to sing ‘Devil Or Angel.’ Fred Paris returns from retirement to sing a new livelier version of ‘In The Still Of The Night.’ The Four Aces perform a never-before-seen version of ‘Love Is A Many Splendored Thing’ and ‘Tell Me Why.’ Also featured are archival favorites from Doris Day, Johnny Ray, Perry Como and many more of the 50s pop and early doo wop era all together in one great show.”
JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON 12/06 10:30 p.m., 12/07 4:30 a.m..: “This program explores the historical context of Johnny Cash's seminal concert album, ‘Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison,’ based on writer Michael Steissguth's acclaimed book Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: The Making of a Masterpiece. The program weaves compelling interviews with archival photography - enhanced for broadcast by ‘extrapolation technique’ - to evoke the spirit of that momentous day on Jan. 13, 1968, when Johnny Cash appeared on stage at Folsom Prison. Participants include: Rosanne Cash, band member Marty Stuart, former inmate Millard Dedman, and inmate/singer Glen Sherley, who famously wrote ‘Greystone Chapel’ for Cash.”
PETE SEEGER – THE POWER OF SONG 12/07 3 p.m., 12/08 9:30 p.m., 12/09 3:30 a.m.: “This first authorized film poetically documents Seeger's unique experience and contributions. The man who introduced America to its own folk heritage, he got a whole generation passionate about playing the guitar and picking the banjo, got them singing together and using music as a force for social change. He deeply believes in the power of song and is convinced that individuals can make a difference. Largely misunderstood by his critics, including the US government, for his views on peace, civil rights and ecology, Seeger went from the top of the hit parade to the top of the blacklist – banned from commercial television for more than 17 years. Now almost 90-years old, his inspiring, but not always easy, story is told by everyone from Bob Dylan to the Dixie Chicks and through a remarkable historical archive – a history that Seeger himself helped create.”
DOMINGO, NETREBKO & VILLAZON – THREE STARS IN VIENNA 12/07 7 p.m., 12/08 1 a.m.: “The legendary Placido Domingo joins new superstars Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon one of the leading dream couples in contemporary opera for an open-air concert at the steps to Vienna's magnificent Schonbrunn Palace. Domingo, still a thrilling opera superstar after 45 years, remains a peerless master of suave lyricism. Netrebko, the fiery Russian soprano, has taken the opera world by storm in a triumphant international career. And Villazon the dashing Mexican tenor with the achingly expressive voice was discovered and mentored by Domingo himself. The concert's repertoire includes popular favorites by Lehar, Verdi, Strauss and many others.”
HITMAN – DAVID FOSTER AND FRIENDS 12/07 8:30 p.m., 12/08 2:30 a.m.: “Legendary songwriter, producer, and maestro to the stars, David Foster has generated some of the world's best known popular music, and collaborated with a veritable ‘Who's Who’ of superstars in a career that spans more than three decades. In celebration of his remarkable achievements including fourteen Grammy Awards and a host of other accolades some of the biggest names in contemporary music gather for a one-night-only concert that brings down the house. From the stage of Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Kenny Babyface Edmonds, Boz Skaggs, Kenny G, Peter Cetera, Brian McKnight, Blake Shelton, Cheryl Lynn, Charice, Katharine McPhee, and Andre Agassi join in the celebration, along with a special performance by Celine Dion and some long-distance best wishes from Kevin Costner and Barbra Streisand.”
PAVAROTTI – A LIFE IN SEVEN ARIAS 12/08 7:30 p.m., 12/09 1:30 a.m., 12/09 1 p.m.: “When Luciano Pavarotti died in September, 2007, the world lost one of the greatest voices in all of music. In celebration of Pavarotti's peerless vocal talent and extraordinary international impact, this performance documentary looks back over his legendary career, utilizing the arias with which he was most closely associated as a narrative framework. From his humble origins in Modena, Italy, it follows the ‘King of the High C's’ meteoric rise, spanning through his London debut in La Boheme, his triumph in La Fille du Regiment, and his iconic rendition of ‘Nessun Dorma.’ In addition to a treasure trove of classic Pavarotti performances, also featured are new and archival interviews with many of the tenor's friends and colleagues, including Dame Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, and Juan Diego Florez.”
JOHN DENVER – A SONG'S BEST FRIEND 12/09 9 p.m., 12/10 3 a.m.: “This program celebrates the late singer/songwriter's legacy of classic performances. It includes his popular 1970s television specials plus rare footage from his Sing Australia! (1984 and 1994) and Red Rocks concerts (1973 and 1982), and interviews with the people closest to him, including ex-wife Annie, producer and arranger Milt Okun, manager Hal Thau, conductor and composer Lee Holdridge, and band members Pete Huttlinger and John Somers. Songs performed include ‘Sunshine on My Shoulders,’ ‘Country Roads,’ ‘Annie's Song,’ ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane,’ and ‘Rocky Mountain High.’"
CELEBRATE HANUKKAH LIVE IN CONCERT 12/10 7:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m., 12/11 1:30 a.m. & 4:30 a.m.: “This special features a distinguished, diverse and dynamic ensemble of musical performers in celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights. Craig Taubman hosts a musical extravaganza featuring the likes of the Grammy Award-winning group The Klezmatics; cantor/tenor Alberto Mizrahi; top-selling jazz artist Dave Koz; soulful and dynamic Joshua Nelson; Emmy Award winning actress Mare Winningham; rising star Michelle Citrin, and many others. The program celebrates the themes of hope, faith and family joy. The music is both inspiring and fun. It promises to be a family favorite for the winter holidays for years to come.”
CHANTICLEER – MISSION ROAD 12/15 7:30 p.m., 12/16 1:30 a.m.: “Enjoy the beauty of California's beloved missions and share the captivating experience of seeing and hearing this music performed in the setting for which it was written.”
FRANK SINATRA – A MAN AND HIS MUSIC 12/15 9p.m., 12/16 3 a.m.: “Frank Sinatra sang on television frequently, hosting a variety of specials and series; but, when he strutted through the empty hallways of NBC studios, took a stool next to a lonely microphone, and belted out the opening lines to ‘I've Got You Under My Skin,’ it was a TV revelation. Here was the mature, confident, and, at times, even swaggering, saloon singer and balladeer in a solo showcase. Vocally, Sinatra is in excellent form - clear and bold, with the dexterity of his 1950s recordings now colored by phrasing at once thoughtful and seemingly spontaneous - and the combination of top-notch arrangements and impeccably chosen material makes this special Sinatra's finest televised hour.” ******************************************************************************
November 15, 2008
Here it is the middle of November, and the Thanksgiving Holiday will soon be upon us. With all the problems in the world as this time it can be tough to be feeling very gratified about now. But here are a few reasons to be thankful:
-This edition of the newsletter is actually one day early for a change, so there are some 11/14 last minute additions below -The two-year (and seemingly never-ending) presidential election is finally over -The football season is mercifully more than halfway over for the downtrodden Bay Area pigskin fans -The Philadelphia Phillies are the World Champions of the 2008 baseball season (the Carltone staff is from Philly) -There are still ample opportunities the rest of this month to get out to either celebrate or drown your sorrows with a chaser of live music!
As always at this time of year the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters would like to wish you a happy holiday and also thank everyone for reading the newsletters and for your support over the years.
Seasons greetings. Nothing says “Happy Holidays” like bluegrass, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better set of bluegrass holiday greeting cards than these here by Colorado artist Karen Cannon. While you are at it, look at these prints as well for other times of the year. Get your orders in now so that you will have them on hand by December. Simply marvelous!
More for Les. If you are going to be anywhere near Cleveland, OH, on the 15th, there is going to be a big party to honor legendary guitarist Les Paul. Some of the guitarists on hand at the Playhouse Square's State Theatre will be Duane Eddy, Eric Carmen, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Lonnie Mack, Katy Moffatt, Slash, Richie Sambora and Billy Gibbons. Les himself is expected to perform as well.
Old-time fiddle tunes. Just getting started on the fiddle and you want to learn some tunes? Want to drive your roommates or neighbors nuts? Then go here to find all of your favorite old-time hits.
Turn your radio on. Hear Jeanie & Chuck’s Country Roundup on the 15th at 1 p.m. when they play live On the Ham Jam with host Tim Lynch on KPIG (1510 AM). Later that night tune into Peter Thompson’s Bluegrass Signal radio show on KALW (91.7 FM) in SF from 6:30-8 p.m. The show this week is titled “Grateful Grass (part 2),” featuring bluegrass versions of Grateful Dead songs, plus more of the bluegrass and old-time roots of the Dead. On the 22nd it will be time for another KALW On-Air Folk Festival from 3-8 p.m., with live, in-studio bluegrass beginning at 6:30 p.m.
“Gee, Wally, you weren’t that good with crayons when we were kids.” Tony Dow, known back in the day as “The Beaver’s” big brother Wally, will have one of his sculptures showcased in The Louvre in Paris next month. No word yet if Lumpy or Eddie Haskell will show up…
Honoring George. A gaggle of comedians gathered recently, not to roast the future ex-president, but to give tribute to the late comedian George Carlin, who was honored on the 10th with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the only award he saw as a legitimate comedy prize. Jon Stewart, Lily Tomlin, Joan Rivers and others saluted Carlin at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington for inspiring their own comedy, and they took up his cause of pushing the boundaries of free speech. Look for the show to be broadcast on Public Television somewhere down the road. Minus, of course, those famous seven words that can’t be said on TV (unless you are talking head Joe Scarborough on MSNBC).
Old joke: “Say pal, do you know the way to Carnegie Hall?” “Sure. Practice, practice, practice.” Harmonica player Buddy Greene obviously took this advice. See him play some classical favorites here. Thanks to Tim Van Raam for this tip.
Marin Rock and Roll Museum. According to Marin IJ music editor Paul Liberatore, Marin County will soon have a new museum exhibit to honor Marin's rock 'n' roll past and present. The Marin History Museum plans to open a "Marin Rocks" gallery in a Fourth Street storefront next summer in the heart of San Rafael's downtown. San Rafael Masonic Lodge No. 191 has donated a 1,900-square-foot commercial space at 888 Fourth St. for this exhibit for two years for free.
Check out Rick Jamison’s On Songwriting songwriter’s blog. His two most recent interviews were with former Stinsonian-now-Nashvillian Audrey Auld Mezera and Marin’s Forest Sun. Go back next week and read Rick’s upcoming interview with San Diego bluegrass musician/writer Chris Stuart.
Bay Area music photographer Jay Blakesberg has a new book of rock photos out titled Traveling on a High Frequency: Photographs 1978-2008. See all of your favorite stars.
A breath of fresh air. The National Public Radio show Fresh Air With Terry Gross is by far the best arts radio interview program anywhere. It is a nationally broadcast show that can be heard on most NPR stations, and in the SF area you can hear it three times a day (KQED and KALW). Even better, if you miss a show you can always listen to archived interviews on your computer. Here are some recent examples: Tina Fey, Motown tunes, Bebo Valdes, Chrissie Hynde, and Studs Terkel. Also on NPR, Peter Hammill, lead singer of the 70s progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator, earlier this month was profiled in a story on All Things Considered.
Fishwrap roundup. The SF Chronicle had stories about West African musician Toumani Diabate, ukulele sensation Jake Shimabukuro, bio-diesel car owner Neil Young, and Arab pop singer Natacha Atlas. Turns out that two Bay Area clubs of some import are celebrating anniversaries, and there were stories about each in the local rags. Read about Slim’s in the Chronicle and Rancho Nicasio in the Marin IJ.
Police log. Idolized: Paula Goodspeed, a one-time contestant on the game show American Idol, apparently killed herself near show co-host and erstwhile singer (and Laker Girl) Paula Abdul’s house in LA. Goodspeed was an alleged Abdul stalker and had been to the singer's house many times before…
Get out your handkerchiefs. Fierce Beyonce: R & B singer Beyonce has apparently decided to change her name to Sasha Fierce. She claims that “Someone else takes over when it's time for me to work and when I'm on stage, this alter ego that I've created that kind of protects me and who I really am.” Looks like all of those fans with “Beyonce” tattoos are feeling a bit dumb about now…The 13 year wait is finally over! Actress Carmen Electra will appear nude again in the 55th Anniversary edition of Playboy. Sounds like the acting career hasn’t been going very well since Baywatch went off the air… How did he get her to begin with? Pop rocker Marilyn Manson (for the uninitiated, this is allegedly a “he”) has apparently been dumped by his actress girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood over a dispute about Wood’s leech of a brother living on the premises…New drummer needed: singer Sarah McLachlan’s marriage to her drummer husband Ashwin Sood has come to an official end. They tried to keep the split secret, she but realized she couldn't hide their separation, as two songs on her upcoming album detail her heartbreak…
Life’s railway to heaven. Merl Saunders, longtime SF keyboardist who played for many years with Jerry Garcia’s solo projects, died last month at age 74 after fighting infections. He suffered a debilitating stroke 6 1/2 years ago and, although he lost the ability to speak, he made many guest appearances at shows over those years playing with one hand. Peruvian-born and internationally acclaimed singer Yma Sumac died on November 1st in Los Angeles after an eight-month bout with colon cancer. She was 86. Mitch Mitchell, the drummer in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was found dead in a hotel room in Portland, OR, on November 12th. He was 61. Shakir Stewart, head of the Def Jam hip-hop music label, died on November 1st in Atlanta from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 34. South African singing legend Miriam Makeba collapsed and died while singing on stage in Italy. She was 76. The international sensation was banned from her own country for more than 30 years under apartheid. A beloved Seattle street musician named “Tuba Man” died on the 3rd after sustaining serious injuries in a robbery. Edward McMichael was 53. A group of five teenagers beat and robbed him at a bus stop a few days before. Petaluma jazz bassist, composer and teacher Mel Graves passed on the 8th from pancreatic cancer. He was 62. He was a music professor at Sonoma State who created the Jazz Studies program. Mae Mercer, a deep-voiced blues singer who spent much of the 1960s performing at a blues bar in Paris and touring Europe before launching an acting career back in the United States in films and television, died October 29th in Los Angeles. She was 76.
Coming attractions. Eric & Suzy Thompson at Schoenberg Guitars 12/4; Jim Hurst house concert in Sebastopol 12/5; Dr. Elmo & The Reindeer Band at Rancho Nicasio 12/7; David Grisman & John Sebastian at Napa Opera House on 12/10; The Rowan Brothers at the Acoustic Vortex House Concert in Larkspur 12/12; Rex Foundation Benefit with Peter Rowan, Jackie Green and others at the Warfield in SF 12/13; Sylvia Herold & Euphonia at Schoenberg Guitars 12/19; Maria Muldaur at Rancho Nicasio 12/19, Biscuits and Blues in SF on 12/20;; The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley on 12/27; For Whom the Bridge Tolls show at Seafood Peddler in San Rafael 12/31; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland, OR, 1/9, 10, 11 in 2009.
Additions
Sonoma County singer-songwriters Larry Potts (with Gary Grubb guitar and John Lonaker bass) and Moss Henry (with Gailene Grillo) will play on the 14th from 8-10 p.m. at the Orchard Performance Gallery in Santa Rosa.
The next edition of The Utunes Coffee House at the First Unitarian Church of Oakland on the 14th at 8 p.m. will feature The KTO Project, with Kelly Takunda Orphan and her amazing band along with several special guests. Kelly's band is a mix of jazz, soul, funk, and more, with influences from Zimbabwe, Latin America and the Middle East.
The Marin bluegrass band String Break is headed south on the 14th to play at Bob's Courthouse Coffee Shop & Restaurant in Redwood City starting at 7:30 p.m.
The B-52’s will be blasting away at the Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael on the 14th.
Solid Air, the Sonoma Country duo of Allegra Broughton and Sam Page, plays original Americana folk/rock music. You can see them on the 15th at the Timber Cove Inn in Jenner, on the 22nd at Aroma Roasters in Santa Rosa, on the 28th at the Palette Art Café in Healdsburg, and on the 30th at Murphy’s in the town of Sonoma.
The Stairwell Sisters, the Bay Area’s favorite all-gal old-time string band, will be playing a show on the 15th for Redwood Bluegrass Associates in Mountain View starting at 8 p.m.
David Grisman & John Sebastian will be jamming at the SF Jewish Community Center on the 15th starting at 8 p.m.
Sausalito singer/songwriter Jo D'Anna can be enjoyed performing at the Northpoint Coffee Company at 1250 Bridgeway, Sausalito, on the 15th from 6-9 p.m.
Marin guitarist Walter Strauss on the 15th at 7 p.m. will appear at the Gaslighter Theater in Gilroy on a co-bill with guitarist Stevie Coyle. This show is presented by The Gilroy Guitar Gallery. Then on the 16th at 12:15 p.m. Walter will be playing solo at UUF of Sunnyvale.
Take the Stage is an eight-week band performance workshop bringing together aspiring musicians from around the Bay Area to learn and perform Americana and roots music with expert coaching from professional musicians. The current workshop culminates in a performance at the Freight & Salvage on the 16th with the bands Madfish, Last Train Home, and Salvaged Mondays. These bands have been working hard, developing their sets and honing their harmonies and pickin' to present a very fun show for family, friends and the community. Then on the 18th three established bands – 'Bout Time!, Dan Mills & Wendy Molin, and Redwing – will get to play at the Freight. They have been working with coach Laurie Lewis over the past few weeks. Show time is 8 p.m. for both.
Broads and the blues. Out at Rancho Nicasio on the 21st it will be the semi-annual show with The Blues Broads – Angela Strehli, Tracy Nelson, Annie Sampson, Nancy Wright & Dorothy Morrison, and Maria Muldaur.
Gayle Lynn & The Hired Hands will be playing a special CD release show at Iron Springs in Fairfax on Sunday the 23rd from 3-5 p.m. The disc is titled Just Came Around, so head on out, hear some tunes, sip some brew, and have some good food. They'll be playing tunes from the CD and more, and be joined by special guest Jon Mitguard on pedal steel.
The Sonoma County Blues Society held its first monthly Young Musicians' Jam at The Phoenix Theater in Petaluma at the end of last month. Some very promising young talent went and had a great time. They'll be back at the Phoenix on Sunday the 23rd from 3-6 p.m. If you know any young musicians that want to play in a safe, supervised, drug free, big stage environment, please take them by. Adult musicians are needed to go and interact/play/watch/perform. Amps to share are needed as well. Contact John Ranis (john@northbaymusic.com) for more info.
Brothers at the beach. The Stinson Beach 47th Annual Ball will take place on the 29th from 9 p.m.-12 featuring The Rowan Brothers band. See Chris and Lorin Rowan on guitars, Dave Jenkins on lead guitar, Steve Price on drums, Eric McCann on bass, and Austin deLone on keyboards.
Hot Buttered Rum headlines at the Fillmore in SF on the 29th. Blue Turtle Seduction will open the show.
Reminders
The Petaluma Church Concerts Series on the 14th at 8 p.m. will be presenting Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin. They are a vocal duet that blends folk, bluegrass and old-time music. With harmonies recalling the classic performances of the Louvin Brothers, Stanley Brothers, Blue Sky Boys, and the Carter Family. In concert they feature lively instrumental work on guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. A repertoire of traditional gems is augmented by original creations and select work by contemporary songwriters. The First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B Street, in Petaluma. For more info contact Lance Walker at eclecticstage@yahoo.com.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. See Lauralee Brown & Company on the 14th, Michael Joe Kirkbride on the 15th, Macy Blackman on the 21st, Tom Bowers Duo on the 22nd, Eugene Huggins on the 28th, and Matt Lax on the 29th.
Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell is a man with many bands. On the 14th at 8:30 p.m. at the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa his band Laughing Gravy celebrates Gram Parsons with cool covers and a few originals; on the 15th Under the Radar plays bluegrass, swing, folk and blues from 10:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. at the Aqus Café in Petaluma; and on the 16th at 2 p.m. he will be playing original rock n roll. at the Last Record Store in Santa Rosa with Mark McLay & the Dustdevils.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, and there is never a cover charge for music. There are The Hellhounds on the 14th, The Perfect Crime on the 15th, Keystone Station on the 22nd, Peter Lamson on the 23rd, The David Thom Band on the 28th, Blue & Lonesome on the 29th, Solid Air on the 30th, and lots more good stuff.
At the Fourth Street Tavern in San Rafael you can see the Royal Deuces on the 14th, the Goat Family on the 20th, 77 El Deora on the 21st, the Faraway Brothers and Baby Gramps on the 28th, and Los Tres Borrchos on the 29th.
Out at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station see classical harmonica on the 14th with The Damien Masterson Ensemble, Houston Jones on the 15th, and classical piano with Helene Wickett on the 16th.
Jesse Lee Kincaid & The New Rising Sons play Americana blues, and you can see them on the 14th at Taste of Rome in Sausalito (formerly Cafe Trieste), and on the 22nd at Taste of Rome in San Rafael.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will be joining the New Rising Sons on the 14th at Taste of Rome. On the 16th at Biscuits & Blues in SF, he'll be one of the featured performers paying tribute to the late, great blues drummer Francis Clay. Joining forces with David Gans, he'll be at the Nomad Cafe in Oakland on 22nd. Namely Us will return to Fairfax on the 23rd at the new Sleeping Lady Cafe (formerly Cafe Amsterdam). He'll wrap up the month on the 29th with a solo show at Aqus Cafe in Petaluma.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station are The Hoovers on the 15th, Jesse Brewster on the 21st, Jerry Hannan, Susan Z, Joe Rothbone, and Megan Slankard on the 22nd, and Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 29th.
The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa will be presenting Joan Baez on the 15th.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See Fire Wheel on the 15th, Sacred Profanities on the 19th, Rancho Deluxe on the 21st, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 22nd, Julia Francis on the 25th, HoneyDust on the 28th, and Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 30th.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
The North Bay trio The Mild Colonial Boys – John Caulfield, Rory McNamara and Kyle Thayer – can be seen playing on the 15th at the Plough and Stars in San Francisco, featuring original band member Fergus Feely.
The Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa has The Farallons on the 15th, The Carrtunes on the 22nd, The Tonewoods on the 29th, and others.
The Ain't Misbehavin' trio, with special guest Chris Goddard on steel/guitar, will perform on the 16th at the Station House Café in Pt. Reyes from 5-8 p.m., and the trio will also be at Nick's Cove in Marshall on the 25th from 7-9 p.m.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the 16th 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 Snake Oil Saviors will be playing Western swing on the 16th at Rancho Nicasio starting at 4 p.m.
Music is brewing at the Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax. Bands normally play on Wednesdays starting at 8 p.m. No cover, and great beer, food and music. See The Pat Echols Experience on the 19th, Gayle Lynn & The Hired Hands (Sunday the 23rd 3-5 p.m.), and Bryan Horne & The Draw Droppers (a Hot Buttered Rum side project) on the 26th.
The Mystic in Petaluma has Buckethead on the 19th, Y & T on the 21st and 22nd, and the New Riders of the Purple Sage on the 29th.
Jammin' in Marin. The Marin Bluegrass Jam takes place on the first and third Thursdays of every month. On the 20th you can join in at the 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. The playing level is beginner to intermediate. It is a big room, so there is also space for those who may want to go and listen.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday see Austin deLone’s Magnificent Seven on the 21st, Vinyl on the 26th, Roy Rogers on the 29th, and on the 30th A Benefit for Casa de Milagros featuring Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman and Jay Lane.
Murphy Productions is presenting an excellent show on the 22nd at the Lark Theatre in Larkspur with Hendricks, Hendricks and Ryan.
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 Julian Smedley & Mike Wollenberg on the 22nd. Showtimes are 8:30 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
The Acoustic Vortex house concert series in Larkspur is presenting Roy Zimmerman on the 22nd starting at 7 p.m.
Mill Valley artist and musician Kimrea plays with her band Dreamdogs play every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band.
Andrew Freeman, besides performing solo usually 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.
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 23rd. 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.
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.
Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area:
SPARK! YOSHI'S, HIJOS DEL SOL, DIAMANO COURA 11/19 7:30 p.m., 11/20 1:30 a.m., 11/21 11:30 p.m., 11/22 5:30 a.m.: “Spark visits Yoshi's new venue in San Francisco's historic Fillmore district, and explores efforts to reinvigorate the jazz scene with shows dubbed ‘Local Legends,’ featuring artists like Sugar Pie de Santo. Next, meet painter Jose Ortiz whose Salinas after-school program, Hijos del Sol, is turning young kids from tough neighborhoods onto art. Then join Dr. Zak Diouf and Naomi Washington Diouf and their Diamano Coura West African Dance Company in the weeks leading up to their annual repertoire concert.”
PLAY PIANO IN A FLASH 11/22 10:30 a.m.: “Ever wish you could sit down at a piano and just play a tune? Have you taken lessons at some point in your life, but can't play a thing? If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions, Scott ‘The Piano Guy’ Houston wants to change all that. His ‘Play Piano in a Flash’ program teaches you to play the way the pros play - in a style enormously simpler than traditional classical piano lessons. Ever better, it takes an absolute minimum amount of note reading ability. Best of all, Scott Houston makes it fun along the way.”
JOHN DENVER – A SONG'S BEST FRIEND 11/22 12:30 p.m., 11/27 1 p.m., 11/28 8:30 p.m., 11/29 2:30 a.m.: “This program celebrates the late singer/songwriter's legacy of classic performances. It includes his popular 1970s television specials plus rare footage from his Sing Australia! (1984 and 1994) and Red Rocks concerts (1973 and 1982), and interviews with the people closest to him, including ex-wife Annie, producer and arranger Milt Okun, manager Hal Thau, conductor and composer Lee Holdridge, and band members Pete Huttlinger and John Somers.”
LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER – GIL SHAHAM AND ORPHEUS AT THE PENTHOUSE 11/23 noon: “Once again, Lincoln Center's ‘living room’ is the setting as Gil Shaham brings his violin to join Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse for an intimate salon-style evening of works by a composer who knew his fiddle: Pablo de Sarasate.”
PAVAROTTI – A LIFE IN SEVEN ARIAS 11/27 7:30 p.m., 11/28 1:30 a.m., 11/29 11 a.m.: “When Luciano Pavarotti died in September, 2007, the world lost one of the greatest voices in all of music. In celebration of Pavarotti's peerless vocal talent and extraordinary international impact, this performance documentary looks back over his legendary career, utilizing the arias with which he was most closely associated as a narrative framework. From his humble origins in Modena, Italy, it follows ‘the King of the High C's’ meteoric rise, spanning through his London debut in ‘La Boheme,’ his triumph in La fille du regiment, and his iconic rendition of ‘Nessun Dorma.’ In addition to a treasure trove of classic Pavarotti performances, also featured are new and archival interviews with many of the tenor's friends and colleagues, including Dame Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, and Juan Diego Florez.”
THAT'S AMORE – ITALIAN-AMERICAN FAVORITES 11/27 9:30 p.m., 11/28 3:30 a.m., 11/28 1 p.m.: “This special brings together the greatest archival performances with America's most loved Italian-American singers and classic pop songs from the 50s and 60s. The program features original recordings from Perry Como, Julius LaRosa, Frankie Laine, Eddie Fisher, Dean Martin, Jerry Vale and more. Danny Aiello hosts.”
LIGHTS – CELEBRATE HANUKKAH LIVE IN CONCERT 11/30 10:30 a.m.: “This special features a distinguished, diverse and dynamic ensemble of musical performers in celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights. Craig Taubman hosts a musical extravaganza featuring the likes of the Grammy Award-winning group The Klezmatics; cantor/tenor Alberto Mizrahi; top-selling jazz artist Dave Koz; soulful and dynamic Joshua Nelson; Emmy Award winning actress Mare Winningham; rising star Michelle Citrin, and many others. The program celebrates the themes of hope, faith and family joy. The music is both inspiring and fun. It promises to be a family favorite for the winter holidays for years to come.”
CELTIC WOMAN – THE GREATEST JOURNEY HOLIDAY SPECIAL 11/30 5 p.m.: “The Celtic Woman journey to international renown began in 2005. This essential collection of their most beloved and memorable songs will give new fans an opportunity to catch up on their phenomenal success and old fans a chance to reminisce. Performances will include ‘Mo Ghile Mear,’ ‘Spanish Lady,’ ‘Christmas Pipes,’ ‘You Raise Me Up’ and many more. All of the songs are intertwined using stunning scenic and landscape images of Ireland. This special showcases the amazing vocalists Lisa, Chloe, Orla, Meav, Hayley and the awe-inspiring fiddler Mairead.”
***************************************************************************************** November 1, 2008
Welcome to the 95th edition of Carltone's Corner!
It’s beginning to look and sound a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go. This is because the merchants and the media want to squeeze every guilt-ridden penny out of your meager bank account for as long a time as they can. Tune it all out until after the Thanksgiving Holiday and you will have that much more sanity to deal with come December. In the meantime, this column is filled with lots of necessary musical diversions…
Wall Street bluegrass. With the economy in tatters and the stock market going haywire, it should come as no surprise that the Wall Street Journal is looking to divert its readership with some “happy news.” The good thing about this is that they had a story recently about the IBMA World of Bluegrass. Read the piece here. Thanks to John Pierson for this tip.
Amazing Melnyk. A few weeks back, after the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, there was a prediction in these pages that CBA ace photographer Mike Melnyk would have his fest photos listed on his site real soon, and sure enough, they can be seen here, here and here… Cinematic Keillor. There is a new film coming out about A Prairie Home Companion host Garrison Keillor titled The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes. It is an independent feature-length documentary film that goes behind the scenes of the show, and inside the imagination of the man who created it. Keillor takes his skits and jokes, music and monologues across the country in this free form, intimate look at the private man in the public spotlight. It will be playing at the Ojai Film Festival on November 6th and 8th, as well as at other festivals around the country. With any luck this will be better than the A Prairie Home Companion movie from two years back…
Music books. For early holiday shoppers, if giving books is your thing, here are a couple of music-related ones to give to those special folks on your list. Composer John Adams has written a memoir titled Hallelujah Junction. Former pop star manager and record company exec Danny Goldberg has a new book titled Bumping Into Geniuses: My Life Inside the Rock and Roll Business.
Fiddlin’ Joe. Congratulations to San Rafael’s Fiddlin’ Joe Osborn, who won the Adult Division of the Western Open Fiddle Championship in Red Bluff on October 25th.
Too much talk. Ever get the feeling that everywhere you turn on your radio dial you find some ranting talking-head taking calls from brave anonymous listeners that get to offer their opinions about some hot button topic? Or, if not talk radio, how about news radio? Can’t get enough about some missing blond in Aruba, the latest movie review by some goofy-hatted dowdy doyen, or traffic reports every ten minutes? Well, things just got worse in the SF Bay Area. KFRC-FM (106.9), which until this past week played the hits of the 70s, is now simulcasting KCBS-AM, which offers about 12 minutes of news and 18 minutes of commercials every half hour. What, their AM signal wasn’t strong enough already? Now we have to have it on two channels at once? It is bad enough that KNBR broadcasts sports at two frequencies (680 and 1050) on your AM dial. Thank you, mega media monopolies, for the dwindling choice options…
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain plays the theme from the movie Shaft. ‘Enuf said. Watch the video here.
Honoring Chet. After three years of editing and mixing 2b1 Multimedia Inc. is proud to announce the release of the Chet Helms Tribal Stomp. The package consists of four DVDs and two CDs from the October 2005 concert in Golden Gate Park. The collection centers on the life of Chet Helms, his influence on the 60s and the Family Dog. There will be a sneak preview screening party on the 7th at 2b1 in SF starting at 7 p.m. This is a free event. For information contact Boots Hughston at boots@2b1records.com.
Hootless nanny. Every year at this time for eight years (until 2007) the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters had been busy making plans for the annual Hillbilly Hootenanny on the Sunday after Thanksgiving at Rancho Nicasio. It did not happen last year due to a “scheduling conflict,” and this year no contact was made between the two parties. So the Hoot is dead. Thanks to everyone that came to play and watch over the years. It was always a successful show (we have the records to prove it), but sometimes venues have a different definition of “success”…
The Sonoma County Blues Society held its first monthly Young Musicians' Jam at The Phoenix Theater in Petaluma at the end of last month. Some very promising young talent went and had a great time. They'll be back at the Phoenix on Sunday the 23rd from 3-6 p.m. If you know any young musicians that want to play in a safe, supervised, drug free, big stage environment, please take them by. Adult musicians are needed to go and interact/play/watch/perform. Amps to share are needed as well. Contact John Ranis (john@northbaymusic.com) for more info.
Wacky Womack. Country singer Lee Ann Womack has a new CD out titled Call Me Crazy, but even funnier than this is the sidebar to the story in the Nashville Tennessean titled Ten Crazy Things I’ve Done. Aha, so this is where the album title came from…
All wigged out. Erstwhile “wall of sound” record producer Phil Spector is back in court again for the second trial on a murder charge. He allegedly murdered fledgling actress Lana Clarkson in his house in February of 2003. Or did she shoot herself right in front of him? The jurors were deadlocked the last time 10-2 for conviction. The best part of the trial is the never ending supply of fright wigs that Spector wears to court every day. Somebody ought to tell old Phil that Halloween is not a year-long event…
No regular Joes. We’ve heard a lot recently about Joe Sixpack, Fiddlin’ Joe Osborn, Joe the Plumber, Joe New, Jo Phoenix (see below) and Joe the Senator. What you may not have heard is that Plumber Joe may soon become a country singer. That is, if his popularity continues past November 4th. He is being managed by erstwhile country singer Aaron Tippen. Note to Joe – don’t give up your day job. As for Sixpack Joe, Mill Valley wit and songstress Rita Abrams wrote a song called “Joe Sixpack” (featuring the singing of Marin’s Rusty Evans and hot guitar licks of Dore Coller), and you can watch a video of it here.
A breath of fresh air. The National Public Radio show Fresh Air With Terry Gross is by far the best arts radio interview program anywhere. It is a nationally broadcast show that can be heard on most NPR stations, and in the SF area you can hear it three times a day (KQED and KALW). Even better, if you miss a show you can always listen to archived interviews on your computer. Here are some recent examples: Bob Dylan’s “Tell-Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Volume 8,” the band TV On The Radio, BB King, and the late music photographer William Claxton.
Fishwrap roundup. Sonoma comedianTommy Smothers, singers Phoebe Snow and Tina Turner, and guitarist Boz Scaggs were featured in the SF Chronicle last month. In the Marin IJ there was a story about the Grateful Dead’s Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978 two-CD recording. A story about the dearth of protest songs was in the Contra Costa Times.
Police log. Folsom Prison blues: Joseph Tang, erstwhile classical musician and convicted thief, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for a scheme involving taking instruments on consignment and not paying the owners. He bilked people out of a possible million dollars for their violins, cellos and violas. Hey, just think of the comeback tour he can go on once he gets out! Uh, dang, that’s right! This only happens in country music… Get out your handkerchiefs. Brother, can you spare a dime? Country singer Lorrie Morgan filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in federal court in Nashville recently, reporting assets of $500,000 to $1 million but estimated her debts at between $1 million to $10 million. Morgan filed for divorce from country singer Sammy Kershaw in 2007 following his unsuccessful bid to become lieutenant governor of Louisiana. Kershaw filed for bankruptcy shortly before announcing his candidacy… “How do you make a million playing music? Start out with two!” This is apparently what actor Joaquin Phoenix is going to do. After playing Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line the 34 year-old studly actor has announced that he is done with acting and now wants to become a professional musician. Yo Jo (pronounced “Wo”) – here are some hot tips: Hang onto that Screen Actors Guild card, because you are going to need it when the musical career tanks and you’ll be begging for acting roles again. Playing a musician in a movie is not the same as being one in real life. In the meantime, you may want to chat with Dennis Quaid, Harry Dean Stanton, and Russell Crowe about this music thing before giving up the Hollywood gig…Dysfunctional family reunion: The Jackson 5 announced plans for a big reunion tour. The only problem is lead singer (and a wee bit more famous and richer than Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Jackie) Mikey says he didn’t sign on to the project. The brothers probably wouldn’t recognize him anyway at this point…
Life’s railway to heaven. Levi Stubbs, longtime lead singer for the band the Four Tops, died in Detroit on October 17th. He was 72. Four over four decades the band, with its original members, performed hits such as "Baby I Need Your Loving," "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" and "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)." Singer and actress Edie Adams died in Los Angeles on October 15th. She was 81. Dee Dee Warwick, a soul singer who won recognition for both her solo work and her performances with her older sister Dionne Warwick, died last month. She was 63. She had been in failing health in recent months. Warwick had several hits on the soul and R&B charts in the 1960s and 70s, including "Foolish Fool," "She Didn't Know (She Kept on Talking)" and a version of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" that was later covered by Diana Ross and The Supremes. Nashville songwriter Danny Dill died in Huntingdon, TN, on October 25th. He was 84. The two classic songs that he co-wrote were “Long Black Veil” and “Detroit City.” Pulitzer Prize-winning author Studs Terkel died in Chicago on October 31st. He was 96.
Coming attractions. Eric & Suzy Thompson at Schoenberg Guitars 12/4; Sylvia Herold & Euphonia at Schoenberg Guitars 12/19; Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue at Rancho Nicasio 12/7; Maria Muldaur at Rancho Nicasio 12/19, Biscuits and Blues in SF on 12/20; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland, OR, 1/9,10, 11 2009.
Onward to the calendar…
The North Bay trio The Mild Colonial Boys – John Caulfield, Rory McNamara and Kyle Thayer – can be seen playing their monthly gig down the coast at the San Gregorio Store on 1st from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Then on the 15th, see them at the Plough and Stars in San Francisco, featuring original band member Fergus Feely.
Eric Bibb & Ruthie Foster perform solo & together on the 1st at 8 p.m. at the Sebastopol Community Center.
Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell is a man with many bands. His group The Rhythm Rangers on the 1st from 7-10 p.m. will be playing country, rock, blues and Western swing at the Ace in the Hole Pub in Sebastopol; on the 14th at 8:30 p.m. at the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa his band Laughing Gravy celebrates Gram Parsons with cool covers and a few originals; on the 15th Under the Radar plays bluegrass, swing, folk and blues from 10:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. at the Aqus Café in Petaluma; and on the 16th at 2 p.m. he will be playing original rock n roll. at the Last Record Store in Santa Rosa with Mark McLay & the Dustdevils.
The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa will be presenting Bill Maher on the 1st, the Santa Rosa Symphony on the 8th-10th, and Joan Baez on the 15th.
Reilly & Maloney in Sebastopol. Join San Anselmo’s David Maloney and Ginny Reilly for an evening of music on the 1st at Studio E in Sebastopol starting at 8 p.m. They have a new live CD, recorded at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, titled Brighter Light: A Tribute to Tom Dundee, that commemorates the life and work of the late Chicago tunesmith, who was also a longtime friend of the duo. One of the most endearing duos ever to grace the West Coast folk scene, Ginny and David played to packed houses throughout the 70s and 80s. The pair's success is based on their wonderful blend of voices and their ability to mix the best of others' material with their own solid songwriting talent. For more info call (707) 823-5316 or email jeffm5@sonic.net.
Pink Sabbath can be seen playing an acoustic set on the 1st at 9 p.m. at the Old Western Saloon in Point Reyes Station.
At the Fourth Street Tavern in San Rafael you can see Culann's Hounds on the 1st, Johnny Keigwin on the 6th, Ruckus and Steve Poltz on the 8th, the Royal Deuces on the 14th, the Goat Family on the 20th, 77 El Deora on the 21st, the Faraway Brothers and Baby Gramps on the 28th, and Los Tres Borrchos on the 29th.
Former West Marin resident Joe New may have moved to Portland a couple of years back, but lucky for us that he comes back to visit and play a couple of times each year. On the 1st hear him and Blackie Farrell on KPIG radio (1510 AM) at 1 p.m., and then on the 2nd Joe and Pat Campbell will open for the Sky Blue Band at Rancho Nicasio starting at 4 p.m.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See 35R on the 1st, Sacred Profanities on the 5th (and 19th), Los Tres Borrachos on the 7th, Sexy Sunday on the 9th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 13th, Rancho Deluxe on the 21st, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 22nd, Julia Francis on the 25th, HoneyDust on the 28th, and Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 30th.
At the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa see The Ruminators on the 1st, Greenhouse on the 7th, The Rhythm Rangers on the 4th, The Teasippers Old-Time String Band on the 13th, The Farallons on the 15th, The Carrtunes on the 22nd, The Tonewoods on the 29th, and others.
Mill Valley’s Dore Coller on the 1st will be at the Plough and Stars in SF with Savannah Blu, a Marin bluegrass band featuring Dore on guitar, Gary Kaye on banjo, Steve Kallai on fiddle and Dave Hanks on mandolin; with Pat Nevins at Iron Springs on the 5th; and with Hot Club of Marin on the 9th at 19 Broadway in Fairfax.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. On the 1st see Sergie, Savio Rego on the 7th, Eugene Shilin on the 8th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 14th, Michael Joe Kirkbride on the 15th, Macy Blackman on the 21st, Tom Bowers Duo on the 22nd, Eugene Huggins on the 28th, and Matt Lax on the 29th.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday see Mort Sahl on the 1st, Dafnis Prieto Quartet on the 2nd, Willy Wonka Junior on the 7th-9th, Marin Youth Performers on the 12th and 13th, Austin deLone’s Magnificent Seven on the 21st, Vinyl on the 26th, Roy Rogers on the 29th, and on the 30th A Benefit for Casa de Milagros featuring Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman and Jay Lane.
The Golden Gate Boys will be presenting a free concert at the Tiburon Baptist Church (445 Greenwood Beach Road, Tiburon on the 2nd at 6 p.m. Band members include Hal Johnson, mandolin; Jimmy Kemp, lead vocals/guitar; Willis Brown, bass; and Tom Jones, banjo. The band, formed by Hal in 2001, features contemporary and gospel bluegrass selections. The concert will also include members from the Faith Bluegrass Band of Sacramento, featuring Dave Rietz on fiddle. For info call (415) 388-3900.
Mill Valley’s Matt Lax can be found playing with Erik Pearson, Tomas Tenguidos, and Pete Lax at the Civic Center Farmers Market in San Rafael on the 2nd from 8 a.m.-1 p.m., and then on the 29th Matt and Tom will play at the aforementioned Saylor's in Sausalito.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, and there is never a cover charge for music. There is the Celtic jam on the 2nd, The Tonewoods on the 7th, Carolina Special on the 8th, Shades of Green on the 9th, Keystone Station on the 22nd, Peter Lamson on the 23rd, The David Thom Band on the 28th, Blue & Lonesome on the 29th, Solid Air on the 30th, and lots more good stuff.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
Nell Robinson & Red Level will be opening for Greensky Bluegrass on the 3rd at Café du Nord in San Francisco starting at 8 p.m.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will be crossing bridges and county lines for shows this month. On election night the 4th, he'll be celebrating on stage in concert with Bruce Barthol at the French Garden in Sebastopol. Jazz with the Namely Us group takes place at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo on the 8th. He'll join Jesse Lee Kincaid and the New Rising Sons on the 14th at Taste of Rome (formerly Cafe Trieste) in Sausalito. On the 16th at Biscuits & Blues in SF, he'll be one of the featured performers paying tribute to the late, great blues drummer Francis Clay. Joining forces with David Gans, he'll be at the Nomad Cafe in Oakland on 22nd. Namely Us will return to Fairfax on the 23rd at the new Sleeping Lady Cafe (formerly Cafe Amsterdam). He'll wrap up the month on the 29th with a solo show at Aqus Cafe in Petaluma.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station are The Jason Spooner Trio on the 5th, Johnny Vegas & the High Rollers on the 7th, Stephanie Keys on the 13th, The Hoovers on the 15th, Jesse Brewster on the 21st, and Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 29th.
Singer/songwriter/teacher Caren Armstrong will be in concert with Marin County favorite Joshua Zucker on bass and SF’s David Phillips on pedal steel & slide guitar on the 5th at Strings in Emeryville. Then on the 15th in Berkeley Caren’s Celebrating Songwriters show at 8 p.m. will be a benefit to purchase permanent seating at the Left Coast Cyclery venue. See John Haley-Walker, Rick Didia & Aireene Espritu, Claudia Russell & Bruce Kaplan, Lynn Smith and more.
Music is 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 Pat Nevins, Pat Campbell and Dore Coller on the 5th, Fretter’s Hot Strings on the 12th, The Pat Echols Experience on the 19th, and Bryan Horne & The Draw Droppers (a Hot Buttered Rum side project) on the 26th.
Jammin' in Marin. The Marin Bluegrass Jam takes place on the first and third Thursdays of every month. On the 6th and 20th you can join in at the 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. The playing level is beginner to intermediate. It is a big room, so there is also space for those who may want to go and listen.
Out at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station see Banana & Friends on the 6th at 1:15 p.m. playing a Bread and Roses show, on the 7th at 5 p.m. it will be a Day of the Dead event that will include participatory art workshops, music, food and a grief support session in conjunction with Hospice of Petaluma, classical harmonica on the 14th with The Damien Masterson Ensemble, Houston Jones on the 15th, and classical piano with Jean Alexis Smith on the 16th.
The alt-country/Americana band 77 El Deora’s musical toolbox is full of devices ranging from the delicate to the brutal, by their own admission and especially in the clubs, they tend toward the liberal use of large hammers. On Friday the 7th the band is unplugging for a special night at San Francisco's tres chic Café Royale for a first-time acoustic show featuring kinder-gentler versions of some of their more aggressive material, more nuanced versions of their lighter songs, as well as new tunes and some stuff you are likely to hear just this once.
The New Rising Sons play Americana blues, and you can see them on the 7th at the Presidio Yacht Club in Sausalito, on the 14th at Taste of Rome in Sausalito, and on the 22nd at Taste of Rome in San Rafael.
Murphy Productions is presenting two excellent shows this month. On the 7th at the Stage Dor in Sausalito see Jesus Diaz, and on the 22nd at the Lark Theatre in Larkspur it will be Hendricks, Hendricks and Ryan.
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 Alec Stone-Sweet on the 8th, and Julian Smedley & Mike Wollenberg on the 22nd. Showtimes are 8:30 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
On the 9th at the Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa starting at 6:30 p.m. Layne Bowen’s country band Flatt Lonesome will be playing fun country swing, country rock, folk covers and originals.
The Mystic in Petaluma has John Hiatt on the 13th, Buckethead on the 19th, Y & T on the 21st and 22nd, and the New Riders of the Purple Sage on the 29th.
The Petaluma Church Concerts Series on the 14th at 8 p.m. will be presenting Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin. They are a vocal duet that blends folk, bluegrass and old-time music. With harmonies recalling the classic performances of the Louvin Brothers, Stanley Brothers, Blue Sky Boys, and the Carter Family. In concert they feature lively instrumental work on guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. A repertoire of traditional gems is augmented by original creations and select work by contemporary songwriters. The First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B Street, in Petaluma. For more info contact Lance Walker at eclecticstage@yahoo.com.
The Ain't Misbehavin' trio, with special guest Chris Goddard on steel/guitar, will perform on the 16th at the Station House Café in Pt. Reyes from 5-8 p.m., and the trio will also be at Nick's Cove in Marshall on the 25th from 7-9 p.m.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the 16th 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 Snake Oil Saviors will be playing Western swing on the 16th at Rancho Nicasio starting at 4 p.m.
The Acoustic Vortex house concert series in Larkspur is presenting Roy Zimmerman on the 22nd starting at 7 p.m.
Mill Valley artist and musician Kimrea plays with her band Dreamdogs play every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band.
Andrew Freeman, besides performing solo usually 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.
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 23rd. 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.
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.
Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area:
CARNEGIE HALL OPENING NIGHT 2008 – A CELEBRATION 11/02 1 a.m.: “A return to Carnegie Hall's famed stage for another opening night gala concert, featuring the San Francisco Symphony under the baton of conductor and musical director Michael Tilson Thomas. Thomas leads the orchestra in an all-Bernstein program celebrating the composer's remarkable contributions to American music. The orchestra is joined by soprano Dawn Upshaw, baritone Thomas Hampson and cellist Yo-Yo Ma for an evening of unforgettable classics.”
KENNEDY CENTER PRESENTS THE MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR 11/02 2:30 a.m.: “This year, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor salutes comedic playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon. The special features highlights from the evening's celebration, including comic performances and tributes from a star-studded cast of Simon's friends and colleagues.”
SPARK! ROOTS 11/05 7:30 p.m., 11/06 1:30 a.m.: “In this episode, we meet performers who are preserving traditional art forms, handing them down from one generation to the next. For them, art is a way to understand and explore their ancestral roots, and maintain their unique cultural identity. Included are: five generations of Irish dancers with the Healy family; Hula Halau Aloha Pumehana 'o Polynesia; and San Jose's Mariachi Youth Program.”
ABBA IN CONCERT 11/08 11:15 p.m., 11/09 5:15 a.m.: “This special captures an unforgettable concert by the group as they performed at London's Wembley Arena in November of 1979. ABBA stunned their audiences with a dazzling show and delivered one hit after another. Their performance was nothing short of mesmerizing. In this legendary concert, these talented artists were at their dynamic best and provided an evening of music that continues to capture the world's attention and continues to make new fans.”
SPARK! MASTER TEACHERS 11/12 7:30 p.m., 11/13 1:30 a.m., 11/14 11:30 p.m., 11/15 5:30 a.m.: “Behind every truly great performer or artist is a great teacher. Ali Akbar Khan is one of the finest North Indian musicians in the world, and he's devoted his life to passing along his gift to several generations of musicians young and old; music instructor Helena Jack is working against all odds to bring jazz in to the lives of hundreds of Oakland public school students; Michael Tilson Thomas of the San Francisco Symphony reflects on the teachers who helped shaped his career, the why teaching is one of his highest priorities.”
*************************************************************************************** October 15, 2008
Here we are halfway through October already. The days are getting shorter, there is a nip in the air, pumpkins are everywhere and the Christmas catalogues have begun to arrive right on schedule. That is, if you can find them between all of the election junk that has been arriving in your mailbox everyday. “Vote Yes on No,” “Throw the bums out!” “Don’t give them a blank check,” blah blah blah. There is a lot to decide this time around, including, in case you hadn’t heard yet, the office of President of this country. You should exercise your patriotic duty, but here is the deal – if you are not registered to vote by the 20th of this month, you won’t be able to vote on November 4th. For more information about this process, simply go to this site here.
Many apologies for the condition of the previous newsletter. The staff here at Carltone World Headquarters was in Nashville at a bluegrass music convention when the newsletter was written and sent, and in hindsight, it was a weak effort that was also in need of some serious editing. Everyone is back in SF now, and this edition is a bit more coherent than the last one. At least, this is the goal here…
Guitar pickers. In Acoustic Guitar Magazine there is a story about former Marin guitarist Geoff Muldaur (Maria’s ex) that is co-written by Tiburon’s Eric Schoenberg that you can read here, and there is also a story by Bay Area guitarist Scott Nygaard about Waybacks’ guitarist James Nash than can be read here.
Hardly Fest. The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in SF’s Golden Gate Park two weekends back was a huge success as well as a lot of fun. If you missed it and the media coverage, the SF Chronicle had a review as well as some wonderful photos. CBA photographer Mike Melnyk now has some of his photos for viewing here. More will be coming soon. As always, for those of you who attended the festival that want to thank Warren, do it the old fashioned way. Send a short note to him at Hellman & Friedman, 1 Maritime Plaza, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA, 94111. It will cost you 42 cents and about five minutes of your time.
A breath of fresh air. The National Public Radio show Fresh Air With Terry Gross is by far the best arts radio interview show anywhere. It is a nationally broadcast show that can be heard on most NPR stations, and in the SF area you can hear it three times a day (KQED and KALW). Even better, if you miss a show you can always listen to archived interviews on your computer. Here are some recent examples: a discussion with Oliver Sacks about his book “Musicophilia,” a story about the band Fight the Big Bull, a review of Elvin Bishop’s new album, an interview with singer Nick Cave, and an interview with jazz bassist Charlie Haden about his return to his bluegrass roots.
Banjos considered. Banjos on National Public Radio? Indeed! There was a special report on the October 12th edition of the news show All Things Considered. American musician Jayme Stone made a journey to West Africa in search of the ancestors of his own banjo. Along the way he met kora player Mansa Sissoko. The two have collaborated on a new album called Africa to Appalachia. Listen to the piece here.
The Wrecking Crew is a new film that was shown at the Mill Valley Film Festival. It is a documentary about famed studio musicians Tommy Tedesco, Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Blas Johnson and others. Read a story about the film in the SF Chronicle.
Art book. There is a new book out about a Marin psychedelic artist called Sex, Rock & Optical Illusions: The Art of Victor Moscoso. This book is Moscoso's first major career spanning retrospective, from his posters in the 60s advertising the Avalon Ballroom and the Matrix, his work in Zap Comix, album covers, illustrations and previously unpublished artwork. Thanks to Tom McCarter for this tip.
Playing the banjo is not brain surgery…But being able to continue to play one may take some special treatment. This is what happened to renowned banjo player Eddie Adcock recently. He suffered from an essential tremor, an involuntary trembling in the head or hands that afflicts 10 million Americans. But with an amazing surgery – where he played the banjo while being operated on – he is now able to play again. Read the story here.
Marin Local Music Scene is a relatively new site that you can and should use to find out what is going on musically in Marin.
Musical highway. No doubt that you have taken some “road music” with you on a long drive at some time in your life. But have you ever had the road play music for you? Some bright engineers (and, of course, advertising execs) came up with a way to have the “Lone Ranger” theme song played every time cars drove over a certain stretch of road in Lancaster, CA. The only problem is that the people that lived within earshot of the highway weren’t too crazy about hearing the same song playing over and over again. So the road has now been paved over, and Honda will have to figure out other new ways to bombard you with commercials. Read the story here.
Jet crash survivors. Last month in a Lear jet crash in South Carolina former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and celebrity disc jockey DJ AM were injured in the crash that killed four other people on board. A tire apparently blew on takeoff. The real question here is, what is the difference between a plain, old-fashioned deejay and a “celebrity DJ”?
Get out your handkerchiefs. Pop singer Madonna and her filmmaker husband Guy Ritchie have announced plans to divorce. Wow, what took so long? Many lost bets on the length of this one…“Sorry for my latest album!” Rare is the time that an artist apologizes for a record after it has been released, but country singer Tim McGraw recently did in a dispute with his record company. Curb Records released “Greatest Hits 3” much to the consternation of McGraw, who wanted to release an album of new material. Of course, he won’t be turning down any of the royalty checks… Write what you know: This is one of the tried and true rules of songwriting, and country singer Kenny Chesney has certainly done it. The crooner was married to actress Renee Zellweger in 2006 for about two weeks, and he has not only written the song “Nowhere To Go, Nowhere To Be" for his ex, most of the songs on his new album are about the same topic. Reaction to the album's lyrics by Renee is "unpredictable" says Chesney. No kidding?
Police log. Rap on the knuckles: 24 year-old Andrew Vactor was facing a $150 fine for playing rap music too loudly on his car stereo in July. But a judge in Ohio offered to reduce that to $35 if Vactor spent 20 hours listening to classical music by the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. Vactor lasted only about 15 minutes, and paid the fine instead… Wham, bam, not again: Pop singer George Michael was not only arrested last month, but this time for drugs and once again being in a public toilet. Last month he was caught in a London suburb commode and found to be in possession of crack cocaine and cannabis. According to the story, he has hinted that he may not tour again. George, how can we miss you if you won’t go away and stay away?
Life’s railway to heaven. Neil Hefti, composer of the “Batman” TV show theme song, died in Los Angeles at age 85. The song became a Top 40 hit and won a Grammy Award in 1966 for best instrumental theme. He also composed music for "The Odd Couple," "Barefoot in the Park" and "Harlow," which featured his classic track "Girl Talk."
Coming attractions. Alec Stone-Sweet at Schoenberg Guitars 11/8; Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin at the Petaluma Church Concerts Series 11/14; David Grisman and John Sebastian at the JCC in SF on 11/15; Julian Smedley & Mike Wollenberg at Schoenberg Guitars 11/22.
Additions
The Sonoma County bluegrass band Blue & Lonesome can seen and heard on the 15th at 7 p.m. pickin’ some hot bluegrass at Le Bateau Ivre in Berkeley.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station are The Waybacks and Danny Barnes on the 16th, Heather Combs, Adrianne, & Natalia Zukerman on the 17th, Kitt Weagant & the Larry Dunlap Quartet on the 19th, Clarke Buehling on the 22nd, The Woodsmen on the 25th, and Zepperella on the 31st.
Calling all banjo players! The California Banjo Gathering will be taking place in Sacramento on the 17th-19th, featuring the following banjo players offering demonstrations and workshops: Sammy Shelor, Bill Keith, Mike Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Pat Cloud, Buddy Wachter, Clarke Buehling, Mick Moloney, Gordy Ohliger and others. A concert open to the general public will be held in a theater setting on Sunday afternoon. The full spectrum of banjo styles through a rich history will be well represented. Rounding out the staff will be banjo teaching assistants, utility musicians and volunteers, as well as luthiers, banjo makers and collectors, audio collectors and vendors of banjo related products. Email info@thebanjoman.com for more info.
Big Sur bluegrass. Take a ride on down the coast this weekend to attend the Big Sur Bluegrass Festival. Some of the bands you can see there are the Dalton Mountain Gang, Belle Monroe and Her Brewglass Boys, Harmony Grits, the Frank Wakefield Band, Diana Donnelly and the Yes Ma'ams, Bean Creek and Lone Prairie.
The Sonoma County duo Solid Air (Allegra Broughton and Sam Page) plays original Americana folk/rock music. On the 17th see them at Aroma Roasters in Santa Rosa at 8:30 p.m., and on the 25th it will be the Equus Restaurant in Santa Rosa at the Fountaingrove Inn starting at 8 p.m.
19 Broadway in Fairfax will have Vinyl on the 17th, Agent Orange on the 18th, Unauthorized Rolling Stones on the 24th, and Chrome Johnson and Honeydust on the 31st.
The Snake Oil Saviors will be playing Western swing on the 18th at Smiley’s in Bolinas and on the 25th at the 4th Street Tavern in San Rafael.
West Marin’s KWMR radio station’s autumn pledge drive continues through the 18th. Twice a year they have a Hootenanny/Open House/BBQ/Block Party, so join them on the 18th from noon-4 p.m. at the Creamery Building. See/hear The Courtney Janes, Lila Nelson, Van Vander Maaten, Lansdale Station acoustic duo, and Kate Gaffney with Chris Haugen.
Out at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station enjoy a piano concert series with Sergei Podobedov on the 19th at 4 p.m. The Russian-American pianist makes his Dance Palace debut with a program of Chopin, Sweelinck, and Liadov.
Mill Valley percussionist Ian Dogole has two shows of note this month. Enjoy live poetry and jazz with N-Side & The Tribe at The First Annual Marin Art & Jazz Festival on the 19th at 2:45 p.m. at The San Rafael Corporate Center (750 Lindaro Street). The musicians will be Ian, Si Perkoff on piano, Mandy Flowers on acoustic bass, Achyutan on drums, and Mark Wright on trumpet and flugelhorn. Then on the 25th at 8 p.m. see A Magical Night of Jazz, Latin Jazz & Blues w/Avotcja & Modupue at the Jazzschool, 2087 Addison in Berkeley. The musicians will be Ian, Avotcja doing poetry/small multi-percussion, Sandy Poindexter on violin, Jon Jang on piano, Tony Saunders on bass, and Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto on koto.
The Acoustic Vortex house concert series in Larkspur will be presenting a special benefit show for Music For Democracy at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael on the 22nd with Stevie Coyle and Walter Strauss.
Nell Robinson & Red Level will be headlining a fabulous bluegrass show on the 24th at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley starting at 8 p.m.
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 finger-style guitarist Richard Smith on the 24th at 8:30 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
The 22nd Annual Bridge School Benefit Concert on the 25th and 26th at the Shoreline Amphitheater will feature Neil Young, Wilco, Jack Johnson, Death Cab for Cutie, Norah Jones, Cat Power, Sarah McLachlan, ZZ Top, Josh Groban, Smashing Pumpkins and more. The Bridge School is an educational program dedicated to ensuring that children with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of augmentative & alternative means of communication and assistive technology applications.
Pink Sabbath can be seen playing an acoustic set on the 26th at 5:30 p.m. at Rocker Oysterfellers in Valley Ford and then on the 29th the full band will be at the Iron Springs Pub and Brewery in Fairfax at 8 p.m. This show will also be a Halloween party.
Reminders
Music is brewing at the Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax. Bands normally play on Wednesdays starting at 8 p.m. No cover, and great beer, food and music. See Pat Nevins on the 15th, Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys on the 22nd, and Pink Sabbath on the 29th.
Mill Valley’s Dore Coller, besides playing with Pat Nevins at Iron Springs will also be with the Hot Club of Marin at Tiki Room at 19 Broadway in Fairfax on the 23rd.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See Sacred Profanities on the 15th, Mighty Mike Schermer on the 17th, Culann's Hounds on the 18th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 22nd, Rusty Evans and Ring of Fire on the 25th, Craig Caffal Band on the 31st, and more.
Jammin' in Marin. The Marin Bluegrass Jam takes place on the first and third Thursdays of every month. On the 16th you can join in at the 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. The playing level is beginner to intermediate. It is a big room, so there is also space for those who may want to go and listen.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget and Mill Valley’s Jesse Lee Kincaid will appear on the 16th and 30th at the Tiki Lounge in Fairfax as well as at the Taste of Rome (formerly Cafe Trieste) in San Rafael on the 18th. Their band The New Rising Sons will be playing blues, Americana, and originals on the 24th at the Travis Marina Presidio Yacht Club in Sausalito, and then at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito on the 31st.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, with no cover charge. Some of the acts there this month are JP Soden on the 16th, Kimrea & Dreamdogs on the 23rd, High Country on the 25th, Adam Traum on the 30th, The Carrtunes on the 31st, and lots more good stuff.
Everybody’s favorite crabgrass band The Waybacks can be seen playing at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur on the 16th and at the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma on the 18th.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday, see Those Darn Accordions on the 17th, The Best Intentions on the 18th, Aaron Redner & Friends on the 23rd (see below), Will Durst on the 25th, and more.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. See Mindy Canter on the 17th, Michael Biber on the 18th, Eugene Huggins on the 24th, Schuster Bay on the 25th, and Paul Robinson on the 31st.
The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa will be presenting Sly & The Family Stone on the 17th and Vince Gill on the 29th.
Murphy Productions is presenting some excellent shows this month at two different venues. On the 17th see the Volker Strifler Band at the Stage Dor in Sausalito, Light Rain Featuring Doug Adamz on the 24th at the Stage Dor, and John Trudell & Bad Dog on the 26th at the Masonic in Mill Valley.
The Petaluma Church Concerts Series is presenting amazing acoustic guitarists Russ Barenberg & Bryan Sutton on the 17th at the First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B Street, in Petaluma. For more info contact Lance Walker at eclecticstage@yahoo.com.
The Celebrating Songwriters series at the Left Coast Cyclery in Berkeley on the 18th, hosted by Caren Armstrong, will feature Richard Berman and Kate Wallace. Show time is 8 p.m.
See Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell and his band Under the Radar at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa on the 18th, on the 25th with Michael Capella at The Windsor Wine Bar in Windsor, and on the 26th with Mark McLay & the Dustdevils at the Ace in the Hole in Sebastopol.
Santa Rosa House Concerts on the 18th will be hosting The Rowan Brothers and Lindalou & Michael. Doors open 5:30 p.m., potluck dinner at 6, show starts 7. Reservations required. Call (707) 538-1215 for details, or e-mail HouseConcerts@Monitor.Net.
Lindalou and Michael will also be playing on the 19th, 25th and 26th from 1-4 p.m. at the Adobe Pumpkin Farm in Petaluma.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the 19th 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 pickin’ of gospel, bluegrass and old-time music in Sebastopol usually happens on the fourth Sunday of this month, but due to a conflict the date is the 19th. 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.
Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts Local's Night every Tuesday. Enjoy great live music 7-9 p.m. and dinner and beer specials. See the Vickie Guillory and the Sugar Cats on the 21st, and Doug Adamz & Trio Bravo on the 28th.
Mill Valley’s Lauralee Brown will be playing with The Acoustic Sounds at the Bazaar Cafe in SF on the 22nd from 7-9:30 p.m.
Mill Valley artist and musician Kimrea plays with her band Dreamdogs play every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band. They will also be at Murphy’s on the 23rd.
Classical grass. Hot Buttered Rum’s fiddler Aaron Redner and Friends will be playing a special show on the 23rd at the 142 Throckmorton. The concert will be centered around Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Aaron will be accompanied by a string quartet of top-shelf classical players, harpsichord, bass, and members of HBR.
See Novato’s Doug Adamz and his band Light Rain at the Stage Dor in Sausalito on the 24th and, as mentioned above, with Trio Bravo at Nick’s in Marshall on the 28th.
77 El Deora can be seen playing the Twang Sunday late afternoon show at Thee Parkside in SF on the 26th.
Mill Valley’s Matt Lax and Erik Pearson will be playing at the San Rafael Farmer's Market at the Civic Center on the 29th starting at 10 am.
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.
Moose open mic. There is an open mic every fourth Thursday of the month at the Petaluma Moose, 300 English Street. Signups are at 6:30 p.m., and the MOM runs from 7-10. The event has been running regularly now for two years.
Music Television. There is usually some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area, and we have no doubt that there are some fine shows scheduled for the rest of the month. However, the station did not send us their info by press time.
***************************************************************************************** October 1, 2008
Welcome to the 94th edition of Carltone's Corner!
With the economy teetering on the brink of collapse, the presidential race getting nastier, game show singer Clay Aiken coming out of the closet, and everyone’s favorite non-convicted murderer back on trial, the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters figured that now was as a good a time as any to get out of town for awhile. At publication time we’re back in Nashville for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s annual World of Bluegrass convention. It is a veritable bluegrassapalooza, with activities going on virtually 24/7. We will return on Thursday the 2nd just in time to attend the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in SF. Professional and responsible reporters that we are here at CWH (unlike many in the major media these days), Dictaphones, typewriters, word processors and the odd laptop have been brought along on the trip in order to bring you all of the music news you need to know for the coming month.
As a result of being out of town there is less content than usual in this edition, the editing is not up to snuff, and not all of the usual links and formatting are included. Apologies to anyone whose info did not make it into this newsletter. There is just too much going on and too little time to be tied to the computer. For more details about what the IBMA is about, read a special blog from the California Bluegrass Association here at the top of page on the right... The Carltone staff wrote two on of the previous blogs, and you can find them by clicking here.
Speaking of Hardly Strictly, all roads lead to Golden Gate Park on the 3rd-5th. Read the story from the SF Chronicle here. This is one of the most amazing fests around. And it is free. See Earl Scruggs, Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, Hazel Dickens, Emmylou Harris, The Dry Branch Fire Squad, Hot Rize, The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, The Del McCoury Band, Laurie Lewis, The Bill Evans String Summit w/Megan Lynch, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. Bluegrass purists, please note the words “hardly strictly” appear in the title. There are lots more acts there that aren’t bluegrass. If this is a problem, you don’t have to attend. No sniveling will be allowed by the security staff…
And the winners are... Congratulations to Marin County fiddler Joe Osborn for winning first place in the adult division at the Fiddletown 16th Annual Fiddlers’ Jam & Contest in late September. And kudos also to the East Bay bluegrass band Nell Robinson & Red Level for winning the Emerging Artist Award at Bluegrassin’ in the Foothills. Hats off to Alison. Alison Krauss and Robert Plant received awards last month for Best Album of the Year and for Best Duo or Group of the Year at the annual Americana Music Awards in Nashville. See them play at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival on October 3rd.
Fishwrap roundup. Ry Cooder was featured in the SF Chronicle. Geezer crooner Tom Jones is on his way back, and we have Amy Winehouse to thank for this? What is this world coming to? Read the story here.
Life’s railway to heaven. Norman Whitfield, longtime Motown producer, died of kidney failure on September 16th in Los Angeles. He was 68. Mindis Barker, a friend and sometimes singer from Marin County, died on September 1st. She was 54. SF jazz pianist BJ Papa died on August 31st in SF of liver disease. He was 72.
Onward to the calendar…
Music is brewing at the Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax. Bands normally play on Wednesdays starting at 8 p.m. No cover, and great beer, food and music. See WTJ on the 1st, join the four-year anniversary party with D’Lilah Monroe & The Tomcats on Friday the 10th, see Pat Nevins on the 15th, Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys on the 22nd, and Pink Sabbath on the 29th.
Jammin’ in SF. The first Wednesday of the month bluegrass/country jam hosted by Jeanie & Chuck Poling at the Plough & Stars in SF will take place on the 1st starting at 8:30 p.m. There is no cover but you must be 21 to attend.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See Sacred Profanities on the 1st (and 15th), Friends of the River on the 2nd, Twang Ditty on the 4th, Billy D's Acoustic Open Mic on the 6th, Cyndi Harvell Band on the 7th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 8th (and 22nd), Sweetie Pie and the Doughboys on the 10th, Mighty Mike Schermer on the 17th, Culann's Hounds on the 18th, Rusty Evans and Ring of Fire on the 25th, Craig Caffal Band on the 31st, and more.
Benefit in SF. On the 2nd at the Great American Music Hall in SF there will be an all-star benefit for the Richard de Lone Special Housing Project for those with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Richard is the son of noted Mill Valley pianist Austin deLone. See Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner play. Read a story about the show here.
Jammin' in Marin. The Marin Bluegrass Jam takes place on the first and third Thursdays of every month. On the 2nd and 16th you can join in at the 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. The playing level is beginner to intermediate. It is a big room, so there is also space for those who may want to go and listen.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, with no cover charge. Some of the events there this month are the Sonoma Mountain Band on the 3rd, Andrew Freeman on the 4th, the Celtic jam on the 5th, Elaine Dempsey on the 9th, The Spiral Mystics on the 10th, Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue on the 11th, Shades of Green on the 12th, Kimrea & Dreamdogs on the 23rd, High Country on the 25th, Adam Traum on the 30th, The Carrtunes on the 31st, and lots more good stuff.
At the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa see Greenhouse on the 3rd, The Rhythm Rangers on the 4th, The Farallons on the 11th, Under The Radar on the 18th, The Tonewoods on the 25th, and others.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday and the Mill Valley Film Festival (3rd-12th) for most of the first two weeks of the month, see Those Darn Accordions on the 17th, The Best Intentions on the 18th, Aaron Redner & Friends on the 23rd (see below), Will Durst on the 25th, and lots more good shows.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. See the Steve Malerbi Trio on the 3rd, Jazz Philosophy on the 4th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 10th, Tangria Jazz Duo on the 11th, Mindy Canter on the 17th, Michael Biber on the 18th, Eugene Huggins on the 24th, Schuster Bay on the 25th, and Paul Robinson on the 31st.
Don’t miss the Hardly Strictly Anything Goes #2 show at the Velo Rouge Café in SF on the 3rd, hosted by Jeannie & Chuck Poling. Some of the acts to see there are Doug Blumer, John McKelvy, Pam Brandon, Maurice Tani, The Whoreshoes, Gayle Schmitt, Matt and Pete Lax, and 49 Special.
The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa will be presenting Bonnie Raitt on the 3rd, David Byrne on the 8th, Sly & The Family Stone on the 17th, and Vince Gill on the 29th.
Murphy Productions is presenting some excellent shows this month at different venues. On the 3rd see Fito Reinoso Y Su Ritmo Y Armonia at the Stage Dor in Sausalito, The Many Faces of David Roche on the 10th at the Masonic Center in Mill Valley, Volker Strifler Band on the 17th at the Stage Dor, Light Rain Featuring Doug Adamz on the 24th at the Stage Dor, and John Trudell & Bad Dog on the 26th at the Masonic.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget kicks off the month on the 4th playing jazz with the Namely Us group at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo. Namely Us regroups on the 11th to perform at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley in conjunction with the MV Film Festival. He and Jesse Lee Kincaid will perform their duo set at the Taste of Rome (formerly Cafe Trieste) in San Rafael on the 18th.
Mill Valley’s Dore Coller – so many gigs, so many bands! On the 4th he’ll be with Caribbean R&B at 19 Broadway in Fairfax; on the 5th with at the Sand Dolllar in Stinson Beach from noon-3 p.m. with Savannah Blu, a Marin bluegrass band featuring Dore on guitar, Gary Kaye on banjo, Steve Kallai on fiddle and Dave Hanks on mandolin; on the 8th with Hot Club of Marin at the Outdoor Arts Club for the Mill Valley Film Festival, on the 9th at 33 Revolutions in El Cerrito, on the 10th and 23rd at 19 Broadway in Fairfax; and on the 15th with Pat Nevins at Iron Springs Brewery in Fairfax.
Mill Valley singer/songwriter Jamie Clark along with Geno Barbera will be at the Sunce Winery Russian River Harvest Festival on the 4th.
See Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell and his band The Rhythm Rangers at The Black Rose on the 4th, at ChipFest on the 11th (see below), with Under the Radar at The Black Rose on the 18th, on the 25th with Michael Capella at The Windsor Wine Bar in Windsor), and on the 26th with Mark McLay & the Dustdevils at Ace in the Hole in Sebastopol.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
Everybody’s favorite crabgrass band The Waybacks can be seen playing at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on the 5th, at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur on the 16th, and at the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma on the 18th.
Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts Local's Night every Tuesday. Enjoy great live music 7-9 p.m. and dinner and beer specials. On the 7th see the Dogtown Ramblers, the Jeb Brady Duo on the 14th, Vickie Guillory and the Sugar Cats on the 21st, and Doug Adamz & Trio Bravo on the 28th.
Three for the road. Larkspur’s favorite former Wayback Stevie Coyle, Austin chanteuse Terri Hendrix and the legendary Lloyd Maines will be sharing three Northern California round-robin shows this month. On the 10th see them at Studio E in Sebastopol, on the 14th at The Freight in Berkeley, and on the 16th at The Palms Playhouse in Winters. The three have been road pals for years (Lloyd and Stevie collaborated in Austin on The Waybacks' From The Pasture To The Future album) and this tourette is eagerly anticipated by all three.
Lauralee Brown, besides appearing at Saylor’s on the 10th, will also be playing with The Acoustic Sounds at the Bazaar Cafe in SF on the 22nd from 7-9:30 p.m.
Lindalou and Michael will be playing the Calistoga Farmer's Market on the 11th from 9 a.m. to noon, the Windsor Farmer's Market on the 12th from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., on the 18th at the Santa Rosa House Concerts, and on the 19th, 25th and 26th from 1-4 p.m. at the Adobe Pumpkin Farm in Petaluma.
Novato’s Doug Adamz will be playing solo at The Acoustic Vortex House Concert Series in Larkspur on the 11th, with his band Light Rain at the Stage Dor in Sausalito on the 24th, and with Trio Bravo at Nick’s in Marshall on the 28th.
Chipfest. The second annual ChipFest, an event the honors the memory of the late Sebastopol mandolin player and teacher Chip Dunbar. The event will be held on the 11th at 8 p.m. at Weischmann Hall, 460 Eddie Lane, in Sebastopol. See Sherry Jones, The Mighty Chiplings, Westside, Ted Dutcher & Ellen Silver, Sara Winge & friends, Riggy Rackin, Chips Off the Old Block, Under the Radar and others. Tickets are available at The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa. Kevin Russell has also put together a CD of some live recordings of Chip and they will be for sale at the event, while they last, for $10.
The Petaluma Church Concerts Series is presenting Russ Barenberg & Bryan Sutton on the 17th at the First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B Street, in Petaluma. For more info contact Lance Walker at eclecticstage@yahoo.com.
Santa Rosa House Concerts on the 18th will be hosting The Rowan Brothers and Lindalou & Michael. Doors open 5:30 p.m., potluck dinner at 6, show starts 7. Reservations required. Call (707) 538-1215 for details, or e-mail HouseConcerts@Monitor.Net.
The Celebrating Songwriters series at the Left Coast Cyclery in Berkeley on the 18th, hosted by Caren Armstrong, will feature Richard Berman and Kate Wallace. Show time is 8 p.m.
Mill Valley’s Jesse Kincaid and Kurt Huget will appear on the 18th at Taste of Rome in San Rafael as well as a monthly at Tiki Lounge in Fairfax. Their band The New Rising Sons, with Boudeeka and Veronica, play blues, Americana, and originals on the 24th at Travis Marina Presidio Yacht Club in Sausalito, and then at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito on the 31st.
The pickin’ of gospel, bluegrass and old-time music in Sebastopol usually happens on the fourth Sunday of this month, but due to a conflict the date is the 19th. 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.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the 19th 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.
Mill Valley artist and musician Kimrea plays with her band Dreamdogs play every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band. They will also be at Murphy’s on the 23rd.
Classical grass. Hot Buttered Rum’s fiddler Aaron Redner and Friends will be playing a special show on the 23rd at the 142 Throckmorton. The concert will be centered around Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Aaron will be accompanied by a string quartet of top shelf classical players, harpsichord, bass, and members of HBR.
77 El Deora can be seen playing the Twang Sunday late afternoon show at Thee Parkside in SF on the 26th.
Mill Valley’s Matt Lax and Erik Pearson will be playing at the San Rafael Farmer's Market at the Civic Center on the 29th starting at 10 am.
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.
Moose open mic. There is an open mic every fourth Thursday of the month at the Petaluma Moose, 300 English Street. Signups are at 6:30 p.m., and the MOM runs from 7-10. The event has been running regularly now for two years.
Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area:
SOUTH PACIFIC IN CONCERT FROM CARNEGIE HALL 10/02 9 p.m., 10/03 3 a.m.: “Based on James Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of short stories, ‘Tales of the South Pacific,’ Rodgers & Hammerstein's own Pulitzer Prize-winning blockbuster was a landmark of post-WWII Broadway, a provocative romantic drama that beguiled audiences with a hit parade of instant standards. Last June, South Pacific reached new heights when - for one enchanted evening - Carnegie Hall presented a magnificent concert production with a dream cast headed by Reba McEntire, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jason Danieley, Lillias White and Alec Baldwin. Directed for the concert stage by Walter Bobbie with musical director Paul Gemignani conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the performance was acclaimed by the New York Times as ‘a state of nearly unconditional rapture,’ praising the production for locating ‘the show's real staying power in its operatic respect for love as a force that hurts, teases, destroys and ennobles.’"
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS PRESENTS – HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 10/05 11 p.m., 10/06 5 a.m.: “A special presentation of a unique San Francisco music festival. Co-produced by KQED and ACL, this program captures the music, spirit and community of this treasured annual event. The festival celebrates the current resurgence of bluegrass music with fans of all ages. Yet as its name suggests, the festival includes music and performers that go far beyond bluegrass. Every summer since 2001, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, which is free to the public, draws hundreds of thousands of music-lovers to the meadows of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park to hear music that includes traditional bluegrass, alternative country, and many performers who cross the standard genre lines. The 2007 festival drew an estimated 500,000 fans. Shot entirely in high definition, the production features 20 acts on multiple stages, from musical legends to a whole new generation of bluegrass performers and more. Earl Scruggs' ‘Foggy Mountain Breakdown,’ of Bonnie and Clyde fame, opens the show and is followed by Doc Watson, the renowned guitar player from North Carolina. Highlights of the production also include the innovative banjo styling of Bela Fleck, the infectious singing of Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, and the searing vocals of Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris.”
VIVERE – ANDREA BOCELLI LIVE IN TUSCANY 10/12 noon: “For the first time since the advent of his spectacular international popularity, superstar Andrea Bocelli returns to his native Italy for a concert of his greatest hits along with the debut of some new songs. Taped at the glorious Teatro di Silenzio, nestled in the beautiful, rolling countryside near the ancient Tuscan village of Volterra, Bocelli is joined by special guests trumpeter Chris Botti, Heather Headley, Kenny G., David Foster, Lang Lang, and Sarah Brightman for an evening of romantic favorites.”
CALIFORNIA'S GOLD – FOTOPLAYER 10/13 2:30 p.m.: “Huell meets Joe Rinaudo whose passion is a 1926 Fotoplayer, which uses music rolls like those for player pianos to provide music and sound effects to silent films. Joe spent thousands of hours restoring his Fotoplayer and although the "talkies" made them obsolete in the late 1920s, Huell discovers there is still no better way to enjoy a silent movie than with Joe, his hand cranked projector and his Fotoplayer.” ***************************************************************************** September 15, 2008
The demise of larryc is now official. Some months back the Carltone email address changed from larryc@carltone.com to carlin AT carltone.com, and just like that incoming Spam mail has ceased. Since the change the larryc email was being forwarded to the new address, but not longer. So if you have not done so before now, please change the Carltone address in you address book. And also please do not give out this address to others unless it is to someone that wants to be part of the Carltone blogosphere…
Stand up and be counted! You’ve been hearing a lot about elections lately, and there is a good reason for that. The North Bay Music Awards are being voted on this week and the presidential campaign is in full swing, and now is the time to make your voice heard. For the former, simply go here and cast your vote on line before the 19th. While we won’t tell you who to vote for, some of the Carltone favorites are Maria Muldaur, Poor Man’s Whiskey, Solid Air and Audrey Auld Mezera. As for the other election, this one is not as easy to do. In the state of California you must be registered by October 20th in order to be able to vote on November 4th. Don’t let your cretin neighbor across the way make the decision for you. For more information about this process, simply go to this site here. Hats off to Rita. Congratulations to the bluegrass community’s Rita Hosking, who won the Dave Carter Memorial Songwriting Contest up at the Sisters Folk Festival in Sisters, Oregon, recently. She competed against finalists from different parts of the country that were all deserving of the award. Find out what all of the fuss is about when Rita and her band play at Bluegrassin’ in the Foothills this weekend.
Good read. Check out the book “The Soloist” by Steve Lopez, based on a true story about a Los Angeles Times columnist and a homeless violinist who had studied at Julliard. The movie version of the book will be out in November starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx, and you can watch the trailer here.
A breath of fresh air. The National Public Radio show Fresh Air With Terry Gross is by far the best arts radio interview show anywhere. It is a nationally broadcast show that can be heard on most NPR stations, and in the SF area you can hear it three times a day (KQED and KALW). Even better, if you miss a show you can always listen to archived interviews on your computer. Here are some recent examples: Maurice Sendak, B.B. King, 50 Years of Gospel, vibraphone jazz, and Theo Bleckmann.
Fishwrap roundup. Paul Liberatore in the Marin IJ had stories about Maria Muldaur and The Grateful Dead. Joel Selvin in the SF Chronicle wrote about the Jefferson Starship, Metallica and Guitar Player magazine’s guitar contest. Life’s railway to heaven. Richard Wright of the Pink Floyd died of cancer in London. He was 65. He wrote and sang some of the band's key songs, such as "The Great Gig In The Sky" and "Us And Them." Read his bio here.
Coming attractions. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 10/3-5; Chipfest 10/11 in Sebastopol (Sherry Jones, The Mighty Chiplings, Westside, Ted Dutcher & Ellen Silver, Sara Winge & Friends, Riggy Rackin, Chips Off the Old Block, Under the Radar); Russ Barenberg & Bryan Sutton at Petaluma Church Concerts 10/17; David Grisman and John Sebastian at the JCC in SF on 11/15.
Additions
Rocking the vote. On Tuesday the 16th there will be a huge benefit concert called Music for Democracy in Oakland featuring Maria Muldaur and The Free Radicals, Hot Buttered Rum, Tuck & Patti, Tommy Castro, John Densmore (of The Doors), Blame Sally, Hani Naser, and Marga Gomez. It will be held at the Malonga Casquelourd Center and it starts at 7 p.m.
Pink Sabbath will be playing at Nick’s Cove in Marshall on the 16th from 7-9 p.m.
Marin guitarist Paul Robinson has three different gigs of note coming up. On the 18th at 9 p.m. at the Bay View Boat Club in SF he’ll be playing burning lead guitar with Michael Ward's Dogs and Fishes; on the 20th at 7:30 p.m. see him at Saylor's in Sausalito, see Robinson's Carusos, an amalgam of consummate rockers covering tunes you will know; and on the 21st from 3-6 p.m. he’ll be at the 142 Throckmorton Theater playing with Bayside Jazz with Dan Hicks.
The Presidio Yacht Club in Fort Baker in Sausalito at 8:30 p.m. will be presenting The Eugene Huggins Band on the 19th (and 26th), Dead Set and The Pat Echols Experience on the 20th, and The New Rising Sons on the 27th.
Twang Ditty has some gigs of note left this month. On the 19th see them at Jasper O'Farrell’s in Sebastopol and then on the 20th and 27th it will be the Blackthorn Tavern in SF starting at 10 p.m.
The WTJ2 rockin’ boogie band can be seen playing at the Two Bird Café in San Geronimo on the 20th starting at 7:30 p.m., and then at Nick’s Cove on the 30th.
Crooked Roads will be playing at The Aquarium in Petaluma on the 20th and then at Peri's in Fairfax on the 26th, sharing a bill with Dave Gleason.
The Treasure Island Music Festival takes place on the 20th and 21st in San Francisco Bay featuring lots of rock bands that the staff here at Caltone World Headquarters is entirely unfamiliar with. Go to the site for more info.
The Celebrating Songwriters series at the Left Coast Cyclery in Berkeley will take place on the 20th, hosted by Caren Armstrong. Originally the lineup was to be Peter Gallway and Tom Payne, but Payne had to cancel, so in his stead it will be renowned San Anselmo singer/songwriter John Haley-Walker. Show time is 8 p.m.
See piano player Wendy Fitz play most Saturdays at the Sorella Café in Fairfax from 7-10 p.m. She will be there on the 20th and 27th, and on the 26th it will be the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon.
Petaluma singer/songwriter Larry Potts will be playing a fundraising event on the 21st at 5 p.m. at the Petaluma Veteran's Memorial Hall to precede Phil Donohue's showing of his documentary Body of War. He’ll be singing a few of his own tunes such at "Since Then," "Snake Oil," "Against the Grain," "I'm American Too," and "Close to Home.”
On Sunday the 21st there will be a benefit hike on Mt. Tam in Mill Valley to support breast cancer research. Afterwards there will be a celebration of organic food, and there will be live music.
George Kahumoku Jr. & Keoki Kahumoku can be seen playing slack key guitar at the Napa Valley Opera House on the 19th and then out at the Dance Palace in Pt. Reyes Station on the 21st starting at 7:30 p.m.
The Hobbs Grove Bluegrass Festival will be taking place in Sanger (near Fresno) on the 26th-28th. Some of the bands you can see there are The Del Williams Band, The Kathy Kallick Band, Eric Uglum & Sons, The GrassKickers, Dalton Mountain Gang and Country Grass.
The 36th Annual SF Blues Festival will be taking place on the 26th-28th at the Great Meadow at Fort Mason. Hot Tuna, The Delta Groove All Star Blues Revue, Barbara Lynn, Michael Burks, Ruthie Foster, Elmore James Jr., Johnny Winter, Buckwheat Zydeco and countless other greats.
Barbwyre, featuring Marin’s Jon Mitguard and Dana Rath, are traveling across the bay to McGrath’s Pub on the 27th starting at 8 p.m.
Reminders
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday you can see Cyril Pahinui on the 17th, Los Pingous on the 20th, Dan Hicks on the 21st, Catie Ryan on the 27th, and more.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See Sacred Profanities on the 17th, Diamond Ortiz on the 19th, Family Lines on the 23rd, Jeb's TwangFest on the 24th, Gentry Bronson Songwriters in the Round on the 25th, Dave Gleason's Wasted Days w/Crooked Roads on the 26th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 28th and more.
Sonoma guitarist Adam Traum on the 17th will be at Iron Springs as part of Fretter’s Hot Strings, and then on the 28th he’ll be at the Vintage Festival 1-1:45 p.m. in Sonoma then later at Cato’s Ale House in Oakland from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Music is 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 the aforementioned Fretter’s Hot Strings on the 17th, and on the 24th it will be owner/brewmaster Mike Altman’s birthday bash.
Marin bluegrass jam. On the 18th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m.
See Mill Valley’s Dore Coller with the Hot Club of Marin on the 18th at the Royal Oak in Point Richmond, on the 25th at 33 Revolutions in El Cerrito, and on the 29th at 142 Throckmorton for the club jam; and on the 21st he will be part of the Gram Parsons Tribute in Novato (see details below).
Schaef-Abel Productions at Studio E in Sebastopol will be hosting Steve Seskin, Allen Shamblin and Chuck Jones on the 18th and then on the 24th see Slaid Cleaves with Michael O'Connor.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for a good time in Sonoma County, and there is never a cover charge for music. Featured there this month are John Kelley on the 19th, Kimrea & Joe LoCoco on the 26th, Under the Radar on the 27th, Blue House on the 28th, and lots more good stuff.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station are the 2 AM Club on the 19th, Danny Click on the 20th, and Chrome Johnson on the 26th.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music on Fridays and Saturdays in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. See Macy Blackman on the 19th, Paul Robinson on the 20th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 26th, and Wendy DeWitt on the 27th.
The Fourth Street Tavern in San Rafael has a good mix of music on the menu. See The Royal Deuces on the 19th, The Eldorados on the 25th, Culann's Hounds on the 27th, and others.
Murphy Productions has Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums at the Stage Dor in Sausalito on the 19th, and on the 25th they will be hosting Ray Bonneville at The Acoustic Vortex house concert series in Larkspur. This is a wonderful venue to see acts perform up close and personal. Go to the site and make reservations now!
Some acts to see at 19 Broadway in Fairfax are Workingman’s Ed and Jelly on the 20th, The Lonestar Retrobates on the 21st, Pride & Joy on the 26th, The Jeb Brady Band on the 28th, and Danny Uzilevsky every Tuesday.
Bluegrassin’ in the Foothills. L&S Promotions has booked another powerful line-up for the Bluegrassin’ in the Foothills Festival in Plymouth on the 19th-21st. Make plans now to see Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, The Gibson Brothers, The Bluegrass Brothers, New Found Road, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, Don Rigsby & Midnight Call, Sawmill Road, Rita Hosking & Cousin Jack, and The Anderson Family Bluegrass Band. The Emerging Artists will be Natural Drift, Nell Robinson & Red Level, Gritchy MaGrally and The Four Fingered String Band along with the late night dance band Rick Barnes & Silvermoon.
At the Alpha House Concert Series on the houseboat in Sausalito on the 19th see Caren Armstrong with Joshua Zucker on bass. The show starts at 8 p.m. Snacks/drinks welcome. Make reservations at danfontes@yahoo.com, or call (415) 289-0490. You can also read Caren’s recent On Songwriting interview with Rick Jamison.
Matt Lax & Nearly Beloved can be seen and heard on the 19th at the Ace in the Hole in Gratan and on the 20th at the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival.
The Marin Civic Center has two shows of note this month. See Etta James on the 20th and Kenny G on the 27th.
The 52nd Annual Mill Valley Arts Festival will be taking place in Old Mill Park on the 20th and 21st. Some of the acts you can see are Jeanie & Chuck, Kimrea & Joe LoCoco, Matt Lax & Nearly Beloved, The Shut Ins, and Tim Hockenberry.
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. She and Joe LoCoco will also be at the above art fest on the 20th and at Murphy’s on the 26th.
Don’t miss the 2008 KWMR/Far West Fest on the 20th in Point Reyes Station. See Poor Man’s Whiskey, Vinyl & Friends, HoneyDust, Jerry Hannan, The Wronglers, Marquis Melody Reggae from Jamaica, Sweet Baby J and many others. There will also be sculpture art exhibits and great local food, too. EAC and Green Girl Events are helping to keep the festival sustainable.
Friendly benefit. On the 21st at 3 p.m. in Novato check out the Friendly Lane Yard Concert Benefit for the Boys & Girls Club. Jan White, Scott Gerber and Cori Wood will perform along with Dave Zirbel (pedal steel) and Pat Campbell (upright bass). Closing the concert there will be a special tribute to Gram Parsons featuring Pat Nevins (Workingman's Ed) and Dore Coller. Donations are $15 advance, $20 at the door at 11 Friendly Lane in Novato. Bring your favorite low back chair or blanket & food if desired. Beverages will be available for a donation to help pay for concert expenses. To reserve a yard spot send a check paid to Pat Campbell noted "yard concert" with your email address. He will send you a confirmation email. For more email friendlylaneinfo@comcast.net.
Ain't Misbehavin' returns to the Station House Café in Pt. Reyes on the 21st from 5-8 pm. Enjoy acoustic swing, vintage and Western, sweet harmonies, and hot fiddlin'.
West Marin singer/songwriter Brindl will be appearing on the 25th at Peri's in Fairfax for the songwriters in the round series along with Gentry Bronson.
Jenny Kerr and her band will be playing the 26th at 8 p.m. at the Napa City Nights event at the Veterans Memorial Amphitheater in downtown Napa.
At the Mystic in Petaluma you can see Devil Makes Three and The Whoreshoes on the 26th, Hot Tuna on the 28th and others.
Sebastopol guitarist Kevin Russell on the 27th will be with his band Under the Radar will play Murphy's in Sonoma and on the 28th at The Station House Cafe in Pt Reyes.
The Rock and Blues By The Lake Festival will take place out at Stafford Lake in Novato on the 27th, and you can see The Alameda All-Stars, Luv Planet, The Lonely Hearts, Tim Cain, Barry Ernst, and lots more.
Doug Adamz & Bravo will be playing both country and western on the 27th at Rancho Nicasio in West Marin.
Earle Fest, a benefit for the Earle Baum Center for the Blind, will be taking place in Santa Rosa on the 27th, and you can see Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, Blue & Lonesome, Corinne West, and The Otis Taylor Band.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place for bluegrass pickin' on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, 6761 Sebastopol Ave, from 2-5 p.m.
The Marin Celticgrass band The Shots will be playing at Albany’s Centennial Celebration on the on the 27th from 7-9 p.m.
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 28th. 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.
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.
Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area:
BROADWAY'S LOST TREASURES 9/16 1 a.m.: “The costs of going into a Broadway theatre and recording a play for television are unfortunately, prohibitively expensive. As a result, very few major theatrical works ever find their way to television and home video. However, during the telecasts of the Tony Awards, individual, nominated song and dance numbers are performed specially for the awards presentations by the original star. These numbers are not repeated as the Tonys themselves are only telecast once. This special looks for the first time into the archive of the Tony Awards during a 20-year period from when the awards were first televised in 1967 up to 1986.”
PAVAROTTI – A LIFE IN SEVEN ARIAS 9/17 10 p.m.: “When Luciano Pavarotti died in September, 2007, the world lost one of the greatest voices in all of music. In celebration of Pavarotti's peerless vocal talent and extraordinary international impact, this performance documentary looks back over his legendary career, utilizing the arias with which he was most closely associated as a narrative framework. From his humble origins in Modena, Italy, it follows 'the King of the High C's' meteoric rise, spanning through his London debut in La Boheme, his triumph in La fille du regiment, and his iconic rendition of 'Nessun Dorma.'" In addition to a treasure trove of classic Pavarotti performances, also featured are new and archival interviews with many of the tenor's friends and colleagues, including Dame Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, and Juan Diego Florez.”
PETE SEEGER – THE POWER OF SONG 9/18 1 p.m.: “This first authorized film poetically documents Seeger's unique experience and contributions. The man who introduced America to its own folk heritage, he got a whole generation passionate about playing the guitar and picking the banjo, got them singing together and using music as a force for social change. He deeply believes in the power of song and is convinced that individuals can make a difference. Largely misunderstood by his critics, including the US government, for his views on peace, civil rights and ecology, Seeger went from the top of the hit parade to the top of the blacklist - banned from commercial television for more than 17 years. Now almost 90-years old, his inspiring, but not always easy, story is told by everyone from Bob Dylan to the Dixie Chicks and through a remarkable historical archive - a history that Seeger himself helped create.”
LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER – NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC OPENING NIGHT GALA WITH SIR JAMES GALWAY 9/18 8 p.m.: “Flutist James Galway joins conductor Lorin Maazel and the New York Philharmonic in a colorful program featuring Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony.”
LOS LONELY BOYS – COTTONFIELDS AND CROSSROADS 9/18 9:30 p.m.: “After a childhood of playing cantinas and honky-tonks from Texas to Tennessee, Los Lonely Boys have rocked their way to the top of the American music industry, determined to fulfill their father's long held dream. Using live performances and intimate personal stories, the film tells the story of three Mexican American brothers from San Angelo, Texas, who are creating a unique sound that melds the core of the early San Angelo music scene of the 1950s and 60s with a signature style they call ‘Texican.’"
PLAY PIANO IN A FLASH 9/19 1 p.m.: “Ever wish you could sit down at a piano and just play a tune? Have you taken lessons at some point in your life, but can't play a thing? If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions, Scott ‘The Piano Guy’ Houston wants to change all that. His ‘Play Piano in a Flash’ program teaches you to play the way the pros play - in a style enormously simpler than traditional classical piano lessons. Ever better, it takes an absolute minimum amount of note reading ability. Best of all, Scott Houston makes it fun along the way.”
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS SUFJAN STEVENS/CALEXICO 9/21 11 p.m.: “Two of the underground rock scene's most creative artists perform. Critical darling and indie rock sensation Sufjan Stevens brings his orchestral folk/pop to the stage in support of his latest album The Avalanche. Highlighting its latest record, Garden Ruin, Arizona's Calexico dazzles with a unique blend of traditional song craft and southwestern roots music.”
SPARK! – THE ARK, MAULEON, AND GRISMAN 9/24 7:30pm, 9/29 3 a.m.: “Spark goes on a musical adventure, exploring Latin Jazz, Bluegrass, and music from the Jewish diaspora. First, climb aboard The Ark, a project created by the Jewish Music Festival. In the basement of a divinity school, nine musicians from the US, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East have six days to compose a groundbreaking new piece of Jewish music. Next, meet pianist and bandleader Rebeca Mauleon, one of the leading ladies of Latin Jazz. Then visit with mandolin master, David Grisman, who blends new jazz and traditional bluegrass to create a thoroughly original sound.”
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT (1974) 9/25 9 p.m.: “MGM stars from yesterday including Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, Liza Minnelli, Clark Gable, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, and Elizabeth Taylor, present their favorite musical moments from the studio's 50 year history. Written and directed by Jack Haley, Jr.”
FIESTA MEXICANA 9/27 2:30 p.m.: “This performance special hosted by Hispanic singing icon Vikki Carr celebrates the music and dance of the different regions of Mexico. It is anchored by a gala concert at the historic Teatro Juarez in the ancient mining city of Guanajuato. In addition to the gala, it showcases Mariachi and Jarocho (the music of the Vera Cruz region) performances at locations around the city and state of Guanajuato. Joining Vikki Carr at the gala and on location are Mexican singing legends Eugenia Leon and Alberto Angel ‘El Cuervo,’ Vera Cruz jarocho group Tlen Huicani and the world-famous Los Angeles-based mariachi group Los Camperos de Nati Cano. Joining all these artists on stage at the Teatro Juarez in Guanajuato is the Orquesta Sinfonica of the University of Guanajuato, one of Mexico's leading regional orchestras, and the full company of the Ballet Folklorico of the University of Guanajuato, fresh from their triumphant 2007 European tour. Mexican music is positive, energetic, emotional, and full of stories and history. Each of the four acts weaves location and gala performance into an overall theme.”
JUDY GARLAND – BY MYSELF 9/28 12:30 a.m.: “For the first time on film, Judy Garland tells her own story, in her own words. Using recordings Garland made in preparation for writing her autobiography - a book that was never published – ‘Judy’ reveals Garland as she saw herself. In an exclusive - and unprecedented -arrangement, Turner Entertainment granted American Masters unlimited access to the MGM archives. This special arrangement means that ‘Judy’ includes extensive material from A Star Is Born, as well as never-before-seen rehearsal footage, rare outtakes and alternate takes of Garland's numerous performances.”
COMPANERAS 9/28 1 p.m.: “Profiles America's first all-female mariachi band, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles. Founded in 1994, the 12 members of Reyna shatter age-old stereotypes while expanding the popularity of mariachi music. In a culture and a musical tradition that has always been male-dominated, these women are true pioneers, literally giving voice to Latinas.”
SANTANA – HYMNS FOR PEACE LIVE AT MONTREUX 2004 9/28 11 p.m.: “In 2004, guitar virtuoso Carlos Santana augmented the Santana band with a stellar group of musicians for an evening billed as ‘Hymns for Peace’ at the world famous Montreux Jazz Festival. The all-star event included Ravi Coltrane (sax), Chick Corea (keyboards), Herbie Hancock (grand piano), John McLaughlin (guitar), Wayne Shorter (sax), Stevie Winwood (vocals, organ), and guest vocalists Patti Austin, Indrissa Diop, and Angelique Kidjo. The result - a one-of-a-kind musical experience and a reminder of the unifying force of music.” ***************************************************************************** September 4, 2008 Welcome to the 93rd edition of Carltone's Corner! This edition of the newsletter is not only much later than usual, it also doesn’t contain all of the usual links and formatting. And due to the beyond-deadline pressure there has been some hasty editing. Apparently some of the staff here around Carltone World Headquarters thought it was Labor Week, so others have had to pickup the slack from the slackers. Most of us were also at the Strawberry Music Festival for five days, and it is always hard to get back in front of a computer after having such a great time in the mountains. Fortunately, not much has been missed this early in the month, and, as always, there is a lot of good stuff still to come. Bluegrass Gold. The Bluegrass Gold series at Sweetwater Station in downtown Larkspur is now on hiatus for the time being. 151 bluegrass shows have taken place with over 10,000 people in attendance over the past nine and a half years either at this location or at the Sweetwater Saloon in downtown Mill Valley . The Saloon closed last September, but the good news is that a new Mill Valley location is being built and it will open sometime soon. The original plan was for September, but now the hope is for October. With any luck the Bluegrass Gold series will move back to Mill Valley when the time comes. Stay tuned for details. Del in the news. There was a story last week in the Philadelphia Inquirer about The Del McCoury Band’s new Moneyland recording and appearance at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival over the holiday weekend that has stirred up some dust on a certain bluegrass discussion list. Former West Marin singer/songwriter Joe New co-wrote the song “40 Acres and a Fool” that is on the CD. Also, by going to their site you can now join the McCoury Music Club where you will be able to download recent live performances. Slow jam class in Berkeley. There is a new slow jam class beginning soon at the 5th String. Starting on Tuesday the 16th and running eight weeks until Tuesday the 4th of November, it is open to beginning and intermediate bluegrass and old-time players, or anyone that wants experience playing and singing at a moderately slow tempo in a supportive, fun jam setting. The main instructors will be Ran Bush and Bill Evans, with guest instructors Megan Lynch, Evie Ladin, Keith Little, Jim Nunally and Kathy Kallick. Class size will be limited to allow for individual attention, with 2-3 instructors on hand each night to demonstrate topics and join in the music. The class will run from 7-9:30 p.m., and will cost $20 per player, per session. You will be encouraged to attend for at least the first four sessions, as the instructors will be teaching as well as playing. A class syllabus will be provided, along with a song list, practice tips, and ideas on how to improve your playing and singing. Please note: the folks in the store cannot answer questions about the class. If you're interested or have questions reply directly to Ran Bush at (510) 525-8156 or via email at ranbush@gmail.com. Heavy metal fencing. There has been a dustup in Terra Linda over an 8-10 foot high corrugated metal property fence that was erected on a 500 acre property owner by singer/guitarist James Hetfield of Metallica. Musician in need. Richard Linley, guitarist, singer and writer for The Palm Wine Boys, has contracted cancer around the throat area and is now receiving treatments to rid himself of the disease. He cannot work, and needs funds for living expenses, as well as treatments and medicines not covered by his insurance. Richard is a great songwriter, whose songs are reflective, humorous, and soulful. A website here has been setup where people can make donations via credit card to help support him. There are pictures and information, and there will be updates with news and announcements often. Four heads are better than one. The TV game show American Idol will be adding a fourth judge to its panel of evaluators starting next January. For some reason, this made huge headlines in the fishwraps. It must have been a slow new month for news. Heck, where has Amy Winehouse been? A breath of fresh air. The National Public Radio show Fresh Air With Terry Gross is by far the best arts radio interview show anywhere. It is a nationally broadcast show that can be heard on most NPR stations, and in the SF area you can hear it three times a day (KQED and KALW). Even better, if you miss a show you can always listen to archived interviews on your computer. Here are some recent examples: a great interview from 1993 with the late record producer Jerry Wexler and a piece about The Staples Singers. The doctor was in! If you missed Ray Edlund’s Pig in a Pen radio show on KPFA (94.1 FM) in Berkeley on August 17th to hear him chat with Dr. Elmo about the halcyon bluegrass days of yore three decades back as well as the upcoming Brown Barn Festival in San Martin, you can listen anytime on your computer by going to this link here. Besides being known for his Christmas classic “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” Elmo has also been playing traditional bluegrass on the five-string banjo since the early 70s when he was in the band The Homestead Act. Since 1991 Elmo has been leading Wild Blue, Marin County ’s longest running bluegrass band. Fishwrap roundup. The SF Chronicle had stories about The Shirelles, amazing-to-be-alive-while-his-two-brothers-are-dead Beach Boy Brian Wilson, and Oakland singer Linda Tillery; in the Marin IJ there were pieces on the young Marin trio The Jazztronauts as well as memories of the old Sleeping Lady in Fairfax. Life’s railway to heaven. LeRoi Moore, sax player in the Dave Matthews Band, died in Los Angeles on August 19th from complications from injuries he suffered in an all-terrain vehicle accident. He was 46. Pervis Jackson, who sang bass in the R&B/soul act The Spinners, died in his sleep on August 18th. He was 70. Famed Nashville guitar picker Jerry Reed died on the 1st from emphysema. He was 71. His hits include “When You’re Hot You’re Hot,” “East Bound and Down,” and “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft).” Police log. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum: Shawntae Harris, a.k.a. rapper Da Brat, will be spending the next three years in the slammer after whacking a hostess in the face with a bottle of rum at a party last fall. The two women bumped into one another, and the next thing anyone knew, sparks were flying…Fan club meeting: hip-hop artist Akon will be going to trial in December for allegedly tossing a fan from the stage into the crowd. The tossee landed on another fan, causing injuries to both probable now ex-fans… Get out your handkerchiefs. As one door shuts, another door opens: Two former members of The Doors – Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger – will have to pay former drummer Robby Densmore and descendants of long-dead lead singer Jim Morrison for using the Doors name without asking permission or paying these others. The price? A cool $5 million…Don’t upstage the star! Rapper R. Kelly has to pay fellow rapper Ne-Yo $700,000 for dropping him as the opening act on a tour last year. Rumor has it that Ne-Yo was getting more attention than Kelly…Stop him before he marries again! Pop singer Phil Collins will be paying a wee bit of cash ($46 million)(more than “Silly Love Song” singer Paul McCartney recently had to pay his ex) to sever his marriage to wife number three. After infamously dumping wife No. 2, Jill Tavelman, by Fax back in 1994, he was forced to pay $34 million. Hey Phil, why not just live with the next one instead of tying the knot? Uh, ever heard of a pre-nup? On the mend. Alan Dreyfuss, the guitarist and vocalist extraordinaire in the East Bay bluegrass band Redwing, was injured last month in a violent carjacking in Emeryville. He was hit in the head, spent some time in the hospital, is now back at home but is still in tremendous pain. His car was totaled, and fortunately the creep that did this to him was caught and, as it turns out, was out of prison on parole. With any luck the guy will be going back to where he came from for a long time. If you would like to send a get-well card to Alan you can do so at 4600 Adeline Street , Emeryville , CA , 94608 , or email him at ardreyfuss@yahoo.com. Singer Annie Lennox had to have spinal surgery last month in London to release an impinged nerve Coming attractions. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 10/3-5. Russ Barenberg & Bryan Sutton at Petaluma Church Concerts 10/17; David Grisman and John Sebastian at the JCC in SF on 11/15. Onward to the calendar… The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday you can see George Kuo, Martin Pahinui and Aaron Mahi on the 4th, Maria Muldaur & The Free Radicals on the 6th, Cyril Pahinui on the 17th, Los Pingous on the 20th, Catie Ryan on the 27th, and more. Marin bluegrass jam. On the 4th and 18th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m. See Mill Valley’s Dore Coller with the Hot Club of Marin on the 4th and 18th at the Royal Oak in Point Richmond, on the 7th and 11th at 19 Broadway, on the 25th at 33 Revolutions in El Cerrito, and on the 29th at 142 Throckmorton for the club jam; on the 6th his band Bermudagrass will play at the Ft. Hamilton Amphitheatre for a benefit for Shakespeare at Stinson; and on the 11th his bluegrass band Savannah Blu will be at the Atlas Café in SF. Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for a good time in Sonoma County , and there is never a cover charge for music. Featured there this month are the Sonoma Mountain Band on the 5th, Andrew Freeman on the 6th, the Celtic jam on the 7th, Solid Air on the 11th, Carolina Special on the 13th, Shades of Green on the 14th, Kimrea & Joe LoCoco on the 26th, Under the Radar on the 27th, and lots more good stuff. The Acoustic Vortex house concert series in Larkspur will be featuring Blame Sally on the 5th and Ray Bonneville on the 25th. This is a wonderful venue to see acts perform up close and personal. Go to the site and make reservations now! Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax . Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See the Craig Caffal Band on the 5th, Rusty Evans and Ring of Fire on the 6th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 10th (and 24th), Highway Robbers on the 12th, Danny Montana & The Bar Association on the 13th, Sacred Profanities on the 17th, Diamond Ortiz on the 19th, Family Lines on the 23rd, Gentry Bronson Songwriters in the Round on the 25th, Dave Gleason's Wasted Days w/Crooked Roads on the 26th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 28th and more. Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station are Gentry Bronson & Elliott Randall on the 5th, New West Guitar Quartet on the 9th, Curtis Lawson on the 12th, Culann's Hounds and the Whoreshoes on the 12th. Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music on Fridays and Saturdays in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. See Dick Conte Duo on the 5th, Ken Husbands & Suzanna Smith on the 6th, Eugene Huggins on the 12th, The Andoni Trio on the 13th, Macy Blackman on the 19th, Paul Robinson on the 20th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 26th, and Wendy DeWitt on the 27th. The Fourth Street Tavern in San Rafael has a good mix of music on the menu. See The Marones on the 5th, Diamond Ortiz on the 6th, The Hold Outs on the 12th, The Royal Deuces on the 19th, The Eldorados on the 25th, Culann's Hounds on the 27th, and others. Strings and things. The first annual Tiburon Guitar Festival is coming to Old St. Hilary's Landmark on the 5th-7th, featuring The New West Guitar Quartet, Andrew York, Teja Gerken, and Eric Schoenberg & Jeff Titus. Murphy Productions has Tito Gonzalez on the 5th at the Stage Dor in Sausalito, Aram Danesh & The Super Human Crew on the 5th at the Masonic in Mill Valley, Wendy DeWitt Blues Band at the Stage Dor on the 12th, Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums there on the 19th, and on the 25th they will be hosting Ray Bonneville at the Acoustic Vortex concert series in Larkspur. The Brown Barn Festival, while not a North Bay event, will be presenting two of the finest bluegrass bands from up this way. The festival will be happening in San Martin (south of Morgan Hill) on the 6th and 7th, and two of the featured acts will be Blue & Lonesome and Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue. Others on the bill are The Mighty Crows, Dark Hollow, Matt & George and Their Pleasant Valley Boys, Rosebud Blue, High Country, Highway One, The Mount Diablo String Band, Hyperbole Mountain and Angelic Grim & Friends. The Sebastopol Cajun/Zydeco Festival will be taking place on the 6th featuring Wings of Glory, The Wild Catahoulas, The Zydeco Flames, Mark St. Mary & His Louisiana Blues and Zydeco Band, and more. Some acts to see at 19 Broadway in Fairfax are Big Brother & The Holding Company on the 6th, Buckethead on the 12th, Workingman’s Ed and Jelly on the 20th, The Lonestar Retrobates on the 21st, Pride & Joy on the 26th, The Jeb Brady Band on the 28th, and Danny Uzilevsky every Tuesday. Sonoma guitarist Adam Traum will be at the Bella Winery and Vineyards in Healdsburg on the 6th from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., on the 12th at Smiley’s Schooner Saloon in Bolinas, on the 17th at Iron Springs as part of Fretter’s Hot Strings, and a double-header on 28th at the Vintage Festival 1-1:45 p.m. in Sonoma then later at Cato’s Ale House in Oakland from 4:30-7:30 p.m. San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget on the 6th will be up in Petaluma playing solo show at the Aqus Cafe. He'll join fellow bandmates in the Namely Us group for jazz at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo on the 13th. Sebastopol guitarist Kevin Russell has three gigs with three different bands this month. On the 6th from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Laughing Gravy plays The Heirloom Tomato Festival at the Kendal-Jackson Winery in Santa Rosa ; on the 13th, 8:30-11 p.m. The Rhythm Rangers will be at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa ; on the 27th Under the Radar will play Murphy's in Sonoma ; and on the 28th Under the Radar will be at The Station House Cafe in Pt Reyes. Jenny Kerr and her band will be playing at the Marin Brewing Company in Larkspur on the 7th starting at 1 p.m. Then on the 26th see them play at 8 p.m. at Napa City Nights event at the Veterans Memorial Amphitheater in downtown Napa. Out at Rancho Nicasio on the 7th there will be a smokin’ jamgrass twin bill featuring Hot Buttered Rum and Poor Man’s Whiskey. Make sure you bring a designated driver for this show! Music is 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 Mucho Axe on the 10th, Fretter’s Hot Strings on the 17th, and it will be owner/brewmaster Mike Altman’s birthday on the 24th. As of this date, old-time is still not a crime in Berkeley , so head on over there on the 11th-14th for the Berkeley Old-Time Music Convention. You can see The Stairwell Sisters, Evo Bluestein, The Foghorn String Band, Sheila Kay Adams, The Brandy Snifters, The Squirrelly String Band, and lots more. At the Mystic in Petaluma you can see Ivan Neville on the 11th, Devil Makes Three and The Whoreshoes on the 26th, Hot Tuna on the 28th and others. Marin singer/songwriter Forest Sun will be playing a house concert on the 13th at 5514 Doyle Street in Emeryville along with The Adrian West Trio. Lindalou & Michael & The 3 D's (Dan Brunetti, Duncan Draper and David Chapman) will be playing at The Calistoga Farmer's Market on the 13th from 9 a.m.-noon on Washington Street . From there they'll be heading over to the Calistoga High School on Lake Street to play for Calistoga's Relay For Life event that afternoon and early evening. The Marin Civic Center has three shows of note this month. See Judy Collins on the 13th, Etta James on the 20th, and Kenny G on the 27th. 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 Steve Baughman, Paul Kotapish and Scott Nygaard on the 13th at 8:30 p.m. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info. The Anderson Marsh Old-Time Bluegrass Festival will be taking place on the 13th-14th in Clearlake. See/hear Sidesaddle, The Mighty Crows, Mountain Laurel, Alhambra Valley Band, Bound To Ride, The Mighty Chiplings, and lots more. Schaef-Abel Productions at Studio E in Sebastopol will be hosting Steve Seskin, Allen Shamblin and Chuck Jones on the 18th and then on the 24th see Slaid Cleaves with Michael O'Connor. Bluegrassin’ in the Foothills. L&S Promotions has booked another powerful line-up for the Bluegrassin’ in the Foothills Festival in Plymouth on the 19th-21st. Make plans now to see Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, The Gibson Brothers, The Bluegrass Brothers, New Found Road, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, Don Rigsby & Midnight Call, Sawmill Road, Rita Hosking & Cousin Jack, and The Anderson Family Bluegrass Band. The Emerging Artists will be Natural Drift, Nell Robinson & Red Level, Gritchy MaGrally and The Four Fingered String Band along with the late night dance band Rick Barnes & Silvermoon. At the Alpha House Concert Series on the houseboat in Sausalito on the 19th see Caren Armstrong with Joshua Zucker on bass. The show starts at 8 p.m. Snacks/drinks welcome. Make reservations at danfontes@yahoo.com , or call (415) 289-0490. You can also read Caren’s recent On Songwriting interview with Rick Jamison. Matt Lax & Nearly Beloved can be seen and heard on the 19th at the Ace in the Hole in Gratan and on the 20th at the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival in Old Mill Park . The 52nd Annual Mill Valley Arts Festival will be taking place in Old Mill Park on the 20th and 21st. Some of the acts you can see are Jeanie & Chuck, Kimrea & Joe LoCoco, Matt Lax & Nearly Beloved, The Shut Ins, and Tim Hockenberry. 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. She and Joe LoCoco will also be at the above art fest on the 20th and at Murphy’s on the 26th. The Celebrating Songwriters series at the Left Coast Cyclery in Berkeley on the 20th, hosted by Caren Armstrong, will feature Peter Gallway and Tom Payne. Show time is 8 p.m. Don’t miss the 2008 KWMR/Far West Fest on the 20th in Point Reyes Station. See Poor Man’s Whiskey, Vinyl & Friends, HoneyDust, Jerry Hannan, The Wronglers, Marquis Melody Reggae from Jamaica , Sweet Baby J and many others. There will also be sculpture art exhibits and great local food, too. EAC and Green Girl Events are helping to keep the festival sustainable. Friendly benefit. On the 21st at 3 p.m. in Novato check out the Friendly Lane Yard Concert Benefit for the Boys & Girls Club. Jan White, Scott Gerber and Cori Wood will perform along with Dave Zirbel (pedal steel) and Pat Campbell (upright bass). Closing the concert there will be a special tribute to Gram Parsons featuring Pat Nevins (Workingman's Ed) and Dore Coller. Donations are $15 advance, $20 at the door at 11 Friendly Lane in Novato . Bring your favorite low back chair or blanket & food if desired. Beverages will be available for a donation to help pay for concert expenses. To reserve a yard spot send a check paid to Pat Campbell noted "yard concert" with your email address. He will send you a confirmation email. For more email friendlylaneinfo@comcast.net. Jan will also be on the radio on the 17th on KGGV, 95.1 FM, from 6-8 p.m. Ain't Misbehavin' returns to the Station House Café in Pt. Reyes on the 21st from 5-8 pm. Enjoy acoustic swing, vintage and Western, sweet harmonies, and hot fiddlin'. West Marin singer/songwriter Brindl will be appearing on the 25th at Peri's in Fairfax for the songwriters in the round series along with Gentry Bronson. The Rock and Blues By The Lake Festival will take place out at Stafford Lake in Novato on the 27th, and you can see The Alameda All-Stars (what, no all stars in Marin County ?), Luv Planet, The Lonely Hearts, Tim Cain, Barry Ernst, and lots more. Doug Adamz & Bravo will be playing both country and western on the 27th at Rancho Nicasio in West Marin. Earle Fest, a benefit for the Earle Baum Center for the Blind, will be taking place in Santa Rosa on the 27th, and you can see Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, Blue & Lonesome, Corinne West, and The Otis Taylor Band. 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 27th. 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 Marin Celticgrass band The Shots will be playing at Albany’s Centennial Celebration on the on the 27th from 7-9 p.m. Details at: http://www.albanyca.org/Index.aspx?page=664 Jammin’ in Sebastopol . The place for bluegrass pickin' on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, 6761 Sebastopol Ave , from 2-5 p.m. 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. Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area: BROADWAY'S LOST TREASURES 9/03 8 p.m., 9/08 1 p.m., 9/14 8 p.m.: “The costs of going into a Broadway theatre and recording a play for television are unfortunately, prohibitively expensive. As a result, very few major theatrical works ever find their way to television and home video. However, during the telecasts of the Tony Awards, individual, nominated song and dance numbers are performed specially for the awards presentations by the original star. These numbers are not repeated as the Tonys themselves are only telecast once. This special looks for the first time into the archive of the Tony Awards during a 20-year period from when the awards were first televised in 1967 up to 1986. The legendary showman, Alexander H. Cohen, produced the shows.” DOO WOP LOVE SONGS 9/05 1 a.m., 9/07 3 p.m., 9/11 7:30 p.m.: “The 1950s and Doo Wop love songs go hand in hand like two straws and a shake. And now America 's favorite malt shop memories are back with this Doo Wop collection for lovers only. Its Doo Wop's biggest and best hits assembled into a collection featuring all romance and teenage love songs for sweethearts. Hosts Jerry Butler and Cousin Brucie Morrow bring back the backseat ballads in this celebration of great vocal groups - recorded the weekend of May 16, 2007 at The Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth , New Jersey .” JOHN DENVER – A SONG'S BEST FRIEND 9/05 8:30 p.m., 9/08 9:30 p.m.: “This program celebrates the late singer/songwriter's legacy of classic performances. It includes his popular 1970s television specials plus rare footage from his Sing Australia! (1984 and 1994) and Red Rocks concerts (1973 and 1982), and interviews with the people closest to him, including ex-wife Annie, producer and arranger Milt Okun, manager Hal Thau, conductor and composer Lee Holdridge, and band members Pete Huttlinger and John Somers." SANTANA – HYMNS FOR PEACE LIVE AT MONTREUX 2004 9/06 1 a.m., 9/06 10 p.m.: “In 2004, guitar virtuoso Carlos Santana augmented the Santana band with a stellar group of musicians for an evening billed as ‘Hymns for Peace’ at the world famous Montreux Jazz Festival. The all-star event included Ravi Coltrane (sax), Chick Corea (keyboards), Herbie Hancock (grand piano), John McLaughlin (guitar), Wayne Shorter (sax), Stevie Winwood (vocals, organ), and guest vocalists Patti Austin, Indrissa Diop, and Angelique Kidjo. The result – a one-of-a-kind musical experience and a reminder of the unifying force of music.” MY MUSIC – THE BRITISH BEAT 9/06 2:30 a.m.: “This special travels on location to London and around the UK to the place where the British Beat was born. It features rare archival full-length performance films mixed with new live performances recorded throughout the UK , including introductions and performances from various legendary clubs and hot performance spots that inspired the Mersey Beat.” THAT'S AMORE – ITALIAN-AMERICAN FAVORITES 9/06 4 p.m., 9/15 9:30 p.m.: “This special brings together the greatest archival performances with America 's most loved Italian-American singers and classic pop songs from the 50s and 60s. The program features original recordings from Perry Como, Julius LaRosa, Frankie Laine, Eddie Fisher, Dean Martin, Jerry Vale and more. Danny Aiello hosts.” PAVAROTTI – A LIFE IN SEVEN ARIAS 9/06 8 p.m., 9/09 1 p.m., 9/10 7:30 p.m., 9/14 10:30 a.m.: “When Luciano Pavarotti died in September, 2007, the world lost one of the greatest voices in all of music. In celebration of Pavarotti's peerless vocal talent and extraordinary international impact, this performance documentary looks back over his legendary career, utilizing the arias with which he was most closely associated as a narrative framework.” THE WHO AT KILBURN 1977 9/06 11:30 p.m., 9/08 3:30 a.m.: “On December 15, 1977, after a hiatus of over a year, The Who assembled at the Gaumont State Theatre in Kilburn, North London to record a concert for Jeff Stein's documentary film The Kids Are Alright. Shot before a select invited audience, it would turn out to be Keith Moon's penultimate live performance. This concert has never been released, and has since been digitally restored and remastered.” GREAT MOMENTS AT THE MET – VIEWER'S CHOICE 9/10 9:30 p.m.: “Join opera diva Renee Fleming as she hosts a special countdown of Great Moments at the Met. Marking the 30th anniversary of the Met's first PBS telecast, viewers cast their votes for their favorite televised Met opera moments. This dazzling retrospective will span 30 years of show-stopping performances by Met opera legends. Or other unforgettable performances by opera icons like Placido Domingo, Joan Sutherland, Birgit Nilsson, Jose Carreras, Samuel Ramey, and Kiri Te Kanawa, as well as stars of today like Cecilia Bartoli, Bryn Terfel, Renee Fleming, Anna Netrebko and Juan Diego Florez.” MOODY BLUES AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL 9/13 1 a.m.: “The music of the Moody Blues has spanned many generations - touching people's emotions with songs about life experiences. This enduring quality and their continued popularity with their fans is truly evident in this concert special taped live at Royal Albert Hall. The Moody Blues partnered once again with Musical Director Larry Baird -conducting the World Festival Orchestra - and performed many of their classic hits.” QUEEN ROCK MONTREAL 9/13 3 a.m.: “This special was recorded at the Montreal Forum on November 24th and 25th 1981; the first show exactly 10 years to the day of Mercury's death.”
**************************************************************************************** August 15, 2008
As August rushes to its all too sudden end you have to get out and make the best of it before it is over. Sure, you could be staying indoors watching the Olympics at odd hours on numerous channels, be riveted by the alleged discovery of Bigfoot, or be having an anxiety attack because Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson are all turning 50 soon. But if you’d rather be enjoying what’s left of the summer, the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters is here to guide your in you pursuits of entertainment and pleasure.
Since Labor Day falls on the Monday holiday on September 1st the next edition of this newsletter will not be sent out until the 2nd or 3rd as the staff will be at Strawberry. As a result some September 1st shows are listed in this edition.
Strawberry Fields Forever. Well, maybe not forever, but at least for the next five years the Strawberry Music Festival will continue to exist at its longtime site, Camp Mather by Yosemite. There was a lot of consternation on the part of the fest staff and attendees that they might lose their lease, yet as of the 8th of this month everyone can rest easy until 2013. As for the fest coming up at month’s end on the 28th-31st (SteelDrivers, Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys, Homespun Rowdy, Sam Bush, Ramblin’ Jack, Old 97s, Patty Griffin, Riders in the Sky), it is sold out, but tickets will start to become available any day now. Go to the ticket exchange list, sign on and check it out. As always, if you do go to the fest, stop by some morning to The Breakfast Club in the mess hall, where yours truly will be doing emcee duties in government issued strawberry pajamas and bathrobe…
The doctor is in! Tune into Ray Edlund’s Pig in a Pen radio show on KPFA (94.1 FM) in Berkeley on the 17th from 3-5 p.m. to hear him chat with Dr. Elmo about the halcyon bluegrass days of yore three decades back as well as the upcoming Brown Barn Festival in San Martin in early September. Besides being known for his Christmas classic “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” Elmo has also been playing traditional bluegrass on the five-string banjo since the early 70s when he was in the band The Homestead Act. Since 1991 Elmo has been leading Wild Blue, Marin County’s longest running bluegrass band. Wild Blue will be playing at the Brown Barn Festival on September 6th.
The long and winding road. After 23 years, the KRON-TV show Bay Area Backroads ceased production on July 31st. KRON may resume production at some point, but in the meantime, it will air in reruns with a few new shows still to be broadcast in the coming weeks. Host Doug McConnell and his crew will continue exploring northern California and the West and you can follow them at their web site Open Road TV. You'll see many of their stories and lots of related information including interactive maps, photos and helpful links. You can also sign-up to receive their free newsletter to keep you up-to-date on all the places they’re visiting. They are also working closely with KQED to get the show on national Public Television this fall. Thanks to Tim Van Raam for this item.
IBMA nominations. The IBMA has officially announced their 2008 finalists for their award nominations for this year and you can look at the list at the link above. If you are an IBMA member you are eligible to vote for the winners. Since there is the usual dearth of nominees west of the Mississippi please consider San Diego’s Chris Stuart for Print Artist of the Year, Loren Witcher of Los Angeles for Best Graphic Design for Recorded Project, The River City Bluegrass Festival of Portland, OR, for Bluegrass Event of the Year, and of course, native northern Californian Rob Ickes for Dobro Player of the Year.
Chinese bluegrass. Banjo player Abigail Washburn, from the bands Uncle Earl and the Sparrow Quartet (with Bela Fleck), not only picks the five-string, she also speaks fluent Mandarin and was featured recently in Newsweek magazine.
Hardly Strictly in the morning fishwrap. There was a story in a recent SF Chronicle about the free upcoming Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival that will take place in Golden Gate Park on October 3rd-5th. You can read the story here. Some of the acts that will be there are Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, Earl Scruggs, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Dry Branch Fire Squad, The Bill Evans String Summit w/Megan Lynch, and lots more. Before you start complaining about all of the non-bluegrass bands on the bill please bear in mind that it is a free event, the word “Hardly” is in the title, and it is not mandatory that you attend.
Music and cinema. Two new music movies documentaries to look forward to if they ever make it to your neighborhood octoplex: Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer and Patti Smith: Dream of a Life.
Mafia goes mainstream. A new TV show titled Outsider’s Inn debuted on Country Music Television on the 15th and some members of the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band were seen in the first episode. One critic has described it as “Newhart meets Curb Your Enthusiasm." Watch the trailer for the show here. Thanks to our “Man on the Street in Nashville” Randy Pitts for this tip.
Take the stage. There is a new bluegrass pickin’ workshop titled Take the Stage that will be starting in September at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. It is an eight-session program designed to give amateur musicians a chance to participate in a band of their peers, and it culminates in a live performance at the Freight in November. In two-hour sessions each week, band participants will develop a set of songs by learning singing, harmony vocals, soloing, playing backup, band dynamics and more. Nell Robinson is the program director and David Zimmerman of Homespun Rowdy will lead the workshops. Guest instructors include Kathy Kallick, Megan Lynch and Jim Nunally. There is an advanced track for existing bands coached by Laurie Lewis. Signups are happening now so get your applications in ASAP. There is also a welcome party and jam for participants on August 17th. One man band. Hey, with an instrument like this who needs sidemen? You wouldn’t have to arrange band rehearsals, worry if the banjo player will show for the gig, wonder whose turn it is for the next solo, etc. Thanks to Bluegrass Ambassador Darby Brandli for passing along this link.
More Grass Valley photos. Photographer extraordinaire Mike Melnyk has posted hundreds of more photos on his site of the recent California Bluegrass Association’s Father’s Day Festival in Grass Valley. Go here for Music Camp shots and here for Festival ones. Also, on the National Public Radio show All Things Considered on August 5th there was a nice piece about Club Passim, the legendary folk club in Cambridge. You can either read or listen to the story here. On the 12th there was a story about music producer Van Dyke Parks and his project he produced for Inara George, the daughter of the late Little Feat guitarist Lowell George. Read or listen here.
Police log. Singing the jailhouse blues: erstwhile SF blues musician Bruce Brooks was convicted of murdering his girlfriend and band mate Juliette Williamson by beating her in the head with a hammer in 2002. That sort of puts the kibosh on any reunion tour down the road… And throw away the key: convicted murder Mark David Chapman, who altered rock and roll history by shooting to death former Beatle John Lennon in 1980, was refused parole for the fifth time last week…Throw away his key too: John A. Brown, who 34 years ago murdered Opry legend Stringbean and his wife during a robbery (there were rumors of cash hidden in a mattress!), was also denied parole…Keep the kids at home: twice-convicted-for-sexual-misconduct (once for child porn and once for child molestation) erstwhile glam-rock guitarist Gary Glitter is due to be released from jail in Viet Nam on August 19th and will be deported to England after serving a three-year sentence. “Gary who?” you ask? Well, you may not know him by name but your favorite football team plays his instrumental song “Rock and Roll Part 2” every time they score a touchdown. And he continues to make untold royalties from such. What, you still don’t know the song? Well, then listen to a snippet here. He says he “intends to continue his singing career.” Yikes!
Get out your handkerchiefs. Sweet and sour: the country band Sugarland is being sued by one of its former members for a cool $1.5 million due to a breach of contract. Looks like the solo career didn’t take off as well as hoped…More bad vibes: The Allman Brothers Band has sued a record company for $13 million to demand a bigger cut of recordings sold through third parties such as Apple's iTunes music service… Royally mad: singer Jackson Browne is angry at one of the presidential candidates for using his song “Running On Empty” in a TV commercial without getting his permission first. So much so that he has filed a law suit. Browne claims that “his reputation has already been damaged and is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.” Uh, note to anyone that wants to use someone’s song to sell a product – you have to get their okay first and then pay them for doing such. Otherwise it is, like, stealing…What have you done for us lately? Virgin Records is suing Jared Leto’s band 30 Seconds To Mars for not recording any albums for the label over the past few years… Together again: rapper Usher and his manager mother are working together again after a much publicized split…Chick flies solo: Emily Robinson of the Dixie Chicks is getting divorced from her country singer husband Charlie Robinson because their marriage had "become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities." Or maybe it is because her career has been a wee bit more successful than his…
On the mend. Merle Haggard has a spot on his lung that is fortunately not cancerous.
Life’s railway to heaven. Lou Teicher, one-half of the piano playing duo Ferrante & Teicher who were popular in the 60s, died of heart failure in North Carolina earlier this month. He was 83. Singer, producer, Academy and Grammy award winner Isaac Hayes died on the 10th in Nashville. He was 65. Everyone knows his hit song “Theme From Shaft.” Renowned steel guitarist Don Helms, who played with Hank Williams’ band The Drifting Cowboys as well as on hits by Patsy Cline, Lefty Frizzell and others, died on the 11th in Nashville of an apparent heart attack. He was 81. Jerry Wexler who back in the day made influential recordings of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and others, died on the 15th in Sarasota, FL. He was 91.
Coming attractions. Sebastopol Cajun/Zydeco Festival 9/6; Brown Barn Festival 9/5-7 in San Martin; Berkeley Old-Time Music Festival 9/11-14; Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 10/3-5. Russ Barenberg & Bryan Sutton at Petaluma Church Concerts 10/17; David Grisman and John Sebastian at the JCC in SF on 11/15.
Additions
Guitarist Teja Gerkin will be at the Station House in Point Reyes Station on the 16th at 6 p.m.
Music in the park. The free Music in the Park series in San Anselmo features great local musicians in live performances held at Creek Park in San Anselmo (located at the Hub - intersection of Center and Sir Francis Drake Blvd., just across from Andronico's) from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. Bring a picnic and listen to the music. On the 17th see Sweetie Pie and the Doughboys and The Claddagh Band, and on the 24th it will be Revolver, with special guests The Liddypudlians.
David Olney and Sergio Webb can be seen at the Stinson Beach Community Center on the 17th.
Young fiddlin’ wizard Griffin Stoller from Belvedere will be performing at the free Mill Valley Concerts in the Plaza series downtown on the 20th at 6 p.m.
Caren Armstrong’s Left Coast Concert Series in Berkeley on the 16th at 8 p.m. will feature Buddy Mondlock, Bev Barnett & Greg Newlon.
Western Swing Hall of Fame member Tommy Thomsen with special guest Bobby Black on steel guitar will be playing at Little Switzerland in the town of Sonoma on the 23rd from 8:30 p.m.- midnight. Also in the band will be Stogy Buckhorn on sax and trumpet, fiddler Paul Shelasky, drummer Kirk Harwood, and standup bassman Trevor Kinsel. Little Switzerland, a 150-year-old dance hall, is one of the most unique venues in Northern California with good food and drink. All ages welcome.
The Green Note Festival will take place on the 23rd from 2-8 p.m. at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center. It will be an extensive and fun-filled outdoor festival featuring a showcase of eco-music featuring seven diverse acts, a recycled art show, organic, local food, engaging workshops on a variety of topics from solar power to reducing your footprint, a green marketplace featuring a wide range of green organizations and businesses and more.
Slow Food Rocks Festival. On the 30th and 31st check out Gnarls Barkley and Phil Lesh & Friends when they headline the two-day Slow Food Rocks Festival at the Great Meadow in Fort Mason. Gnarls Barkley, the duo responsible for one of 2006's biggest hits, "Crazy," will headline Saturday's event, along with other bands. Former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and his band, including vocalist Jackie Greene, will play Sunday. For more information, call (877) 655-4849.
The Bay Area’s premier alt-country Americana band 77 El Deora will be playing on September 1st at the Cowgirl Palooza event at El Rio in SF. Pick up a copy of their new Hammer & Tongs CD there.
Reminders
You can see Mill Valley’s Dore Coller with the bluegrass band Savannah Blu on the 16th at Shelby Ash's Music Store in SF from 1-3 p.m., and on the 17th at the Sand Dollar in Stinson from 12-3 p.m.; he’ll be with Hot Club of Marin on the 21st at 19 Broadway and on the 28th at Revolutions; and on the 23rd with Ragged Glory (Neil Young/Gram Parsons tribute band) at the 4th Street Tavern in San Rafael.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. See Lisa Kindred on the 16th, Triton Trio on the 22nd, Paging Harlow on the 23rd, Eugene Huggins on the 29th, and Debra Clawson & Sean Pagelow on the 30th.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday see Julie Goldman's Comedy Show on the 16th, Dan Hicks & Bayside Jazz on the 17th, Robert Klein on the 23rd and 24th, Sammy Hagar & The Wabos on the 27th, The House Jacks on the 29th, Narada Michael Walden on the 30th and more.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, and there is never a cover charge for music. See Adam Traum on the 15th, High Country on the 23rd, Blue & Lonesome on the 29th, Spiral Mystics on the 30th, and other good stuff.
Wagon, an acoustic Americana trio playing original songs, old-timey and bluegrass tunes, on the 17th will be at Bleaux Magnolia in Napa from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sonoma House Concerts proudly presents Florida-based singer-songwriter Rod MacDonald for an evening of music and dining on the 16th. Heralded as one of the most politically and socially aware lyricists currently on the scene, Rod is a pivotal folk singer who uses his background in law and journalism to ask the important questions of our time. Doors open 6 p.m., potluck dinner 6:30, show starts 7:30. Reservations required. Call (707) 538-1215 for details, or e-mail HouseConcerts@Monitor.net.
The 6th Annual Russian River Beer Revival is the place to be on the 16th in Guerneville. Lot of brewpubs will be on hand, and you can groove to the music of 1/4 Mile Combo.
The 18th Annual Sol Fest takes place in Hopland on the 16th-17th, and you can see New Monsoon, Maria Muldaur, Blane Lyon, Albino and much more. Maria can also be seen on the 22nd at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento, and on the 23rd and 24th at Yoshi’s in Oakland.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See Lansdale Station on the 16th, Sacred Profanities on the 20th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 21st, Stella Royale on the 26th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 27th, Diamond Ortiz on the 28th, Honeydust on the 29th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 31st, and others.
The Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa has Celtic and bluegrass jams on most Wednesdays. Some shows of note there are The Farallons on the 16th and The Tonewoods on the 30th.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station are Lumination on the 16th, The Natural Gas Jazz Band on the 17th, Mitch Stein on the 21st, open mic on the 26th, Jerry Hannan on the 29th, and Firewheel on the 30th.
San Rafael guitarist/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will be making the rounds as usual for his shows in August. He and Jesse Lee Kincaid can be seen playing with their blues/rock/country The New Rising Sons at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito on the 16th. He and Jesse will also perform a duo set at the Tiki Lounge in Fairfax's 19 Broadway Niteclub on the 28th. Finally, the 30th will find Kurt playing jazz with the Namely Us group at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo
Oakland folk-rock singer and recent Georgia transplant Cyndi Harvell has been making some noise around the Bay Area lately, and her hook-smart songwriting and great voice make her someone you should see before she hits the big time. On the 16th it will be at Amnesia in SF at 7 p.m., and on the 24th at the Marin Civic Center Market at 10 a.m.
Out at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station you can see The Music of Fanny Mendelssohn on the 16th and Wesla Whitfield & Mike Greensill on the 23rd.
At the Ace in the Hole Cider Pub in Sebastopol some of the acts you can see are The Moon Beams on the 17th, The Jug Dealers on the 20th, The Courtney Janes on the 21st, West County Outlaws on the 24th, and the Lonesome Holler String Band on the 31st.
The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa will be presenting Donna Summer on the 17th, Melissa Etheridge on the 20th, and Steely Dan on the 26th and 27th.
The Mystic in Petaluma has Nellie McKay and Solid Air on the 18th, Dar Williams on the 23rd, The Waifs on the 27th, and Amos Lee on the 28th.
Ain't Misbehavin' plays vintage and Western swing and more at Nick's Cove, Hwy. 1 in Marshall, on the 19th, from 7-9 p.m.
The North Bay bluegrass band Blue & Lonesome has a few gigs around the Bay this month. On the 20th you can see them at Le Bateau Ivre in Berkeley at 7 p.m., at the Petaluma Summer BBQ Music and Art Celebration on the 23rd, and at Murphy’s in Sonoma on the 29th.
Music is 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. On the 20th see Lorin Rowan’s Rattlebox and The Tom Finch Group on the 27th.
Marin bluegrass jam. On the 21st the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m.
An acoustic show of note on the 21st put on by the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley at the Roda Theatre is titled The Freight Fiddle Summit with Natalie Haas, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, and Bruce Molsky.
The high-octane American band Houston Jones will be at the KRSH 95.9 FM Backyard Concert Series in Santa Rosa with The Waybacks on the 21st, on KFOG (104.5 FM) San Francisco on the 22nd, and other venues around the bay. The Waybacks and Larkin Gayl will both be releasing CDs at the Great American Music Hall in SF on the 22nd starting at 9 p.m. The Waifs will be playing there on the 23rd and 24th.
Novato’s Doug Adamz will be back at the Station House at 6 p.m. on the 21st with Russ Gauthier.
The acoustic/electric Americana band Barbwyre, with Dana Rath, Jon Mitguard and Mike Stadler, will be playing at Café Trieste in Berkeley on the 22nd and at the 2nd Annual Tiburon Art Festival on the 24th at 11 a.m.
The SF Outside Lands Festival in SF will be the big event in GG Park on the 22nd-24th with Tom Petty, Wilco, Mother Hips, Radio Head, The Drive-By Truckers, Steve Winwood, and dozens more.
Use an accordion, and don’t go to jail! Instead, go to the Cotati Accordion Festival on the 23rd-24th to see all of your favorite bands.
The Cur-ville Third Annual Dog Days Fest in Kenwood on the 23rd promises to be great fun. It features a solid lineup of Carltone favorites such as Solid Air, JL Stiles, Michael McNevin, The Adam Traum Trio, Doug Blumer, Larry Potts, Johnny Harper & Mayne Smith and more. Every cent in excess of the fest’s costs will go to the saints at Delta Paws Animal Rescue.
Sonoma’s Adam Traum, besides playing at the Curr-Ville Dog Days Festival at 7 p.m., will also be appearing at Landmark Vineyards on the 30th at noon.
The Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival takes place on the 23rd and 24th out on the coast, and some of the acts you can see there are Joe Craven, Zydeco Flames, Malcolm Watson, Poor Man’s Whiskey, Stompy Jones, Tommy Castro Band, and others.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. 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 24th. It takes place from 2-5 p.m. at the Sebastopol Christian Church, 7433 Bodega Avenue. Bring acoustic instruments and your favorite gospel songs to sing.
For a rip roarin’ good time join The Lonestar Retrobates when they play on the 24th starting at 3 p.m. at 19 Broadway in Fairfax and on the 31st at 7 p.m. 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 end of summer always means it is time for the Sausalito Art & Wine Festival which will run from August 29th-September 1st. Junior Brown, Brett Dennen, Pride & Joy, Lansdale Station, Commander Cody, Lorin Rowan's Rattlebox, Richard Thompson and Dan Hicks, among others, will perform.
Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell and his band Under the Radar will be playing acoustic bluegrass, folk, blues and swing on the 29th from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Michel Schlumberger Courtyard Music Series in Healdsburg.
Schaef-Abel Productions presents the Audrey Auld with Nina Gerber on the 30th at Studio E in Sebastopol starting at 8 p.m.
Mill Valley’s Matt Lax and his band Nearly Beloved will be playing at The Riptide in SF on the 30th starting at 9 p.m.
Mill Valley artist and musician Kimrea plays with her band Dreamdogs play 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.
Moose open mic. There is an open mic every fourth Thursday of the month at the Petaluma Moose, 300 English Street. Signups are at 6:30 p.m., and the MOM runs from 7-10. The event has been running regularly now for two years.
Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area:
GREAT PERFORMANCES – LIZA WITH A Z 8/16 10 p.m., 8/17 6 p.m.: “On a late spring night in 1972, Liza Minnelli took over New York's Lyceum Theater for what would be the performance of a lifetime. Alone on stage, guided by the masterful showmanship of the legendary Bob Fosse and captured with eight 16mm cameras by Academy Award winning cinematographer Owen Roizman, Minnelli's tour-de-force performance became one of the most celebrated television specials of a generation. Now for the first time in over three decades, viewers have the rare opportunity to experience this unforgettable event with a fully restored and digitally remastered special, quintessential Minnelli as she effortlessly moves from one musical genre to the next.”
RUFUS DOES JUDY 8/16 11 p.m.: “In 2006, singer Rufus Wainwright set out to accomplish an unusual and audacious musical feat - to replicate, live on stage, Judy Garland's 1961 album Judy at Carnegie Hall. Wainright thrilled both his own fans and those of the late icon with stellar performances that sold out houses in Paris and London. This program presents highlights of that material, taped at the Palladium Theatre in London. Wainwright pays a warm and entertaining tribute to the great Garland with his own interpretation of the well-known repertoire from her live concert 45 years ago, featuring guest appearances by Wainwright's sister, fellow singer Martha Wainwright, and his mother, folk singer Kate McGarrigle.”
BROADWAY – THE GOLDEN AGE 8/17 midnight: “An important, ambitious and comprehensive film about America's most celebrated indigenous art form. Award-winning filmmaker Rick McKay filmed over 100 of the greatest stars ever to work on Broadway. He soon learned that great films can be restored, fine literature can be kept in print - but historic Broadway performances of the past are the most endangered. They leave only memories that, while more vivid, are more difficult to preserve. In their own words - and not a moment too soon - this program tells the stories of our theatrical legends, how they came to New York, and how they created this legendary century in American theatre.”
FROM THE TOP AT CARNEGIE HALL – MEETING OUR HEROES 8/17 1 p.m.: “14-year-old Travis Johnson, from Milwaukee, Oregon, chose the wood for his own custom-made guitar, on which he performs 'Boppin' by Bryan Johannson, a piece commissioned for him. 17-year old marimba player Jingchen Sun moved to New York City after her father sold the family's home in China to pay for her marimba. Inspired by a chance meeting with the great marimba player and composer Keiko Abe, Jingchen gives an energetic performance of Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic's 'Ultimatum I.' 12-year-old MacKenzie Melemend, from Paxton, Massachusetts, is a bowling champion and a master magician in addition to being a skilled pianist. His musical skill has allowed him to meet President Bush, Rosie O'Donnell and Marvin Hamlisch, and to perform as part of a Mozart program on the Discovery Channel.”
FROM THE TOP AT CARNEGIE HALL – FROM C TO SHINING SEA 8/17 1:30 p.m.: “This week showcases young performers from all across the country, beginning with 11-year-old cellist Lev Mamuya from Newton, Massachusetts. One of the youngest performers to appear on the television show, Lev is also a proud member of Red Sox Nation and can't get enough of his favorite candy, Skittles. Viewers then meet 18-year-old Eliodoro Vallecillo from Santa Cruz, California, who, with the support of his family and his devoted music teacher, overcame great odds to become a rising young French horn player. Eliodoro performs the third movement, Allegro, from Mozart's Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat, K. 447. The Chicagoland-area Ridere String Quartet, composed of 18-year-olds Samantha Bennett, Ryan Meehan, Emma Steele and Mindy Park, finds that they not only play well together, but have a wonderful time doing so.”
SOUNDSTAGE – KENNY CHESNEY 8/17 11 p.m.: “There's a reason Kenny Chesney received three consecutive ACM Entertainment of the Year awards. Backed by a flawless band and horn section, Chesney presents contemporary country at its finest on this episode of Soundstage. Encouraging the audience to leave their problems at the door, Kenny proceeds to blow the roof off with party anthem opener ‘Beer in Mexico.’ Chesney's musical stylings are diverse during this set, ranging from beachy, tropical homages like ‘Summertime’ to reflective, soft crooners like ‘Better As A Memory’ and ‘Back Where I Come From.’”
A STAR IS BORN (1954) 8/23 10:45 p.m.: “A classic showbiz tale: Declining movie star Norman Maine (James Mason) meets aspiring singer Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland), and their friendship blossoms into romance. But as her career takes off, and she becomes a bigger star than he was, he begins to drink himself to death out of bitterness. Eventually, his bad behavior begins to threaten the career of his long-suffering wife as well. The movie features Garland singing ‘The Man That Got Away,’ among other songs. Directed by George Cukor.”
FROM THE TOP AT CARNEGIE HALL – MUSICAL TRADITIONS 8/24 1 p.m.: “The musical talents of a brother and sister team of violinists are showcased when the Switala Duo from Grapevine, Texas, performs Passacaglia (after Handel). Double bassist Kiyoe Wellington is 15 years old and hails from Kaneohe, Hawaii. In honor of her family of bassists, she plays Francois Rabbath's ‘Reitba’ on her grandfather's bass, accompanied by host Christopher O'Riley. 18-year-old Patricio Molina, the third and final performer on this episode, is a musical star in his native Chile, but moved to New York City to study piano at the Manhattan School of Music. Patricio performs Petern Mennin's ‘Toccata’ to conclude the episode.”
FROM THE TOP AT CARNEGIE HALL – STYLE AND SUBSTANCE 8/24 1:30 p.m.: “Viewers meet a young lady who takes the artistry of performing classical music to a new level by infusing her performances with her sense of personal style. 11-year-old violinist Simone Porter from Seattle, Washington, designs her own concert attire and frequently bases her designs on the repertoire she's performing - she even made a dress especially for playing Mozart and Mendelssohn. 13-year-old cellist and volleyball player Jonah Ellsworth from Cambridge, Massachusetts, accompanied by host Christopher O'Riley, performs Paganini's ‘Variations on One String on a Theme of Rossini,’ using only a single string of his cello. 18-year-old tuba player Ibanda Ruhumbika is passionate about sharing music with kids and is a member of the prestigious Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. He dreams of playing in a major orchestra like the New York Philharmonic one day, and he's joined onstage at Carnegie Hall by members of the Phil's brass section for a performance of ‘That's a Plenty’ by Lew Pollack (arr. Steve Cooper) to conclude this episode.”
JOHNNY CASH – THE MAN, HIS WORLD, HIS MUSIC 8/26 10 p.m., 8/28 3 a.m.: “In this classic 1969 documentary, Johnny Cash is captured at his peak -- the first of many in a looming roller-coaster career. Fresh on the heels of his Folsom Prison album, Cash reveals the dark intensity and raw talent that made him a country music star and cultural icon. Director Robert Elfstrom got closer than any other filmmaker to Cash, who is seen performing with his new bride June Carter Cash, in a rare duet with Bob Dylan, and behind the scenes with friends, family and aspiring young musicians.”
FROM THE TOP AT CARNEGIE HALL – SINGING, STRUMMING, AND SKATING 8/31 1 p.m.: “The stage is packed with teenagers when FTCH welcomes the Young People's Chorus of New York City and their passionate founder and artistic director Francisco J. Nunez. After a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives of some of its young performers, the chorus performs Jim Papoulis' ‘Panta Rhei’ (All Things Are in Flux) and Luis Kalaff's ‘Guayacanal.’ 17-year-old classical guitarist Kimani Griffin from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, doubles as an equally talented speed skater with Olympic potential. She performs the third movement Preludio e toccatina from ‘Aquarelle’ by Sergio Assad.”
FROM THE TOP AT CARNEGIE HALL – STAR QUALITY 8/31 1:30 p.m.: “Renowned violinist Gil Shaham appears, joined by 10-year-old violinist and Red Sox fan Alice Ivy-Pemberton from New York City, for a performance of the third movement Allegro from Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043. Alice, who frequents Lincoln Center's violin shop and spends a great deal of time at Columbia University, where her parents are professors, also performs the first movement Prima Parte from Bartok's Rhapsody No. 1 (Folk Dances) for Violin and Piano accompanied by host Christopher O'Riley. Also featured on this episode is 17-year old pianist Ji-Yong Kim from Midland Park, New Jersey, who performs Robert Schumann's ‘Widmung’ and explains what it's like to be both a normal high school student and a classical pianist with professional management! ***************************************************************************** August 1, 2008
Welcome to the 92nd edition of Carltone's Corner!
Summer is in its final throes already even though it seems like is just got here. There is a veritable cornucopia of musical events to get out and see before it is all said and done, and the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters – instead of dashing out to be first in line to see even more unoriginal sequels on the big screen (last month it was “Incredible Hulk,” “Indiana Jones,” “Get Smart,” and “Sex In the City”; this month it is “Batman,” “The X Files,” “Brideshead Revisited” and “The Mummy”) – has been busy scouring fishwraps, scandal sheets, blogs and web sites so you don’t have to in order to bring you all the music news you need to know…
Of course, the CWH staff doesn’t have to go to the movies for original entertainment with so many so-called “reality” shows on the boob tube like “Pamela” (about Pamela Anderson), “Living Lohan” and “The (George) Foreman Family”…
Music and cinema. If you really want go to the movies, here are some suggestions. If you are an ABBA fan and you want to see James Bond try to sing, “Mama Mia” has been getting kudos from the cognoscenti. Neil Young has made a film titled “CSNY: Déjà Vu.” There is a documentary out about the late writer Hunter Thompson titled “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.” And later this month there will be a film released called “The Rocker,” a “story of a failed drummer who is given a second chance at fame. Twenty years after his rock star fantasies are destroyed, just when the guy has finally given up all hope, he hears that his nephew's high school rock band A.D.D. is looking for a new drummer. They reluctantly make him the newest member of the band, giving him a chance to reclaim the rock God throne he's always thought he deserved, and taking the young band along for the ride of their lives.”
Hey, here’s a novel idea – instead of watching the TV or going to the movies, how about reading a book? However, the staff here has not yet read either of these two selections (who has time when newsletters need to be written?). The first one is titled “A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and the American Experimental Music” by George E. Lewis. The book tracks the history of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, an organization that promoted the development of new jazz styles. The second book, recommended by newsletter reader Leslee Coady, is “The Soloist” by Steve Lopez, is a true story of a Los Angeles Times columnist and a homeless violinist who had studied at Julliard. The movie version of this book will be out in November starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx.
Dance Palace volunteer work party. On the 2nd from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. go help paint, weed, and keep the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station in good shape. You can go for an hour or two, or the whole time. Wear work clothes, and bring gloves and weeding tools if you want to work in the yard. Lunch will be provided for all. Call (415) 663-1075 or send an email to dance@horizoncable.com to let them know that you are coming.
Raising a ruckus in Fairfax. On July 22nd in San Anselmo a fire damaged the home of Guy Meyer, who takes photos, makes band videos and runs the Bandlands site. He's made many videos for many bands and never asked for a thing, and now he needs help. The band Ruckus will be playing a show at Peri’s in Fairfax on the 2nd and they will be donating half of their take to their good friend and incredible music supporter. He was very lucky, and didn't lose many of the things that would have been devastating, but for now he has been burned out of his home of more than a decade. (go here for a related story about the fire.) The Red Cross put him up for a few days, but now he's couch surfing. Show starts at 9:30 p.m. and the cover is only $5.
The Bay Area’s premier alt-country Americana band 77 El Deora has a brand new CD titled Hammer & Tongs, and while it will not be released nationally until August 19th, they are making some available now through their website or you can get one when you see them play at the 4th Street Tavern in San Rafael on the 8th or on the 9th when their friends at the Saint's Car Club have their annual fundraiser in San Rafael at Country Club Bowl starting around noon. This is a benefit for Rotaplast International, a non-profit humanitarian organization providing free reconstructive surgery and treatment of cleft lips and palates for underprivileged children worldwide. Since 1993, Rotaplast Int'l has been flying surgical teams into Latin America (and now Asia) to perform corrective procedures on over 10,000 underprivileged children. Teams are made up of 30 or so volunteers: plastic surgeons, pediatricians, anesthesiologists, operating room nurses, recovery room nurses, orthodontists, dentists, speech pathologists. Rotaplast pays their airfare, supplies and organizes the trips. Typically, they run three or four operating rooms and an average of 100 children are treated during a six-day period.
Strawberry scramble. The Strawberry Music Festival by Yosemite on the 28th-31st (SteelDrivers, Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys, Homespun Rowdy, Sam Bush, Ramblin’ Jack, Old 97s, Patty Griffin, Riders in the Sky) is sold out, but if you are patient and can wait until about a week before the fest begins, tickets will become available. Always have, and will be there again. In the meantime, lurk on the ticket exchange list.
Want to know what singers Emmylou Harris is listening to on her iPod? Check out her favorite artists in this story from the NY Times.
Nation of whiners. Politico Phil Gramm, a former adviser to a current presidential candidate, had to resign his post two weeks back after calling Americans “a nation of whiners” in a speech. Heck, with all of the recent Amy Winehouse headlines we thought he was talking about the bee-hived-hair, ghoulishly-made-up, tattooed Grammy award winning pop singer. How and why do we know so much about her? Because she has one of the best publicists ever, that’s why! In the span of two short weeks her jailbird hubby Blake Fielder-Civil was sentenced to 27 months in prison for assault and obstruction of justice; she was immortalized in wax by Madame Tussaud’s; and she was rushed to the hospital due to a reaction to a medication she supposedly takes for emphysema. Is she the second coming of The Beatles or Bob Dylan, or are we missing something here?
High Sierra. Talented 16 year-old mandolinist Sierra Hull and her band Highway 111 are touring throughout Japan through August 7th. Sierra, along with native Californian Brittany Haas, is also featured in a recent story in the Boston Herald about young bluegrass musicians.
A breath of fresh air. The National Public Radio show Fresh Air With Terry Gross is by far the best arts radio interview show anywhere. It is a nationally broadcast show that can be heard on most NPR stations, and in the SF area you can hear it three times a day (KQED and KALW). Even better, if you miss a show you can always listen to archived interviews on your computer. Here are some recent examples: Rhett Miller of the Old 97’s, late 1940s pop singer Jo Stafford, Zooey Deschanel from the duo Me and Him, soul singer Bobby Womack, jazz vocalist Theo Bleckmann, actor Rainn Wilson of the movie “The Rocker,” blues-rock virtuoso guitarist Lonnie Mack, a review of the aforementioned book “A Power Stronger Than Itself : The AACM and the American Experimental Music,” and a revisiting of Carole King’s Tapestry album.
Calling all songwriters. Tired of singing the same old songs about that little log cabin on the hill with the train running by and the still in the backyard? Maybe it is time you started writing your own songs. Northern California bluegrass singer/songwriter/artist Rick Jamison has a new songwriter’s blog called On Songwriting, and in addition to providing insights, tips and examples, Rick will be featuring other songwriters in future posts, sharing their thoughts, experience and wisdom on songwriting.
Readers digest bluegrass. There is a story in the August edition of Reader’s Digest about banjo player Pete Wernick’s music camp that you can read here.
Drum roll, please! Somehow or another an SUV drove in to Sam Adato’s Drum Shop on 9th Street in SF on July 31st. See the picture here. What is a bit perplexing is that 9th is a one-way street, the shop is not on the corner, and the speed limit is maybe 25 mph…
Fashion statement. Are you looking for the right outfit to wear while telling your favorite banjo jokes? Well, how about a new line of banjo t-shirts that you can check out here.
Fishwrap roundup. The SF Chronicle had stories about Berkeley singer/songwriter Claudia Russell, Oakland African-American country singer Miko Marks, musician and producer Ry Cooder, performer Alejandro Escovedo, and 97 year-old trumpeter Lionel Ferbos of New Orleans. The paper also had a piece by Joel Selvin about three corporate concert promoters doing battle in SF. In the Marin IJ there were stories about the comedy marathon this weekend at the 142 Throckmorton, Sausalito journalist Mike Cerre who worked on “CSNY: Déjà Vu,” former Marin musician Dewey Bunnell, who is in the band America, accordion camp at Dominican College in San Rafael, and the possible home of the Marin Rock and Roll Museum in San Rafael.
Police log. Mouse says no to drugs! The band the Barenaked Ladies had to drop out of a Disney sponsored tour after singer/guitarist Steven Page got popped for cocaine in New York last month. Apparently sex and rock ‘n roll works for the mouse people, but not drugs…Arrested development: Earl Simmons, a.k.a. rapper DMX, was arrested last month in Phoenix for using a false identity in order to get out of paying a $7,000 hospital bill. This is after he was arrested earlier in the month there for failing to appear in court, failure to pay fines and driving without a license. And in May he was arrested for suspicion of drug possession and animal cruelty after searches of his home allegedly turned up weapons, drugs, dog carcasses and abused pit bulls…Kid Waffler: Robert Richie, a.k.a. Kid Rock and one-time short-lived hubby to Pam Anderson, was fined $1,000 and sentenced to a year of probation after pleading no contest to a single charge of simple battery in connection with a fight at a Waffle House in Georgia last fall… Cagle avoids the cage for now: country singer Chris Cagle was found not guilty of domestic violence in connection with a May altercation with his girlfriend because she refused to testify against him. Cagle still faces trial in an assault trial in Tucson, AZ., in connection with an incident outside a local nightclub last December.
Get out your handkerchiefs. You want chips with that? Curtis Jackson, a.k.a. rapper 50 Cent, is suing Taco Bell for using his image in an ad campaign without his permission. Cent accuses the Mexican fast-food chain of "diluting the value of his good name”…Think twice before you go-go: After 17 years and a couple of well publicized arrests pop singer George Michael was back on tour last week in the US. No word yet on whether or not he plans any visits to that public toilet in Beverly Hills… In the previous edition we noted that pop singer Jessica Simpson will be releasing a country album in September titled Do You Know? and we asked if anyone cared. Turns out some folks really didn’t want to hear her sing at the Country Thunder USA Festival in Randall, WI, two weeks back. She was booed by the normally polite cheese heads. Read the story here…More on Mindy: down-on-her-luck country singer Mindy McCready, a regular in this section, is in rehab for substance abuse in a Nashville clinic. It is unclear whether or not she got her “substance” from the same guy that allegedly used to provide goods to her erstwhile boyfriend, future Hall of Shame baseball pitcher Roger Clemens…
On the mend. Legendary country music songwriter Hank Cochran (“Make the World Go Away," "Set 'Em Up Joe," "I Fall to Pieces," "Ocean Front Property," "The Chair") last month underwent surgery in Nashville to remove cancerous tumors from his pancreas and lymph nodes. He is 72. Vicki Simmons, longtime bass player with Dale Ann Bradley & Coon Creek, last month had an aneurism and underwent surgery in a Lexington, KY, hospital.
Life’s railway to heaven. Acoustic guitarist Artie Traum, who played with his brother Happy Traum (founder of Homespun Tapes) in the 1960s as well as with countless other folk musicians back in the day, passed away on July 20th in Woodstock, New York. He was 65. Go to his site for more info. His nephew Adam Traum is a performer that lives in Sonoma County. 1940s/50s pop singer Jo Stafford died in Los Angeles on July 16th. She was 90. Soul singer Earl Lee Nelson, half of the 1950s/60s duo Bob and Earl, died in Los Angeles on July 12th. He was 79.
Coming attractions. Sebastopol Cajun/Zydeco Festival 9/6; Berkeley Old-Time Music Festival 9/11-14; Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 10/3-5. Russ Barenberg & Bryan Sutton at Petaluma Church Concerts 10/17.
Onward to the calendar…
The Sonoma County Fair runs through the 4th. On the 1st you can see Crooked Roads play at 1:15, 2:15 and 3:15 p.m. Saturday is Elvis Day. And the North Bay band The Ruminators will be playing on the 4th from 6-9 p.m. This performance will feature special guest Terry Ann Gillette.
Mill Valley’s Dore Coller – so many gigs, so many bands! See him with Savannah Blu, a Marin bluegrass band featuring Dore on guitar, Gary Kaye on banjo, Steve Kallai on fiddle and Dave Hanks on mandolin, when they play at the Plough and Stars in SF on the 1st, on the 3rd at Jupiter in Berkeley from 5-8 p.m., on the 16th at Shelby Ash's Music Store in SF from 1-3 p.m., and on the 17th at the Sand Dollar in Stinson from 12-3 p.m.; his Bermuda Grass band will be at 142 Throckmorton on the 5th and at Revolutions in El Cerrito on the 15th; on the 7th it will be with Caribbean R&B at 9:30 p.m. at 19 Broadway in Fairfax; he’ll be with Hot Club of Marin on the 7th and 21st at 19 Broadway and on the 14th and 28th at Revolutions; and on the 23rd with Ragged Glory (Neil Young/Gram Parsons tribute band) at the 4th Street Tavern in San Rafael.
The high-octane American band Houston Jones will be at Caffe Trieste in Berkeley on the 1st, Point Richmond Summer Concert Series on the 8th, The GOF Fest on the 9th (see below), KRSH 95.9 FM Backyard Concert Series in Santa Rosa with The Waybacks on the 21st, on KFOG (104.5 FM) San Francisco on the 22nd, and other venues around the bay.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be for pickin’ bluegrass on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz from 2-5 p.m.
Good things are happening at Peri’s in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D of The Billy Boys. See Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 1st, Ruckus on the 2nd, Peri's Blues Jam on the 3rd, Loose Gravel on the 7th, Rancho Deluxe on the 8th, Sexy Sunday on the 10th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 13th (and 27th), Lansdale Station on the 16th, Sacred Profanities on the 20th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 21st, Stella Royale on the 26th, Diamond Ortiz on the 28th, Honeydust on the 29th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 31st, and others.
The Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa has Celtic and bluegrass jams on most Wednesdays. Some shows of note there are Greenhouse on the 1st, Sonoma Mountain Band on the 9th, The Farallons on the 16th, and The Tonewoods on the 30th.
Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito has live music in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. On the 1st see Mad & Eddie Duran, Michael Biber on the 2nd, Paul Robinson on the 8th, Jay Stapleton Trio on the 9th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 15th, Lisa Kindred on the 16th, Triton Trio on the 22nd, Paging Harlow on the 23rd, Eugene Huggins on the 29th, and Debra Clawson & Sean Pagelow on the 30th.
Hot burning biscuits. The Biscuit Burners are on tour out west this week, and you have many chances to see them play. On the 1st it will be the Songs of Sonoma series at The Cotati Room in Cotati; on the 2nd they will be at the Mountain Sage in Groveland; and on the 3rd the Inyo Council for the Arts will be hosting them in Bishop.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday he will be hosting a weekend laugh fest on the 1st-3rd, with 80 comedians appearing in a fundraising effort to help fellow comic Max Alexander, who is in need of a new kidney. Also at the theatre you can see The Greencards on the 7th, Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa on the 8th, Rhythm Village on the 9th, Julie Goldman's Comedy Show on the 16th, Dan Hicks & Bayside Jazz on the 17th, The House Jacks on the 29th, and more.
Some acoustic shows of note at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley are Claudia Russell and the Folk Unlimited Orchestra on the 1st, Marley’s Ghost on the 8th, High Country on the 9th, and a Freight show hosted at the Roda Theatre titled The Freight Fiddle Summit on the 21st with Natalie Haas, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, and Bruce Molsky.
Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma is the place to go for good music in Sonoma County, and there is never a cover charge for music. See the Sonoma Mountain Band on the 1st, Andrew Freeman on the 2nd, the Celtic jam on the 3rd, Kurt Huget on the 7th, The Carrtunes on the 8th, Megan McLaughlin on the 14th, Adam Traum on the 15th, High Country on the 23rd, Blue & Lonesome on the 29th, Spiral Mystics on the 30th, and other good stuff.
Out at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station you can see the theatre presentation of “The Very Great Grandson of Sherlock Holmes” from the 1st-10th on the weekends, The Music of Fanny Mendelssohn on the 16th and Wesla Whitfield & Mike Greensill on the 23rd.
Santa Rosa guitarist/singer Rory McNamara will be at the San Gregorio Store on the afternoon of the 2nd with the Mild Colonial Boys (John Caulfield and Kyle Thayer) along with a possible appearance by the Yodeling Monk. Usual rules and disclaimers apply. Kick-off at 2:30 p.m.
At the Ace in the Hole Cider Pub in Sebastopol some of the acts you can see are Bottle Shock on the 2nd, Bad Mitten Orchestra on the 10th, John Craigie on the 12th, The Moon Beams on the 17th, The Jug Dealers on the 20th, The Courtney Janes on the 21st, West County Outlaws on the 24th, and the Lonesome Holler String Band on the 31st.
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