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CARLTONE'S CORNER May 1, 2008
Welcome to the 89th edition of Carltone's Corner!
Idle Americans. Let’s face it, this is what most of us are. After working all day we sit on the couch at night in front of the idiot box watching shows like “American Idol” and “Access Hollywood,” both of which are all about other people who are out there having a good time. Instead of living vicariously through others (complete with endless commercials every ten minutes), it is way beyond time to get out of the house and experience some entertainment live and in person. True, you won’t get to vote on what you see, nor will you find out the latest wacky thing that Paula Abdul or Tom Cruise has to say. But you will feel better about yourself while also supporting artists at the same time. It’s a win/win situation no matter how you look at it. And fortunately, the interns here at Carltone World Headquarters (none of which, as far as we know, ever had an affair with Barbara Walters) (at least, not one that they are admitting to at this time) (Mindy McCready or Lindsay Lohan maybe, but not Walters) for years have been chained to their computer terminals in the basement of the compound so that they can search out and report the latest music news in and around the North Bay!
Mission (almost) accomplished. You may have noticed that the email address from which this newsletter was sent has been changed. For months now we’ve been threatening to kill off larryc@carltone.com, as we receive hundreds of pieces of garbage mail every day – for products such as Cialis, Viagra, and Rolex watches, for anatomical enhancement and free credit, and countless emails in Russian and other unreadable script – and frankly, we can’t take it any more. So from here on out the new address will be this carlin@carltone.com one, and larryc is on life support for the next couple of weeks until the plug is pulled for good. Long live larryc!
For those of you hoping to go to the Strawberry Music Festival by Yosemite over Memorial Day Weekend, start hanging out on the ticket exchange list, as the fest, as always, sold out weeks ago. Ricky Skaggs, Peter Rowan, Tim O’Brien, Emmylou Harris, Cadillac Sky and many others will be there.
Ailing musicians benefits. On the 1st at The Red Devil Lounge in SF there was a benefit for drummer Andrew Griffin. In September of 2006 Andrew was diagnosed with stage four metastatic colon cancer at the age of 36. He has since had two major surgeries as well as several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Griffin is the founder of the East Bay Drummers Studio, a rigorous teaching studio that has trained hundreds of rock and jazz drummers of all ages since 1998. He has performed, recorded, and toured as an in-demand session drummer with many influential bands and artists, including a summer 2007 tour of Europe with CAKE. Performing at the benefit were Paul Manousos, Jesse DeNatale, Paul Olguin, Duff Ferguson, Victor Krummenacher, Jeff Rolka, and The Viv All-Stars, with proceeds going to help offset Griffin's ongoing medical expenses. Go to his web site for more details. At the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on the 6th at 8 p.m. there will be a benefit for ailing folksinger extraordinaire Utah Phillips, with performers Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin, Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum, Eric & Suzy Thompson, Larry Hanks, Faith Petric, and Ray Bierl. Join them for an evening dedicated to honoring the artistry of Utah, the national treasure of wit and wisdom who is currently recovering from congestive heart failure. Proceeds from the show will go to help defray Utah's medical expenses.
Golden suds. Congratulations to the Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax, who received a Gold Medal at the 2008 Brewers Association World Beer Cup in San Diego, a global competition that evaluates beers from around the world and recognizes the most outstanding beers being produced in the world today. Iron Springs received the medal in the Oatmeal Stout category for their Sless’ Stimulating Stout, named after pedal steel player Barry Sless. The World Beer Cup 2008 winners were selected by an international panel of 129 beer judges from 22 countries. An impressive field of 2,930 entries from 646 breweries in 58 countries made up the competition. The pub has been having free (and mostly acoustic) music on Wednesday nights for the past few years.
The Dead live on. The archives of the Grateful Dead – more than 30 years of memorabilia including the band's first recording contract, life-size skeletons of band members and artwork hand-made by its fans – are headed to UC Santa Cruz, where they will be displayed at McHenry Library. Read the story here.
Once is not enough. Irish singer/songwriter Glen Bransard, who won an Oscar last month for his song “Falling Slowly” from the wonderful film Once (hear the song there) in which he starred, also in real life has won the affections of his co-star/writer/singer Marketa Irglova. Striking while the iron is hot, they are on tour now performing together as The Swell Season. They played a show in Oakland last weekend, and there was a story about them in the SF Chronicle. And, there was a real nice interview with them on the 1st on NPR’s Fresh Air With Teri Gross show that you can listen to here. If you have not seen this film, rent it now.
News update. In the previous issue there was a segment about former longtime West Marin singer/songwriter Joe New, whose song “She Can’t Burn Me Now” was recorded a couple of years back the Del McCoury Band. Joe has another song, “40 Acres and a Fool,” which was co-written by Del and friend Ron Rogers, and it will be on the McCoury Band’s new album titled Moneyland that will hit the stores in June. What was not mentioned last time is that the title song “Moneyland” was written by the late John Herald.
Bluegrass theatre. How often do you get a chance to see/hear live bluegrass and country music played in a theatre setting? Well, now you can. The Contra Costa Civic Theatre in El Cerrito is currently staging a production of the play called Foxfire, and the house band features Bay Area pickers Chuck Ervin on bass, Polly Frizzell and Tony Phillips on fiddle and George Martin on banjo. You can read a review of the show in the Berkeley Daily Planet. The production runs through May 11th, so buy tickets now!
Fishwrap roundup. There was more Marin Music Hall of Fame stuff from Paul Liberatore in the Marin IJ. He also wrote a story about Doobie Brother daughter and singer Lara Johnston.
Get out your handkerchiefs. Former baseball pitcher (and alleged steroid user) Roger Clemens has more than his possible perjury trial to worry about now that he is retired from the game. Earlier this week there were allegations of an affair with failed-and-recently-freed-from-jail country singer Mindy McCready (a Carltone “Police Log” regular). The latter does not deny any of the allegations. Of course, she is looking for anything to now to boost her stalled career. Hey, maybe Roger can recommend something?
Police log. Fox on the run: rap singer Foxy Brown is out of prison after serving eight months of a one-year sentence stemming from an assault of two nail salon stylists over a $20 manicure...Bad country song: The father of TV comic and former Saturday Night Live alumnus Cheri Oteri was murdered in Nashville last week allegedly by a country songwriter named Richard Fagan, who also happened to be the roommate of the deceased…Something to look forward to: After being convicted a second time for child molestation in Viet Nam in 2005, Paul Francis Gadd, a.k.a. musician Gary Glitter, will be getting out of jail this August. Most people have no idea who he his, but his song “Rock and Roll Part Two,” contrary to announced bans by some sports venues, continues to be played at many athletic events every time a goal, touchdown or major score happens. Think you don’t know the song? No way you’d ever partake in singing along? Well, think again. You can listen to a snippet of the song by scrolling down here. While you are at, check out the ominous title of the second song, which is “Do You Want to Touch Me? (Oh Yeah!).” Yikes…
Life’s railway to heaven. Bluegrass musician and enthusiastic CBA member Allen Light succumbed to colon cancer on April 17th in Chico. He was in his early 60s. There are postings on the Message Board that you can read here. On the same day, legendary saw player Charlie Blacklock passed after an illness. He was in his 90s, and many in the Bay Area music community knew or at some time played with Charlie. His grandson Kenny Blacklock is a music teacher in Marin County, and he also plays fiddle in the bands Keystone Station, Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue, and Bluegrass Contraption. Keyboard player Danny Federici, who played for decades with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, died on April 17th from melanoma. He was 58. Chris Gaffney, lead singer of the Hacienda Brothers and longtime member of Dave Alvin’s band, died on April 17th in Newport Beach, CA, from liver cancer. He was 57. Jose Simon, a comedian and former musician who established the annual Comedy Day Celebration in SF’s Golden Gate Park, died of lung cancer in late April in SF. He was 63. Avant-garde composer Henry Brant died on April 30th in Santa Barbara. He was 94. Jim Hager, one of the country singing Hager Twins from the Hee Haw show a few decades back, died of an apparent heart attack on the 1st in Nashville. He was 66.
Coming attractions. Houston Jones at Rancho Nicasio on 6/8; CBA’s Father’s Day Festival 6/12-15; Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue at Sweetwater Station in late June; SF Outside Lands Festival in SF 8/22-24; Strawberry Music Festival 8/28-31;
Onward to the calendar…
Petaluma singer/songwriter Larry Potts is in Tucson for the Tucson Folk Festival competition on the 1st-4th, as he is one of the top ten finalists from around the country. His songs "The Ballad of Poker Alice" and "Home to Oregon" got him in. He has also had his songs “I'm American Too", “Since Then" and "Snake Oil" played on Thom Hartmann's Air America radio show in April.
Marin bluegrass jam. On the 1st and the 15th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station, besides the open mic every Tuesday with the New Rising Sons and the Bluegrass Gold show (see below), are Firewheel on the 1st, Ben Taylor & David Saw on the 9th, Vinyl on the 10th, Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps on the 15th, Larkin Gayl, Lansdale Station and Moonlight Rodeo on the 17th, James Moseley Band R & B Dance Party on the 18th, and Heather Combs Songwriters In The Round on the 29th.
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 Dr. Mojo on the 1st, Kehoe Nation on the 3rd, Peri's Blues Jam on the 4th, Friends of the River on the 6th, Danny Montana and Bar Association on the 9th, Jinx Jones on the 10th, Sexy Sunday on the 11th, Magrane Hill on the 13th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 14th (and 28th), Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 15th, Diamond Ortiz on the 21st, Pocket Party on the 22nd, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 25th, Kevin McCarthy on the 27th, Sacred Profanities on the 29th, Swamp Thang on the 30th, and Rusty Evans and Ring of Fire on the 31st.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday you can see and other fine shows. See Oregon on the 1st and 2nd, Butch Wax & The Glass Packs on the 3rd, The House Jacks on the 9th, Wavy Gravy Birthday on the 15th, Nicolas, Glover and Wray on the 16th, The Acoustic Vortex/Bread & Roses Benefit on the 23rd, DjangoFest on the 29th-June 1st, and lots more.
O brother! The legendary Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys will be playing on the 2nd and 3rd at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley.
Go the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa where there are Celtic jams on the second and third Wednesdays and a bluegrass/old-timey jam on the fourth Wednesdays. See Greenhouse on the 2nd, The Carrtunes on the 3rd, The Rhythm Rangers on the 10th, Amber Lee & The Anomolies on the 15th, The Farallons on the 16th, The Mitguards on the 24th, The Tonewoods on the 31st, and others.
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 Rick Ruskin on the 2nd at 8:30 p.m., and Del Rey on the 15th at 8 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
Songwriters and Film. The Bard of Marin, John Haley-Walker, will be performing on the 2nd at 7:30 p.m. along with Caren Armstrong and Michael McNevin at the The Sandlot Concert & Picture Show in Fremont. See a comedy film short and three songwriters, all for the price of one!
San Rafael singer/guitarist/songwriter Kurt Huget is out and about as usual this month. Most Tuesdays he's in the house band, The New Rising Sons, at Sweetwater Station for open mic night. The Kurt Huget Trio (with Lisa Kindred and Jesse Lee Kincaid) will be appearing on the 2nd at the "Marin Makes Music" fundraiser for the new music wing of the Marin History Museum. This event takes place at the Mill Valley Community Center. The 3rd finds Kurt performing solo in the morning at Aqus Cafe in Petaluma. That evening, The New Rising Sons will be holding court at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito. Lastly, at Sweetwater Station on the 17th, his country band Moonlight Rodeo will be headlining a triple talent lineup, along with friends Lansdale Station and Larkin Gayl.
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 2nd, Andrew Freeman on the 3rd, the Celtic jam on the 4th, Mike Lounibos on the 8th, Carolina Special on the 10th, The David Thom Band on the 23rd, The Moonshiners on the 30th, The Carrtunes on the 26th, and lots more good stuff.
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. On the 2nd see Tom Duarte & Diamante, Jazz Philosophy on the 3rd, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 9th, Macy Blackman on the 10th, Mindy Canter on the 16th, Wendy DeWitt on the 17th, Andoni with Neck & Neck on the 23rd, on the 24th the Songwriters Showcase with Savio Rego, Matt Lax and Lauralee Brown, Eugene Huggins on the 30th, and Lady D. & Alex Makels on the 31st.
Murphy Productions is presenting multiple shows this month at different venues. See Terry Haggerty on the 3rd at the Masonic in Mill Valley, Roy Zimmerman, Charlie King, and The Prince Myshkins on the 8th at Falkirk in San Rafael, Pamela Joy at the Club Restaurant in San Rafael on the 9th, Tamra Engle at Falkirk on the 10th, The Best Intentions at the Masonic on the 16th, Zadell - Zoe & Dave Ellis Band on the Sausalito Empress cruise on the 18th, Wendy De Witt's Blues Orgy on the 30th at the Belrose in San Rafael, and Fito Reinoso on the 31st at the Masonic.
The Ace in the Hole Pub outside of Sebastopol is the place to see Heavy Petty on the 3rd, Julia Francis & Friends on the 8th, The Pyrotones on the 9th, The Thugz on the 11th, Walter Strauss Band on the 15th, Jesse Brewster Band on the 17th, Like Mother Like Sun on the 21st, West County Jazz on the 25th, Gentry Bronson Band on the 29th, Blind Willies on the 30th, and more.
Sisters in the stairwell. And no, we aren’t talking about the Austrian kids that were kept in a basement for many years by their cretin father. We’re talking about the Bay Area’s popular old-time band The Stairwell Sisters. They are all over the place this month, as they have a new CD coming out. See them on the 3rd at Down Home Music on Fourth Street in Berkeley from noon-1p.m.; hear them also on the 3rd on the Bluegrass Signal with Peter Thompson on KALW (91.7 FM) from 6:30-8 p.m.; on the 11th hear them on the show America’s Back Forty with Mary Tilson on KPFA (94.1 FM) 1-3 p.m.; and on the 16th the CD release show will be at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley at 8 p.m.
Finnegan’s in Novato has an open mic every Monday hosted by KC Turner. On the 3rd see Petty Theft, Damir Stosic on the 7th (and 21st), Crooked Roads on the 10th, Drew Gasparini on the 14th, Snappy Dave and Dan on the 17th, Revolver on the 24th, Welcome Matt on the 28th, and Ignitor on the 31st.
Santa Rosa House Concerts proudly presents acclaimed Nashville singer-songwriter Jim Photoglo for an evening of music and dining on the 3rd. Widely recorded by others including Kenny Rogers, Faith Hill and Alabama, Jim’s music combines a broad musical background with an equally broad range of emotions, and the result is a unique artistry that transcends stylistic boundaries and appeals to a universal audience. Doors open 5:30 p.m., potluck dinner 6, show starts 7. Admission is $20.00. Reservations required. Call (707) 538-1215 for details, or e-mail HouseConcerts@monitor.net.
Festival in Windsor. On the 3rd from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. there will be the new (and free!) Foggy Mountain Bluegrass Festival in the town of Windsor, just north of Santa Rosa, with Blue & Lonesome, Kids on Bluegrass, The Mighty Chiplings, The OMG Band, A.J. Lee, and lots more.
The Alpha 2008 Acoustic Concert Series on the houseboat in Sausalito will present Deborah Winters (with special guest percussionist Owen Davis) on the 3rd at 8 p.m. Reservations strongly encouraged, call (415) 289-0490. Deborah, from Marin, is a vibrant performer who combines the elegance and sophistication of her extensive jazz background with total command of a wide variety of popular music styles. With an emotionally captivating vocal quality and exquisite songwriting skills, her music is both spellbinding and uplifting.
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. They will also be playing the People Paddle Benefit for Aids 4th from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Pier 40 in San Francisco.
The Marin Country band The Shots will be playing Irish, bluegrass, old-time and originals at The Albany Spring Art & Music Festival Memorial Park on the 4th from 12:30-2 p.m. Go by and welcome their newest member, drummer Rob Ahlers, to the line-up. There’ll be food, music and flowers too.
Novato’s Doug Adamz & Trio Bravo will be playing at the Station House on the 4th and 29th; Doug will be part of the Acoustic Vortex show at the Throckmorton Theatre on the 23rd; and his full band Bravo will be at Rancho Nicasio on the 30th.
Steve Smith will be performing some original and tradition acoustic music shows around the bay on mandolin, mandola, guitar and vocals that blend his eastern Appalachian roots and his adopted southwest home New Mexico. He will be sharing the stage with longtime musical friend and banjoist extraordinaire Bill Evans at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley on the 7th, and then Steve will perform at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts on the 9th, (contact Kevin at 707-824-1858 or krussellmft@aol.com for info), conduct a mandolin workshop at Gryphon Music in Palo Alto on the 10th, and perform a house concert in the Santa Cruz area Sunday on the afternoon the 11th.
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 Lorin Rowan & The Rubber Souldiers on the 7th, Brown Bag Banquet on the 14th, the Papermill Creek Rounders on the 21st, and The David Thom Band on the 28th.
Jeanie & Chuck Poling’s bluegrass and country jam at The Plough and Stars in SF will take place on the 7th. It runs from 8:30-11 p.m., but it is a bar, so you must be 21 to attend. Stop on by to pick a tune, and join the hosts for a Guinness.
On Thursday the 8th at 8 p.m. the next edition of the bluegrass series Bluegrass Gold will take place at Sweetwater Station in downtown Larkspur. Bluegrass Gold is produced by Carltone Music. Old-time meets bluegrass when The Roadoilers and The Barefoot Nellies share the stage. The Roadoilers are an old-time string band from Marin County who play square dance and contra dance music, traditional country singing, ragtime, and Irish traditional tunes. Fiddles, banjos, guitars, bass and bagpipes are the instruments. John Pedersen, Perry Fly, Chuck Wiley and Mike Drayton have played together in various combinations for over 25 years. Taken together, the band has over 160 years of experience playing old-time and bluegrass music. John is a luthier and he owns Amazing Grace Music in San Anselmo. The Bay Area's finest all-gal bluegrass band, The Barefoot Nellies, blend driving, high lonesome vocals, soaring sister duo and trio harmonies, and tasteful picking inspired by traditional bluegrass musicians like Flatt & Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe, and the Stanley Brothers. Although firmly rooted in the traditional sounds, the Nellies subtly bring together their diverse musical influences, from Balkan singing to Texas fiddling and hot swing to honky-tonk, bringing a drive and energy to their playing that takes them far beyond the "girl group" label. On this show they will be celebrating the release of their new CD titled Let Me Down Easy. The members are Jess Beebe on bass, Nicole Solis on mandolin, Erika Walther on guitar, Prentiss Sellers on banjo, and Betsy Maudlin on fiddle. Sweetwater Station is Marin County's premier nightclub as well as the home for bluegrass music in the North Bay. For more information call the club at (415) 924-6107.
The 10th Annual Parkfield Bluegrass Festival will be taking place down south on the 8th-11th. Some bands on the bill are The James King Band, Bean Creek, Junior Sisk & Rambler’s Choice, Eric Uglam & Sons, The Brombies, Wild River Ramblers, and a whole lot more.
Mill Valley’s Dore Coller wins the Busiest Player of the Month Award. On the 8th it will be the Tiki Room at 19 Broadway in Fairfax with Pat Nevins & Ragged Glory from 6-8 p.m.; the 9th McGrath's in Alameda with Savanna Blu; on the 10th The Backyard Concert at Pat Campbell’s in Novato backing up Willow Van den Hoek; on the 11th at 19 Broadway with Hot Club of Marin from 5-8 p.m.; on the 15th at the Tiki Room with the Charlie Christian Clinic from 6-8 p.m.; on the 16th at The Jupiter in Berkeley with Savanna Blu; on the 22nd at the Tiki Room with HCM 6-8 p.m.; on the 29th at the Tiki Room with BermudaGrass; and on June 1st at DjangoFest with Bo Jango, featuring David La Flamme and Dan Hicks at 7 p.m.
The San Geronimo Valley Community Center celebrates the 17th Annual Spring Art Show featuring nearly 100 San Geronimo Valley artists. A wide variety of mediums will be represented including watercolor, mixed media, photography, oil, pastels, woodblock prints, acrylics, metal, clay, metalwork and more. Art lovers are welcomed to attend the free opening reception at the Community Center on the 9th from 6:30-9pm to enjoy food and drink whilst meeting the artists.
Schaef-Abel Productions presents Adam Carroll and Michael O'Connor at Studio E, near Sebastopol on the 9th starting at 8 p.m.
Lauralee Brown is a busy singer. On Tuesdays you can find her at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. At Saylor's Restaurant on the 9th her LLB & Company band will be playing jazz & beyond, and on the 25th at the Caledonia Street Fair see them kicking off the festivities on the main stage from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Caledonia and Bee Streets.
The Marin duo Keystone Crossing will be playing a free show on the 10th at 3 p.m. at the South San Francisco Library, 840 West Orange Avenue. Their angelic harmonies hearken back to the early days of country and bluegrass music, as they sing songs of the famous brother duos of that era – The Delmore, Louvin, and Everly Brothers – as well as songs from contemporary duos such as Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, and Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum. Sittin’ in with them on this show will be mandolin player Dave Earl.
Sebastopol guitarist Kevin Russell has three gigs with three different bands this month. On the 10th The Rhythm Rangers will play Western swing, alt-country and rockin' blues at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa at 8:30 p.m., with no cover; in the 17th Jayne Russell (a.k.a. Doug Jayne, Kevin Russell, Dean Wilson, & Dan Ransford) play great originals and cover tunes at the Toad in the Hole in Santa Rosa at 9 p.m.; and on the 22nd Kevin will be with Mark McLay & the Dustdevils when they open for Poco at The Mystic in Petaluma.
Novato bass player Pat Campbell occasionally has concerts in his back yard. On the 10th he will have his first show of the summer season with a very special guest, and there will be a limited amount of tickets available. For information send him an email at friendlylaneinfo@comcast.net.
Calistoga performers Michael and Lindalou will be playing at the Calistoga Farmer’s Market on the 10th from 9 a.m. to noon; they will play opening day of the Windsor Farmer's Market on 11th from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; and on the 17th starting at 5 p.m. for “A Trail Lovers Event,” a benefit for Volunteers for Outdoor America. This is a weekend campout event to clean up one of their favorite places in Calistoga, The Oat Hill Mine Trail, at the intersection of Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. They’ll be playing during dinner and off and on throughout the evening.
Mother’s Day with Kathy Kallick. On Sunday the 11th East Bay bluegrass singer Kathy Kallick & Friends will be playing their 19th Annual Mother’s Day Celebration at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley starting at 1 p.m. The performance spotlights Kathy's wonderful original songs for children and families, including "Use a Napkin (Not Your Mom)," the title track from an album that USA Today praised for its "lively, humorous, thoughtful, historical, merry music." Accompanying Kathy will be two members of Rustler's Moon, the red-hot bluegrass band she co-leads with banjo ace Bill Evans: Bill and Tom Bekeny (mandolin, vocals). They will be joined by Bay Area stalwarts Suzy Thompson (fiddle, vocals) and Steve Pottier (bass).
Rocker Oysterfeller’s in the West Marin town of Valley Ford will present the band Hillside Fire on the 11th.
Mill Valley’s Matt Lax is at Wildplum studios all this month working on a new album with The Palm Wine Boys. On the 11th he’ll play with Three Mile Grade at the Sand Dollar in Stinson Beach; on the 24th he plays solo in the Cabo Room at Saylor's in Sausalito; on the 22nd Matt & Erik play at Soluna Restaraunt in SF for happy hour from 4:30-6:30 p.m.; and on the 31st Matt and his band Nearly Beloved are back at the Riptide in SF at 9 p.m.
Sonoma County’s rootsy bluegrass band Poor Man’s Whiskey will be at the Starry Plough in Berkeley on the 15th, Don Quixote’s in Felton on the 16th, the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa on the 21st, and at the Sebastopol Community Center on the 31st.
North Bay guitarist Walter Strauss and his trio will be playing on the 15th from 6-9 p.m. at the Ace in the Hole Pub in Graton, and on the 17th at 7:30 p.m. Walter and special guest Mamadou Sidibe (kamal'ngoni player from Mali) will be playing a house concert in Half Moon Bay. Email Erin Tormey at beachmeeting@earthlink.net for info and reservations.
At the Mystic in Petaluma you can see the Marshall Tucker Band on the 16th, Poco on the 22nd, and Peter Rowan & The Free Mexican Air Force and The South Austin Jug Band on the 23rd.
We’re off to see the wizard! The Mountain Play on Mt. Tam this season will be a production of The Wizard of Oz, and it will run on Sundays (and one Saturday) from May 18th-June 15th. There is also music played after the show, and if you go you will see The Rowan Brothers on the 18th, June 1st and June 8th.
Renowned picker and teacher Orrin Star returns to northern California in mid-May for a workshop and concert tour. Once described as “Arlo Guthrie-meets-Doc Watson,” Star was the 1976 National Flatpicking Champion, has appeared on A Prairie Home Companion, and is the author of "Hot Licks for Bluegrass Guitar," a popular flatpicking guide. On the 20th he will be holding a flatpicking workshop from 7:30-9:45 p.m. at Steve Swan Guitars in Burlingame; on the 21st it will be a bluegrass rhythm guitar workshop at The 5th String in Berkeley from 7:30-9:45 p.m., with a mandolin workshop there on the 22nd from 6:30-8 p.m. followed by a concert at 8:30; on the 24th a bluegrass rhythm guitar workshop from noon-2:15 p.m. at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, and on the 24th a house concert in Corte Madera at 8 p.m. (email gassman55@yahoo.com for info).
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place for bluegrass pickin' on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, 6761 Sebastopol Ave, from 2-5 p.m.
Kleptograss. Eric Thompson leads an all-star band called Kleptograss that will be playing eclectic music at the Petaluma Church Concerts Series in Petaluma on the 17th. In the band are Jody Stecher, Paul Shelasky, Paul Knight and usually Scott Nygaard, but for this show special guest David Nelson will be on guitar. The band’s expanding repertoire borrows freely from American mountain music, Puerto Rican jibaro, Western Swing, Greek rembetika, Irish reels, Southern blues, the music of Django Reinhardt, and other places. Tickets are available at Tall Toad Music in Petaluma and at The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa. For more info contact Lance Walker at eclecticstage@yahoo.com.
On the 17th at the First Street Cafe Upstairs in Benicia Jim Nunally& Judy Forrest will be joined by Tomas Enguidanos on dobro, vocals, quatro, and maybe more, from 8-11:15 p.m. No cover.
At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see Foreigner on the 23rd, and Crosby, Stills & Nash on the 31st.
There will be pickin’ of gospel, bluegrass and old-time music as usual up in Sebastopol on the fourth Sunday of this month, and the date is the 25th. It takes place from 2-5 p.m. at the Sebastopol Christian Church, 7433 Bodega Avenue, in Sebastopol. Bring acoustic instruments and your favorite gospel songs to sing.
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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. 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:
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT II 5/03 10 p.m.: “Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire host this inevitable sequel of MGM classic movie musical magic. This time, comedy and drama are introduced along with musical numbers – Tracy & Hepburn, Marx Brothers, etc. Most imaginative segment of all is the wonderful title sequence by Saul Bass.”
SPARK – YOSHI'S, HIJOS DEL SOL, DIAMANO COURA 5/14 7:30 p.m., 5/16 11:30 p.m., 5/18 6:30 a.m., 5/19 3 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.”
MARVIN GAYE – WHAT'S GOING ON 5/07 10 p.m., 5/11 1:30 a.m.: “One of the great, enduring figures of American music, Marvin Gaye combined gospel, rhythm and blues, soul and jazz to create his own intimate style – one that reflected his ‘path of the heart’ and, essentially, gave the world his autobiography in lyrics and melody. He was a huge, glamorous and sometime flamboyant performer, he was a Motown star who challenged and changed the face of popular music with records such as his ‘What's Going On’ in 1971 – full of honesty, vulnerability and, above all, integrity. Yet, his life was also tainted by the bizarre – full of torment, bitter-sweet success, constant battling with demons and, ultimately, death at the hand of his own father.”
HELLO, DOLLY! (1969) 5/10 8 p.m.: “This colorful treatment of the smash Broadway play stars Barbra Streisand as matchmaker Dolly Levi. She travels to New York and matches up everyone in sight, including refocusing the woman millionaire Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau) has been courting, since Dolly has plans of her own for him. Directed by Gene Kelly, with music and Oscar-winning score by Jerry Herman, Lennie Hayton and Lionel Newman. Based on Thornton Wilder's ‘The Matchmaker.’ The film also won Oscars for Best Sound and Best Art Direction, and was nominated in four other categories, including Best Picture.”
PAUL SIMON 5/11 12:32 a.m.: “A rare insight into one of popular music's most prolific and diverse songwriters. This special interview includes a wealth of archive footage and live, spur-of-the-moment renditions by Paul Simon.”
CAMELOT 5/11 noon: “The New York Philharmonic performs a semi-staged version of the Lerner & Loewe classic ‘Camelot.’ It's one of the most endearing musicals of all time telling the unforgettable tale of the legendary King Arthur, whose idealized kingdom meets a tragic end, as well as the wake of the disastrous affair between Sir Lancelot, the King's most trusted knight, and Guinevere, his beautiful Queen."
********************************************************************************************** April 15, 2008 Here we are halfway through the month of April, and earlier this week auditors at Carltone World Headquarters besieged the staff here after the Carltone stock took it in the shorts in the latest stock market roller coaster ride. Fortunately we got all of our taxes done by midnight on the 15th and now we can concentrate on the more important things….
Good news from Joe. Former longtime West Marin singer/songwriter Joe New relocated to the Portland, OR, two years ago, but this hasn’t kept him from working the Nashville scene. A couple of years back the Del McCoury Band recorded his song titled “She Can’t Burn Me Now.” Now comes the news that Joe’s song “40 Acres and a Fool,” which was co-written by Del and friend Ron Rogers, will be on the McCoury Band’s new album titled Moneyland that will hit the stores in June. Joe is in good company here. Other contributors to the recording are Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Marty Stuart, Mac Wiseman, Patty Loveless, Dan Tyminski, Bruce Hornsby, Tim O'Brien, and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. Its theme is the state of the rural economy with a view to the current downtown in the economy, which is causing problems with the lives of ordinary people to an extent not seen since the 1930s. Joe’s song looks at the phenomenon of rich city folks buying into the "country" lifestyle.
Mill Valley singer/songwriter Jamie Clark is recording now in Toronto for three weeks with a renowned producer/songwriter. More details coming soon!
Setting the stage. There is a new workshop called Take the Stage that is a nine-week program designed to give musicians a chance to participate in a band developing a sound of its own, culminating in a live performance at the Freight and Salvage. In two-hour workshops each week, band participants will develop a set of songs for their concert, working singing, harmonizing, soloing, playing backup, band dynamics and more. Professional musicians, led by bluegrass greats such as Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum, who have been teaching bluegrass at workshops, festivals, and camps for many years, will mentor bands each week. While workshops have been centered on bluegrass in the past, other genres (country, western swing, old-time) are welcome, provided there are a sufficient number of participants to form a band. The spring session will start the week of April 21st with the concert at the Freight scheduled around in late June. Tuition is $350 per person. For more details, or to register, contact Ran Bush at (510) 525-8156.
Calling all banjers! The only room left at CBA Music Camp in June is for beginning banjo players, both old-time and bluegrass. All other classes are currently full. Some waiting lists are longer than others, and there will be cancellations, so a few opportunities may open up between now and June, but interested campers are advised to check about availability before sending in registrations.
The keyboard player just turned a whiter shade of pale. Gary Brooker, the writer and singer of the song “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by the band Procol Harum in the 60s, won an appeals court judgment over royalty rights to the song. He had previously lost the first round of the case to keyboard player Matthew Fisher, who had claimed that he was owed royalties since he played the signature organ part on the recording.
Fishwrap Roundup. Paul Liberatore in the Marin IJ wrote a story about Arne Frager, who for 20 years operated the legendary Plant Studios in Sausalito, who has been let go by the new owners. Paul recently wrote a story about the West Marin African drumming band Rhythm Village, one of whose members is Gabe Harris, none other than the son of Joan Baez and her ex-husband David Harris. And Paul also wrote again about the fledgling Marin Rock & Roll Hall of Fame idea, which you can read here.
Police log. Life in shambles: Pete Doherty, the oft-arrested lead singer of the band Babyshambles, has finally landed in jail in London for 3.5 months for violations of his probation. Look for his incarceration to do wonders for the sale of his next album, and he’ll probably win Grammys next year… Tough poison to swallow: Richard Ream, a.k.a. drummer “Rikki Rockett” from the metal band Poison, was arrested in LA in late March on a rape charge that was filed in Mississippi last fall.
Get out your handkerchiefs. Rapper Remy Ma, who recently was featured in the police log segment of this newsletter for shooting a friend of hers in a dispute over money, is not letting her new home in Rikers Island get in the way of her wedding plans. She will soon be marrying her fiancé there, rapper Papoose. She may want to seal the deal ASAP. While being held without bail, she faces up to 25 years for her conviction. If given a long sentence the odds are that old Papoose will vamoose before too long…
Life’s railway to heaven. Darian O'Toole, a one-time morning deejay on KSAN radio in SF in the late 90s, died in Oakland on April 5th after complications from a broken leg. She was only 40. Doug Pledger, a decades-long broadcaster on classical station KKHI in SF, died on April 7th. He was 89. Eugene Crabtree, banjo player with The James King Band, passed away last week from an apparent heart attack. He had reportedly told his wife he was feeling some pains in his chest but had not gone to see the doctor. This is sad news any way you look at. While it is not known whether or not Eugene had health insurance, there are way too many musicians that do not because they don’t have the income to pay for it. For a related story about musicians that can’t afford to get sick, read this one here from last weekend’s Nashville Tennessean newspaper. Coming attractions. Marshall Tucker Band at The Mystic in Petaluma on 5/16; Eric Thompson's Kleptograss with special guest David Nelson at the Petaluma Church Concerts on 5/17; Poco at The Mystic on 5/22; Strawberry Music Festivals 5/22-25, 8/28-31; Peter Rowan & The Free Mexican Air Force and The South Austin Jug Band at The Mystic on 5/23; CBA’s Father’s Day Festival 6/12-15; SF Outside Lands Festival in SF 8/22-24.
Additions
Okay, the nine-year anniversary Bluegrass Gold show on Thursday the 17th at 8 p.m. at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur. featuring Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands as the headliner and Nell Robinson & Red Level as the opener was mentioned here in detail last time. What was not mentioned, because the news just came in, is that Laurie’s brand new live CD just arrived, so this will be the first official CD release show. So you can literally be the first one on your block to have this disc.
Bluegrass in Fairfax. Gather up the herd and hoof on out to Fairfax on the 17th to see Hoarse Chorus playing up-tempo, hard driving bluegrass tunes and instrumentals starting at 6 p.m. at the Tiki Lounge at 19 Broadway. The band is Ted Silverman, Steve Kallai, Joe Kenny and Gary Kaye.
Roundup time with The Wronglers. The Atlas Cafe in San Francisco presents the best in live bluegrass and old-time music every Thursday night from 8-10 p.m. On the 17th as part of the Bluegrass Tonic Series you can see Jeannie & Chuck's Country Roundup and The Wronglers. No cover charge. That’s two bands for the price of none!
Award winning singer/songwriter Caren Armstrong skillfully combines dynamic, multi-colored vocals and a highly accomplished guitar style with intelligent, at times hysterical lyrics. On the 18th she will be featuring several songs from her latest CD, Everything, which is currently charting in the top 20 on the FolkDJ chart. See her at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael at 8 p.m. Playing with Caren on this show will be Josh Zucker on bass, and special guest John Haley-Walker.
On the 20th at 5 p.m. at the Presidio Yacht Club in Fort Baker (outside of Sausalito) see the Redlegs reunion show featuring the singing of Maggie Catfish.
Novato bass player Pat Campbell occasionally has concerts in his back yard. On May 10th he will have his first show of the summer season with a very special guest, and there will be a limited amount of tickets available. For information send him an email at friendlylaneinfo@comcast.net.
Reminders
Marin bluegrass jam. On the 17th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m.
Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station, besides the open mic every Tuesday and the Bluegrass Gold show on the 17th, are Mike Gibbons Band on the 18th, SoVoSo on the 19th, James Moseley Band on the 20th, Zoo Station on the 25th, Blues Fundraiser on the 26th, and much more.
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. You can also see them play at Murphy’s on the 17th.
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. Featured there this month are the aforementioned Kimrea on the 17th, Blue & Lonesome on the 18th, Solid Air on the 24th, The Dry Creek Drifters on the 25th, High Country on the 26th, Greenhouse on the 27th, and others.
The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday you can see A Charred Slipper Drama on the 17th, The Standup Sisters on the 18th, and much more.
At the Ace in the Hole in Graton you can see The Courtney Janes on the 17th, Nick Jaina on the 22nd, West County Outlaws on the 24th, Art Frengel’s Tribute to the Grateful Dead on the 29th, and more.
Murphy Productions as usual is presenting a host of excellent shows this month at different venues. On the 18th it is the Caren Armstrong show at Falkirk; on the 25th Lavay Smith at The Stage Dor; and on the 26th Turbodrive at The Masonic in Mill Valley.
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 18th see Chris Planas, Mike Angel on the 19th, Lisa Kindred on the 25th, and Madeline Sheron on the 26th.
At the Sweet Spot Pub in Santa Rosa enjoy Jill Cohn Trio on the 18th, singer/songwriter night on the 24th, and lots more.
The Mystic in Petaluma has David Wilcox on the 18th, Greensky and The Bluebellies on the 19th, Leon Redbone on the 20th, and The Four Bitchin’ Babes on the 26th.
See Sonoma’s Poor Man’s Whiskey on the 19th at the Fillmore in SF with Hot Buttered Rum. On the 24th PMW will be at Humboldt Brews in Arcata, and on the 27th at the Apple Blossom Festival in Sebastopol.
At the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa see The Farallons on the 19th, Under the Radar on the 25th, and others.
See The James Moseley Jazz Quartet on the 19th at 9 p.m. at the No Name Bar in Sausalito; see The James Moseley Band on the 20th at 5 p.m. at Sweetwater Station, and on the 25th at 9 p.m. at Servino’s Bar & Grill in Tiburon.
Finnegan’s is the happening place in Novato. See Revolver on the 19th, Damir Stosic on the 23rd (and 30th), and on the 26th Snappy Dave & Dan.
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 Craig Caffal Band on the 19th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 23rd, Highway Robbers on the 24th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 27th, The Courtney Janes on the 29th, and lots more.
Mill Valley singer/songwriter Elaine Dempsey and her trio Big Wide Grin will be singing and smiling at the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Marin City on the 19th at 7 p.m. Also on that bill are The St. Andrew Sisters.
Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 19th it will be swing music, and on the 26th it will be pickers’ choice.
Savannah Blu, a Marin bluegrass band featuring Gary Kaye on banjo, Dore Coller on guitar, Steve Kallai on fiddle and Dave Hanks on mandolin, will be playing at the Sand Dollar in Stinson Beach on the 20th.
Out at Rocker Oysterfeller's Kitchen & Saloon in Valley Ford you can see The Bluebellies on the 20th, and Jason Bodlovich on the 27th.
Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts Local's Night every Tuesday, with dinner and beer specials and live music. See Doug Adamz & Trio Bravo on the 22nd, and the Cathleen Riddley Trio on the 29th.
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 Full Soul Jackets on the 23rd, and Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys on the 30th.
At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see Ballet Folklorico on the 23rd.
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 Duck Baker on the 24th at 8 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info.
Mill Valley’s Dore Coller, besides playing the gig mentioned above with Savanna Blu will also on the 24th be with the Hot Club of Marin at the Tiki Room at 19 Broadway in Fairfax from 6-8 p.m.; and on the 28th the Hot Club Club will be at 142 Throckmorton from 7-9:30 p.m.
Sonoma’s Adam Traum can be seen around the bay this month on the 25th at La Barca in SF with his four-piece band, and with a trio on the 27th at Cato’s Alehouse in Oakland.
San Rafael singer/guitarist/songwriter Kurt Huget is busy this month. Most Tuesdays he's in the house band The New Rising Sons (Kurt, Jesse Kincaid, Jon Lovitt, and Jake Baker) at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur for open mic night. This band will also be appearing there on the 26th. On the 25th he’ll be at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo playing jazz with Namely Us; and on the 26th he’ll solo in the morning at Aqus Cafe in Petaluma, followed by the evening show at Sweetwater Station.
Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell and his band Under The Radar on the 25th will play at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa, and on the 27th his band The Rhythm Rangers will be at Sebastopol's Apple Blossom Festival in Ives Park, 2-3 p.m.
Mill Valley’s Matt Lax will play with Three Mile Grade at 9 p.m. on the 26th at Riptide in SF.
Lauralee Brown can be found on Tuesdays at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 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.
Celebrating Songwriters. This is the name of Caren Armstrong’s long running singer/songwriter series that she has hosted at a number of venues over the years. The location now is Left Coast Cyclery, 2928 Domingo Avenue, in Berkeley. On the 26th at 8 p.m. you can see Joel Rafael and Gypsy Soul.
Houston Jones will be playing their high-octane America music all around the bay this month, and you can also see them headline a show at the Noe Valley Ministry in SF on the 26th. This special night of acoustic music in a warm, intimate atmosphere will benefit Music in Schools Today (MuST). Answering the crisis in music education, MuST provides programs that reach more than 10,000 Bay Area children in under served public schools and communities. Also, the band’s song “Coward’s Game” can still be heard on Neil Young's web site. The songs there are ranked by number of plays, and “Coward’s Game” is currently ranked at number 112. The band would be most grateful if you would go to Neil’s site here and click on the tune.
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.
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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. 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:
SOUNDSTAGE – DAUGHTRY 4/17 11 p.m.: “Soundstage welcomes three-time American Music Award winner Daughtry to its stage. Formed by ‘American Idol’ contestant Chris Daughtry in 2006, this band is a recipe for success. Daughtry, the self-titled release, was listed as the fastest-selling rock debut in Soundscan history. Truly revitalizing the rock genre, Daughtry's triple-platinum album features Chris' rugged voice and the band's heavy, polished sound. On this episode, Daughtry performs fan favorites with passionate intensity.”
SF BALLET'S NEW WORKS FESTIVAL 4/18 11:30 p.m., 4/20 6:30 a.m., 4/21 7:30 p.m.: “In celebration of its 75th anniversary, the San Francisco Ballet is mounting an ambitious festival of new works, ten world premieres by ten choreographers. This show 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.”
ARTIST'S TABLE – JACQUES PEPIN AND ITZHAK PERLMAN 4/19 10 a.m.: “Acclaimed chef, author and television personality Jacques Pepin and violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman explore the nature of creativity at the intersection of the culinary and non-culinary arts. Filmed on location in Perlman's Manhattan residence and his summer home in East Hampton, the men discuss their mutual appreciation for music, food and wine. The two raconteurs delight in lively conversation while they plan, present and share a meal comprised of their favorite dishes. The program intersperses cooking and conversation about food, the arts and the common threads linking the creative processes of each, punctuated with Perlman's intelligence and wit and Pepin's warmth and graciousness.”
DANCE IN AMERICA – WOLF TRAP'S FACE OF AMERICA 4/21 10 p.m.: “‘Face of America’, an initiative of the non-profit Wolf Trap Foundation, celebrates the diversity of America's cultural and natural landscapes by commissioning new works by the country's top choreographers and musicians, with the ultimate goal of fostering a commitment to preserve our national parks. This DIA special features highlights from Wolf Trap's Face of America commissions –Project Bandaloop at Yosemite National Park, featuring the work of choreographer Amelia Rudolph and Native American composer Robert Mirabal; the work of jazz composer Steve Turre and choreographer Donald Byrd at Virgin Islands National Park, featuring members of Byrd's troupe at the site of an early sugar cane plantation; members of the US Olympic Synchronized Swim Team performing underwater in the Coral Reef National Monument; choreographer Doug Varone at Kentucky's Mammoth Cave National Park; a celebration of flight by choreographer Elizabeth Streb, set to the songs of country music singer Patti Loveless at Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk; and the dancers and musicians of Halau O Kekuhi at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.”
JOHN FOGERTY 4/24 11 p.m.: “Best known as the lead singer/songwriter and guitarist for Creedence Clearwater Revival, rock legend and Grammy winner John Fogerty has made a phenomenal contribution to American music for decades. CCR released 13 hit singles in just five years and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. On his newest solo release, Revival, Fogerty incorporates all the best elements of an unforgettable career of authentic rock and roll. Revival features Fogerty's signature southern growl and blistering guitar work. On this episode of Soundstage, Fogerty delivers the timeless essence of his music with an electrifying stage presence and resonating energy. A genuine showman, Fogerty weaves new songs ‘Don't You Wish It Was True’ and ‘River is Waiting,’ with classics ‘Born on the Bayou,’ ‘Fortunate Son,’ ‘Centerfield,’ ‘Bad Moon Rising’ and show-closer ‘Proud Mary,’ resulting in an unbelievable performance you will not want to miss.”
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971) 4/26 8 p.m.: “Norman Jewison's adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical received 8 Oscar nominations, winning for Best Cinematography, Best Music and Best Sound. The story is set in the Ukranian ghetto village of Anatevka. Israeli actor Topol (Best Actor nominee) reprises his London stage role as Tevye the milkman, whose equilibrium is constantly being challenged by his poverty, the prejudicial attitudes of non-Jews, and the romantic entanglements of his five daughters.”
MANON LESCAUT 4/27 noon: “Finnish phenomenon Karita Mattila ventures into the Italian repertory, incandescent in a role that fits her like a perfumed glove: tragic courtesan. Rarely has Puccini's pleasure-loving, 18th-century heroine looked or sounded more lovely than in this soprano's portrayal. The opera is conducted by Met music director James Levine and topped with Italian tenor Marcello Giordani's ardent performance as Manon's headstrong young lover, Chevalier des Grieux. American baritone Dwayne Croft is the roguish brother Lescaut; bass-baritone Dale Travis sings Manon's foppish ‘protector,’ the repugnant Geronte di Ravoir.” **************************************************************************************************** April 1, 2008 Welcome to the 88th edition of Carltone's Corner! Marching into April and spring. We made it through the winter, and save for a few rainstorms between now and May the nice weather is here to stay. And, this means outdoor festivals are about to begin. It is time for some spring-cleaning of that camping gear. With the CBA Spring Campout in Turlock next week (details below), it is high time that you aired out those tarps and tents, opened up the coolers and cooking gear, and changed the oil in your road vehicle. The outdoor fun is about to begin so don’t get caught unprepared! Speaking of the fest, if you haven’t checked it out yet, take a look at the brand spanking new CBA’s Father’s Day Festival web site. Not only does it include everything you need to know about the upcoming fest in June, you can also look at festival bands and photos from the past. Thanks to webdude David Zimmerman of Homespun Rowdy, a web geek in remission, for putting this site together. Viagragrass? If you haven’t seen it yet, there is a commercial on TV for the “erectile dysfunction” product Viagra that uses bluegrass pickers singing a song called “Viva Viagra.” You can watch the ad here. Click on the “Nashville” choice. Identifiable players in the ad are amazing singer Terry Eldridge (who, ironically, sings a bluegrass version of the song “Viva Las Vegas” in his band The Grascals but here is relegated to playing the bass) and fiddler Kenny Kossek. Thanks to Randy Pitts for this tip. Slow jam class in Berkeley. There is a new slow jam class about to begin at the 5th String music store in Berkeley. Starting on Tuesday the 8th and running eight weeks until Tuesday the 27th of May, 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. Instructors will include Bill Evans, Evie Ladin, Keith Little, Jim Nunally, Kathy Kallick, and others each week. Megan Lynch will be back, schedule permitting. Class size will be limited to allow for individual attention, with 2-3 instructors on hand each night to join in the music and coach the players. The class will run from 7-9 p.m., and will cost $20 per player, per session. You will be encouraged to attend for at least the first four sessions, as they 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. Strawberry alarm clock. The Strawberry Music Festival up by Yosemite on Memorial Day Weekend is now sold out. If you have any intention of seeing Ricky Skaggs, Peter Rowan, Tim O’Brien, Emmylou Harris, Cadillac Sky and a whole lot more, check out the ticket exchange site, be patient, and tickets will start coming available about ten days before the festival starts. New sounds. The Barefoot Nellies recently released their first-ever CD titled Let Me Down Easy at a show at Amnesia in San Francisco. It is a live recording from a show there last May, recorded by Marin’s own Lou Judson, one of the finest acoustic soundmen around. (Lou is a recording and live sound engineer with many years of acoustic music and recording experience. He can capture anything from a quiet natural environment to a full band with exquisite accuracy on state of the art equipment, simple stereo to 24 tracks, and provide the sound for any venue large or small. Contact him at loujudson@mac.com.) The Earl Brothers also have a new CD out titled Moonshine, and while the official CD release show will not be until May 3rd at Café du Nord in SF, you can be the first one on your block to have the new disc by going here. Last month songwriter Bill Cutler released Crossing The Line on Manacarta Records, a CD that was recorded over many years. Novato bass player Pat Campbell was part of the project, along with David Nelson, Bob Weir, Jerry Garcia, Austin deLone, Barry Sless, and many more. West Marin singer/songwriter Brindl will be celebrating the release of her new CD titled Acoustic Heart at 9 p.m. on the 13th at Peri’s in Fairfax. The CD is a collection of 12 new intimate and acoustic songs that range from hopeful to heartbreaking with gently strummed guitar, layered harmonies and evocative piano solos. Techno foibles, continued. We still haven’t gotten around to officially changing our email address here at Carltone World Headquarters, but the plan is to do so real soon. The new address will eventually be carlin@carltone.com, so please add this to your safe list. Fishwrap Roundup. Can’t we all just get along? Two of the original Beach Boys settled a lawsuit about who has the rights to the group name. You figure out who won here. Marin Independent Journal music writer Paul Liberatore has been beating the drums to get a Marin Rock and Roll Hall of Fame started. While the staff here are Carltone World Headquarters thinks this a noble idea, we’re more in favor of leaving out the words “Rock and Roll” in any such venture, since longtime Marin artists such as Ramblin’ Jack, Peter Rowan, Maria Muldaur and Dr. Elmo are hardly rockers. Read Paul’s stories here and here, and then email him your opinions. Police log. Hum, baby! Richie Sambora, lead guitarist for the band Bon Jovi, was arrested for DUI in Laguna Beach on March 25th while driving his Humvee a bit too erratically…Bad rap: rapper Remy Ma was convicted of assault in a New York court last week for shooting a friend of hers last year in a dispute over money. Ma says it was an accident, the victim claims otherwise…Club men: Esequiel "Paul" Garcia and three others were arrested in San Jose this week for the murder of Mark Achilli, the former owner of the Mountain Charley’s nightclub in Los Gatos. Garcia had recently purchased the venue from the prematurely deceased Achilli, and now it looks like the place will soon be looking for another new owner… Get out your handkerchiefs. Country singer Sara Evans is engaged to marry Jay Barker, a former quarterback at the University of Alabama. According to People Magazine, “Evans, 37, filed for divorce from former political candidate Craig Schelske in 2006 while she was a contestant on the TV series, Dancing With the Stars. A bitter and widely publicized divorce was finalized in September 2007. Barker, who hosts a morning radio show on WJOX-FM in Birmingham, Ala., helped lead Alabama to a national championship in 1992.” Ailing. Reader Dirk Weiss reports that, “Chris Gaffney of The Hacienda Brothers has been diagnosed with invasive liver cancer. He's going through intensive chemotherapy the rest of this year, and though he has some health insurance, friends are trying to raise $60,000 more to cover this expensive treatment. Folks can donate at www.helpgaff.com.” Tejano singer Emilio Navaira was gravely injured while driving his band’s tour bus in late March, and has been in a coma ever since. Jazz singer Nancy Wilson, 71 years of age, is in a southern CA hospital suffering from a collapsed lung, and is expected to recover. She won Grammys for best jazz vocal album in 2007 and 2005. Life’s railway to heaven. Ola Brunkert, the drummer from the Swedish pop band ABBA, died in an accident at his home in Mallorca on March 16th. He was 62. He apparently hit his head and fell on some broken glass. Israel "Cachao" Lopez, renowned Cuban bass player credited with pioneering the mambo style of music, died on March 22nd. He was 89. Coming attractions. Strawberry Music Festivals 5/22-25, 8/28-31; Marshall Tucker Band at The Mystic in Petaluma on 5/16; Poco at The Mystic on 5/22; Peter Rowan & The Free Mexican Air Force and The South Austin Jug Band at The Mystic on 5/22; CBA’s Father’s Day Festival 6/12-15; SF Outside Lands Festival in SF 8/22-24. Onward to the calendar… The fundraiser for the 2008 Larkspur Flower and Food Festival, presented by the Larkspur Community Association, will take place on the 2nd from 6-10 p.m. at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur. There will be hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and music provided by Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue and Pierre Joseph's Quartet. Tickets cost $30. Call (415) 924-3803 for more information. Finnegan’s is the happening place in Novato. See Damir Stosic on the 2nd (and on 23rd and 30th), Jerry Hannan on the 5th, Drew Gasparini on the 9th, Whotoo on the 12th, Revolver on the 19th, and on the 26th Snappy Dave & Dan. 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 Jenny Kerr on the 2nd, Hoarse Chorus on the 9th, Tom Finch Group on the 16th, Full Soul Jackets on the 23rd, and Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys 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 Diamond Ortiz on the 2nd (and 16th), Honey Dust on the 4th, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 5th, Peri's Blues Jam on the 6th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 9th (and 23rd), Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 10th, Bon Tempe Reunion on the 11th and 12th, Brindl on the 13th, Craig Caffal Band on the 19th, Highway Robbers on the 24th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 27th, The Courtney Janes on the 29th, and lots more. Singer/songwriter Lee Rockwell will be performing at The Book Beat in Fairfax on the 2nd. Gary Bauman, guitarist for the Sons of Emperor Norton and The Jeb Brady Band, will accompany her. Mill Valley singer/songwriter Elaine Dempsey can be found singing at the No Name in Sausalito on the 2nd at 8 p.m., and then with her trio Big Wide Grin at the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Marin City on the 19th at 7 p.m. Also on that bill are The St. Andrew Sisters. At the Ace in the Hole in Graton you can see Brianna Lee on the 2nd, The Glass Beads on the 3rd, Jarred O’Connell on the 8th, Chris Bramble Band on the 13th, The Courtney Janes on the 17th, Nick Jaina on the 22nd, West County Outlaws on the 24th, Art Frengel’s Tribute to the Grateful Dead on the 29th, and more. San Rafael singer/guitarist/songwriter Kurt Huget crosses the country for gigs this month. Most Tuesdays he's in the house band The New Rising Sons (Kurt, Jesse Kincaid, Jon Lovitt, and Jake Baker) at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur for open mic night. This band will also be appearing on Pacifica's "Bruce Latimer TV Show" on the 2nd, at Caffe Trieste in San Rafael on the 12th at 6:30 p.m. and at Sweetwater Station on the 26th; he's off to NYC to play a gig with David Freiberg & Friends (from Jefferson Starship); on the 25th he’ll be at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo playing jazz with Namely Us; and on the 26th he’ll solo in the morning at Aqus Cafe in Petaluma, followed by the evening show at Sweetwater Station. At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see Merle Haggard on the 2nd, Ani DiFranco on the 11th, Jackson Browne on the 16th, and Ballet Folklorico on the 23rd. Marin bluegrass jam. On the 3rd and the 17th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m. Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station, besides the open mic every Tuesday and the Bluegrass Gold show (see below), see Vicki Lee & The Pine Cones and Mars Arizona on the 3rd, Kidney Disease Benefit on the 5th with Jerry Hannan and Jesse Brewster, Queens of Boogie Woogie on the 12th, Mike Gibbons Band on the 18th, SoVoSo on the 19th, James Moseley Band on the 20th, Zoo Station on the 25th, Blues Fundraiser on the 26th, and much 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. Featured there this month are The Tonewoods on the 3rd, Sonoma Mountain Band on the 4th, Andrew Freeman on the 5th, the Celtic jam on the 6th, Adam Traum on the 10th, Savannah Blu on the 11th, The Whutknotts on the 12th, Kimrea & Joe LoCoco on the 17th, Blue & Lonesome on the 18th, Solid Air on the 24th, The Dry Creek Drifters on the 25th, High Country on the 26th, Greenhouse on the 27th, and others. On the 5th at the Presidio Yacht Club in Fort Baker (outside of Sausalito) see Michael Skinner’s Final Touch Band featuring special guest Joe Tate sittin’ in on some vocals. Murphy Productions as usual is presenting a host of excellent shows this month at different venues. On the 4th see Kat Parra at The Stage Dor in Sausalito; Jenna Mammina on the 5th at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael; on the 11th Calvin Keys Trio with Dima at The Club Restaurant in San Rafael; on the 18th Caren Armstrong at Falkirk; on the 25th Lavay Smith at The Stage Dor; and on the 26th Turbodrive at The Masonic in Mill Valley. At the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa see The Moonshiners on the 4th, Kevin Russell & Friends on the 5th, Sonoma Mountain Band on the 11th, The Tonewoods on the 12th, The Farallons on the 19th, Under the Radar on the 25th, and others. Marin guitarist James Moseley is one busy guy. See The James Moseley Band on the 4th (and 25th) at 9 p.m. at Servino’s Bar & Grill in Tiburon and on the 5th at 9 p.m. at EAT (formerly Ted's) in San Anselmo; on the 6th at 7:30 p.m. The James Moseley Jazz Trio will play at Caffe DiVino Sausalito; on the 19th see The James Moseley Jazz Quartet at 9 p.m. at the No Name Bar in Sausalito; and on the 20th at 5 p.m. the full band will be at Sweetwater Station. 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 4th see Mad & Eddie Duran, Jazz Philosophy on the 5th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 11th, Eugene Huggins on the 12th, Chris Planas on the 18th, Mike Angel on the 19th, Lisa Kindred on the 25th, and Madeline Sheron on the 26th. Mill Valley’s Dore Coller has some cool gigs. He will play with on the 4th with Ned Ripple as part of the Redwood Coast Whale & Jazz Festival in Gualala at St. Orre's Restaurant from 6:30-9 p.m.; on the 5th in Redwood City with Steve Farzan from 6-9 p.m.; on the 10th (and 24th) the Hot Club of Marin will be at the Tiki Room at 19 Broadway in Fairfax from 6-8 p.m.; he’ll play with Savanna Blu on the 11th at Murphy’s in Sonoma 8 p.m.; on the 13th see him with Bo Django at the Djangofest Benefit at 142 Throckmorton; on the 20th Savanna Blu will play at the Sand Dollar in Stinson Beach from noon to 3 p.m.; and on the 28th the Hot Club Club will be at 142 Throckmorton from 7-9:30 p.m. Mill Valley’s Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved will appear on the 5th at 9 p.m. at Riptide in SF, and on the 26th Matt will play there with Three Mile Grade. The North Bay trio The Mild Colonial Boys (John Caulfield, Kyle Thayer and Rory McNamara) has two shows of note this month. See them on the 5th down the coast at the San Gregorio Store from 2:30-5:30 p.m., and on the 12th at 8 p.m. at the Noe Valley Ministry in SF for a benefit for the Makindu Program to help them build an orphanage in Kenya. The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday you can see Mark Pitta’s Saturday Night Special on the 5th, Manring, Kassin & Darter on the 12th, Djangofest Benefit on the 13th, A Charred Slipper Drama on the 16th and 17th, The Standup Sisters on the 18th, and much more. Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 5th and the 12th it is bluegrass, old-time, old country, acoustic picking and fiddling; on the 19th it will be swing music; and on the 26th it will be pickers’ choice. Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell has another busy month playing with three different acts. On the 5th it will be Kevin, Doug Wilcox & Don Watanabe playing swing standards at The Black Rose at 8:30 p.m. in Santa Rosa; on the 6th his band Under the Radar will be at the Station House Café in Pt. Reyes Station from 5-8 p.m.; on the 25th Radar will play at The Black Rose; and on the 27th his band The Rhythm Rangers will be at Sebastopol's Apple Blossom Festival in Ives Park, 2-3 p.m. Out at Rocker Oysterfeller's Kitchen & Saloon in Valley Ford you can see Mikie Lee Prasad on the 6th, Pink Sabbath on the 13th, The Bluebellies on the 20th, and Jason Bodlovich on the 27th. The CBA Spring Campout will be taking place next week at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock (near Modesto), and the gates open on Tuesday the 8th at 3 p.m. The event runs through the weekend, and it is a lot of fun. Go to the site for complete details. Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts Local's Night every Tuesday, with dinner and beer specials and live music. See Ain't Misbehavin' perform vintage and western swing, jazzy ballads on the 8th, WTJ2 (Wendy Fitz and crew) on the 15th, Doug Adamz & Trio Bravo on the 22nd, and the Cathleen Riddley Trio on the 29th. The Mystic in Petaluma has The Eric McFadden Trio on the 9th, Dirty Dozen Brass Band on the 11th, David Wilcox on the 18th, Greensky and The Bluebellies on the 19th, Leon Redbone on the 20th, and The Four Bitchin’ Babes on the 26th. Sonoma’s Poor Man’s Whiskey is doing some roadwork this month. On the 10th they’ll be at the Blue Lamp in Sacramento, on the 11th at Divided Sky in Tahoe, on the 19th at the Fillmore in SF with Hot Buttered Rum, on the 24th at Humboldt Brews in Arcata, and on the 27th at the Apple Blossom Festival in Sebastopol. 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 Geoff Muldaur on the 10th at 8 p.m., and Duck Baker on the 24th at 8 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info. At the Sweet Spot Pub in Santa Rosa enjoy singer/songwriter night on the 10th and 24th, Pion 2 Zion on the 11th, Jill Cohn Trio on the 18th, and lots more. Savannah Blu, a Marin bluegrass band featuring Gary Kaye on banjo, Dore Coller on guitar, Steve Kallai on fiddle and Dave Hanks on mandolin, will be playing at Murphy’s on the 11th and at the Sand Dollar on the 20th. Lauralee Brown can be found on Tuesdays at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. Lauralee and her Jazz & Beyond band will be at Saylor’s on the 11th, and on Sunday the 13th Acoustic Sounds will play at Rancho Nicasio from 5-7 p.m. Novato’s Doug Adamz will be with The Whutknotts at Murphy's the 12th, and with his band Trio Bravo at The Station House in Point Reyes Station on the 17th and at Nick's Cove on the 22nd. 35th Annual Bodega Bay Fisherman's Festival will be taking place on the 12th and 13th, and some of the bands you can see there are Julie Faye Dance Troupe, Plum Crazy, Tomales High School Rock Band, The Trevor Kinsel Bohemian Trio, Deadly Zins, The Sky Band, Swing Street, and Bo Django. Nationally known folk trio Rebecca Riots will perform on the 12th at 8 p.m. at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center. The popular band is known for upbeat, energized folk music, three part harmonies, and guitar, mandolin and harmonica chops. Their passionate political and spiritual concerns are expressed in the music and engaging and often humorous between song banter. Advance tickets recommended. Join the KWMR cast and crew on the 12th from noon-4 p.m. for their Pledge Drive Hootenanny with barbecue, live music, and an open house to support local radio in West Marin. It will happen in front of the KWMR studios in Point Reyes Station at 11431 Highway One at Mesa Road. Though attendance is free for all ages, this is a great time to join KWMR. To say “thanks” the station is offering a free lunch plate with every new membership. Jerry Hannan, The Bluebellies, Solid Air, Rebecca Riots and more. Petaluma Folk Music Concerts presents a house concert featuring singer/songwriter Steve Seskin (“Don’t Laugh at Me”) on the 12th at 8 p.m. in Petaluma. There will be a potluck dinner before the show from 6-8. For more info call Barbara Ahron at (707) 781-3272. Do so quickly, as there will be limited seating. 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. You can also see them play at Murphy’s on the 17th. Finbar Devine’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma, is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. As of press time their schedule for April was not on their calendar. Bluegrass Gold. On Thursday the 17th at 8 p.m. the nine-year anniversary edition of the Bluegrass Gold series will take place at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur. The show is produced by Carltone Music. Bluegrass Gold is the longest running monthly bluegrass series in the San Francisco Bay Area. The show started in April of 1999 at Sweetwater Saloon in Mill Valley, 145 shows have taken place since the series began, and over 12,500 people have attended. The show features both local and nationally touring acts, with such notables as Peter Rowan, David Grisman, Maria Muldaur, The Reeltime Travelers, Kathy Kallick, Bill Evans, Hot Buttered Rum, The Laurel Canyon Ramblers, and King Wilkie having played. The show on the 17th will feature Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands as the headliner and Nell Robinson & Red Level as the opener. Laurie Lewis and her band, The Right Hands, will be showcasing songs new and old, including fabulous fiddling, and the awesome talents of her band: longtime partner Tom Rozum on mandolin, Todd Phillips on bass, Craig Smith on banjo and Scott Huffman on guitar. Laurie’s songwriting, fiddling, and singing have brought her national recognition, a Grammy, and two International Bluegrass Music Association Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year. She has become a key figure in bluegrass, traditional, and folk music circles. Opening the show will be Nell Robinson & Red Level. They are one of the hottest new bands on the Bay Area bluegrass scene. Named after the bandleader’s grandmother and the little red clay crossroads town in southern Alabama where Nell’s family hails from, the band’s music is an entertaining mix of traditional bluegrass, country and alternative-folk as well as some original compositions. Singer Nell leads the band, Jacob Groopman adds guitar and vocals, Brian Judd plays mandolin and sings, Jonathan Schiele picks the banjo and adds vocals, and Andrew Conklin plays standup bass. 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. Celebrating Songwriters. This is the name of Caren Armstrong’s long running singer/songwriter series that she has hosted at a number of venues over the years. The location now is Left Coast Cyclery, 2928 Domingo Avenue, in Berkeley. On the 26th at 8 p.m. you can see Joel Rafael and Gypsy Soul. Houston Jones will be playing their high-octane America music all around the bay this month, and you can also see them headline a show at the Noe Valley Ministry in SF on the 26th. This special night of acoustic music in a warm, intimate atmosphere will benefit Music in Schools Today (MuST). Answering the crisis in music education, MuST provides programs that reach more than 10,000 Bay Area children in under served public schools and communities. Also, the band’s song “Coward’s Game” can still be heard on Neil Young's web site. The songs there are ranked by number of plays, and “Coward’s Game” is currently ranked at number 112. The band would be most grateful if you would go to Neil’s site here and click on the tune. 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. 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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. 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: COMPANERAS 4/01 11 p.m.: “This show 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.” TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS LIVE FROM GATORVILLE 4/03 11 p.m.: “For Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and fans alike, ‘Live from Gatorville’ is an emotional and electrifying evening. The band performs songs from their three-decade career, including rarely played gems, influential covers, and songs from Petty's recent solo album, Highway Companion. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are just getting warmed up at the beginning of the second hour as the barrage of hits keep coming." LIFEHOUSE 4/10 11 p.m.: “Chart topping is an understatement for pop-rock band Lifehouse. Since their first album, they have appeared on Billboard and Top 40 Charts numerous times. Best known for their top single ‘Hanging by a Moment,’ and ballad ‘You and Me,’ which spent a record 60 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart, Lifehouse has gone back to the basics with Who We Are. Jason Wade's lyrics address a diverse range of topics audiences can relate with and melodies they can rock to.” BEATLES IN HELP! 4/05 10:07 p.m.: “A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie.” HELP! (1965) 4/05 10:32 p.m., 4/15 9:29 p.m., 4/16 1 a.m.: “The Beatles' second movie spoofs James Bond movies, as The Fab Four try to protect Ringo from a religious cult which has declared him to be their next human sacrifice because of the new ring on his finger.” JOHN LENNON'S JUKEBOX 4/06 12:05 a.m.: “This program serves up a fresh take on one of the 20th century's greatest songwriting talents. An in-depth performance documentary that celebrates the songwriter's craft, ‘John Lennon's Jukebox’ explores the influences behind one of music's most inspirational figures by revealing the secrets of his private record collection. Stacked with the tracks that inspired Lennon to tune up, turn on and rock out, the program explores the impact of those songs on the former Fab One's life and the times in which he lived, and evokes the spirit that propelled a rock'n'roll delinquent to become an icon. Authorized by Yoko Ono and featuring comments by Sting, this unique documentary puts a delicious new spin on a classic tale, recreating the sound of a revolution in the making.” BEST OF THE BEATLES 4/06 1 a.m.: “This program tells the untold story of the world's most famous band's formative years, as seen through the eyes of original Beatles drummer Pete Best. Viewers learn the truth about events in Liverpool and Hamburg at the time when the band was in the vanguard of popular music, and how it all went horribly wrong for Best, just as the Fab Four grasped the golden apple. For the first time, audiences hear of Best's pivotal role in forming the Beatles and his survival of a very public nightmare.” PAUL MCCARTNEY – CHAOS AND CREATION AT ABBEY ROAD 4/06 2 a.m.: “Sir Paul McCartney returns to Studio 2 at London's Abbey Road studios, where most of the Beatles's recordings were made, for an intimate journey through his songwriting history, from his very first Beatles song to the work on his new album, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. Using a selection of vintage instruments from his own collection – including the bass played by Bill Black on Elvis Presley's original recording of ‘Heartbreak Hotel,’ and the Mellotron and mixing desk used by the Beatles – McCartney re-visits his back catalog in new and revealing ways in front of an intimate studio audience. McCartney re-interprets old songs, reveals new ones, plays cover versions and enlists the audience's help in a demonstration of ‘in the moment’ songwriting and arranging.” ROMEO ET JULIETTE 4/06 noon: “The tragic tale of lovers thwarted by their warring families has long served opera composers, few rendering it more faithfully than French composer Charles Gounod (1818-93). That interpretation comes thrillingly alive when Anna Netrebko and Roberto Alagna ignite this production. Placido Domingo, who himself sang the role of Romeo at the Met in 1974, leads the orchestra and chorus; Donald Palumbo is chorus master. Baritone Nathan Gunn portrays Romeo's friend Mercutio; mezzo soprano Isabel Leonard is Stephano, a trouser role created just for the opera by librettists Jules Barbier and Michel Carre; and bass Robert Leonard is the kindly Frere Laurent, who marries the lovers.” JACQUES PEPIN AND ITZHAK PERLMAN 4/12 6 p.m., 4/19 10 a.m.: “Acclaimed chef, author and television personality Jacques Pepin and violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman explore the nature of creativity at the intersection of the culinary and non-culinary arts. Filmed on location in Perlman's Manhattan residence and his summer home in East Hampton, the men discuss their mutual appreciation for music, food and wine. The two raconteurs delight in lively conversation while they plan, present and share a meal comprised of their favorite dishes. The program intersperses cooking and conversation about food, the arts and the common threads linking the creative processes of each, punctuated with Perlman's intelligence and wit and Pepin's warmth and graciousness.” END OF THE CENTURY – THE RAMONES/JOE STRUMMER ROCKS 4/13 midnight: “In 1974, a new sound hit New York City's underground music scene: a band of misfits called The Ramones. This film follows this quartet of unlikely rock stars, known as the progenitors of punk, through more than two decades of touring, recording and bickering – from a shared Queens childhood to their 2002 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rock icon and former legendary front man for The Clash, Joe Strummer, is hot on the comeback trail, touring America and Japan via concert footage and interviews before his untimely death in 2002.” CLASH LIVE – REVOLUTION ROCK 4/13 2 a.m.: “This performance documentary will take us through the short but highly influential and prolific reign of the band from the mid-70's through the early 80's, drawing from never before seen and rare live concerts throughout their career. The show will make use of never-used interviews with The Clash band members drawn from interview sessions made by Grammy Award documentary producer, Don Letts, maker of the award winning ‘Westway to the World’ Clash documentary and the film ‘Punk Attitude.’” MACBETH 4/13 noon: “Zeljko Lucic and Maria Guleghina portray the Thane and his Lady in Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece. Joining the Serbian baritone and the Ukrainian soprano are American tenor Dimitri Pittas as Macduff and Canadian bass John Relyea as Banquo. James Levine conducts the new production, conceived and directed by Adrian Noble, former leader of Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company. Reset by Noble in a bleak, post-World War II ravaged landscape, the proceedings present a major twist on the play's three witches, here expanding them into an enormous coven of modern-day bag ladies, twirling purses and uttering prophesies.” **************************************************************************************************** March 15, 2008 Ah, the Ides of March. For some folks (especially a dude named Julius Caesar) the 15th of March has been a bad day. But heck, around Carltone World Headquarters blossoms are in bloom, birds are singing, and there is a heck of a lot of great music going this weekend. So what is there to beware? Get out of the house and see some live music, and stay away from any place that offers green beer… The staff here at CWH is headed off to Pahrump (west of Vegas), NV, this weekend to play some shows with Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue at the town’s 1st Annual Bluegrass Festival. It should be a fun time. What is way too bad is that the soon-to-be-former governor of New York, had he been the governor of Nevada, could have had all kinds of good times in places like Pahrump because certain activities which he liked to partake in are legal there. And, as the saying goes, “What goes on in Pahrump stays in Pahrump.” Do you know when St. Patrick’s Day is in 2008? With the big day falling on a Monday and during the “holy season” this year, celebrations have been moved to other days depending on which part of the world you happen to live. There are many events taking place this weekend before the 17th in and around Marin, and for a list of things to do and see, read these stories here and here from the Marin Independent Journal. The Waybacks have a new CD titled Loaded on Compass Records, and while the official release date is not until March 25th they will have the discs on hand when they play a Murphy Productions show on the 22nd at the Lark Theatre in Larkspur (the movie theatre, not the former Larkspur Café Theatre). Be the first one on your block to own this new recording. They make wonderful Easter gifts as well. Wanted: a life. Do you ever think you go out too much to see live music? Well, if so, you have nothing on a guy in the St. Louis area known as “Beatle Bob.” Since late 1996 he has gone out to shows every night. “All the world’s a stage,” according to a passage from old Willie Shakespeare’s play As You Like It. And this is how it felt for a few hours on the 8th at The Sonoma County Bluegrass & Folk Festival. If you missed all of the fun, you can experience it now visually by going here to photographer Mike Melnyk’s site. While you are on his site, take a look at all of the other shows and fests that he has photographed. He is quite the talent, and also one busy guy! Hands across the water. East Bay banjo player Bill Evans and California-in-her-heart fiddler Megan Lynch left this week for a nine-day tour of Scotland, Ireland and England, followed by a week of instruction at England's premiere bluegrass camp, Sore Fingers Bluegrass Week. The duo's new My Space page features new live cuts and will be updated with new pictures as the tour progresses. Bill also has a new You Tube channel with six short video clips of him playing African banjo music, 19th century minstrel banjo, early 20th century classic banjo and bluegrass and original music. In other developments, Bill's book Banjo For Dummies is now the most popular banjo instructional manual in the world. Jam class at Grass Valley. A cool addition to the CBA Music Camp this June will be Sid Lewis’s Jamming 101 Class. Sid has been teaching the class at various venues and festivals for many years (including the Strawberry Music Festivals), and he is looking forward to holding the class in Grass Valley for the first time. If you have not signed up for camp yet, you’d better get to it, as many classes are already filling up. Happy birthday, Martin Guitars! Just about every bluegrass or folk guitar player either plays or has owned a CF Martin acoustic guitar at one time or another. This year the company from Nazareth, PA, is celebrating its 175-year anniversary, and their guitars are the subject of the cover story in this month’s Bluegrass Unlimited magazine, which you can read here. Bass players needed. Isn’t this often the case? There are countless guitars and more than a fair share of mandolins, fiddles and banjos. But not that many bass players. And it is time that someone did something to correct this situation! If you live in the SF Bay Area, and you’ve been thinking about getting started on the old doghouse bass but weren’t sure who to turn to for lessons, veteran bass player extraordinaire Markie Sanders is now living in the East Bay and accepting students. She is well-known to veteran California bluegrass pickers, having played with Vern & Ray, High Country, Good Ol' Persons, Laurie Lewis & Grant Street, and many others back in the day. She also was a member of Queen Ida's Zydeco band for many years, and played with several jazz groups. After moving to Nashville in the early 90s, Markie continued playing swing and country music, but she was also part of bluegrass bands led by Claire Lynch, Chris Jones, Harley Allen, and others. She's a master of both acoustic and electric bass, and is a fabulous harmony singer as well, should you need some tips on vocalizing. In addition to currently playing with Julay Brooks & The Nightbirds and Ray Bierl, Markie is also booking bass students at all levels. Give her a call at (510) 638-9908 if you're interested in learning from the best. Thile considered. There was an interesting piece on the 7th on the National Public Radio news show All Things Considered about mandolin player Chris Thile and his new band The Punch Brothers that you can listen to here. Chris has composed a suite using bluegrass instruments, and as anyone that has ever heard his former band Nickel Creek can attest, it is not traditional bluegrass. Very interesting music though. The Bay Area Americana band Houston Jones has a song called “Coward's Game” that is making some serious noise over at Neil Young's web site. Over 2,000 musicians have posted songs there, and they are ranked by number of plays. “Coward's Game” entered the chart at the bottom, and made it as far as 120. The band would be most grateful if you would go to Neil’s site here and click on the tune. Band scramble. According to the Bluegrass Blog, Mike Bub and Ricky Simpkins are the new members of The Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Quartet. Mike plays bass and for years was with the Del McCoury Band. Ricky was a longtime member of The Tony Rice Unit. Fishwrap Roundup. You can read about the SF Celtic band The Gas Men in the Chronicle on March 2nd. Paul Liberatore, the music writer for the Marin IJ, wrote a recent story here about a connection between the Grateful Dead and the SF Opera. Get out your handkerchiefs. The long and winding road: Paul and Heather Mills McCartney have apparently reached a financial divorce agreement in London. She will get a cool $50 million in the split, which sounds like a heck of a lot of money. Unless, of course, you are a professional baseball player, a CEO, or you are, say, Paul McCartney, who is worth an estimated $1.6 billion. Now that’s a lot of silly love songs… Police log. Waffling Kid: Robert James Ritchie, also known as rap rocker Kid Rock, (and known in some circles as being a recent boytoy/husband of Pamela Anderson), earlier this month pleaded not guilty to causing a riot in a Waffle House in Atlanta last October. Life’s railway to heaven. Fairfax singer and guitarist Chuck Day died on March 10th in a Healdsburg hospital after a long illness. He was 65. Back in the day he played with Johnny Rivers and The Mamas and Papas, before moving to Marin in 1969. He hosted the Monday night jam at 19 Broadway for 15 years. There will be a memorial march for him in Fairfax on the 22nd at 4 p.m. Longtime Marin sax player Martin Fierro died from cancer on March 12th. He was 66. He played in Mother Earth with Tracy Nelson, recorded with Jerry Garcia, and founded the band Zero. Bolinas Americana guitar player Buddy Craig died on February 29th from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 50. Legendary blues/rock drummer Buddy Miles passed away on February 26th in Austin, TX. He was 60. He had been suffering from heart problems, and the official cause of death is unknown at this time. Blind rock and jazz guitarist Jeff Healey succumbed to cancer in Toronto on March 2nd. He was 41. Nashville guitarist Barry “Byrd” Burton, who played in The Amazing Rhythm Aces (whose hit song a few decades back was “Third Rate Romance”), died in Nashville on the 10th from leukemia. He was 61. Bill Bolick, who, with his brother Earl was one-half of the famed Blue Sky Boys bluegrass duo from the 1930s/40s, died in North Carolina on the 13th. He was 90 years old. This act predated the Louvin and Everly Brothers brother duos, and if you have never heard the Bolick brothers sing, search them out now! Coming attractions. Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue at Sweetwater Station on 4/2; The Whutknotts at Murphy’s in Sonoma on 4/12; Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands and Nell Robinson & Red Level at Sweetwater Station on 4/17; Caren Armstrong at Falkirk in San Rafael on 4/18; Strawberry Music Festivals 5/22-25, 8/28-31; CBA’s Father’s Day Festival 6/12-15. Additions Give a hoot. Jeanie & Chuck’s Give a Hoot will be taking place on the 14th at the Velo Rouge Café, on the corner of Arguello and McAllister, in SF from 7-9 p.m. Musical guests include Misisipi Mike Wolf, Tom Drohan, Gayle Schmitt and Chickwagon. No cover, and all ages are welcome. Dust off those strings! One of the hottest young bands on the bluegrass scene these days is The Infamous Stringdusters. At the IBMA Award show in October they won three big awards: Emerging Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and they tied for Album of the Year (“Fork In The Road,” which is both the song and album title), becoming the first band in IBMA history to win these three coveted awards in one year. They are in the area this weekend for a few shows, so check them out if you can. On the 14th it will be the Black Oak Casino in Tuolumne, the 15th at the RBA show at the First Presbyterian Church in Mountain View, on the 16th at the Blue Goose in Loomis, and on the 17th at the Sawtooth Ridge Café in Tahoe City. On the 15th don't miss the 13th Annual Fairfax Beer Festival at the Pavilion. There will be about 50 ales poured from local microbreweries, corned beef and cabbage sandwiches, and music by The Tom Finch Group. Tickets are $20 in advance at the Iron Springs Brewery, or $25 at the door. Iron Springs will be pouring their honey blonde ale infused with Marshall Farms honey, as well as a dry hopped version of the Iron Springs IPA. For the next six weeks they are renaming their honey blonde as “Golden Hammer Honey Blonde,” and donating fifty cents from each pint to Habitat for Humanity for a project this spring in Bolivia. Drink up and support a great cause. Swingin’ in Sonoma. You can see the Western swing band Lost Weekend, featuring the lead singing of Pam Brandon (aka Belle Monroe), when they play on the 15th at 8 p.m. at Little Switzerland in the town of Sonoma. CalAmericana is a new organization dedicated to music, musicians, and music fans that enjoy all types of music that fit under the “Americana” label. Check out the site, and considering joining. On the 15th at Café Royale in SF at 8 p.m. see The Rock Soup Ramblers (Doug Blumer, Kurt Stevenson, Steve Owen, David Reidy, Mike Romanowski), who will be headlining a benefit show for the organization, and opening will be Annie Staninec & John Kael. The Marin County band The Shots will be playing Irish, bluegrass, old-time and originals as part of Mahoney Vineyard’s St Patrick’s Day Celebrations at Taste at Oxbow, 708 First Street, in downtown Napa on the 15th from 1-4 p.m. Celebrating Songwriters. This is the name of Caren Armstrong’s long running singer/songwriter series that she has hosted at a number of venues over the years. The location now is Left Coast Cyclery, 2928 Domingo Avenue, in Berkeley. Yes, that’s right, a bike shop. On the 15th at 8 p.m. you can see David Gans, Claudia Russell with Bruce Kaplan, and Caren perform. Kith & Kin, a Celtic band from Napa Valley, will be playing shows at The White Barn in St. Helena on the 15th at 8 p.m. and on the 16th at 4 p.m. The 15th Annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival is going on through the 29th of this month, and on the 15th & 16th at The Marketplace you can see acts such as Maria Muldaur, Norton Buffalo, Pride & Joy, Free Peoples, and lots more. The Hot Club of San Francisco will be appearing at the Marin Osher JCC on the 15th. Ray Bierl World Tour. East Bay picker Ray Bierl, who was featured in the CBA’s Bluegrass Breakdown last month in a story by Chuck Poling, is busy these next few days. On the 16th from 11a.m.-1 p.m. Ray and Doug Wilcox will appear at the DiBartolo Café in Oakland; on the 17th from 7-9 p.m. it will be Swing Farm (Ray, Charlie Hancock, Steven Strauss) at Caffe Trieste in Berkeley; and on the 19th at 7:30 p.m. see Hillbillies From Mars (Ray, Kevin Carr, Paul Kotapish, Daniel Steinberg) when they play at Strings in Emeryville. Turn your radio on. On Sunday the 16th tune into Ray Edlund’s Pig In A Pen radio show on KPFA (94.1 FM) in Berkeley from 3-5 p.m. and hear Matt Dudman and Richard Brandenburg play. They will be singing and promoting their show at the Freight & Salvage on March 22nd, opening for Nell Robinson & Red Level. You can also listen on line, and if you can’t listen in real time, you can hear the show later on as it is archived on KPFA’s web site. Hear The Lonestar Retrobates play some cowboy jazz on the 16th from 3-6 p.m. at 19 Broadway in Fairfax. Celtic duo. ‘Tis that time of year for finding a plethora of Celtic music at your neighborhood pub, and the good news is that the dynamic duo of Andrew MacNamara and Rory McNamara will be playing a series of shows well beyond St. Patrick’s Day. Andrew is from Tulla in County Clare in the Irish Republic, and he has played the accordion with the Tulla Céilí band as a youth, later became a member of Skylark, and in 1996 he formed his own band The Lahawns. Rory is well known on the Bay Area music scene, having played solo, as part of The Frontmen, with his Ring of Truth Trio, and with The Mild Colonial Boys. The two of them will be playing at the Plough & Stars in SF on the 17th at 8 p.m., on the 20th at 8:30 p.m., the 22nd at 9:30 p.m., and on the 28th. Also, they will be playing the Acoustic Vortex House Concert Series in Larkspur on the 29th. For reservations and more info about this last show, send an email to Bruce at bvictormd@gmail.com. Old-time is not a crime! At least, it isn’t the North Bay. On the 21st there will be a dance at Monroe Hall in Santa Rosa with Figments starting at 8 p.m., and on the 22nd see Marin’s finest (and only) old-time band The Roadoilers when they play a contra dance at Wischemann Hall, 499 Morris Street, in Sebastopol. For more info, go to the North Bay County Dance Society site. Santa Rosa House Concerts proudly presents Bay-Area singer-songwriters Michael McNevin and Jamie Byrd for an evening of music and dining on the 22nd. Winner of numerous awards, singer-songwriter Michael McNevin plays clubs and festivals across the U.S., highlighting a seasoned voice and innovative guitar work. His songs read like short stories, full of humor, heart, and a keen eye for Americana. Jamie Byrd is a San Francisco-based singer/songwriter who writes imaginative songs with a master painter’s eye, in an intelligent, intuitive language uniquely her own. She has been awarded a CLIO and has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Doors open 5:30 p.m., potluck dinner at 6, show starts 7. Admission is $25.00. Reservations required. Call (707) 538-1215 for details, or e-mail HouseConcerts@Monitor.Net. The Marin traditional bluegrass band Keystone Station will be playing vintage bluegrass on the 29th at Murphy’s from 8-10 p.m. There is no cover, and sittin’ in with band this night will be Ed Neff on fiddle. Reminders Larkspur’s own Corinne West & The Posse (with Walter Strauss on guitar) will be playing on the 14th at 8 p.m. at the Petaluma Church Concerts Series, First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B Street, in Petaluma. Corinne honed her craft traveling around the country busking for tips while developing her signature sound – a heady mix with the intensity of rock, the sincerity of country the storytelling of bluegrass and the wide-openness of Americana. She’s touring in support of her recent album Second Sight, produced by acoustic music master Mike Marshall. Tickets are available at Tall Toad Music in Petaluma and at The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa. For more info contact Lance Walker at eclecticstage@yahoo.com. All aboard to see the band Lansdale Station when they play at Rancho Nicasio on the 14th, starting at 8 p.m. This Marin bawdy Americana band features the lead singing of husband/wife Judge and Lauren Murphy, and they will be debuting some new material for their upcoming recording sessions at Hyde Street Studios in April. Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station, besides the open mic every Tuesday with the New Rising Sons and the Bluegrass Gold show (see below), are the Vagina Monologues on the 14th and 15th, Jerry Hannan on the 17th, The Beautiful Losers and HoneyDust on the 21st (see below), Bobby G Posse on the 22nd, Heather Combs Songwriters on the 27th, and much more. Murphy Productions is presenting multiple shows this month at different venues. See Linda Kosut "Jukebox Cabaret" at McInnis Park in San Rafael on the 14th, Kofi Baker's Tribute to the Cream at the Masonic Center in Mill Valley on the 15th, The Matt Eakle Band on 21st at 333 Caledonia, The Waybacks at the Lark Theater on 22nd, and Ray Obiedo at 333 Caledonia on the 28th. Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell will be playing on the 14th with Under the Radar at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts Casual Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Studio, and on the 15th The Rhythm Rangers are at Ace in the Hole in Gratan. 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 Vinyl on the 14th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 20th, Danny Montana & Bar Association on the 22nd, Jeb's TwangFest on the 26th, Billy Boys on the 29th, and more. The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday you can see a stage production of Peter Pan on the 14th-16th, Los Pinguos on the 21st, Bill Kirchen on the 28th, Hot Club on Marin on the 31st, and other fine shows. Mill Valley’s Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved will appear at the Ace In the Hole Pub in Gratan on the 14th at 8 p.m., and at Saylor’s on the 29th. Matt also will appear with The Palm Wine Boys on the 16th at Rancho Nicasio in the afternoon. Houston Jones will play at the Black Oak Casino on the 14th (opening for the Stringdusters), on the 15th at the Old Stan in Sonora, at the San Gregorio General Store on the 22nd, and other shows. Go to their site for details. Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito (different food and location than the late Saylor’s Landing) now has live music on Fridays and Saturdays in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. On the 14th see Eugene Huggins, Mindy Canter & Dennis Geyer on the 15th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 21st, Steve Malerbi on the 22nd, Triton Trio on the 28th, and Matt Lax on the 29th. Finbar Devine’s Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are Valerie Jay Band on the 14th, Quinn Band on the 15th, Linda Wiggins Band on the 21st, The Buckshot Boys on the 22nd, and Caliban on the 28th. You can find Marin singer/guitarist/songwriter Kurt Huget working his way around the county this month. Every Tuesday he's in the house band, The New Rising Sons, at Sweetwater Station for open mic night. On the 14th, at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo, he'll be jamming with legendary jazz pianist Si Perkoff. The 22nd finds him playing with Jesse Lee Kincaid at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito, and he'll return to the Two Bird Cafe on the 29th for jazz with Namely Us. 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 Poor Man’s Whiskey on the 15th, John Kelly & Greengrass on the 16th, Spiral Mystics on the 17th, Elaine Dempsey on the 23rd, The David Thom Band on the 28th, Keystone Station on the 29th, and others. Lauralee Brown is a busy singer. On Tuesdays you can find her at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. On the 15th Acoustic Sounds performs unplugged at the Bazaar Cafe in SF 7-9:30 p.m., and on the 21st she’ll be with her band Jazz & Beyond at Saylor's. Novato’s Doug Adamz & Bravo will be singing both country and western at Rancho Nicasio on the 15th. Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 15th it will be swing music, and on the 22nd and 29th it will be pickers’ choice. Paul and Friends. Sound engineer and bass player extraordinaire Paul Knight & Friends will be pickin’ out at the Station House Cafe, located in downtown Pt. Reyes Station in West Marin, on the 16th from 5-8:30 p.m. His friends for this show will be Eric Thompson, Paul Shelasky, Scott Nygaard and Jody Stecher. Mill Valley’s Dore Coller has some cool gigs. On the 17th he’ll be at Pete's 881 in San Rafael with the Yard Dogs, and then he will be playing with Hot Club of Marin on the 20th at the Left Bank in Larkspur, on the 27th in the Tiki Lounge at 19 Broadway in Fairfax, and on the 31st at 142 Throckmorton in Mill Valley. Hot pickin’. Amazing acoustic guitarist Jim Hurst, who has won the International Bluegrass Music Association's Guitarist of the Year award twice (2001 & 2002) and toured/recorded with Claire Lynch, Doc Watson, Tim O'Brien, David Grisman, Sam Bush, and Bill Monroe, is all over the Bay Area next week. On the 18th he will be holding a guitar workshop from 5:30-7 p.m. at the 5th String music store in Berkeley before playing a show at 8; he will play a house concert in Sebastopol on the 19th at 7:30 p.m. (info call Kevin at 707-824-1858 or krussellmft@aol.com); he’ll play at Schoenberg Guitars on Ark Row in Tiburon on the 20th, info at (415) 789-0846; he’ll do a workshop and house concert in Santa Cruz on the 21st; on the 22nd he’ll hold a workshop at Gryphon Guitars in Palo Alto at noon and then play a Fiddling Cricket show in Santa Clara; and on the 25th he will hold a workshop and play a show at the Fifth String in Sacramento. 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 Jack Pribble's Living Room on the 19th and The Bluebellies on the 26th. Marin bluegrass jam. On the 20th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m. On Thursday the 20th at 8 p.m. the next edition of the bluegrass series Bluegrass Gold will take place at Sweetwater Station in downtown Larkspur. Bluegrass Gold is produced by Carltone Music and co-sponsored by the Northern. The Itchy Mountain Men will headline the show. The IMM formed in 2005 while high school sophomores in Marin County. It started with casual jamming, but it was just too spicy to leave at that. Soon enough, they were making musical love. Their repertoire includes old-time bluegrass, jazz, funk, rock and blues, all blended into a new and unique style of music they call “kickgrass.” They’ve rocked numerous engagements in Northern California, including benefits for Bread & Roses of Marin, Project Sanctuary in Mendocino, the Sausalito Arts Festival, and the Amador County Bluegrass Festival. The band received recognition for “Best Emerging Band” at the Berkeley Old-Time String Festival & Contest in September 2006, and received highest rankings at the 2007 Santa Cruz Jazz Festival. The band members are: Ricky “Slick Rick” Mier, banjo; Joel "Snuffy" Morais, mandolin and vocals; Ben “String Bean” Margolin, upright bass; Roger “Stretch” Krakow on guitar; and Christine “Sweet Pea” Donaldson, vocals. Sweetwater Station (formerly known as the Larkspur Café Theater) is Marin County's premier nightclub as well as the home for bluegrass music in the North Bay. For more information call the club at (415) 924-6107. At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see The Robert Cray Band on the 21st. The Beautiful Losers and HoneyDust will be playing the Equinox Extravaganza on the 21st at the Sweetwater Station. The Beautiful Losers are a Marin/Tokyo based band fronted by Brett Boyd and Raj Ramayya with Darren Nelson on bass and special guest drummer/percussionist Barbara Borden. They have two CD releases, licensing credits on MTV, major TV spots in Japan, have performed at the Fuji Rock Festival, are frequent guests at Anime conventions and have a recent spin on S.F. radio station KFOG. HoneyDust hails from West Marin and is fronted by artist extraordinaire Darren Nelson. Now with the addition of Danny Uzilevsky (Chrome Johnson/Ring of Fire) on lead guitar, and Mike Weiss (Billy Boys) on upright bass, HoneyDust promise to get your feet moving and your booty shakin'! JimBo Trout & the Fishpeople have some shows of note this month. You can hear them live on KPIG radio's Saturday Ham Jam on the 22nd from 1-3 p.m.: on the 27th the 10th Anniversary of The Atlas Cafe Bluegrass & Old-Time Jam (3049-20th St./Alabama in S.F.) will be happening from 8-10 p.m.; and on the 29th see them at The Rio Nido Roadhouse on the Russian River near Guerneville from 6-10 p.m. Schaef-Abel Productions has two shows coming up this month at Studio E in Sebastopol. On the 23rd former Marin resident (now living in Nashville) Audrey Auld Mezera with Andrew Hardin, and on the 28th see Jeffrey Foucault. 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. 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 every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band. 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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. 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: NEW YORK CITY OPERA – MADAMA BUTTERFLY 3/20 8 p.m.: “This poignant story of a disastrous clash of cultures is elegant in its simplicity, making Puccini's luscious score downright transcendental. When an American navy officer abandons his geisha bride after his tour of duty, he takes her love, her honor and her dreams for the future. But when he returns to claim their son, she takes matters into her own hands.” CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' – THE SONGS OF THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS 3/23 5:59 p.m.: “This special celebrating the harmonious pop-rock group highlights a wealth of classic TV performances that have not been seen for more than 35 years. It blends full-performance clips, rare home movies, exclusive interviews with members Michelle Phillips, John Phillips and Denny Doherty, and vintage footage of the late Mama Cass Elliot. Family, friends, colleagues and admirers - including Chynna Phillips (of Wilson-Phillips fame), Mama Cass's daughter Owen, legendary record producer Lou Adler, and contemporary performing colleagues John Sebastian and Barry McGuire - offer colorful commentary.” PETER AND THE WOLF 3/26 8 p.m.: “Originally composed in 1936, the piece famously uses personified instruments in the orchestra to tell the story of young Peter and his animal friends the Duck, the Bird and even a mischievous Cat – represented by an oboe, flute and clarinet. Peter, represented by the string section, becomes an unsuspecting hero and frees his small Russian village from the Wolf (played by French horns) intent on menacing the whole town. Conceived and directed by award-winning animator Suzie Templeton, the program uses stop-frame model animation a la Wallace and Gromie, puppets and digital photography to re-tell this enduring classic.” GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET – HANSEL AND GRETEL 3/26 9 p.m.: “Recorded in high definition with initial live transmissions to theaters around the world, the second season launches with the family favorite, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. Alice Coote and Christine Schafer play the siblings lost in a shadowy world of unknown menace, pursued by the Witch (tenor Philip Langridge) who seeks to devour them.” TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS – LIVE FROM GATORVILLE 3/27 11 p.m.: “Catch Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in this special two-part Soundstage performance as they return to Gainesville, Florida where it all started, to play their first hometown show in 13 years. In this jam-packed hour, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform with a seasoned stage presence and swagger that is a testament to their 30 years as rockers. And just when you think it can't get any better, the legendary, honorary heartbreaker, Stevie Nicks joins Petty on stage for a duet of ‘Stop Draggin' My Heart Around.’ Other highlights include ‘Listen to Your Heart’ and the Traveling Wilbury's classic ‘Handle With Care.’” COLOR ME BARBRA 3/28 9pm, 3/30 2pm.: “Barbra Streisand's second solo television special, Color Me Barbra (1966), was greeted with equal acclaim to 1965's My Name Is Barbra, and still dazzles with even further musical and visual innovation. Videotaped in color, the special opens with a dreamy interlude at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and then segues to a charming, animal-filled circus sequence before concluding with a bravura concert performance. Recapturing the electrifying early years of the Streisand sensation, the showcase shines a spotlight on the many talents that paved the way for a legendary five-decade career as singer, actress, director, composer, and producer.” ELLA FITZGERALD – SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR 3/29 11:35 p.m.: “American Masters presents the first comprehensive documentary portrait of the legendary Ella Fitzgerald, featuring never-before-seen performance footage as well as interviews with many of the great musicians who worked with her. Tony Bennett narrates. From that night in 1934, when she wowed the crowd at Amateur Night at the Harlem Opera House, Ella Fitzgerald went on to dazzle audiences for decades; the bell-like clarity of her voice and her superior musicianship brought them to their feet around the world. Ella recorded more than 2000 songs, sold more than 40 million records and won 13 Grammy Awards in her lifetime.” LIVE AID – THE DAY THE MUSIC CHANGED THE WORLD 3/30 1:54 a.m.: “Live Aid, the unforgettable global event staged in London and Philadelphia on Saturday, July 13, 1985, was watched on television by more than 1.5 billion people worldwide. These concerts led to pledge donations and royalties of over $140 million toward the devastating famine in Africa. Billed as ‘The Global Jukebox,’ Live Aid was described by the world's media as ‘The Greatest Show on Earth,’ ‘The Day Rock and Roll Changed the World,’ and ‘The Greatest Live Show Ever.’ This one-hour special features some of the most memorable performances of Live Aid.” SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK – RAISE YOUR VOICE 3/30 noon: “American Masters celebrates the power and beauty of song. The Grammy Award-winning group takes its name from a religious parable about a land that was so rich, when you cracked the rocks, honey flowed. The sextet of African- American women raises voices against injustice with music born of spirituals, slavery and the civil rights movement. This program effectively captures the tremendous energy unleashed on stage and explores the dramatic departure of Reagon, an original member. Directed by award-winning Stanley Nelson.” ROLLING STONES ROCK AND ROLL CIRCUS 3/30 1:04 a.m.: “This time capsule will transport you to another age: swinging London in the late 1960s. This is the Stones as you have hardly ever seen them - up close and intimate. This show was broadcast once in the US, on VH-1 on New Year's Eve in 1996. The show almost never saw the light of day as the footage was lost for more than a decade, discovered in a garbage can in The Who's vault.” ELVIS LIVES – THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT 3/31 1 a.m.: “In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of his death, Elvis is reunited with his original TCB Band, back-up singers and musical director through the magic of modern technology. The result is a unique concert special, featuring Elvis from selected concerts, including the Hawaii performance that remains one of the biggest satellite concerts ever. Staged at the Pyramid Arena in his hometown of Memphis, TN, just as if Elvis was appearing live in concert, the limousine arrives at the stage to a thunderous ovation, the lights go down, and suddenly Elvis appears center stage, only this time, it's on a video screen and the young, vibrant King of Rock 'n' Roll appears 20 times larger than life. On stage with him, playing and singing live are his beloved band members and members of the Imperials, the Stamps and the Sweet Inspirations, all led by band leader, Joe Guercio. Performance footage from the live concert is punctuated with interviews with these supporting members.” RICKY NELSON SINGS 3/31 2 a.m.: “This program celebrates the unique and remarkable musical career of Ricky Nelson. It showcases his greatest performances from the classic TV series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1957-1966). Full-length musical numbers are seamlessly blended with new interviews with Ricky's children (Tracy, Sam and twins Matthew and Gunnar), friend Kris Kristofferson, band mate and guitar legend James Burton and others. The show will be packed with warmth, emotion, fun, and of course, a lot of great rock `n' roll. Musical performances will be chosen from among his 60 chart hits as well as covers of Ricky's favorite rock era classics.”
**************************************************************************************************** March 1, 2008 Welcome to the 87th edition of Carltone's Corner! The month of March is, to mix metaphors, roaring in like a lamb here in the Bay Area. It feels like spring has sprung for good, but don’t take off the snow tires or put the screens in yet. Enjoy the nice weather while it is here, as it can turn back to winter at any time this month. And get out of the house to see some good and live music while you are at it! Techno foibles. The problems with computers and mailing lists continue here at Carltone World Headquarters, but some headway is being made on all fronts. A new notebook computer was purchased recently and soon we’ll be able to get back to updating the way out of date Carltone website. Also, during the last newsletter mailer 185 Yahoo addresses got kicked back here for reasons still unknown. And plans are underway to kill off this larryc@carltone.com email address that you have been seeing here since the inception of this publication. We receive about 200 pieces of garbage each day hawking Cialis, Viagra, Rolex watchers, anatomy enhancement, free credit cards, etc., and, quite frankly, we’re mad as hell and we can’t take it anymore. The new address next time will be carlin@carltone.com, so please add this to your safe list. A man and his banjo. If you missed it the other night, the recent documentary Pete Seeger –The Power of Song will be broadcast many times over the next few days 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. Email family and friends in Minnesota! Northern California favorites Rustler's Moon with Kathy Kallick & Bill Evans headed to a colder climate on the weekend of the 1st to headline the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association's Winter Bluegrass Weekend in Plymouth, Minnesota (outside of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area). Sitting in with the band will be legendary California bassist Bill Amatneek and fiddler Brian Wicklund. You can also download several songs from the band for free by visiting Rustler’s website. Bluegrass Breakdown. Anyone that has heard one-time Blue Grass Boy Peter Rowan do his introduction to the song “Walls of Time” from the stage has heard his story about how Monroe’s bus, called “The Bluegrass Breakdown,” lived up to its name one night on the way back to Bean Blossom, and Peter got inspired to write the lyrics to the melody that Bill started humming while standing there by the bus on the side of the road in the early morning hours. Well, now you can own a piece of bluegrass history by purchasing the Bluegrass Breakdown from its current owner in Bowling Green, KY. You would certainly be the most popular person at any bluegrass festival if you were to pull into the campgrounds with this vehicle this June! Driving steel. The word on the street from the Folk Alliance gathering in Memphis last weekend is that The SteelDrivers tore up the joint with a hot showcase performance. This past week there was a story about them in that great bluegrass publication called The Wall Street Journal. With any luck this link will open for you on your screen. You can also watch some videos of them from Country Music Television here. The band will be at Strawberry in August and Grass Valley in 2009. Kudos to Uncle Earl. Congratulations to the old-time band Uncle Earl for winning Album of the Year honors at Folk Alliance for their recording titled Waterloo. Bluegrass in the Big Apple. A few days ago it was a bluegrass story in the Wall Street Journal. Today, it is a bluegrass story in the New York Times. Read it here. Turn your radio on. There is a new radio station in the North Bay in Occidental, KOWS (107.3 FM), a local very low-power service licensed last year but just recently getting programming organized. So far there is a strong folk presence, but the schedule not fully developed yet. Read a story about the new station here. The Bay Area Americana band Houston Jones has a song called “Coward's Game” that is making some serious noise over at Neil Young's web site. Over 2,000 musicians have posted songs there, and they are ranked by number of plays. “Coward's Game” entered the chart at the bottom, and made it as far as 120. The band would be most grateful if you would go to Neil’s site here and click on the tune. Fishwrap Roundup. Maxim Magazine had to apologize for its review of the new Black Crowes CD in its March issue because the reviewer gave it 2.5 stars based on hearing just one song! Paul Liberatore in the Marin IJ had a nice story last week about The Moonlighters, a Marin band from the 80s featuring Bill Kirchen, Austin deLone, Tim Eschliman and Tony Johnson that will soon be releasing a new CD of newfound material. Paul also had a story about Marin photographer Ethan Russell, who took photos of the Rolling Stones during their Let It Bleed Tour in 1969. Life’s railway to heaven. Mike Smith, lead singer of the British band The Dave Clark Five back in the 60s, died on February 28th of pneumonia in London. He was 64. The band had hits such as "Glad All Over" and "Bits and Pieces." Smith just missed the band being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in two weeks. Coming attractions. Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands and Nell Robinson & Red Level at Sweetwater Station on 4/17; Strawberry Music Festivals 5/22-25, 8/28-31; CBA’s Father’s Day Festival 6/12-15. Onward to the calendar… 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. Featured there this month are Andrew Freeman on the 1t, the Celtic jam on the 2nd, Carolina Special on the 8th, Doug Adamz & Rusty Gauthier on the 13th, Poor Man’s Whiskey on the 15th, John Kelly & Greengrass on the 16th, Spiral Mystics on the 17th, Elaine Dempsey on the 23rd, The David Thom Band on the 28th, Keystone Station on the 29th, and others. Some shows of note at Sweetwater Station, besides the open mic every Tuesday with the Rising Sons and the Bluegrass Gold show (see below), are the Forest Sun CD release show on the 1st, Norton Buffalo on the 7th, Dave Gleason on the 13th, Vagina Monologues on the 14th and 15th, Jerry Hannan on the 17th, The Beautiful Losers and HoneyDust on the 21st (see below), Bobby G Posse on the 22nd, Heather Combs Songwriters on the 27th, and much 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 Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 1st, Peri's Blues Jam on the 2nd, Jinx Jones on the 7th, Sexy Sunday on the 9th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 12th (and 26th), Vinyl on the 14th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 20th, Danny Montana and Bar Association on the 22nd, Billy Boys on the 29th, and more. The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta’s comedy night every Tuesday you can see Dick Gregory & Mort Sahl on the 1st, Dan Licks & His Hot Licks on the 8th, Los Pinguos on the 21st, Bill Kirchen on the 28th, and other fine shows. Poor Man’s Whiskey has quite a few gigs in the North Bay this month. See them at the Bella Winery in Healdsburg from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on the 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th; on the 15th they will return to Murphy’s Irish Pub in the town of Sonoma for the first time since 2006; and on the 29th it will be The Mystic in Petaluma. Mild Colonial Boys. Original band member Fergus Feely will join the present line-up of North Bay players John Caulfield, Kyle Thayer and Rory McNamara for two shows only, but on the same day. On the 1st at 2:30 p.m. see them down the coast at The San Gregorio Store and then that evening at 9 p.m. at The Plough and the Stars in SF. Saylor’s Restaurant in Sausalito (different food and location than the late Saylor’s Landing) now has live music on Fridays and Saturdays in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 7-10 on Saturdays. On the 1st see Macy Blackman, John Brite & Paul Robinson on the 7th, Tina Marzell on the 8th, Eugene Huggins on the 14th, Mindy Canter & Dennis Geyer on the 15th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 21st, Steve Malerbi on the 22nd, Triton Trio on the 28th, and Matt Lax & Nearly Beloved on the 29th. Finbar Devine’s Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are Heavy Petty on the 1st, Mike Prasad Band on the 7th, Smokehouse Gamblers Band on the 8th, Valerie Jay Band on the 14th, Quinn Band on the 15th, Linda Wiggins Band on the 21st, The Buckshot Boys on the 22nd, and Caliban on the 28th. Jammin’ in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 1st and the 8th it is bluegrass, old-time, old country, acoustic picking and fiddling; on the 15th it will be swing music; and on the 22nd and 29th it will be pickers’ choice. Will pick for food. Pink Sabbath will be playing for your dancing pleasure and for the West Marin Food Bank on the 1st starting at 9 p.m. at Smiley’s in Bolinas. There will be a discount at the door with a non-perishable food item, protein preferred. Join the recently reunited siren folk/metal kids of Pink Sabbath (aka “The Pinks”) Diana Lerwick, Cindy Giuliani (Flyover States), Marisa Martinez (Eric McFadden) Adrienne Pfeiffer (Snakeoil Saviors, ManPurse) and Lex Razon (Vinyl, Calmodee). Pink Sabbath entertains with their unique blend of Klezmer, crunk-grass and gypsy folk. Murphy Productions is presenting multiple shows this month at different venues. Sunday March 2nd it is Russian Folk Music, Wake The Dead at the Lark Theater in Larkspur on 7th, Deborah Winters Band on the 8th at 333 Caledonia in Sausalito, Linda Kosut "Jukebox Cabaret" at McInnis Park in San Rafael on the 14th, Kofi Baker's Tribute to the Cream Paul and Friends. Sound engineer and bass player extraordinaire Paul Knight & Friends will be pickin’ out at the Station House Cafe, located in downtown Pt. Reyes Station in West Marin, on the 2nd from 5-8:30 p.m. His friends for this show will be Tom Rozum, Keith Little and a surprise guest fiddler. Dancing for a cause. Everyone is headed to the Contra Dance Benefit for the Petaluma Trolley Project on the 2nd from 3-5:30 p.m. at the Trolley Bar, located at 110 Bayliss in Petaluma. Players will be Ingrid Noyes, Michael Harmon and Erik Hoffman. For info call (707) 778-7878. Houston Jones will play at Rancho Nicasio on the 2nd, McGrath’s in Alameda on the 8th, Black Oak Casino on the 14th, San Gregorio General Store on the 22nd, 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 Django Obscura on the 5th, Rubber Souldiers (featuring Lorin Rowan, Chris Rowan, David Gans, Paul Knight) on the 12th, Jack Pribble's Living Room on the 19th, and The Bluebellies on the 26th. Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell has another busy month playing with four bands. On the 5th The Rhythm Rangers open for Marcia Ball at The Mystic in Petaluma 8 p.m., on the 8th The Rhythm Rangers tear it up at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa, on the 14th Under the Radar will be at Sebastopol Center for the Arts Casual Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Studio, and on the 15th The Rhythm Rangers are at Ace in the Hole in Gratan. Jeanie & Chuck Poling’s bluegrass and country jam at The Plough and Stars in SF will take place on the 5th. It runs from 8:30-11 p.m., but it is a bar, so you must be 21 to attend. Stop on by to pick a tune, and join the hosts for a Guinness. Marin bluegrass jam. On the 6th and the 20th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m. Mill Valley’s Dore Coller has some cool gigs. He will play with Hot Club of Marin on the 6th (and 27th) in the Tiki Lounge at 19 Broadway in Fairfax, on the 9th at 19 Broadway, on the 20th at the Left Bank in Larkspur, and on the 31st at 142 Throckmorton in Mill Valley. On the 17th he’ll be at Pete's 881 in San Rafael with the Yard Dogs. The Mill Valley band Wagon can be seen at Ashkenaz in Berkeley 6th, at 8 p.m. Also playing that night are Old Agora and Sean Hodge w/ High Heat. Mill Valley’s Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved will appear at Caffe Trieste in Berkeley on the 7th starting at 8 p.m., at the Ace In the Hole Pub in Gratan on the 14th at 8 p.m., and at Saylor’s on the 29th. Matt also will appear with The Palm Wine Boys on the 16th at Rancho Nicasio in the afternoon. 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 Nina Gerber & Kenny Edwards on the 7th, and Jim Hurst on the 20th. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info. V-Day in San Geronimo. There will be a production of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues to celebrate V-Day’s Ten Year Anniversary of raising awareness of and ending violence against women. The location is the San Geronimo Valley Community Center on the 7th and 8th. This will also be a benefit to raise funds for Community Violence Solutions. The Center is located at 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., five miles west of Fairfax. Sonoma County Bluegrass Festival will be taking place on the 8th at the Sebastopol Community Center from 1-9 p.m. The band lineup features Nina Gerber& Kenny Edwards, John Reischman & The Jaybirds, Sol Flamenco, The Roadoilers, The Mighty Crows, Alhambra Valley Band, and Julay Brooks & The Nightbirds. This festival is co-sponsored by CBA and the Sonoma County Folk Society. Tickets for CBA members are $25 advance and $30 at the door, 11 and under free. Order your tickets today online here. For more info, call Mark Hogan at (707) 829-8012. Inverness Mandolin Gathering. On the 9th the annual gathering of mandolin players will be taking place in the West Marin town of Inverness. From 1-3 p.m. for only $25 there will be a workshop with Ed Neff, and after that the picking will go on into the night. The address is 55 Via Del Vista, Inverness, and if you want to attend contact David Crummey at (530) 739-3183 or dcrummey@snowcrest.net. The Gathering is open to everyone who owns a mandolin, plays a mandolin or just enjoys mandolin music. There will be lots of mandolins to sample and they’ll be a potluck so bring your favorite dish. At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see The Moody Blues on the 9th, Magic on Ireland on the 13th, and The Robert Cray Band on the 21st. Lauralee Brown is one in-demand singer. On Tuesdays you can find her at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. On the 12th it's Jazz & Beyond at the No Name in Sausalito, on the 15th Acoustic Sounds performs unplugged at the Bazaar Cafe in SF 7-9:30 p.m., and on the 21st it's Jazz & Beyond at Saylor's. Novato’s Doug Adamz will be playing as a duo with Russ Gauthier at Murphy’s on the 13th and then his full country band Bravo! will be appearing at Rancho Nicasio on the 15th. Larkspur’s own Corinne West & The Posse will be playing on the 14th at 8 p.m. at the Petaluma Church Concerts Series, First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B Street, in Petaluma. Corinne honed her craft traveling around the country busking for tips while developing her signature sound – a heady mix with the intensity of rock, the sincerity of country the storytelling of bluegrass and the wide-openness of Americana. She’s touring in support of her recent album Second Sight, produced by acoustic music master Mike Marshall. Tickets are available at Tall Toad Music in Petaluma and at The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa. For more info contact Lance Walker at eclecticstage@yahoo.com. All aboard to see the band Lansdale Station when they play at Rancho Nicasio on the 14th, starting at 8 p.m. This Marin bawdy Americana band features the lead singing of husband/wife Judge and Lauren Murphy, and they will be debuting some new material for their upcoming recording sessions at Hyde Street Studios in April. You can find Marin singer/guitarist/songwriter Kurt Huget working his way around the county this month. Every Tuesday he's in the house band, The New Rising Sons, at Sweetwater Station in Larkspur for open mic night. On the 14th, at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo, he'll be jamming with legendary jazz pianist Si Perkoff. The 22nd finds him playing with Jesse Lee Kincaid at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito, and he'll return to the Two Bird Cafe on the 29th for jazz with Namely Us. Jim Hurst in Sebastopol. Amazing acoustic guitarist Jim Hurst will be putting on a solo performance at a house concert in Sebastopol on the 19th at 7:30 p.m. Jim has won the International Bluegrass Music Association's Guitarist of the Year award twice (2001 & 2002), he has toured and recorded with Claire Lynch, Doc Watson, Tim O'Brien, David Grisman, Sam Bush, and Bill Monroe. For info call Kevin at (707) 824-1858 or krussellmft@aol.com. On Thursday the 20th at 8 p.m. the next edition of the bluegrass series Bluegrass Gold will take place at Sweetwater Station in downtown Larkspur. Bluegrass Gold is produced by Carltone Music and co-sponsored by the Northern. The Itchy Mountain Men will headline the show. Formed in 2005 while high school sophomores in Marin County. It started with casual jamming, but it was just too spicy to leave at that. Soon enough, they were making musical love. Their repertoire includes old-time bluegrass, jazz, funk, rock and blues, all blended into a new and unique style of music they call “kickgrass.” They’ve rocked numerous engagements in Northern California, including benefits for Bread & Roses of Marin, Project Sanctuary in Mendocino, the Sausalito Arts Festival, and the Amador County Bluegrass Festival. The band received recognition for “Best Emerging Band” at the Berkeley Old-Time String Festival & Contest in September 2006, and received highest rankings at the 2007 Santa Cruz Jazz Festival. The band members are: Ricky “Slick Rick” Mier, banjo; Joel "Snuffy" Morais, mandolin and vocals; Ben “String Bean” Margolin, upright bass; Roger “Stretch” Krakow on guitar; and Christine “Sweet Pea” Donaldson, vocals. Sweetwater Station (formerly known as the Larkspur Café Theater) is Marin County's premier nightclub as well as the home for bluegrass music in the North Bay. For more information call the club at (415) 924-6107. The Beautiful Losers and HoneyDust will be playing the Equinox Extravaganza on the 21st at the Sweetwater Station. The Beautiful Losers are a Marin/Tokyo based band fronted by Brett Boyd and Raj Ramayya with Darren Nelson on bass and special guest drummer/percussionist Barbara Borden. They have two CD releases, licensing credits on MTV, major TV spots in Japan, have performed at the Fuji Rock Festival, are frequent guests at Anime conventions and have a recent spin on S.F. radio station KFOG. HoneyDust hails from West Marin and is fronted by artist extraordinaire Darren Nelson. Now with the addition of Danny Uzilevsky (Chrome Johnson/Ring of Fire) on lead guitar, and Mike Weiss (Billy Boys) on upright bass, HoneyDust promise to get your feet moving and your booty shakin'! JimBo Trout & the Fishpeople have some shows of note this month. You can hear them live on KPIG radio's Saturday Ham Jam on the 22nd from 1-3 p.m.: on the 27th the 10th Anniversary of The Atlas Cafe Bluegrass & Old-Time Jam (3049-20th St./Alabama in S.F.) will be happening from 8-10 p.m.; and on the 29th see them at The Rio Nido Roadhouse on the Russian River near Guerneville from 6-10 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. 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 every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band. 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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. 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: MY GENERATION – THE 60S 3/01 8:30 p.m., 3/03 12:02 a.m., 3/05 7:30 p.m., 3/09 9:30 p.m.: “Following up on the same audience as ‘The 60s Experience” and ‘This Land Is Your Land’ this special appeals to the sixties generation of baby boomers. The program focuses on the years 1965-1969 and includes essential 60s folk rock, R&B and pop. The 8-CD set features the biggest hits by the original 1960's artists in this celebration and collection of folks that lived through the decade of change, peace, love and protest music.” CLASH LIVE – REVOLUTION ROCK 3/01 10:30 p.m., 3/08 1 a.m., 3/08 2:30 p.m.: “This performance documentary will take us through the short but highly influential and prolific reign of the band from the mid-70s through the early 80s, drawing from never before seen and rare live concerts throughout their career. The show will make use of never-used interviews with The Clash band members drawn from interview sessions made by Grammy Award documentary producer, Don Letts, maker of the award winning ‘Westway to the World’ Clash documentary and the film ‘Punk Attitude.’ This will enable The Clash themselves to tell an abbreviated story using totally different statements from those in used in the ‘Westway’ documentary.” MONTEREY POP – THE SUMMER OF LOVE 3/02 1:30 a.m.: “During the Summer of Love, 1967, the first and only Monterey International Pop Festival ushered in a new era of rock and roll. The festival would launch the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding, but they were just a few among a diverse cast that included Simon and Garfunkel, Hugh Masekela, The Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, Eric Burden and the Animals, and The Who. Director D.A. Pennebaker captured the decade's spirit during the three-day festival in his acclaimed documentary entitled ‘Monterey Pop’ and immortalized moments that have become legend. And now 40 years later, this program presents the best of Pennebaker's documentary.” CHRIS BOTTI LIVE 3/02 6 a.m., 3/05 11 p.m.: “Since his premiere solo album in 1995, the acclaimed trumpeter, gifted instrumentalist and talented composer has created a series of recordings that have made him a virtual genre-of-one in the realm of contemporary jazz. His recent album, ‘To Love Again,’ is the inspiration for this exciting concert, a magical evening with Chris Botti's sensual trumpet playing and the show's star studded line-up.” PETE SEEGER – THE POWER OF SONG 3/02 1 p.m., 3/03 7:30 p.m., 3/07 1p.m., 3/08 10 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.” JAMES TAYLOR – ONE MAN BAND 3/03 9:30 p.m., 3/04 1 p.m., 3/09 1 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., 3/11 1 a.m.: “Nearly 40 years after the release of his first single, beloved singer-songwriter James Taylor continues to captivate legions of fans with his characteristic, folks-inspired sound. The recipient of five Grammy awards - and both Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee - Taylor has enjoyed an illustrious career, and is widely acknowledged as a premier musician and storyteller.” BOB DYLAN - LIVE IN NEWPORT 1963-1965 3/05 9:30 p.m., 3/09 5:30 p.m.: “This program includes unreleased performances filmed by Academy Award-winning director Murray Lerner. It captures full performances of some of Bob Dylan's greatest songs. The Newport Folk Festival takes place in Newport, Rhode Island and is best known for introducing a number of performers who went on to become major stars. Bob Dylan's first Newport appearance in 1963 is generally regarded as his premiere national performance. Dylan became the artist most notably associated with this festival. His 1963 and 1964 performances made him popular with the Newport crowd, but in 1965, while headlining the music festival, he decided to plug in, resulting in a mixed response of cheers and boos. Dylan left the stage after only three songs, only to reemerge and sing two solo acoustic numbers. Many of Dylan's folk fans felt he was abandoning his folk roots - and we have it all captured live on film. For the first time ever, the complete electric set is available. This shift marked his changing artistic direction, making his move from leading contemporary song-writer of the folk scene to rock n' roll star.” COPLAND AND THE AMERICAN SOUND 3/06 7:30 p.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.” DAVID BROZA AT MASADA – THE SUNRISE CONCERT 3/07 9 p.m.: “This historic special features international composer, guitarist and singer David Broza. With his flamenco-tinged, folk- rock melodies and keen talent for breathing musical life into sensual snippets of poetry, Broza is a formidable musical force of nature. He commands and captivates the audience's heart, mind and soul. The concert is performed at the site of the ancient fortress of Masada in the southern Israeli desert, and David is joined on stage by legendary singer/ songwriter Jackson Browne, and Grammy Award-winner Shawn Colvin. Broza's concert begins in the early morning hours, concluding with the sun rising over the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, revealing one of the most spiritual and ancient scenes in the world. David is also joined by an Arab musician Ebrahim Eid to perform his international hit song ‘In My Heart.’ Accompanied by a Palestinian and Israeli children's choir, they sing about peace, their love of life and the land they share together. The program creates poetry for the eyes, the ears and the heart.” ROLLING STONES ROCK AND ROLL CIRCUS 3/08 2:30 a.m., 3/09 11:30 p.m., 3/30 1:04 a.m.: “This time capsule will transport you to another age: swinging London in the late 1960s. This is the Stones as you have hardly ever seen them - up close and intimate. This show was broadcast once in the US; on VH-1 on New Year's Eve in 1996. The show almost never saw the light of day as the footage was lost for more than a decade, discovered in a garbage can in The Who's vault.” AUSTIN CITY LIMITS PRESENTS – HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 3/12 9 p.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.”
January 3, 2008 Welcome to the 85th edition of Carltone's Corner! And a happy New Year to you! It was one heck of a holiday season for the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters. Shows, gigs, and parties…the holiday spirit was definitely in the air for a long time. And the celebrating continues, as with this issue we are notching year number seven of this esteemed publication. Thanks for all of your years of support, and as with the previous years, we'll just keep on bringing you all of the pertinent North Bay music news that we can find. This issue is a couple of days late due to all of the holiday festivities and the fact that New Year's Day fell on a Tuesday. To sort of make up for this, the next issue will be sent out earlier than usual. The staff here is in dire need of a vacation, and we will be leaving town on the 13th for some mandatory rest and relaxation. Carltone Productions will once again be stringing together its virtual 5th Annual North Bay Bluegrass Festival (shows at different venues over the course of two weeks) sometime soon, and more will appear here in the next edition. Fond farewell. Matt Kramer, the main music writer for the Marin weekly paper the Pacific Sun for the past three years, has decided to move on to other ventures. He has been the best music writer at that publication since we began following it closely in the early 90s. He defied all of the odds by writing solely about shows that took place either in Marin County or, on occasion, in Sonoma County. Which is what a writer for a local weekly should do. The previous scribes often wrote about shows at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View and the Concord Pavilion while they were "auditioning" for better writing jobs or suffering from delusions of grandeur. One such writer was a recluse who hardly ever left his house to see live music, often just writing about new CD releases from the comfort of his own home. The Sun is now looking for a new writer, and with any luck they will hire someone who will do as good a job as Matt. The Belle of San Francisco. These past few months have been heady times for Pam Brandon, a.k.a. Belle Monroe of Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys. Last summer the band released their first CD to critical acclaim, in December they were selected to play at the CBA's Father's Day Festival as one of the California bands, and on the 2nd she was prominently featured in a story in the San Francisco Chronicle. By day she is a structural engineer for a prominent firm in SF, and at night she is either fronting her bluegrass band or singing lead in the 12-piece Western swing band called Lost Weekend. You can see her sing with Lost Weekend on the 4th at the Black Oak Casino near Sonora, and see her play with the Brewglass Boys on the 9th at the Hotel Utah in SF. Laurie Schaeffer and Greg Abel, of Schaef-Abel Productions, celebrated ten years of producing shows in the North Bay, and they were also in the news recently, in a story from the Sonoma West Times. Sight for sore eyes. Last weekend at a pickin' party in Novato it was a pleasure to see Patti Garber come walking up the stairs. Patti and her husband Ted have been leading the Bay Area bluegrass band Grizzly Peak for many years. As most of you know, Patti has been battling cancer for some time now, and while she had a tough period this fall, she is getting back out again. In a few weeks she will be celebrating her birthday, and then in February Grizzly Peak will be playing at the San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival. Strawberry alarm clock. Tickets to the 2008 Strawberry Music Festivals on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends are going fast. The fest has been selling out way in advance for years, and you have until January 11th to get the cheapest rate on an all-festival ticket. So if you are thinking about going, buy now and don't worry later. Good read. There is a new book soon to be released about bluegrass singer Red Allen, and the title is Teardrops in My Eyes: The Music of Harley "Red" Allen by Dennis Satterlee. Pleasant Valley Music is the exclusive Western U.S. distributor of the book. For more information go the PV web site. Red memory: We only saw Red play one time, and it was at the Strawberry Music Festival in 1991, with David Grisman, Herb Pedersen, Jimmy Buchanan and Jim Kerwin. In the middle of the set, Red said, "I don't know if I have ever been here before or not, but if I have, it's been a long time…" More good reads. Here are some other books of note. There is a new one out called Air Castle of the South: WSM and the Making of Music City by Craig Havighurst that is about country music radio station WSM and its success with hosting the Grand Ole Opry. There are two books about the Cash Family, one about Johnny and the other about June Carter Cash. Johnny's first wife Vivian Cash and writer Ann Sharpsteen put together I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny, and Johnny and June's son John Carter Cash, wrote Anchored In Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash. There are two books about famed guitar player Eric Clapton. One, by the artist himself, is titled Clapton: The Autobiography, and the other is by his ex-wife Patti Boyd and writer Penny Junor titled Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me. And there is yet another biography of the late, hard-partying, country-rock pioneer Gram Parsons, titled Twenty Thousand Roads: The Ballad of Gram Parsons and His Cosmic American Music by David Meyer. Bluegrass radio shows on the web. Radio Bluegrass International is
airing three new shows that can be listened to on your computer. The
Internet stream is accessed from and is generated from the 22,000
square foot International Bluegrass Music Museum facility in Owensboro,
KY. One show is called Banks of the Ohio, a three-hour show on the
history of bluegrass hosted by Fred Bartenstein that airs Thursday
mornings from 8-11 a.m. CST (archived episodes from the show's earliest
years will air Sunday mornings from 6-9 a.m. CST); another is The
Bluegrass Review, an hour of bluegrass from host Phil Nusbaum that
streams every Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. CST; and finally there
is the Dan Crary Classic Bluegrass show that airs every third Sunday
at 3 p.m. More award nominations. Some weeks back it was the Grammy nominations that made headlines. Soon after it was the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) nominations that made waves. The 34th Annual SPBGMA National Convention will be held in Nashville on January 31st-Feb 3rd.. As for West Coast names on the list, dobro wizard Rob Ickes (native Californian) may be the only person… The Amazing Mr. Ed. If you tuned into Ray Edlund's Pig In A Pen bluegrass and old-time radio show a few weeks back on KPFA-FM (94.1) in Berkeley you may have heard longtime Bay Area bluegrass musician Ed Neff and his wife Brijet talking about Ed's new mandolin instructional DVD. Ray also played some cuts from the demo recording by Ed's new band Blue and Lonesome. Go to Ed's site to find out how to get your own copy of the DVD. Police log. Fit, rested and (McC)ready. Country singer Mindy McCready was recently released from jail after violating terms of her parole from a prior drug arrest. People will flock to her comeback shows just to see if she goes bonkers again on the stage… Enough whining! Whacky singer Amy Winehouse is going to renew her wedding vows with her husband while he is jail in London awaiting trial for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Of course, sales of her Grammy nominated album have been going through the roof after the happy couple's recent multiple drug and battery arrests… Fiddlesticks! After the strains of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 had faded from Beall Concert Hall in Eugene, OR, on December 21st, and the orchestra had begun packing its instruments, violinist Joseph Hokai Tang was arrested on federal fraud charges for allegedly bilking several Bay Area violin collectors and dealers out of thousands of dollars in the sale of fine instruments from April 2002 through December 2006. Life's railway to heaven. Legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson died on December 23rd in his home near Toronto, Canada, of kidney failure. He was 82. Coming attractions. Walter Strauss on a co-bill with Artie Traum & Adam Traum the 142 Throckmorton in Mill Valley on 2/7; San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival on 2/1-9; Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band at the Larkspur Café Theater on 2/21; The Chieftains at the Marin Center 2/22; Sonoma County Bluegrass Festival on 3/8; Strawberry Music Festivals 5/22-25, 8/28-31; CBA's Father's Day Festival 6/12-15. Onward to the calendar… Mill Valley's Dore Coller has some cool gigs. On the 3rd Dore & Friends kick off the New Year and the TNT music series at the Tiki Lounge at 19 Broadway in Fairfax from 7-9 p.m.; then it's the Hot Club of Marin at the Left Bank in Larkspur on the 17th; he'll pick bluegrass with Savanna Blu at Murphy's on the 18th; his Bermuda Grass band will play Finbar's on the 19th; the Hot Club will play the Tiki Lounge on the 24th, and then Bermuda Grass is will be there on the 31st. And don't forget the next meeting of the Hot Club Club at the 142 Throckmorton on the 28th. This event is a chance for all players interested in Parisian Swing to get a chance to play together, exchange ideas, information, trade secrets etc at the premier venue for all things Django in the Bay Area. Mill Valley songwriter Jesse Lee Kincaid and his band appear on the 3rd at Peri's in Fairfax at 9:30 p.m., on the 8th as the house band for the open mic at the Larkspur Café Theater, and on the 11th at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito at 6:30 p.m. Jesse was a founding member of The Rising Sons, with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. Bay Area singer, guitarist and fiddler Ray Bierl celebrates the release of his new CD Any Place I Hang My Hat on the 3rd at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. Ray's talents as a singer, guitarist and fiddler are well known in California music circles and his new album, produced by Berkeley bluegrass luminary Laurie Lewis, is a perfect showcase of his versatility and depth. Bierl draws upon rockabilly, old-time, country, and bluegrass for material. The songs on the CD come from a variety of sources including Elvis and Hank Williams. Most of the songs share the common theme of about journeys. Joining Ray on his show will be some of the musicians who recorded with him including Lewis and local talents Bill Evans, Markie Sanders, Mayne Smith, Tom Rozum, as well as other special guests. Santa Rosa singer/songwriter Joni Davis can be heard playing on KRSH (95.9 FM) radio on the 3rd at 8 p.m. on the Thursday Night Live with Andre De Channes, and on the 9th hear her on KRCB (91.1 FM) on Doug Jayne's Connections show at 8 p.m. You can also see her play live at The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa on the 10th at 6 p.m. for her CD release show. Marin bluegrass jam. On the 3rd and the 17th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 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 the Jesse Kincaid Band on the 3rd, Swamp Thang on the 4th, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 5th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 9th (and 23rd), Billy Boys on the 12th, Sexy Sunday on the 13th, Diamond Ortiz on the 16th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 17th, Gail Mojo Blues Band on the 19th, Twang Ditty on the 24th, Johnny Vegas and the High Rollers on the 25th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 27th, The Craig Caffall Band on the 31st, and others. At the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa there are Celtic jams on the second and third Wednesdays and a bluegrass/old-timey jam on the 4th Wednesdays. See Paddy Fields on the 3rd, Raisin Cain on the 4th, The Farallons on the 5th, Blues Coupe on the 11th, Barbwyre on the 12th, Amber Lee & The Anomalies on the 17th, Leeza Gomez & The Blues Breakers on the 25th, The Tonewoods on the 26th, and more. The Ace in the Hole Pub outside of Sebastopol is the place to see Camille Bloom & David Carrol on the 3rd, Jesse Brewster Band on the 5th, Canal St. Jazz Band on the 8th, Dr. Dave's Blues Revue on the 10th, Songwriters in the Round w/Scott Pinckert on the 15th, Moonshiners on the 16th, Windshield Cowboys on the 17th, The Accidentals on the 20th, Sky Nelson Band on the 24th, Linda Ferro Band on the 27th, Tim Williams on the 29th, Tabla Rasa on the 30th, and others. First bluegrass festival of the year. What better way is there to start off the New Year than by going to the Fourth Annual River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland, OR, on the 4th-6th? Some of the acts you can see there are the David Grisman Quintet, Tim O'Brien, The Dan Tyminski Band, Bryan Bowers, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Seldom Scene, The Del McCoury Band, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Dry Branch Fire Squad, John Reischman & The Jaybirds, The Flatlanders, David Grier, and Darol Anger & The Republic of Strings. Hardly a man of constant sorrow. The Dan Tyminski Band, featuring Dan on guitar, Ron Stewart on banjo, Justin Moses on fiddle, Barry Bales on bass, and Adam Steffey on mandolin show, will be playing at the Independent on Divisadero Street in SF on the 4th. This show was originally scheduled for the Palace of Fine Arts, but it was moved some weeks back. Opening will be Marin County's own Hot Buttered Rum. Dan has been a longtime member of Alison Krauss & Union Station, and he was the singing voice of George Clooney in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Dan's band will also be playing at The River City Festival and at the CBA's Father's Day Festival in June. 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. Featured there this month are The Sonoma Mountain Band on the 4th, Andrew Freeman on the 5th, the Celtic jam on 6th, Carolina Special on the 12th, Shades of Green on the 13th, Kimrea and Joe LoCoco on the 17th, Savannah Blu on the 18th, The David Thom Band on the 25th, Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue on the 26th, Solid Air on the 27th, Amber Lee & The Anomalies on the 31st, and others. Saylor's Restaurant in Sausalito (different food and location than the late Saylor's Landing) now has live music on Fridays and Saturdays in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. On the 4th it will be Eugene Huggins, Ken Husbands & Rebecca Griffin on the 5th, Mindy Canter& Dennis Geyer on the11th, Macy Blackman on the 12th, John Brite & Paul Robinson on the 18th, Mike Angel on the 19th, Steve Malerbi on the 26th, and Lauralee Brown & Company on the 25th. Finbar Devine's Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30-11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are The Total Eclipse Band on the 4th, Bluebellies the 5th, Mikie Prasad Band on the 11th, Lucky Dog Band on the 12th, The Jenny Kerr Band the 18th, Dore Coller's Bermuda Grass on the 19th, Paul & Margie of Golden Bough on the 25th, and The Rhythm Rangers on the 26th. The Black Oak Casino out near Sonora is a bit of drive from the North Bay but well worth the trip, especially with the huge Marin connection there this month. You can see the Western swing band Lost Weekend (featuring the aforementioned Pam Brandon) on the 4th, Norton Buffalo on the 5th, Maria Muldaur on the 26th, and Dan Hicks on the 30th. The joint is jumpin' at the Toad in the Hole pub in Santa Rosa. See Greenhouse on the 4th, Chris Rovetti & The Experience on the 5th, Amber Lee & The Anomalies on the 11th, The Rosetown Ramblers on the 13th, Crooked Roads on the 19th, Doug Jayne on the 24th, The Pyrotones on the 27th, and more. Some shows of note at the Larkspur Café Theater, besides the open mic every Tuesday with Michael LaMacchia, are Norton Buffalo on the 4th, Wagon on the 9th, Vinyl on the 19th, James Moseley Band R & B Dance Party on the 20th, Fred Eaglesmith on the 23rd, Rustler's Moon on the 24th (details below), Heather Combs Songwriters In The Round on the 31st, and others. The North Bay band Mild Colonial Boys is headed south. Take a drive down the coast to see them play at the San Gregorio Store on the 5th starting at 3 p.m. The band is Rory McNamara, Kyle Alden, and John Caulfield. The Wild Catahoulas will be playing on the 5th at Monroe Hall in Santa Rosa. Dance lessons are at 7 p.m., and then live music from 8-11. On the 26th they will be playing at show at the Cloverdale Old-Time Fiddle Contest from 8-11 p.m. Popular Bay Area singer/songwriter Caren Armstrong will be headlining a show at the Freight & Salvage on the 5th starting at 8 p.m. She'll be joined by Marin's busiest bass player, Joshua Zucker, as well as other special guests including John Haley-Walker. The Old Western in Point Reyes Station offers the best music from northern California and beyond most every Friday and Saturday nights. Cover charge is usually $5 and the shows start at 9:30 p.m. See Little Sister on the 5th, Twang Ditty on the 11th, Buckaroo Band on the 12th, The NiteCaps on the 19th, and Thick Soup on the 26th. At The Mystic in Petaluma see Adrian Legg and Peppino D'Agostino on the 5th, Henry Butler & His West Coast All Stars plus Lady Bianca on the 10th, Pete Escovedo Latin Jazz Orchestra on the 12th, Janiva Magness and Red Meat on the 19th, Malo on the 25th, and Brian Auger's Oblivion Express on the 26th. Jammin' in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 5th and the 12th it is bluegrass, old-time, old country, acoustic picking and fiddling; on the 19th it will be swing music; and on the 26th it will be pickers' choice. Mill Valley's Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved will appear at The Riptide in SF on the 5th starting at 9 p.m., on the 13th from 4-6 p.m. at Rancho Nicasio in West Marin, and on the 26th at Farley's Café in SF. The Station House Café in Point Reyes Station has music every weekend. Some of the acts you can see are Paul Knight & Friends on the 6th from 5-8:30 p.m. with David Gans, Chris & Lorin Rowan, on the 17th Doug Adamz & Rusty Gauthier from 6-8 p.m., and Ain't Misbehavin' performs acoustic vintage and Western swing, jazzy ballads, originals, and more on the 18th at 7 p.m. Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts "Local's Night" every Tuesday. Go and check out a great music lineup this month. On the 8th Tony Magee plays some swampy Delta blues, on the 15th Darren Nelson original rock and alt country, on the 22nd it will be eclectic classic pop and rock from the Cathleen Riddley Trio, and on the 29th Americana from the Bluebellies. On Local's Nights, Nick's offers features specials on dinners and Lagunitas beers, all designed to keep you coming back for more. Music is from 7-9 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. On the 9th see A.K.A. Hot Buttered Rum, High Country on the 16th, The Tom Finch Group on the 23rd, and The Lady Pinks on the 30th. Every Saturday afternoon this month there is music as well from 2-4 p.m. On Tuesday the 15th see the first-ever Kids Night of Music (kids eat free!) with Gayle Schmitt and Friends from 5:30-7 p.m. For more info, go to the pub's web site. The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta's comedy night every Tuesday you can see Steve Seskin, Craig Carothers and Don Henry on the 10th, Those Darn Accordions on the 11th, Tom Rigney & Flambeau on the 19th, Ascension of the Blues from the 23rd-26th, A Special Evening with Liz Kennedy on the 27th, Odetta on the 30th, and other great shows. At the Marin Civic Center you can see B. B. King on the 11th, The California World Guitar Show (put on by Texas Style Guitar Show), which will be returning on the 13th and 14th. Instrument experts from all over the world will be there, along with dealers, artists, collectors, foreign buyers, authors and celebrities. The show will also feature exhibits of old, rare, celebrity-owned, new and used guitars, amps, banjos, effects, memorabilia and equipment. And Ryan Adams will be at the center on the 23rd. At the Napa Valley Opera House you can see The Nigerian Spam Scam Scam comedy show on the 11th, BeauSoleil Avec Michael Doucet on the 18th, Idol Instrumental 2008! on the 19th and 25th, and Los Lobos on the 26th. Schaef-Abel Productions is presenting Nashville Songwriters in the Round with Steve Seskin, Craig Carothers and Don Henry at Studio E in Sebastopol on the 11th, starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are now available at the Last Record Store in Santa Rosa as well as by mail order. Marin musician/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget is starting off the New Year with a trio of gigs on the local cafe circuit. Catch him on the 11th with Jesse Lee Kincaid at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito and then with Namely Us at Cafe Amsterdam in Fairfax on the 13th and 27th. The Sonoma County band Poor Man's Whiskey will be performing their bluegrass interpretation of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on the 11th in SF at the Great American Music Hall. They're bringing the lights, fog, and the lasers, and they are encouraging all to go dressed as your favorite Wizard of Oz character to participate in the show. Stevie Coyle, recently former front man of The Waybacks, will take the briefest break from recording his first solo CD to play a show for Murphy Productions at The Falkirk Center in San Rafael on the night of the 12th. The concert will be held in the front parlor of this hugely cool Victorian mansion. Speaking of Stevie's CD, the word on the street is that guest artists for the several band-oriented selections on this album might well include Kendrick Freeman from Alison Brown's band on drums and Sam Bevan - frequent co-conspirator of Joe Craven's - on bass. Other guests TBA. Murphy Productions is presenting four shows this month at four different venues. Besides Stevie Coyle on the 12th, on the 18th see Tito Gonzales at Studio 333 in Sausalito, jazz saxophonist John Mattern at The Belrose Theatre in San Rafael on the 25th, and on the 26th see Houston Jones at the Lark Movie Theatre in Larkspur. Santa Rosa House Concerts proudly presents award-winning Arkansas-based folk/grass duo Still on the Hill for an evening of music and dining on the 12th. Doors open 5:30 p.m., potluck dinner at 6, show starts 7. Admission $20.00. Reservations required. Call (707) 538-1215 for details, or e-mail HouseConcerts@Monitor.Net. House concerts in Marin. Drew Pearce will be hosting Megan Slankard, Jeff Pehrson (Box Set) and Joel Ackerson when they will be performing in the round at a house concert in Mill Valley on the 12th at 7:30 p.m. To attend, RSVP to Drew at trovemusic@gmail.com or call (415) 706-3800. See the Marin-based acoustic trio Barbwyre when they play on the 12th at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa at 8:30 p.m. At any point you may hear combinations of two and three-part harmonies, mandolin, mandola, fiddle, pedal steel, dobro, electric and acoustic guitar. The members are Dana Rath, Jon Mitguard, and Mike Stadler. Singer/songwriter John McCutcheon will be making his annual winter pilgrimage to Northern California this month, and you can see him at the Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma on the 14th. Another festival of note up north is the Portland Old-Time Music Gathering on the 16th-20th. 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 every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band. Kimrea & Joe LoCoco will also be at Murphy's on the 17th. On Thursday the 24th at 8 p.m. the next edition of the bluegrass series Bluegrass Gold will take place at the Larkspur Café Theater in downtown Larkspur. Bluegrass Gold is produced by Carltone Music. Headlining the bill will be Rustler's Moon with Kathy Kallick & Bill Evans. Rustler's Moon brings together veterans of such esteemed bands as the Good Ol' Persons, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Kathy Kallick Band, Bill Evans String Summit, Bluegrass Intentions, High Country, Due West, Wake the Dead, and 3 Fox Drive. Kathy Kallick (guitar, vocals) and Bill Evans (banjo, vocals) have been making significant contributions to bluegrass for many years. They've toured the country and the world with their music, collaborated with some of the top contemporary acoustic musicians, and released a number of influential recordings. Their current music with Tom Bekeny (mandolin, vocals) and Cindy Browne (acoustic bass) is rooted in traditional bluegrass, based on their original compositions, and influenced by the breadth of styles encompassed by these musicians. For this show, the band also includes (former Bay Area resident now living in Nashville) fiddler/vocalist Megan Lynch. Rustler's Moon provides soulful music that's innovative and in the pocket, and performances that are exciting, compelling - and fun. 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 bottleneck slide guitarist Catfish Keith on the 24th. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info. Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell, besides playing with his band The Rhythm Rangers at Finbar's on the 26th, will be hosting Grammy-winning guitarist Mike Dowling on the 25th at the New College in Santa Rosa at 8 p.m. Dowling draws inspiration from deep in the musical bag of American roots guitar. He's firmly grounded in authenticity and possessed of a musical soul as old as the vintage music he favors. Fluent in several styles and difficult to pigeonhole, Mike has captured the hearts of acoustic music fans throughout the world with his engaging voice, self-deprecating wit, and elegant interpretations of an arsenal of old blues, swing, ragtime, and original compositions. Contact Kevin at krussellmft@aol.com for more info. Hot duo. Enjoy Grammy Award-winning musician and vocalist Laurie Lewis together with renowned acoustic guitarist Nina Gerber on the 25th at 8 p.m. when they play the Petaluma Church Concerts Series, First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B Street, in Petaluma. Tickets are available at Tall Toad Music in Petaluma and at The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa. For more info contact Lance Walker at eclecticstage@yahoo.com. Lauralee Brown can be seen/heard on Tuesdays at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. On the 25th at Saylor's Restaurant & Bar in Sausalito it she'll be with her band Jazz & Beyond. Resin up that bow! The 33rd Annual Cloverdale Old-Time Fiddle Contest will take place on the 26th-27th in the town of Cloverdale. The Skiffle Symphony and The Wild Catahoulas will perform on the night of the 26th, and the Hot Frittatas will play on the 27th. 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. 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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. 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: MY MUSIC - DOO WOP LOVE SONGS 1/03 1 p.m., 1/04 3 a.m., 1/05 9 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. It's 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, NJ. The program features performances from The Tokens, The Dubs, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Larry Chance and the Earls, and a once-in-a-lifetime reunion of The Original Drifters (Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Bobby Hendricks, and Bill Pinkney)." BOB DYLAN - LIVE IN NEWPORT 1963-1965 1/03 7:30 p.m.: "This program includes unreleased performances filmed by Academy Award-winning director Murray Lerner. It captures full performances of some of Bob Dylan's greatest songs. The Newport Folk Festival takes place in Newport, Rhode Island and is best known for introducing a number of performers who went on to become major stars. Bob Dylan's first Newport appearance in 1963 is generally regarded as his premiere national performance. Dylan became the artist most notably associated with this festival. His 1963 and 1964 performances made him popular with the Newport crowd, but in 1965, while headlining the music festival, he decided to "plug in" resulting in a mixed response of cheers and boos. Dylan left the stage after only three songs, only to reemerge and sing two solo acoustic numbers. Many of Dylan's folk fans felt he was abandoning his folk roots - and it is all captured live on film. For the first time ever, the complete electric set is available. This shift marked his changing artistic direction, making his move from leading contemporary songwriter of the folk scene to rock n' roll star." DAVID BROZA AT MASADA - THE SUNRISE CONCERT 1/05 1 a.m. & 7 a.m., 1/06 6:30 p.m.: "This historic special features international composer, guitarist and singer David Broza. With his flamenco-tinged, folk- rock melodies and keen talent for breathing musical life into sensual snippets of poetry, Broza is a formidable musical force of nature. He commands and captivates the audience's heart, mind and soul. The concert is performed at the site of the ancient fortress of Masada in the southern Israeli desert, and David is joined on stage by legendary singer/ songwriter Jackson Browne, and Grammy Award-winner Shawn Colvin. Broza's concert begins in the early morning hours, concluding with the sun rising over the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, revealing one of the most spiritual and ancient scenes in the world. David is also joined by an Arab musician Ebrahim Eid to perform his international hit song 'In My Heart.' Accompanied by a Palestinian and Israeli children's choir, they sing about peace, their love of life and the land they share together. The program creates poetry for the eyes, the ears and the heart." ERIC CLAPTON CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL CHICAGO 1/05 8:30 a.m.: "Eric Clapton and his buddies know how to put on a show. Emulating their famed Cotton Bowl concert in June 2004, Clapton and the world's leading guitar gods return to the stage for a new gathering, this time from Chicago, America's Blues Capital. Some performers include Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Albert Lee and B.B. King." JOHN DENVER - A SONG'S BEST FRIEND 1/05 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., 1/06 5:30 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." MONTEREY POP - THE SUMMER OF LOVE 1/06 12:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.: "During the Summer of Love, 1967, the first and only Monterey International Pop Festival ushered in a new era of rock and roll. The festival would launch the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding, but they were just a few among a diverse cast that included Simon and Garfunkel, Hugh Masekela, The Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, Eric Burden and the Animals, and The Who. Director D.A. Pennebaker captured the decade's spirit during the three-day festival in his acclaimed documentary entitled Monterey Pop and immortalized moments that have become legend. And now 40 years later, this program presents the best of Pennebaker's documentary." BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS LIVE 1/06 4 a.m. & 2 p.m.: "This program features one of the Jamaican superstar's best live performances and showcased a new Wailers line-up: Carlton Barrett on drums, Barrett's brother Aston on bass, Junior Marvin on lead guitar, and backing trio Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, and Marcia Griffiths. The concert was recorded on June 2, 1977, and has been digitally remastered to mark the 30th anniversary of this performance." ANDREA BOCELLI LIVE IN TUSCANY 1/06 10 a.m. & 8 p.m.: "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." GREAT MOMENTS AT THE MET 1/06 noon: "Join opera diva Renee Fleming as she hosts a special countdown of Great Moments at the Met: Viewer's Choice, where you call the tune. 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. Will it be Luciano Pavarotti and Renata Scotto performing together in La Boheme for the inaugural Live from the Met broadcast in 1977? Leontyne Price taking the stage in her farewell performance of Aida? The incomparable Wagnerians James Morris and Hildegard Behrens in the Met's thrilling production of Die Walkure? 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." CARNEGIE HALL CELEBRATES BERLIN 1/07 10 p.m., 1/09 3 a.m.: "Great Performances returns to Carnegie Hall's famed stage for a celebration with the Berliner Philharmoniker. Featuring the orchestra under the baton of music director and conductor Sir Simon Rattle, the program includes highlights from the Hall's two-week 'Berlin in Lights' festival in November 2007." FROM SHTETL TO SWING 1/09 11 p.m.: "Between 1880 and 1924, 2.5 million Jews had reached the breaking point. Fleeing persecution in Russia and Eastern Europe, they kissed their small-town shtetls goodbye and migrated to America. America, in turn, would completely reshape Jewish identity, and Jewish popular entertainment would take 20th-century American music on a joy ride to beat the band. That toe-tapping, two-stepping, rug-cutting odyssey is the subject of this program, a delightful musical spritz. Hosted by Broadway's latest Tevye, Harvey Fierstein, and written and directed by Fabienne Rousso-Lenoir, the evening features such legendary performers as Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Eddie Cantor, Molly Picon, Artie Shaw, and Benny Goodman. The music isn't too shabby either, with Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Harold Arlen keeping things moving." I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S SCHOENBERG 1/13 noon: "Rob Kapilow, creator and host of Lincoln Center's 'What Makes It Great?' series, provides lively commentary about the origins and place in music history of Arnold Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht, performed by members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, including violinists Erin Keefe and Arnaud Sussmann, violists David Kim and Teng Li, and cellists David Finckel and Priscilla Lee. In the first half of the program, Kapilow works onstage with the musicians to showcase important elements of the piece so that the audience will have a greater understanding of it during the complete performance in the second half of the program." ********************************************************************************************* December 15, 2007 The holidays are coming on strong, and the weary elves here at Carltone World Headquarters have been busy decking the halls while partaking in way too many parties and such, hence the lateness of this edition. There is still lots more great music to see and hear this month, and if you want to take a break from shopping or watching the latest edition of "Survivor" on the idiot box, well, starting making a list of things to do and check it twice… As the year winds down, you'll be happy to know that there are "no year-end best of" lists included here, no New Year's Eve party lists (we'll leave this to the big guys), and best of all, no endorsements of candidates in the Iowa or New Hampshire primaries. It has been another fine year at CWH, and as always, we want to thank you for reading this publication and supporting acoustic music in Marin and Sonoma Counties. Last minute shopping. Last issue we suggested that you shop at the California Bluegrass Association web site for memberships, concert and festival tickets, etc. It is not too late to do such. Also, how about the Best of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show DVD Set? "Filmed against a painted backdrop and interrupted at regular intervals by folksy commercials for Martha White's self-rising flour, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys just stand there in front of a mike in their string ties and straw cowboy hats and play unparalleled bluegrass, song after song, with just a bit of country patter in between." Gift book ideas. Here are a couple of more holiday gift ideas. There is a new book out called Air Castle of the South: WSM and the Making of Music City by Craig Havighurst that is about country music radio station WSM and its success with hosting the Grand Ole Opry. Also, there are two books about the Cash Family, one about Johnny and the other about June Carter Cash. Johnny's first wife Vivian Cash and writer Ann Sharpsteen put together I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny, and Johnny and June's son John Carter Cash wrote Anchored In Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash. The 2008 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees include John Mellencamp, Madonna, The Ventures, The Dave Clark Five and Leonard Cohen. The induction ceremony takes place March 10th in New York. Sweetwater update. Santa came early for Thom and Becky Steere, owners of the Sweetwater Saloon in Mill Valley. On December 10th they went before the Mill Valley Planning Commission and had their use permit approved to move Sweetwater to the new location at 32 Miller Avenue, near D'Angelo restaurant. They hope to open sometime in the spring. Thanks to everyone that sent letters of support! The return of the mouth that roared. Schlock-jock Don Imus is back on the air after being fired eight months ago for making racial slurs about a college women's basketball team. He was fired, threatened to sue his employer for unlawful termination and got a settlement out of it, and now has a contract that pays him even more money than he was making before. Is this a great country or what? There is a new organization being started that covers all music in the Americana vein throughout the entire state, and it is called CalAmericana. Check out their site and get involved. And rest assured, you probably won't be hearing about this in the SF Chronicle Datebook section anytime soon… Holiday humor. Marin's Dr. Elmo, of course, is known for his song "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer," and details about his shows coming up this weekend at the Larkspur Café Theater can be found below. Just about everyone knows the song, but unless you are a dedicated MTV watcher (something tells me that less than 1% of Carltone readers are in this category), you have probably never seen the video of the song that was made in 1983. Now, through the wonders of modern technology, you can watch it on YouTube. Take a close look at the guy in the red bathrobe and see if he looks familiar… Tom Tworek Memorial. Mark your calendars now for Sunday, January 13th, from 2-6 p.m. for the memorial celebration for the late Bay Area bluegrass player/photographer Tom Tworek. It will be held at the Unity Palo Alto Community Church. Slow jam class. Starting on the 8th of January at The 5th String music store in Berkeley you can join a new slow jam series from 7:30-9 p.m. The class will be open to beginning and intermediate bluegrass and old-time players, or anyone that wants experience playing and singing at a moderate tempo in a comfortable jam setting. Instructors will include Bill Evans, Evie Ladin, Megan Lynch, Jim Nunally, Eric Thompson and others each week. Class size will be limited to allow for individual attention, with 2-3 teachers on hand each night to join in the music and coach the players. The class will be eight weeks long on Tuesday nights. Cost will be $20 per player each session. For more info email Ran Bush at ranbush@gmail.com. Laying tracks. North Bay bluegrass singer/songwriter Rick Jamison is back in the studio working on his fourth CD project. The upcoming CD, tentatively titled "Skies Wide Open," will feature a collection of his newest original songs plus a fresh cut of "Somewhere Bound," a song he wrote and recorded with Copper Canyon a few years back. The project is being recorded and co-produced in Southern California by banjo player/vocalist/sound engineer Dave Richardson. Anticipated release date is mid-2008. Change of venue. The Dan Tyminski Band show that was scheduled for the Palace of Fine Arts in SF on January 4th has now been moved to the Independent on Divisadero Street. Opening will be Marin County's own Hot Buttered Rum. Dan's band will also be playing at the CBA's Father's Day Festival in June. Break time. Nickel Creek concluded their Farewell (For Now) tour recently with two shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The band (Chris Thile, Sara and Sean Watkins) were joined on stage by bassist Mark Schatz, as well as several musical friends, including Bela Fleck, Tim O'Brien, and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. Nickel Creek is going on hiatus for an undisclosed amount of time. All hail Clarence! There is a real nice story in the current edition of Acoustic Guitar magazine about the late trailblazing flatpicking guitarist Clarence White that you can read here. The story was written by the Bay Area's own hot picker Scott Nygaard. Older than dirt. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Poco and Jim Messina will be touring together next year with the Party in the Dirt tour. The Dirt Band and Poco will be celebrating their 40th anniversary as bands in 2008. Messina, a founding member of Buffalo Springfield and Poco, has also enjoyed success with singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins in Loggins & Messina. Messina left Poco in 1970 and was replaced by guitarist Paul Cotton. Poco's current lineup includes Cotton, multi-instrumentalist Rusty Young, bassist Jack Sundrud and drummer George Lawrence. No tour dates have been announced yet. A rolling stone gathering moss. The dinosaur of all pop music publications, Rolling Stone, is in legal trouble over deceptive cigarette ads in the November edition of the fishwrap. Seems like they worked up a clever deal with Joe Camel to sneak some cartoon ads into the rag after the tobacco industry's nine-year-old promise not to use cartoons to sell cigarettes went into effect in 1998. Of course, lawyers for the paper deny knowing anything about it. Police log. This segment should perhaps just be renamed the "Amy Winehouse Arrest Record." The British singer has been arrested countless times over the past few months, and once again she was popped in London, this time for interfering with her husband's court appearance (he was there for assaulting a bartender in June). Of course, this most recent infraction just means more people will rush out and by her Grammy nominated album… Get out your handkerchiefs. Bianca Jagger, who was married to Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger for five minutes a few decades ago, was evicted out of her Upper East Side NY City apartment last week after a dispute with her landlord. This is not a case of a poor person in need. She also has a luxury apartment in London. Pamela Anderson, who was once married to Motley Crue's Tommy Lee as well as singer Kid Rock, is now on the prowl again, as she has split from her most recent husband of two months, Rick Salomon, who is best known for making the sex video that made Paris Hilton a household name. Shouldn't the three-strikes-and-your-out-law apply to poor Pammy? Celine Dion played her final show at Caesar's in Las Vegas this past weekend. After five years and millions of dollars earned, she has decided to go back on the road. Hey, what about that slogan "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"? Shouldn't she be forced to stay there? Life's railway to heaven. Ike Turner died in San Diego on December 12th. He was 76. Chad Butler, a.k.a. Pimp C, was found dead from unknown causes in a hotel in LA on December 4th. He was 33. San Francisco drummer John L. Petersen, a member of the Beau Brummels and Harpers' Bizarre, passed away on November 11th. The Beau Brummels were originally signed by local deejays Tom Donahue and Bob Mitchell to their Autumn label. The band's two major hits were "Laugh, Laugh" (produced by Sly Stone) and "Just a Little." Petersen also worked with Harper's Bizarre, who had a hit with a remake of Simon & Garfunkle's "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)." Ralph Ezell, bassist and founding member of the country band Shenandoah, died on November 30th in South Dakota of an apparent heart attack. He was 54. Blues guitarist Jerry Ricks died recently in Croatia, where he was living. He had had a stroke in August. He was 67. Dan Fogelberg, a singer/songwriter who had huge hits in the 70s/80s with "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang Syne," died on the 16th from prostate cancer. He was 56. Coming attractions. River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland 1/4-6 with the David Grisman Quintet, Dan Tyminksi, Seldom Scene, Marty Stuart, and many others; Rustler's Moon with Kathy Kallick & Bill Evans and special guest Megan Lynch at the Larkspur Café Theater on 1/24; Laurie Lewis & Nina Gerber at the Petaluma Church Concerts series on 1/25. Additions Bill DeCarli will be playing at Infusions Tea House in Sebastopol on the 18th from 7-9 p.m. No cover. See Dana Couey & Doug Harman at the Petaluma Church Concerts series on the 20th starting at 7 p.m. The location is the First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B Street (corner of B and 6th) in Petaluma. Doug Harman adds his cello and piano skills to several Bay Area bands and is perhaps best known for his recent work with Lorin Rowan's Rattlebox. He and guitarist/vocalist Dana Couey perform a series of annual holiday concerts throughout the North Bay featuring a beautiful and uplifting blend of cello, piano and guitar. The duo has recorded five CDs of Christian music and performs both vocal and instrumental music to celebrate the Advent/Christmas season. The concert will run approximately 90 minutes, and there is no admission, but the musicians will accept donations. There will be a Very Shut-Ins Xmas Special show at 9 p.m. at Amnesia in SF on the 20th. Humbug Hoedown. Join Jeanie & Chuck Poling and friends (Pat Campbell on bass and Will Fourt on dobro as well as a little help from Misisipi Mike Wolf) for another little soiree at the Velo Rouge Café in SF on the 21st. Time is 7-9 p.m., no cover, and no X-Mas songs! Celebrate the holidays bluegrass style with The Earl Brothers, Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys, and Blue & Lonesome on the 21st for a Bluegrass Christmas at Cafe du Nord in S.F. starting at 8:30 p.m. Cool yule. Tune into Peter Thompson's Bluegrass Signal radio show in SF on the 22nd when he will be playing all instrumental Christmas songs on KALW (91.7 FM) from 6:30-8 p.m. and also broadcast on www.bluegrasscountry.org on the 22nd-25th. The Old Western in Point Reyes Station offers the best music from northern California and beyond most every Friday and Saturday nights. Cover charge is usually $5 and the shows start at 9:30 p.m. See the Buckaroo Band on the 22nd and The Bluebellies on the 31st.They have a new lead singer that is knocking the socks off audiences everywhere. Tickets are $15 in advance at the Old Western and $20 on New Years Eve. Reminders Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts "Local's Night" every Tuesday. Go and check out a great music lineup this month. On the 18th, perennial favorite Doug Adamz will get things sizzling with his arsenal of instruments and an eclectic selection of Irish and American fiddle tunes, subtle fingerstyle guitar pieces, blues, country and folk. Nick's offers features specials on dinners and Lagunitas beers, all designed to keep you coming back for more. Music is from 7-9 p.m. It is December, and this means that The Christmas Jug Band is back again. See them on the 18th at the Freight in Berkeley, on the 21st at the Larkspur Café Theater, and on the 22nd at the Mill Valley Masonic Auditorium. Doug Adamz, besides playing at Nick's on the 18th, can be seen with Trio Bravo at the Station House on the 21st, with Dr. Elmo on the 22nd and 23rd in Larkspur, and solo at the Toad in the Hole in Santa Rosa on the 28th. At The Mystic in Petaluma see Charlie Hunter on the 18th, Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven on the 29th, and Tommy Castro on the 31st 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. On the 19th it will be the Papermill Creek Rounders. Starting on the 29th the pub will begin its Saturday afternoon Casual & Cozy music Series from 2-4 p.m. with Ted Silverman & the Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Marin guitarist Gary Bauman on the 19th will play with The Beat Meters
at Rafters in San Rafael as well on the 31st, and you can also see him
with The Sons of Emperor Norton at EAT (formerly Ted's) in San Anselmo
on the 22nd The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta's comedy night most Tuesdays, they have Roy Zimmerman on the 20th, Narada Michael Walden's Holiday Jam on the 22nd, and more. Mill Valley's Dore Coller has some cool gigs. On the 20th the Hot Club of Marin will play at the Left Bank in Larkspur from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; on the 27th his Bermuda Grass band will be at 19 Broadway from 7-9 p.m.; and on the 31st it will be a Rock n Roll New Years' Eve at Pete's 881 Club in San Rafael Good things are happening at Peri's in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D. See Songwriters in the Round on the 20th, Gail Muldrow Blues Band on the 21st, Juan Boulder on the 23rd, Peri's Dysfunctional Family X-Mas on the 25th, Spinout on the 28th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 30th, Jeb's Twangin New Year's Party on the 31st, and lots more. Lauralee Brown stays busy. On Tuesdays you can find her at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. On the 20th she'll be at The Seafood Peddler in San Rafael from 5:30-8:30 p.m. as guest vocalist with the Alex Markel's Rent Party Rythym Section, and on the 28th see her at Saylor's Restaurant & Bar 7:30-10:30pm with her band Jazz & Beyond with Jay Stapleton on guitar and Mark Armenta on bass. Concert Carnival. On the 20th, Nat Keefe of Hot Buttered Rum will be producing his second annual Concert Carnival. This is a multi-media, cabaret-style variety show with amazing artists from across the country. The program this year will be almost all-new material and will feature a different cast of characters from many artistic disciplines. However, the values of the Concert Carnival remain the same - this is an opportunity for performers to step outside of their normal performing context and try new stuff in new ways. Some of the performers are: Zach Gill (ALO/Jack Johnson), Jason Hann (String Cheese Incident), Patch (Heavyweight Dub Champion), Evie Ladin (Stairwell Sisters), Keith Terry (body percussionist from Crosspulse), Matt Butler (Everyone Orchestra), Rodney & Helen, the Sweet Snacks, and all the guys from Hot Buttered Rum. The show will take place at The Independent in SF. Some shows of note at the Larkspur Café Theater are the open mic every Tuesday with Michael LaMacchia, X-Mas Jug Band on the 21st, Dr. Elmo on the 22nd and 23rd, ukulele master Jake Shimabukoro on the 27th, Bonnie Hayes on the 29th and, of course, lots 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. Featured there this month are the Spiral Mystics on the 21st, High Country on the 22nd, Pete Olson on the 23rd, Dockside on the 28th, Blue & Lonesome on the 29th, Kurt Huget on the 30th, Greenhouse and The Carrtunes on the 31st, and much more. Murphy Productions is presenting some cool shows this month. See The Beautiful Losers "Peace, Love, & Xmas Concert" on the 21st at The Belrose Theatre in San Rafael, and The Christmas Jug Band at Mill Valley Masonic Hall in Mill Valley on the 22nd. Finbar Devine's Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are West Boulevard Band 21st, David Thom Band on the 22nd, Linda Wiggins Band on the 28th, and Majestic Swing Band on the 29th. At the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa to see Late Harvest on the 21st, The Tonewoods on the 28th, Blacktop Moon on the 29th, The Spindles on the 31st, and more. Saylor's in Sausalito now has live music. On the 21st see Lisa Kindred, Mad & Eddie Duran on the 22nd, Lauralee Brown on the 28th, and Lisa Madison & Ron Romero on the 29th. Go to the Sweetspot in Santa Rosa to see the Pat Jordan Band on the 21st, Tommy Heath on the 27th, Juan Bolder on the 28th, and others. Jammin' in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 22nd and 29th it will be pickers' choice. 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 every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band. At the Bluegrass Gold show you will have two chances to see Marin County's
own Dr. Elmo & The Reindeer Band when they appear at the Larkspur
Café Theater in Larkspur. There will be a 7:30 p.m. show on Saturday
the 22nd and a 4 p.m. matinee show on Sunday the 23rd. Since 1991 Dr.
Elmo has been fronting the Marin County traditional bluegrass band Wild
Blue. Every December the band morphs into The Reindeer Band for the
holiday season, playing a mixture of bluegrass, traditional holiday
songs and Elmo's original novelty tunes. The band for these shows will
be John Pierson on guitar, Doug Adamz on guitar and fiddle, Dana Rath
on mandolin, Girls Night Out on vocals, and yours truly on bass. So
get your holiday shopping done early and come on out and treat yourself
to one of the Bay Area's hidden treasures. Make sure you pick up one
of Elmo's new Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer CD/DVD collector's
set. 'Tis the season to be jolly, so don't miss these special Dr. Elmo
Christmas shows. The Larkspur Café Theater is Marin County's
home for bluegrass music in the North Bay. The venue serves food and
drink, so people of all ages are welcome. For more information call
the club at (415) 924-6107. Marin musician/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will be making the musical rounds again this month. It will be jazz with the Namely Us band happens on the 23rd at Cafe Amsterdam in Fairfax. The new jazz/rock/jam band Tres Mojo can be seen and heard at 19 Broadway in Fairfax on the 30th. And catch his solo show at Murphy's Irish Pub in Sonoma on the 30th. Mill Valley songwriter Jesse Lee Kincaid and his band will perform on the 29th at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito. Sonoma's Adam Traum will be playing on the 30th at Cato's Alehouse in Oakland. Kevin Russell will be at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa on the 30th his band Under the Radar. 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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. 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: CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING SISSEL 12/19 9 p.m.: "European singing sensation Sissel joins the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square for an annual holiday concert. A national institution in Norway, Sissel has sung all over the world, selling six million solo albums. The program also features traditional Christmas songs and Norwegian folk tunes performed on an alpine village set, with stained-glass church windows, snow-covered rooftops and brightly lit trees." CHRISTMAS AT ST. OLAF - WHERE PEACE AND LOVE AND HONOR ABIDE 12/19 10 p.m.: "This choral concert features the distinguished 460-student choir of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, as it performs a rich repertoire of traditional Christmas carols and hymns from around the world." NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL (2007) 12/19 11 p.m., 12/22 3 a.m.: "Highlights of performances from the world's longest-running jazz festival, now in its 53rd year. Taped August 11, 2007, on three seaside stages at historic Fort Adams State Park, this annual special features an all-star roster of jazz greats, contemporary R&B stylists and up-and-coming artists. It captures the sights and sounds of the festival - from the music to scenes of the audience, food, vendors and backstage life. This year, performers include: Paquito D'Rivera's Panamericana Ensemble; The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band featuring Slide Hampton; Bruce Hornsby with Jack DeJohnette & Christian McBride; BB King; Marcus Miller; Susan Tedeschi." ANDRE RIEU - CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD 12/20 7:30 p.m.: "Dutch conductor and violinist Andre Rieu offers holiday songs from around the world. Taped in Trier, Germany, the concert features the Japanese Children's Choir from Nagasaki, Japan. The children, ranging in age from 5 to 14, sing such traditional Christmas songs as 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' and 'Deck the Halls.'" THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CITY OF MAHAGONNY 12/20 9 p.m.: "From composer Kurt Weill and playwright Bertolt Brecht, four-time Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald stars in a new production of one of the great 20th-century operas. It's every man for himself in the newly founded city of Mahagonny, devoted to life's illicit pleasures, where anything goes and the only crime is to run out of money. The savage and lyrical satire is told in a highly entertaining blend of opera and raucous music hall songs conducted by music director James Conlon. Tony Award-winners Patti LuPone and John Doyle re-team with acclaimed tenor Anthony Dean Griffey. The brilliant score, featuring the classic song 'Moon of Alabama,' masterfully creates a vivid picture of determination, desperation and debauchery." MICHAEL BUBLE - CAUGHT IN THE ACT12/21 9 p.m., 12/23 11 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.: "Inspired by the swinging big band sound of his grandfather's generation, 29-year-old Canadian phenomenon Michael Buble has won the hearts of a new generation of fans with his charisma, stage presence, and superbly seductive voice. Inviting inevitable comparisons to a young Frank Sinatra, Buble's unique approach to an eclectic array of popular standards reveals a keen musical intuitiveness that has rapidly distinguished him." ANGEL VOICES - LIBERA IN CONCERT12/22 4 a.m.: "Libera, a South London choral group of boys aged 9 to 15, brings a uniquely mystical and transcendent sound to their first public television concert special. Robert Prizeman, founder, arranger and director of Libera, has taken the simple purity of boys' voices and, with great care and respect for classical vocal tradition, has created a new sound. This program was recorded with an orchestra at the historical St. Peter's Church in Leiden." POPS HOLIDAY PARTY12/22 6 p.m., 12/24 1 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." KITKA AND DAVKA IN CONCERT 12/23 12:30 p.m.: "A one-hour concert of old and new world Jewish music performed by Kitka, Oakland's acclaimed female a cappella ensemble and Davka, the sensational instrumental Jewish music quartet. The program also features vocalist Stephen Saxon. Recorded in July 2006 before a sold out audience at the Temple Sinai in Oakland, CA." SAN FRANCISCO BOYS CHORUS 12/23 1:30 p.m., 12/24 7:30 p.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." HOLLY JOLLY POPS HOLIDAY WITH BARENAKED LADIES 12/23 2 p.m.: "Get into the spirit of the Christmas season with conductor Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops Orchestra and special guests. The incomparable, irreverent, upbeat hitmakers Barenaked Ladies put their own special twist on seasonal tunes. Started in 1973, Boston Pops Holiday concerts are an annual tradition for families and music lovers young and old. Festive decorations enhance the rich ambience of Boston's Symphony Hall and the performances offer something for everyone, from stirring choruses to lighthearted numbers. The five-piece Toronto-based Barenaked Ladies mixes socially conscious observations with clever lyrics." CHRISTMAS AT THE HOLLYWOOD PALACE 12/24 midnight: "A compilation
of memorable moments from the holiday specials of the series The Hollywood
Palace, a lavish variety show from the 1960s. It features full performances
by Bing Crosby and his family, Perry Como, as well as guests such as
Bob Newhart, The Lennon Sisters, and the charming puppet act of Kukla,
Fran and Ollie. In various interview segments, Hollywood Palace producer
William Harbach and members of the Crosby family reminisce about the
original Christmas at the Hollywood Palace programs." RENEE FLEMING - SACRED SONGS AND CAROLS 12/24 10 p.m.: "Hailed by the press as 'one of the truly magnificent voices of our time,' opera superstar Renee Fleming has consistently wowed critics and audiences alike with her keen musicianship, artistic versatility and, of course, a voice considered 'the gold standard of soprano sound.' Recorded at Germany's Mainz Cathedral, Fleming performs a lush selection of sacred Christmas music, backed by a full orchestra and boys choir." ST. OLAF CHRISTMAS IN NORWAY12/24 11 p.m.: "This holiday special features the world-renowned St. Olaf Choir in concert in the magnificent Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, one of the oldest and grandest gothic churches in the world, first begun in 1070. The special is an evening of traditional Christmas hymns sung in both Norwegian and English." JOSH GROBAN LIVE AT THE GREEK 12/26 9 p.m.: "Following 2002's Josh Groban in Concert, the first primetime special showcasing the young vocal phenomenon, Great Performances presents a concert featuring Groban at Los Angeles' spectacular outdoor Greek Theatre, performing selections from his critically acclaimed second album, Closer." CARLY SIMON - MOONLIGHT SERENADE ON THE QUEEN MARY 12/26 10:30 p.m., 12/28 3 a.m., 12/30 1 p.m.: "Pop music legend Carly Simon has enjoyed an unparalleled career since first appearing on the musical landscape in the early 1970s as a solo artist. Today, Simon is back on the nation's Top 10 with a breathtaking new album of standards. This new special, taped in September 2005 on the Queen Mary II during a voyage between New York and England, showcases these romantic songs in a perfectly matched venue - the vast ballroom and majestic deck of the Queen Mary II. Simon also performs new acoustic interpretations of her best known classics." MAGIC OF BING CROSBY 12/27 8 p.m., 12/28 4 a.m., 12/29 6 p.m.: "A moving celebration of the great crooner through the years, giving an insight into his life and loves through exclusive interviews with his most respected friends and colleagues, including Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, and his widow Kathryn Crosby. Harry Lillis 'Bing' Crosby (1903-1977) was one of the most popular and influential American singers and actors of the 20th century, rivaled in popularity only by Elvis and The Beatles. Known for his deep, rich baritone and vibrant enunciation, 'Der Bingle' is considered one of the finest vocalists ever, having inspired the likes of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dean Martin and others." ANDREA BOCELLI - TRIBUTE ON ICE 12/28 9 p.m., 12/30 2 p.m. & 11 p.m.: "When the world's greatest skaters choreograph routines for competition or entertainment, they search for music that allows them to perform at their best. Quite often, they choose the music of Andrea Bocelli. In conjunction with the release of a new recording of popular music from the internationally acclaimed tenor, a group of champion skaters from around the world gathered to perform together with Andrea. Led by Olympic Gold Medalists Brian Boitano and Ekaterina Gordeeva. The program will consist of solo performances by Bocelli and skating routines performed with his live performances. In addition to Bocelli's greatest hits, the program features song from the recently released album Andrea with special musical guests Mario Reyes (Gipsy Kings) and Holly Stell." MY NAME IS BARBRA 12/29 8 p.m.: "Great Performances is proud to present the two historic musical showcases that brought Barbra Streisand the same unprecedented triumph on television that she had already achieved on Broadway and in recordings. My Name is Barbra, her first pioneering special from 1965, garnered five Emmys, including the first of several for Streisand personally, as well as her first Peabody Award. Her second outing, Color Me Barbra (1966), was greeted with equal acclaim and filled with further musical and visual innovation. Together, the programs shine a spotlight on the many talents that paved the way for a legendary five-decade career as singer, actress, director, composer, and producer." COLOR ME BARBRA 12/29 9 p.m.: "Barbra Streisand's second solo television special, Color Me Barbra (1966), was greeted with equal acclaim to 1965's My Name Is Barbra, and still dazzles with even further musical and visual innovation. Videotaped in color, the special opens with a dreamy interlude at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and then segues to a charming, animal-filled circus sequence before concluding with a bravura concert performance. Recapturing the electrifying early years of the Streisand sensation, the showcase shines a spotlight on the many talents that paved the way for a legendary five-decade career as singer, actress, director, composer, and producer." LES GIRLS (1957) 12/30 12:02 a.m.: "When showgirl Sybil Wren (Kay Kendall) publishes her tell-all memoirs, she is sued for libel by the other two members of her troupe, Joy Denderson (Mitzi Gaynor) and Angele Ducros (Taina Elg). Told from each woman's point of view, the three hoofers tell the story of their relationship with the great Barry Nichols (Gene Kelly). Directed by George Cukor. Music by Cole Porter." NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC NEW YEAR'S EVE - JOSHUA BELL 12/31 8 p.m.: "New York Philharmonic music director Lorin Maazel conducts the orchestra in a program of romantic violin showpieces featuring Joshua Bell. The annual New Year's Eve gala concert was recorded live from Avery Fisher Hall." MOZART AT 250 - THE SALZBURG FESTIVAL CELEBRATION 12/31 10 p.m.: "In celebration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 250th birthday in 2006, the internationally renowned Salzburg Festival will present all 22 of the composer's operas and other major compositions throughout the course of its summer schedule. Featuring some of Mozart's most memorable music from Cosi fan tutte, Don Giovanni, and other classic works, the concert will include performances from several leading young stars in opera, including Magdalena Kozena, Patricia Petibon, Anna Netrebko, Rene Pape, Michael Schade, Ekaterina Siurina and Thomas Hampson. The concert is conducted by 29-year old Daniel Harding, who has received international acclaim for his work at Covent Garden, La Scala, and other esteemed venues." IL DIVO - LIVE AT THE GREEK 12/31 11:30 p.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." ************************************************************************************************** December 1, 2007 Welcome to the 84th edition of Carltone's Corner! In case you hadn't heard, Christmas is already here! Or, at least this is the way it feels here high atop the Carltone World Headquarters building in downtown SF. There has been the usual full-court press by the media to guilt you into buying the usual pedestrian items such as luxury cars, diamonds, Rolexes, etc. And if you are anything like the staff here at CWH, you are burnt out on it all already. And it is only December 1st! Knowing full well that you are in need of a break from the shopping madness, the elves here have been working overtime to bring you all the good music news you need to know. If you are loath to go to the local mega mall at anytime in the next four weeks, here are some simple solutions for you. Shop online! What, at Amazon? No, not at all. Shop at the California Bluegrass Association web site. We can think of few better gifts than giving memberships to the CBA (the gift that keeps on giving all year), or tickets to the Father's Day Festival. Or, how about tickets to concerts? You can even get CDs direct from local bands. To do this, go to the California Bands page on the site, then go to the web sites for the bands to see what recordings they have to offer. Want to teach someone to learn how to play the banjo? Then buy the new book Banjo For Dummies by Bay Area banjo player/teacher Bill Evans. You can shop without leaving your house, and support the local music scene at the same time. What a concept! Sweetwater update. As everyone knows by now, the Sweetwater Saloon in Mill Valley closed at its longtime site on Throckmorton Street in September. There are plans to move to a new location around the corner on Miller Avenue. A long-term lease has been signed, but permits still need to be obtained. The hearing to discuss the situation that was mentioned in the previous newsletter was postponed from November 26th until December 10th at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Mill Valley City Hall. If you would like to attend to support the club, this would be great. If not, you can still help out by writing a letter of support that is addressed to The City of Mill Valley Planning Commission, 26 Corte Madera Avenue, Mill Valley, CA, 94941. Tell the powers-that-be why Sweetwater would be good for the town. Playing the banjo is not a crime! But in some cases it can lead to murder. There is a "Banjo-playing gunman on the run" in England (gotta love the British and their headlines!), as unkindly neighbor Stanley Maguire shot Steve Holmes, the guy who was living next door, after Holmes complained about Maguire's loud music. It wasn't Maguire's banjo playing directly that led to Holmes' death, but neighbors "told of Maguire's penchant for sitting out in the rain playing a banjo or ukulele into the early hours of the morning." If you look at Maguire's photo you'd swear you might have seen him 35 years ago in a movie about a river rafting trip gone bad. There have probably been times at 3 a.m. at bluegrass festivals where incidents like this one have crossed the minds of the sleepless. Thanks to Don Koc for this item. Reindeer games. Novato's Dr. Elmo has been in the news recently, and not just because you may have heard his seasonal hit song "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" on the radio. He is being sued for breach of contract by a company that claims he interfered in a $1 million-plus deal to sell musical trucks, bobble head dolls, snow globes and cookie jars featuring characters from an animated show based on the novelty song. Elmo will be playing some Christmas shows in Larkspur later this month, and the details lie below. Angels we have heard on high. Mill Valley's Elaine Dempsey and her trio Big Wide Grin have a brand new seasonal CD out titled Holiday. The three singers teamed up with world class players and arrangers from both coasts, including Old Dominion University's jazz professor John Toomey, saxophonist Eddie Williams, bassist Dana Silvercloud and many more to bring you a new holiday collection of your favorite classics done with a fresh new approach. They are on tour in the south and east this month, so if you want a copy please go to their web site. Or go see Elaine when she plays solo at Murphy's on the 13th. Merlefest roster announced. Tickets are now on sale for Merlefest 2008 next April in North Carolina, and some of the acts that will play are Doc and Merle's son Richard Watson, Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck, Casey Driessen, & Ben Sollee, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien, The Waybacks, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder, Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, The Dan Tyminski Band, Alison Brown Quartet with Joe Craven, Blue Highway; The Claire Lynch Band, Dirk Powell & Riley Baugus, Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, Sally Van Meter, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, and Pete Wernick & Flexigrass. Make those travel plans now! The music lives on! There is a new used record store in Mill Valley called Mill Valley Music, and to the surprise of no one, Gary Scheuenstuhl, who worked at the now closed Village Music for 25 years, is running it. The new store is located at 320 Miller Avenue, down near the Shell Station. The store specializes in new and used vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, T-shirts, posters and guitar strings. Band scramble. Darrell Webb is the new guitar player in Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, replacing Josh Williams. There is a new traditional bluegrass band from Dixon called Matt Dudman, George Goodell and Their Pleasant Valley Boys. Also in the band are Jenny Lynn, Jim Allison, and Mark Eagleton. The PV Boys are a contemporary country music outfit inspired by the exciting acoustic country music of the late 1940s that has come to be known as bluegrass. Get out your handkerchiefs. Amy Winehouse, under a bit of stress these days (she and husband were arrested after a nasty fight some months back, and then they were popped for drugs), so she has decided to take a break from touring. Life's railway to heaven. Steel guitarist John Hughey, who played with Conway Twitty and Vince Gill, died in Arkansas on November 18th. He was 73. Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin DuBrow was found dead in Las Vegas on November 25th. He was 52. Noted Bay Area bluegrass photographer and musician Tom Tworek passed away from cancer in Palo Alto on November 21st. He was 58. Coming attractions. River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland 1/4-6/08 with the David Grisman Quintet, Dan Tyminksi, Seldom Scene, Marty Stuart, and many others. Onward to the calendar… The San Geronimo Valley Community Center presents its Holiday Arts Faire and Silent Auction on the 1st from 1-7 p.m. at 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd in San Geronimo. This is a free event, and all ages are welcome. Entertainment includes a rare West Marin appearance by The Festival Consort, known for spirited and technically outstanding renaissance music and cool period costumes and instruments. There will also be talented local youth performers. For the kids, rock out with "the Mick Jagger of the milk & cookies set," Tim Cain (formerly of Sons of Champlin). Check out the exciting auction geared toward your holiday shopping. Some shows of note at the Larkspur Café Theater are the open mic every Tuesday with Michael LaMacchia, Daria on the 1st, the James Moseley Band R & B Dance Party on the 2nd, Billy C. Farlow on the 5th, David Jacobs-Strain on the 6th, Crash Landing on the 14th, Jug Band on the 21st, Dr. Elmo on the 22nd and 23rd, ukulele master Jake Shimabukoro on the 27th, Bonnie Hayes on the 29th and, of course, lots more. 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. On the 1st, from 2:30-4 p.m., Kenny Sultan will be there to perform, talk, socialize, etc., with Joe McNamara, the store's Martin representative. They'll have all kinds of Martin related goodies and info, along with the brand new Martin 000-18 Kenny Sultan, a beautiful sunburst recreation of the mid-30s 000-18, plus a whole lineup of Martins. Kenny is an engaging master of blues, rags and good-time music, a noted Santa Barbara-area teacher and author of a number of great books on playing the blues. Admission for this is free, with door prizes and giveaways. Otherwise, see Stevie Coyle & Walter Strauss play there on the 14th. Stevie, one of the founders of The Waybacks, has just launched his solo career. Walter, who has a new CD, Pulling Shadows, layers melody and harmony into a deep groove. His influences are American roots, world beat, and jazz. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info. Murphy Productions is presenting some cool shows this month. See Corinne West at the Lark Theatre in Larkspur on the 1st, Jamie Clark in Walnut Creek on the 7th and at the Top of the Hill Concert in Tiburon on the 9th, the Rhythms of the World Dance Party with Vinyl on the 8th at Studio 333 in Sausalito, the Meshugga Beach Party on the 14th at the Mill Valley Masonic Hall, the Holiday Dance Party with Nicolas Bearde & the Right Groove on the 15th at Studio 333, The Beautiful Losers Peace, Love, & Xmas Concert on the 21st at The Belrose Theatre in San Rafael, and The Christmas Jug Band at Mill Valley Masonic Hall in Mill Valley on the 22nd. AVB in Petaluma. You can see The Alhambra Valley Band play at Finbar Devine's on the 1st in Petaluma starting at 8 p.m. The AVB features a special segment at Finbar shows called "bluegrass karaoke," where those who have always dreamed of singing bluegrass at an Irish pub can get their big break, backed by one of the region's finest bluegrass bands. Bluegrass by the beach. The Four Finger String Band will be playing in San Francisco on the 1st at The Riptide out at 47th and Taraval from 9 p.m.-midnight, and then on the 2nd see Dark Hollow play with Annie Staninec sittin' in on fiddle. Drive on down the coast to see Marin guitarists Kyle Alden and John Caulfield when they play at the San Gregorio General Store in San Gregorio on the 1st from 3-6 p.m. On the 5th guitarist Robert Powell will join Kyle when he hosts a songwriter showcase at BookBeat in Fairfax from 7-10 p.m. Then on the 8th Kyle and Friends will be at the San Gregorio General Store from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Novato's own Ain't Misbehavin' acoustic trio performs vintage and western swing, jazzy ballads, and more on the 1st from 7-9 p.m. at the Creekside Bakery, 1719 Grant Ave., in Novato. No cover charge. Menu includes salads, hot and cold sandwiches, foccacia, quiches, and an incredible assortment of delicious desserts. Jammin' in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 1st and the 8th it is bluegrass, old-time, old country, acoustic picking and fiddling; on the 15th it will be swing music, and on the 22nd and 29th it will be pickers' choice. Finbar Devine's Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are (as noted above) The Alhambra Valley Band on the 1st, Farlow & Kirch Duo on the 6th, The Heavy Petty Band on the 7th, Royal Deuces on the 8th, David Manning on the 13th, Grant Langston on the 14th, Jenny Kerr Band on the 15th, West Boulevard Band 21st, David Thom Band on the 22nd, Linda Wiggins Band on the 28th, and Majestic Swing Band on the 29th. You can see The Rowan Brothers (Lorin & Chris) on the 1st in SF from 9-11 p.m. at the Irish Cultural Center. 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. Featured there this month are Andrew Freeman on the 1st, the Celtic jam on the 2nd, Adam Traum on the 6th, The Sonoma Mountain Band on the 7th, Keystone Station on the 8th (details below), Elaine Dempsey on the 13th, The Moonshiners on the 14th, Spiral Mystics on the 21st, High Country on the 22nd, Pete Olson on the 23rd, Holiday Sing-Along w/David Thom, Bill Houston & Friends on the 24th, Dockside on the 28th, Blue & Lonesome on the 29th, Kurt Huget on the 30th, Greenhouse and The Carrtunes on the 31st, and much more. Good things are happening at Peri's in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Billy D. See the Trailer Park Rangers on the 1st, Jeremy Mendonca on the 4th, Sister Soul on the 6th, Sexy Sunday on the 9th, Zacharia on the 11th, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 15th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 20th, Gail Muldrow Blues Band on the 21st, Juan Boulder on the 23rd, Peri's Dysfunctional Family X-Mas on the 25th, Spinout on the 28th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 30th, Jeb's Twangin New Year's Party on the 31st, and lots more. Sebastopol guitarist Walter Strauss and his trio will be at the Ace in the Hole Pub in Sebastopol on the 1st along with special guest Mamadou Sidibe from Mali on kamal'ngoni (8-stringed West African hunter's harp). Then on the 14th he will play at Schoenberg's Guitars, as noted above. Hop on board the Chickwagon on the 2nd at 7 p.m. at the Twang Café at Epic Arts in Berkeley for an evening of fun and music. Joining them will be Pam Brandon & Maurice Tani's Dirty Duets (a collection of some of Pam and Maurice's favorite songs by other artists, as well as some of Maurice's originals) and Doug Blumer & The Beerhunters. Please note that this artsy venue has a small seating capacity, so be sure to snag a seat by coming early. Paul Knight & Friends have a couple of dates this month at the
Station House in Pt. Reyes Station. On the 2nd from 5-8:30 p.m. the
friends will be Scott Nygaard, Chad Manning and Frankie Nagel, and on
the 16th there will be a show with friends yet to be determined. There will be a benefit fundraiser for the 2008 San Francisco Bluegrass
& Old-Time Festival (SFBOT) Lauralee Brown stays busy. On Tuesdays you can find her at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. On the 20th she'll be at The Seafood Peddler in San Rafael from 5:30-8:30 p.m. as guest vocalist with the Alex Markel's Rent Party Rythym Section, and on the 28th see her at Saylor's Restaurant & Bar 7:30-10:30pm with her band Jazz & Beyond with Jay Stapleton on guitar and Mark Armenta on bass. Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts "Local's Night" every Tuesday. Go and check out a great music lineup this month. On the 4th, hear swampy blues from Tony Magee; on the 11th, critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Philip Claypool shows why USA Today named his debut album #3 Country Album of the Year; on the 18th, perennial favorite Doug Adamz will get things sizzling with his arsenal of instruments and an eclectic selection of Irish and American fiddle tunes, subtle fingerstyle guitar pieces, blues, country and folk. Nick's offers features specials on dinners and Lagunitas beers, all designed to keep you coming back for more. Music is from 7-9 p.m. Jeanie & Chuck Poling's bluegrass and country jam at The Plough and Stars in SF will take place on the 5th. It runs from 8:30-11 p.m., but it is a bar, so you must be 21 to attend. Stop on by to pick a tune, and join the hosts for a Guinness. Hot Nashville grass. The Claire Lynch Band is coming to the Bay Area soon and you will have ample opportunity to see them. On the 5th it will be the Black Oak Casino in Tuolumne City, the 6th at the Freight in Berkeley, the 7th at the Palms in Winters, and on the 8th at the Redwood Bluegrass Associates show in Mountain View. The band is Claire Lynch, Jim Hurst, Missy Raines, and Jason Thomas. 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. On the 5th see Jack Pribble's Living Room, on the 12th
it will be Bryan Horne, Aaron Redner, & Erik Yates joined by local
guitarist Adam Roscewicz, and on the 19th it will be the Papermill Creek
Rounders. Starting on the 29th the pub will begin its Saturday afternoon
Casual & Cozy music Series from 2-4 p.m. with Ted Silverman &
the Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Mill Valley's Dore Coller has some cool gigs. On the 6th the Hot Club of Marin TNT will be at 19 Broadway in Fairfax from 7-9 p.m. and on the 9th from 5-8 p.m.; on the 20th they'll be at the Left Bank in Larkspur from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; on the 27th his Bermuda Grass band will be at 19 Broadway from 7-9 p.m.; and on the 31st it will be a Rock n Roll New Years' Eve at Pete's 881 Club in San Rafael Marin guitarist Gary Bauman wins the monthly award for playing with the most bands in one month, acing out past winners Kevin Russell, Dore Coller, and Kurt Huget. Gary will be with The Sons of Emperor Norton on the 6th at The Toad in the Hole Pub in Santa Rosa, at EAT (formerly Ted's) in San Anselmo on the 8th and 22nd, and at The Old Western in Pt. Reyes on the 14th; on the 12th he will be playing the blues with The Jeb Brady Band will be playing at 19 Broadway in Fairfax; on the 19th see him with The Beat Meters at Rafters in San Rafael on the 19th as well on the 31st; on the 5th he be in Jack Pribble's Living Room at Iron Springs. Go to the Sweetspot in Santo Rosa to see Robert Herrera & Ian Scherer on the 6th, Pat Jordan, Callie, Watts & Simon on the 13th, JED on the 15th, the Pat Jordan Band on the 21st, Tommy Heath on the 27th, Juan Bolder on the 28th, and others. Sonoma's Adam Traum will be playing on the 6th at Murphy's from 7:30-9:30 p.m., on the 14th at the Landmark Winery in Kenwood 5-7:30 p.m., and on the 30th at Cato's Alehouse in Oakland. Joe New & The Crowhoppers (Joe, Blackie, Farrell, Pat Campbell, Chris Goddard and Stu Schecter) will be appearing at Cafe Amsterdam on the 7th and then on the 9th in the Cabo Wabo Room at Saylor's in Sausalito. At the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa to see Greenhouse on the 7th, Rhythm Rangers on the 8th, The Farallons on the 15th, Late Harvest on the 21st, The Tonewoods on the 28th, Blacktop Moon on the 29th, The Spindles on the 31st, and more. Saylor's in Sausalito now has live music. On the 7th see Connie Ducey & Randy Strom, Joe New on the 9th, Eugene Huggins on the 14th, Wendy DeWitt on the 15th, Lisa Kindred on the 21st, Mad & Eddie Duran on the 22nd, Lauralee Brown on the 28th, and Lisa Madison & Ron Romero on the 29th. Howdy! has one more gig in 2007 and they'd love to see you there. It's at the Blackthorn Tavern in SF on the 7th. You'll also be able to pick up their new live release- Howdy! Live at Mystic Theatre. Peppermint Twisted! A Holiday Cabaret Party and Comedy Dance Review featuring Pink Sabbath (AKA The Pinks) and the Twist My Balloons Comedy Burlesque Troupe with Bombshell Betty and Miss Coconuts Scream on the 7th at 9 p.m. at the Old Western Saloon on Main Street in Point Reyes Station. Attendees will be entertained by San Francisco's finest comedy burlesque. Between numbers, Pink Sabbath will get you off your seat and onto the dance with their irresistible brand of Gypsy rock Americana, complimented by guest drummer Adam "Bagel Fresh" Berkowitz and former "Pink" Sharron Drake, with her fiddle on fire. The saloon will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland and there will be plenty of candy canes for all. Kevin Russell's band The Rhythm Rangers will be at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa on the 8th and on the 30th his band Under the Radar will be there. The Marin traditional bluegrass band Keystone Station will be playing vintage bluegrass on the 8th at Murphy's from 8-10 p.m. There is no cover, and this will be the band's second performance with their new banjo player, Petaluma's own Chris Caputo. The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta's comedy night most Tuesdays, they have The House Jacks and 'Til Dawn on the 8th, Jug Band on the 9th, Who Too & The Sun Kings on the 13th, Roy Zimmerman on the 20th, Narada Michael Walden's Holiday Jam on the 22nd, and more. Barbwyre, a Marin trio featuring three part harmonies, mandolin, mandola, fiddle, pedal steel, dobro, electric and acoustic guitar, will play at The BookBeat in Fairfax on the 8th starting at 8 p.m. The band is Dana Rath, Jon Mitguard, and Michael Stadler. House concerts in Marin. Drew Pearce will be hosting Jerry Hannan and Shannon Moore in San Rafael on the 8th Dead Set will be testifyin' the gospel of Jerry at the Black Cat in Penngrove on the 9th from 5-7 p.m. Go hear their special blend of acoustic Americana jam music. No cover. Good food and drinks available. Marin musician/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will be making the musical rounds again this month. It will be jazz with the Namely Us band happens on the 9th and 23rd at Cafe Amsterdam in Fairfax. The new jazz/rock/jam band Tres Mojo can be seen and heard at Rafters in San Rafael on the 14th, and at 19 Broadway in Fairfax on the 30th. And catch his solo show at Murphy's Irish Pub in Sonoma on the 30th. It is December, and this means that The Christmas Jug Band is back again. See them on the 9th at the Throckmorton, on the 11th at the 2 AM Club in Mill Valley, on the 12th at The Palms in Winters, on the 14th at the Mystic in Petaluma, on the 15th in Sunnyvale, on the 18th at the Freight in Berkeley, on the 21st at the Larkspur Café Theater, and on the 22nd at the Mill Valley Masonic Auditorium. Petaluma singer/songwriter Larry Potts and Scott O'Brien can be seen/heard at the Two Crows restaurant in Sebastapol on the 14th, starting at 7 p.m., playing original folk, Americana, jazz and pop. Call for reservations. Savannah Blu will be pickin' bluegrass on the 14th at Café Amsterdam in Fairfax starting at 8 p.m. The band is Gary Kaye on banjo, Dore Coller on guitar, Dave Hanks on mandolin, and Steve Kallai on fiddle. Doug Adamz is almost as busy as Gary Bauman. See him with his full band Bravo on the 14th at Rancho Nicasio; with Trio Bravo at the Station House on the 21st; with Stevie Coyle at the Pass The Buck Coffeehouse in Half Moon Bay on the 15th; playing solo at Nick's Cove in Marshall on the 18th; with Dr. Elmo on the 22nd and 23rd in Larkspur; and solo at the Toad in the Hole in Santa Rosa on the 28th. Hot ticket. There will be a black tie-dye ball benefit for the Rex Foundation titled "The Music Never Stops" on the 15th at the Warfield in SF featuring Bob Weir & Ratdog, Little Feat and The Waybacks. Premium seating tickets include reception, dinner, and mingling with the artists from 6-7 pm. At The Mystic in Petaluma there are no doubt many shows of note besides Hot Buttered Rum on the 15th. However, at press time we could not access their web calendar. 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 every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band. Concert Carnival. On the 20th, Nat Keefe of Hot Buttered Rum will be producing his second annual Concert Carnival. This is a multi-media, cabaret-style variety show with amazing artists from across the country. The program this year will be almost all-new material and will feature a different cast of characters from many artistic disciplines. However, the values of the Concert Carnival remain the same - this is an opportunity for performers to step outside of their normal performing context and try new stuff in new ways. Some of the performers are: Zach Gill (ALO/Jack Johnson), Jason Hann (String Cheese Incident), Patch (Heavyweight Dub Champion), Evie Ladin (Stairwell Sisters), Keith Terry (body percussionist from Crosspulse), Matt Butler (Everyone Orchestra), Rodney & Helen, the Sweet Snacks, and all the guys from Hot Buttered Rum. The show will take place at The Independent in SF. At the Bluegrass Gold show you will have two chances to see Marin County's
own Dr. Elmo & The Reindeer Band when they appear at the Larkspur
Café Theater in Larkspur. There will be a 7:30 p.m. show on Saturday
the 22nd and a 4 p.m. matinee show on Sunday the 23rd. Since 1991 Dr.
Elmo has been fronting the Marin County traditional bluegrass band Wild
Blue. Every December the band morphs into The Reindeer Band for the
holiday season, playing a mixture of bluegrass, traditional holiday
songs and Elmo's original novelty tunes. The band for these shows will
be John Pierson on guitar, Doug Adamz on guitar and fiddle, Dana Rath
on mandolin, Girls Night Out on vocals, and yours truly on bass. So
get your holiday shopping done early and come on out and treat yourself
to one of the Bay Area's hidden treasures. Make sure you pick up one
of Elmo's new Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer CD/DVD collector's
set. 'Tis the season to be jolly, so don't miss these special Dr. Elmo
Christmas shows. The Larkspur Café Theater is Marin County's
home for bluegrass music in the North Bay. The venue serves food and
drink, so people of all ages are welcome. For more information call
the club at (415) 927-6107. 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. Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area: AFRICAN FOOTPRINT 12/01 5 a.m., 12/02 2 p.m.: "In post apartheid South Africa, Richard Loring, the country's foremost producer, decided to start a school for black young people interested in the performing arts. The project led to the creation of African Footprint, a vibrant show combining different forms of African song and dance. Their big break occurred when they had a chance to perform before Nelson Mandela and a global television audience on Robben Island as part of Millennial celebrations. That in turn led to the creation of South Africa's longest running production." CELTIC WOMAN - A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION 12/01 8:30 a.m., 12/02 3:30 p.m. & 10 p.m., 12/15 5:30 p.m.: "This beautiful program includes popular Christmas classics such as 'White Christmas,' 'Carol of the Bells,' 'Little Drummer Boy,' 'O Holy Night' and 'Let it Snow,' to embody the beautiful, pure, ethereal and angelic harmonies and voices that is Celtic Woman. This special was filmed in the Helix, Dublin, and a venue very close to Celtic Woman's heart because it was where it all began. The special also features several original pieces: 'Green The Whole Year Round,' a fiddle solo called 'In the Bleak Midwinter,' and 'Christmas Pipes' with music by David Downes and lyrics from Brendan Graham. Chloe Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Meav Ni Mhaolchatha, Orla Fallon and Mairead Nesbitt inspire in this powerful production, hoping to cross all divides and touch all people around the globe." MY MUSIC - DOO WOP LOVE SONGS 12/01 noon, 12/02 8 p.m., 12/05 1 p.m., 12/08 11 a.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. It's 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." ERIC CLAPTON CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL CHICAGO 12/01 10 p.m., 12/08 7 p.m., 12/09 12:30 p.m.: "Eric Clapton and his buddies know how to put on a show. Emulating their famed Cotton Bowl concert in June 2004, Clapton and the world's leading guitar Gods return to the stage for a new gathering, this time from Chicago, America's Blues Capital. Some performers include Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Albert Lee and B.B. King." BARRY MANILOW - SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES 12/02 10:30 a.m., 12/08 1 p.m.: "This special not only features Manilow in concert, but also sharing his personal experiences with the audience at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, New York - a return to the city where Manilow was born and raised. Manilow's music is synonymous with the 70s. His songs helped define the era, and this program revisits some of those songs, as well as some of his own favorites from the decade." VIVERE - ANDREA BOCELLI LIVE IN TUSCANY 12/02 noon, 12/09 8:30 p.m., 12/15 11 a.m.: "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." MARIO LANZA SINGING TO THE GODS 12/02 6:30 p.m., 12/05 9 p.m., 12/07 1 p.m.: "This special chronicles the remarkable life and times of one of the twentieth century's most beloved singing stars. It contains a selection of rare photographs, interviews and footage from movies that made him famous throughout the world. Blessed with one of the great tenor voices of all time, Mario Lanza rose to spectacular heights in a singing career that spanned little more than a decade. Groomed from the outset for a career on the opera stage, Lanza instead flourished in Hollywood where his films, most notably, 'The Great Caruso,' broke box office records. Split between the desire to establish himself as a serious opera singer and the temptations of Hollywood, Lanza was tormented by self-doubt and resorted to alcohol and over-eating. This program celebrates Lanza's incomparable talents as well as the torments that led to his untimely death at age 38." MONTEREY POP - THE SUMMER OF LOVE 12/03 1 a.m., 12/06 2:30 a.m., 12/15 11:30 p.m.: "During the Summer of Love, 1967, the first and only Monterey International Pop Festival ushered in a new era of rock and roll. The festival would launch the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding, but they were just a few among a diverse cast that included Simon and Garfunkel, Hugh Masekela, The Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, Eric Burden and the Animals, and The Who. Director D.A. Pennebaker captured the decade's spirit during the 3-day festival in his acclaimed documentary entitled 'Monterey Pop' and immortalized moments that have become legend. And now 4 0 years later, this program presents the best of Pennebaker's documentary." CHRIS BOTTI LIVE 12/03 11 p.m., 12/09 6 p.m., 12/15 3 p.m.: "Since his premiere solo album in 1995, the acclaimed trumpeter, gifted instrumentalist and talented composer has created a series of recordings that have made him a virtual genre-of-one in the realm of contemporary jazz. His recent album, To Love Again, is the inspiration for this exciting concert, a magical evening with Chris Botti's sensual trumpet playing and the show's star studded line-up." BOB DYLAN - LIVE IN NEWPORT 1963-1965 12/04 7:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m., 12/08 5:30 p.m., 12/09 7 p.m., 12/15 10 p.m.: "This program includes unreleased performances filmed by Academy Award-winning director Murray Lerner. It captures full performances of some of Bob Dylan's greatest songs. The Newport Folk Festival takes place in Newport, Rhode Island and is best known for introducing a number of performers who went on to become major stars. Bob Dylan's first Newport appearance in 1963 is generally regarded as his premiere national performance. Dylan became the artist most notably associated with this festival. His 1963 and 1964 performances made him popular with the Newport crowd, but in 1965, while headlining the music festival, he decided to plug in, resulting in a mixed response of cheers and boos. Dylan left the stage after only three songs, only to reemerge and sing two solo acoustic numbers. Many of Dylan's folk fans felt he was abandoning his folk roots - and we have it all captured live on film. For the first time ever, the complete electric set is available. This shift marked his changing artistic direction, making his move from leading contemporary songwriter of the folk scene to rock n' roll star." BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS LIVE 12/04 9 p.m., 12/08 11 p.m.: "This program features one of the Jamaican superstar's best live performances and showcased a new Wailers line-up: Carlton Barrett on drums, Barrett's brother Aston on bass, Junior Marvin on lead guitar, and backing trio Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, and Marcia Griffiths. Filmed soon after the release of the Exodus album, concert highlights include 'Shot The Sheriff,' 'Lively Up Yourself,' 'No Woman No Cry,' and 'Jammin.' The concert was recorded on June 2, 1977 and has been digitally re-mastered to mark the 30th anniversary of this performance." ANDREA BOCELLI - A NIGHT IN TUSCANY 12/05 10:30 p.m.: "On a warm September night in 1997, Andrea Bocelli came home to Tuscany to sing to the people of the ancient city of Pisa. The Piazza dei Cavalieri was the historic setting for this momentous outdoor event. This program finds the popular Italian tenor singing an assortment of classical and popular ballads, many of them from the Romanza album." DAVID BROZA AT MASADA - THE SUNRISE CONCERT 12/06 7:30 p.m., 12/08 9:30 p.m., 12/09 10:30 p.m., 12/14 1 p.m. & 8:30 p.m., 12/15 9:30 a.m.: "This historic special features international composer, guitarist and singer David Broza. With his flamenco-tinged, folk- rock melodies and keen talent for breathing musical life into sensual snippets of poetry, Broza is a formidable musical force of nature. He commands and captivates the audience's heart, mind and soul. The concert is performed at the site of the ancient fortress of Masada in the southern Israeli desert, and David is joined on stage by legendary singer/ songwriter Jackson Browne, and Grammy Award-winner Shawn Colvin. Broza's concert begins in the early morning hours, concluding with the sun rising over the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, revealing one of the most spiritual and ancient scenes in the world. David is also joined by an Arab musician Ebrahim Eid to perform his international hit song 'In My Heart."' Accompanied by a Palestinian and Israeli children's choir, they sing about peace, their love of life and the land they share together. The program creates poetry for the eyes, the ears and the heart." ANGEL VOICES - LIBERA IN CONCERT 12/08 2:30 p.m.: Libera, a South London choral group of boys aged 9 to 15, brings a uniquely mystical and transcendent sound to their first public television concert special. Robert Prizeman, founder, arranger and director of Libera, has taken the simple purity of boys' voices and, with great care and respect for classical vocal tradition, has created a new sound. this program was recorded with an orchestra at the historical St. Peter's Church in Leiden, Holland." JAZZ AT THE LINCOLN CENTER - RED HOT HOLIDAY STOMP 12/10 8pm.: "Wynton Marsalis, special guests and the Lincoln center Jazz Orchestra ring in the holiday spirit with a 'Red Hot Holiday Stomp.'" L.A. HOLIDAY CELEBRATION 2007 12/10 11p.m.: "This one-hour music and dance special showcases a cultural mosaic of performers of African, Asian, European and Latino backgrounds who come together to express the holiday spirit. Some performers include the Salvation Army Tabernacle Choir, Los Pinquos and the Angahara Dance Ensemble." *************************************************************************************************** November 15, 2007 It is getting on to that time of year when you will once again be roasting those chestnuts on the proverbial open fire. At the least, you will be hearing the famous song on the radio, in stores or while you are gassing up at your neighborhood Mini-Mart any day now, if you haven't heard it already. With the Bay Area football teams already done for the season, there is plenty of time for you to get out and see/hear some live music in your area. That is, when you're not glued to the OJ Channel or busy researching Paris Hilton's plan to save drunken elephants (we wish we were making this stuff up)(and even if this story is false, it is a story that the media is going bananas over)(which is why the story is out there anyway) The staff here are Carltone World Headquarters has no time for such frivolity and is, as always, here to help you decide when and where to go. As always at this special time of year, thanks again for reading and for all of your support. Things recently just got a lot busier around here. As mentioned in the previous newsletter we took on another project, the writing of the Almost Daily News column on the California Bluegrass Association website. Work began a week ago, and the pedal has been to the metal ever since. Rather than produce some news twice a month, we're punching it out every other day. The upside of the endeavor is that now we have more information than ever to share with you. The downside is that now we have more information than ever to share with you…as if these newsletters weren't long enough already. If twice a month is not enough news for you, check us out almost daily on the CBA site. Correction and addition. The Wronglers show at the Larkspur Café Theater on the 29th (see details below) has been moved up to a 7:30 p.m. start time instead of 8. And, as an added bonus, sitting in with the band for this show will be special guests Ron Thomason (Dry Branch Fire Squad) and fiddler Heidi Clare (Reeltime Travelers). Tickets should be purchased ASAP. Sweetwater update. As reported here over the past two months, Sweetwater in Mill Valley closed at its longtime site on Throckmorton Street in September and there are now plays to move to a new location around the corner on Miller Avenue. A long-term lease has been signed, but permits still need to be obtained. There will be a hearing to discuss the situation on the 26th at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Mill Valley City Hall. If you would like to attend to support the club, this would be great. If not, you can still help out by writing a letter of support (remember how to do this?) that is addressed to The City of Mill Valley Planning Commission, 26 Corte Madera Avenue MV, 94941. Tell the powers-that-be why Sweetwater would be good for the town. Still thinking about dusting off the strings on that old Martin guitar that has been sitting under the bed since 1972 but you just don't know how to get started? Well, think no more, as noted Bay Area banjo player Avram Siegel wants to let you know that the new eight-week session of his Bluegrass Jam Class is starting and there are still some openings. These classes are a lot of fun and are a great way to further develop your bluegrass abilities. If you're interested, please email him at avramnallison@sbcglobal.net or you can get more information on his website. Congratulations to bluegrass dobro great Jerry Douglas for winning for the third time the Best Musician award at County Music Association Awards last week. No, this isn't for Best Dobro Player. It is for Best Musician, period! He'll start recording a new album with Alison Krauss & Union Station sometime next year and he'll release a solo album in April. Just added to the 33rd Annual CBA's 2008 Father's Day Festival roster is The Dan Tyminski Band, featuring Dan on guitar, Ron Stewart on banjo, Justin Moses on fiddle, Barry Bales on bass, and Adam Steffey on mandolin. They will be playing on Thursday and Friday at the fest. For ticket info, go here. Strawberry Music Festival. It is never too early to be thinking about getting tickets to the 2008 Strawberry Music Festivals on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. The fest has been selling out way in advance for years, and last year they began selling the tickets in November. So if you are thinking about going, buy now and don't worry later. For information about prices, go to their web site for details. Oh, who is playing? Too early to tell. But for the faithful, this is not an issue. Women in bluegrass. Bluegrass Music Profiles has their second annual "Women In Bluegrass" issue out, and Roni Stoneman is on the cover. In this November/December edition you can also read about Rhonda Vincent, Donna Hughes, Amanda Smith, Laurie Lewis, Uncle Earl, Ola Belle Reed, Cia Cherryholmes, Carrie Hassler, Gracie Muldoon, Shorty Jobe, and Louisa Branscomb. Music and money. What's the old saying? "Want to know how to make a million dollars in music? Start out with two." Well, now according to one study, it looks like there may be some correlation between playing music and making money in life. The poll by Harris Interactive showed that "88 percent of people with a post-graduate education were involved in music while in school, and 83 percent of people earning $150,000 or more had a music education. And, "part of it is the discipline itself in learning music, it's a rigorous discipline, and in an ensemble situation, there's a great deal of working with others. Those types of skills stand you well in careers later in life," said John Mahlmann, of the National Association for Music Education in Reston, Virginia, which assisted in the survey. So keep on pickin', and get those younguns some music lessons! Turn off the boob tube! As you may have heard by now the television writers have been on strike for about two weeks, so just about every TV series has gone into reruns or will real soon. So now is as good a time as any to get out of the house to go see some live music. The one exception we'll take here is the show The Next Great American Band which you should watch on the 16th so that you can vote for the California bluegrass band Cliff Wagner & The Old #7. Woebegone grass. Lots of great bluegrass on Garrison Keillor's radio show A Prairie Home Companion these days. On Saturday the 17th at 6 p.m. Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands will perform on the show. And on Saturday the 24th the Del McCoury Band will be on. Look for Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver on 12/15. You can also go to the Prairie Home site and listen to archived shows. New sounds. Just in time to beat the pre-holiday rush, here is the start of a list of Carltone recommendations of local acts with recent new CDs. Buy direct from the artist, cut out the middleman, and support your local musicians: -- East Bay acoustic guitarist Michael Irwin has a new CD titled Backroads featuring both original and traditional tunes. Some of Michael's friends on the recording include Radim Zenkl, Will Scarlett, Gene Tortora, Annie Staninec and Bob Blanshard. Together they travel down the scenic and less traveled musical roads and byways that have defined this country's musical heritage. It's a celebration of America's unique, rural, genuine folk music. Check it out. -- Larkspur's Corinne West has a new album out titled Second Sight, and it showcases her as a singer and songwriter who is really got it all going. Produced by Mike Marshall, the new CD features Mike, Jerry Douglas, Darol Anger, and Tony Furtado. Best news of all? She will be playing a Murphy Productions show on December 1st at the Lark Theatre (as in movie, not café theatre) in Larkspur, where you will be able to get your own copy of the CD direct from the artist. Playing with her on this show will be Joe Kyle and James Nash of The Waybacks. -- Petaluma's mandolin master David Grisman and Lovin' Spoonful lead singer John Sebastian released a new CD titled Satisfied last week, and it is a collection of acoustic duets featuring traditional folk tunes, blues, classy instrumentals and originals by these two legendary masters. Their musical history dates back to their days at New York University in 1963 during the Greenwich Village folk scare. -- Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell's newest band (he is in about five) is called The Rhythm Rangers, and their new recording is titled Not Out of the Woods Yet. This is a five piece acoustic-electric band that plays Western swing, alt-country, blues and rock music. -- Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys are a fine bluegrass band from San Francisco, and their new self-titled CD was released a few months back. On the 16th at 9 p.m. they will be pickin' at the Plough and Stars in SF, and on the 19th they will play at Amnesia. Fishwrap Roundup. Mill Valley keyboardist Austin deLone put on quite a benefit show recently at the Great American Music Hall in SF featuring Elvis Costello, Clover, and Bill Kirchen. The show benefited those, including deLone's son Richard, afflicted with Prader-Willi syndrome. Read the story from the Marin IJ and the one from the Chronicle. Blues great James Cotton was featured in the Marin IJ last week, and he will be at the Larkspur Café Theater on the 15th. Grateful Dead soundman Dennis Healy was featured in the Marin IJ as well. Ailing. Tom Tworek, noted Bay Area bluegrass photographer, is having a tough time in the VA Hospital in Palo Alto, battling cancer. Here is the most recent posting on the CBA Message Board. Country singer Rosanne Cash will undergo brain surgery to remedy a benign condition, forcing her to cancel four dates remaining on her current tour. Roseanne, 52, is the daughter of the late country legend Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian, and she expects to make a full recovery. She has been diagnosed with chiari I malformation, a congenital deformation of the skull affecting the brain and spinal cord. Her handlers are saying that it's not life threatening. Get out your handkerchiefs. He couldn't change his evil ways: Legendary guitarist Carlos Santana and his wife of 34 years, Deborah, have split, citing irreconcilable differences. Life's railway to heaven. Honky-tonk and Western swing singer Hank Thompson died on November 7th in Dallas from lung cancer. He was 82. "A Six Pack to Go" and "The Wild Side of Life" were two of his hits. He had retired from performing just days earlier. Coming attractions. The Festival Consort and Tim Cain at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center on 12/1; Claire Lynch at the Freight 12/6, The Palms 12/7, and at Redwood Bluegrass Associates in Mt. View on 12/8; Stevie Coyle & Walter Strauss at Schoenberg Guitars on 12/14; Rex Foundation benefit with Bob Weir & Ratdog, Little Feat and The Waybacks on the 12/15 at the Warfield in SF; Hot Buttered Rum at the Mystic in Petaluma on 12/15; The Dr. Elmo Christmas Show at the Larkspur Café Theater on 12/22 and 12/23: Dan Tyminski at the Palace of Fine Arts in SF on 1/4; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland 1/4-8 with the David Grisman Quintet, Dan Tyminski, Seldom Scene, Marty Stuart, and many others; Portland Old-Time Music Gathering 1/16-20. Additions The North Bay band Plum Crazy has a new CD out and they are only playing one show this month, so head on out The Forestville Club on the 16th to get your copy. Also on the bill is The Al Howard Orchestra. PC will be going on first so get there early. Sonoma singer Natasha James will be performing at KSVY 91.3 FM in Sonoma at 9 p.m. on the 16th. With her will be Pat Campbell on bass and dobro, Herman Eberitzsch on keys, and Chris Casselli on lead guitar. On the 23rd and 24th see them Finbar Devine's from 8:30-11:30 p.m. Blame Sally is on a mini-Bay Area tour this month, and you can see them at the Black Oak Casino in Tuolumne on the16th, at the West Side Theater in Newman on the 17th, at the 142 Throckmorton in Mill Valley on the 30th, and in Monterey on December 1st. The Black Oak Casino is a bit of drive from the North Bay but well worth the trip. Besides Blame Sally on the 29th you can see Coyote Hill (Richard Scholer, Julie Schmidt, Dick Todd and Clinton Day) play some bluegrass. Coming in December are Claire Lynch on the 5th, Mike Marshall & Darol Anger on the 14th, and Lacy J. Dalton on the 21st. Lollipopalooza! Here is a show for all of your readers 10 years old and under: Join Christopher Smith, Tim Cain, Cindy Cohen and Miss Kitty on the 17th for shows at 10 a.m. and noon (two separate shows) at 240 Tiburon Blvd. in Tiburon. $15 adults/$10 kids. Call (415) 461-1066 for info Smiley's Saloon in Bolinas will be the happenin' place on the 17th starting at 9 p.m. when Big B & The Snakeoil Saviors take the stage. The band is an eight-piece Western swing and boogie band featuring a hard-swinging rhythm section, hard-working horns, pedal steel legend David Phillips, Southern chanteuse Adrienne Pfeiffer, and Ben Buettner as yodeler-in-chief. Jenn Courtney and Maurice Tani and their band 77 El Deora, which includes Mill Valley's Steve Kallai on fiddle, examine the battle of the sexes from the streets of Bakersfield to the South of Market Street with intelligent, original, neo-noir honky-tonk in the classic rhythms and themes of Western America: cheatin', lyin', drinkin', dyin', broken hearts, shattered dreams, bright, twangy guitars and the Ray Price shuffle. See them at the El Rio in SF on the 17th at 9:30 p.m. along with Crowsong (with Mill Valley's Josh Zucker on bass) and Tom Armstrong. The Divine Miss Double M, Mill Valley's Maria Muldaur, will be playing a CD release show on the 18th at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. It will be her East Bay release for her new CD Naughty, Bawdy and Blue, and she will be backed by her smokin' band The Syncopatin' Papas. Don't miss this show! Purple haze. Jimi Hendrix fans will want to stay up late from midnight on Friday the 23rd until 7 a.m. on Saturday the 24th to listen to Tom McCarter's annual tribute show on KUSP-FM in Santa Cruz at 88.9 FM. You can also listen online. Everyone is invited out to Stinson on the 24th from 9 p.m.-midnight for the 46th Annual Stinson Beach Fireman's Ball to see The Rowan Brothers (Lorin and Chris) with special guests Dave Jenkins and Steve Price (of Pablo Cruise) along with Eric McCann and Austin deLone. Ross Valley Roots is a Marin Americana trio (Christopher Smith, Ken Frankel and Susan Neilsen) that will be playing at the Coffee Roasters in San Anselmo on the 24th from 2:30-5:30 p.m. No cover. The five-piece North Bay acoustic band Bottle Shock is playing on the 24th at the Ace in the Hole in Graton. Kenny Blacklock, the fiddler in the Marin bluegrass bands Keystone Station, Wild Blue and Bluegrass Contraption, just got busier. He has a gig at the Larkspur Café on the 28th with a new group that he's been working with, The Greg Loiacono Trio. This is an acoustic trio consisting of fiddle, guitar and bass, performing original songs by Greg Loiacono of The Mother Hips. Reminders 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. Featured there this month are JL Stiles on the 15th, The David Thom Band on the 23rd, The Tonewoods on the 24th, Peter Lamson on the 25th, The Carrtunes on the 29th, and others. Marin bluegrass jam. On the 15th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m. Deirdre Donovan will be the host. Some shows of note at the Larkspur Café Theater, besides the open mic every Tuesday with Michael LaMacchia, are James Cotton on the 15th, Larkin Gayl and Jerry Hannan on the 24th, The Wronglers on the 29th (see below), and more. Mill Valley's Dore Coller will play with the Hot Club of Marin on the 15th at the Left Bank in Larkspur from 7:30-9:30 p.m., and on the 26th at the 142 Throckmorton. 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 Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 15th, Lansdale Station on the 17th, Jinx Jones on the 21st, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 24th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 25th, The Beat Meters on the 29th, The Tom Finch Group on the 30th, and lots more. At the Napa Valley Opera House you can see Larry Vuckovich on the 15th, and American Tap Masterpieces on the 17th. Finbar Devine's Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are Blues Barn Burners on the 16th, High Country on the 17th, Natasha James on the 23rd and 24th, and Caliban on the 30th. The joint is jumpin' at the Toad in the Hole pub in Santa Rosa. See Solid Air on the 16th, American Winter on the 21st, and many more fine acts. Saylor's Restaurant in Sausalito now has live music on Fridays and Saturdays in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. It will be Lauralee Brown & Company on the 16th, Steve Malerbi on the 17th, John Brite & Paul Robinson on the 23rd, Lisa Kindred on the 24th, and Acoustic Sounds on the 30th. Lauralee Brown stays busy. Besides the Saylor's gigs mentioned above, on Tuesdays you can find her at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. All of her previously mentioned shows at The Waterfront Grill in Petaluma have been cancelled as the venue has either closed or is closing soon. Out at Rancho Nicasio see The Trailer Park Rangers on the 16th, Gary Vogensen & Bobby Black on the 18th, Chrome Johnson on the 23rd, and others. The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta's comedy night every Tuesday you can see Tito LaRosa & Friends on the 16th, David Nelson & Friends Benefit for Bill Laymon on the 18th, Austin deLone on the 23rd, Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings on the 24th, Blame Sally on the 30th, and other great shows. At The Mystic in Petaluma see The Feud Reunion on the 16th, The Roches on the 17th, New Riders of the Purple Sage on the 24th, and more. 19 Broadway in Fairfax has the usual mix of music on their schedule. On the 16th it will be The Young Dubliners, the 17th see Norrisman, Jah Thunder, and D.U.S.T., Pride & Joy on Friday the 23rd., Hot Buttered Rum on the 24th, and Myloekoe on Friday the 30th. Sebastopol guitarist Walter Strauss and his trio (with Sam Bevan and Kendrick Freeman) will be playing a transcultural night of celebration and collaboration on the 16th at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz in Berkeley on a bill with Mamadou & Vanessa (Wassoulou music from Mali) and Stephen Kent (Didjeridu maestro and MC). Then on the 20th at 8 p.m. Walter will play solo at Infusions Teahouse in Sebastopol. Lorin Rowan's Rattlebox w/Barry Sless (steel guitar), Doug Harman (cello) and Paul Cicco (percussion) will be opening for David Nelson & Friends at 9 p.m. on the 16th at the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa. Sonoma's Adam Traum will be playing at the Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood on the 17th. Put on your dancing shows and head to the Petaluma Veterans' Memorial Building on the 17th at 7 p.m. for the "Singin' and Swingin' on a Star" benefit for the Pacific Empire Chorus. Dance to Swing and A Miss, a local 16-piece swing band. There will be dance lessons and a contest. There will also be performances by Confetti and by Petaluma's Pacific Empire Chorus, an award-winning women's a capella chorus. This performance will feature swing songs from the 40s. $25 includes dancing, appetizers and soft drinks. Murphy Productions is presenting two more shows this month. On the 17th at the Lark Theater in Larkspur jazz great Jackie Ryan is having a CD release party of her new album You and the Night and the Music; and on the 30th it will be pianist and singer Josh Gronner at the Belrose Theatre in San Rafael at 7:30 p.m. The Ace in the Hole Pub outside of Sebastopol is the place to see Sonny Lowe & SweetHarp Santana on the 17th, The Thugz on the 18th, Bottle Shock on the 24th, Chris Kelly on the 27th, and Pladdohg on the 29th. Go the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa where there are Celtic jams on the second and third Wednesdays and a bluegrass/old-timey jam on the 4th Wednesdays. See Blacktop Moon on the 17th, Spindles on the 23rd, The Farallons on the 24th, The Tonewoods on the 29th, Under the Radar on the 30th, and more. Schaef-Abel Productions at Studio E in Sebastopol is presenting The Larry Hosford Band on the 17th. Jammin' in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 17th it will be swing music, and on the 24th it will be pickers' choice. Finnegan's in Novato is the happening place in town for live music on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is also an open mic every Monday starting at 8:30 p.m. See Snappy Dave & Dan on the 17th, Damir Stosic on the 21st, and Josh Gibson on the 28th. 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 every Monday night at the No Name in Sausalito, and players are invited to sit in with the band. The fabulously redone Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts "Local's Night" every Tuesday. See Danny Montana solo (eclectic country, folk & blues) on the 20th and Jeb Brady (blues and R&B) on the 27th. Enjoy great food and a stunning view. In addition to music on Tuesdays, Nick's offers features specials on dinners and Lagunitas beers, all designed to keep you coming back for more. Music is from 7-9 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 Pat Echols Experience on the 21st and The Tom Finch Group on the 28th. Marin musician/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will playing with the new jazz/rock band Tres Mojo at Ireland's 32 in SF on the 23rd and at Rafters in San Rafael in the 29th, and he'll be joining friends from the Jefferson Starship, featuring David Freiberg, for a special performance at the Ledson Hotel in Sonoma on the 24th. At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see Queen Latifah on the 24th. See Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell on the 24th with Jayne Russell & Wilson at The Toad in the Hole, 9 p.m., and on the 30th Under the Radar will be at The Black Rose. This newly re-organized band features Kevin, Layne Bowen and Ted Dutcher (all from Modern Hicks) along with Michael Capella, playing bluegrass, swing, blues and country music. Kyle Alden and Friends will be at the San Gregorio General Store in San Gregorio on the 25th from 11:15 a.m. to 1 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 25th. It takes place from 2-5 p.m. at the Sebastopol Christian Church, 7433 Bodega Avenue, in Sebastopol. Bring acoustic instruments and your favorite gospel songs to sing. On Thursday the 29th at 7:30 p.m. the next edition of the bluegrass series Bluegrass Gold will take place at the Larkspur Café Theater in downtown Larkspur. Bluegrass Gold is produced by Carltone Music and co-sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass Society. Headlining the bill will be The Wronglers. The Wronglers (Warren Hellman, Chris Hellman, Nate Levine, Bill Martin, Krista Martin, and Colleen Browne) made their stage debut in October of 2006 at Warren's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco, and they played there again last month. The band combines bluegrass, folk, and old-time techniques, producing an intelligent, intimate sound with an abundance of twang. Warren's love of bluegrass and old-time music permeates every aspect of his life, and his excitement at playing on stage for an audience brings him a huge sense of involvement and satisfaction. He describes the band's repertoire as "simple songs played by complicated people." Go to the Sweetspot in Santa Rosa to see Johnny Beige on the 29th, and Steve Pile Band on the 30th. 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 Laurence Juber on the 29th. Coming on December 14th are Stevie Coyle & Walter Strauss. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info. 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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. The address is 3600 Petaluma Boulevard North. Call (707) 775-4232 for more info. Music Television. There is a lot of good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area: AMERICAN SOUNDTRACK - THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND 11/16 1 p.m.: "A celebration of the 60's folk rock music hosted by Tom and Dick Smothers and Judy Collins and featuring legendary folk artists of the era." MONTEREY POP - THE SUMMER OF LOVE 11/16 9 p.m., 11/29 9 p.m.: "During the Summer of Love, 1967, the first and only Monterey International Pop Festival ushered in a new era of rock and roll. The festival would launch the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding, but they were just a few among a diverse cast that included Simon and Garfunkel, Hugh Masekela, The Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, Eric Burden and the Animals, and The Who. Director D.A. Pennebaker captured the decade's spirit during the three-day festival in his acclaimed documentary entitled 'Monterey Pop' and immortalized moments that have become legend. And now 40 years later, this program presents the best of Pennebaker's documentary." MUSIC AND DANCE OF POLAND - MAZOWZSE 11/17 6:30 a.m.: "Mazowsze is internationally recognized as Poland's cultural ambassadors, having performed over 6000 shows in cities around the world, including tours to the US. Their symphonic arrangements and dances have been created from traditional performance styles that represent more than 30 regions in Poland. The music varies from Chopin to simple folk melodies beloved by the Poles for centuries. Recorded live in the Polish National Opera House in Warsaw, and narrated by Bobby Vinton." DAVE KOZ AT THE MOVIES 11/17 8 a.m., 11/27 10:30 p.m.: "World-renowned adult pop artist Dave Koz turns to one of his favorite pastimes for inspiration. This television event captures a lush, inspired collection of timeless movie themes, featuring guest vocalists Anita Baker, Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis and Vanessa Williams." LES GIRLS (1957) 11/17 8 p.m.: "When showgirl Sybil Wren (Kay Kendall) publishes her tell-all memoirs, she is sued for libel by the other two members of her troupe, Joy Denderson (Mitzi Gaynor) and Angele Ducros (Taina Elg). Told from each woman's point of view, the three hoofers tell the story of their relationship with the great Barry Nichols (Gene Kelly). Directed by George Cukor. Music by Cole Porter." BRIGADOON (1954) 11/17 9:56 p.m.: "Two American hunters (Gene Kelly and Van Johnson) become lost in the Scottish highlands, only to discover love in a magical village in this entertaining film rendition of Lerner and Loewe's Broadway hit. Also stars Cyd Charisse, Elaine Stewart, Barry Jones, Dodie Heath and Hugh Laing. Directed by Vincente Minnelli." THE ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC 70TH ANNIVERSARY GALA CONCERT 11/21 9 p.m.: "Travel to Tel Aviv to take part in the gala concert of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Founded in 1936 by Polish violinist and Zionist Bronislaw Huberman, the organization was established to save Jewish musicians in Europe from the imminent Holocaust. The Israel Philharmonic boasts a long list of accomplished composers, conductors and guest soloists who have contributed to its rich history and critical acclaim. The program features Maestro Zubin Mehta and the orchestra." HIGH SOCIETY (1956) 11/22 1 p.m.: "This film is the musical remake of 'The Philadelphia Story,' about the efforts of a wealthy man to win back his ex-wife, who's about to be remarried, and the reporters who became entangled in the romantic complications. Stars Bing Crosby in the Cary Grant ex-husband role, Grace Kelly in her last film role as Tracy Lord and Frank Sinatra as the reporter who also falls in love with her. Crosby also gets an assist from Louis Armstrong, playing himself. A stellar Cole Porter score includes the songs 'True Love,' 'Did Ya Evah?' 'You're Sensational,' plus Bing and Satchmo's 'Now You Has Jazz.'" MARIACHI - THE SPIRIT OF MEXICO 11/23 1 p.m.: "For ten days each year during the International Mariachi Festival in Guadalajara, more than 500 mariachis perform in concert halls and street markets - musicians famous and unknown gathered to celebrate the passionate music that over the past 100 years has been the beating heart of the Mexican people. Now for the first time, this program captures the excitement of this event in an exuberant display of the best of mariachi, featuring Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos, Mariachi America, and groups from around the world. Placido Domingo hosts." DOO WOP'S BEST ON PBS 11/24 9 p.m.: "In December 1999, the most successful fundraising program in the history of PBS took the nation by storm with the premiere release of 'Doo Wop 50,' the first ever celebration from 20 of the greatest vocal groups and their biggest hit recordings. This success gave birth to 2 follow-up sequels, 'Doo Wop 51,' which united an additional 30 Doo Wop legends, and 'Rock, Rhythm and Doo Wop' which historically preserved and presented even more legends from rock and roll's Golden Age of the 1950s and early 1960s. This program presents the most incredible, emotional and memorable full length performances from each of these three original programs." JOHN DENVER - A SONG'S BEST FRIEND 11/25 4 p.m., 11/26 3:30 a.m., 11/28 10 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." CARRERAS DOMINGO PAVAROTTI IN CONCERT 11/26 7:30 p.m., 11/29 1 p.m., 11/30 1 a.m.: "On July 7, 1990, among the ancient ruins of an outdoor moonlit arena, Terme Di Caracalla in Rome, three world-class tenors took the stage to sing for the closing concert of the 1990 World Cup. This recording of the historic event was taped before an international audience, and features conductor Zubin Mehta and his two supporting orchestras (from the Rome Opera and the Florence May Festival) as they join the trio for what is truly a memorable production. With music ranging from 'Memor' to 'O Sole Mio,' the compilation bridges the gap between classical and popular tastes." ANDREA BOCELLI - A NIGHT IN TUSCANY 11/26 9:30 p.m.: "On a warm September night in 1997, Andrea Bocelli came home to Tuscany to sing to the people of the ancient city of Pisa. The Piazza dei Cavalieri was the historic setting for this momentous outdoor event. This program finds the popular Italian tenor singing an assortment of classical and popular ballads, many of them from the Romanza album." CELTIC WOMAN - A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION 11/27 9 p.m., 11/28 1 p.m., 11/29 1 a.m.: "This beautiful program includes popular Christmas classics such as 'White Christmas,' 'Carol of the Bells,' 'Little Drummer Boy,' 'O Holy Night' and 'Let it Snow,' to embody the beautiful, pure, ethereal and angelic harmonies and voices that is Celtic Woman. This special was filmed in the Helix, Dublin, and a venue very close to Celtic Woman's heart because it was where it all began. The special also features several original pieces: 'Green The Whole Year Round,' a fiddle solo called 'In the Bleak Midwinter,' and 'Christmas Pipes' with music by David Downes and lyrics from Brendan Graham. Chloe Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Meav Ni Mhaolchatha, Orla Fallon and Mairead Nesbitt inspire in this powerful production, hoping to cross all divides and touch all people around the globe." ERIC CLAPTON CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL CHICAGO 11/28 7:30 p.m.: "Credited throughout his career with creating super sounds in super groups, Eric Clapton offers his ultimate collaboration in Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago. A follow-up to his groundbreaking, all-star Crossroads Guitar Festival 2004 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the event drew nearly 28,000 fans to Chicago's Toyota Park July 28. On tap for the historic afternoon: Jeff Beck, Doyle Bramhall II, Robert Cray, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, B. B. King, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Sonny Landreth, Albert Lee, Los Lobos, John Mayer, John McLaughlin, Willie Nelson, Robert Randolph, Robbie Robertson, Hubert Sumlin, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Jimmie Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Steve Winwood, and host Bill Murray." PLAY PIANO IN A FLASH 11/30 3 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." *************************************************************************************************** November 1, 2007 Welcome to the 83rd edition of Carltone's Corner! Halloween has come and gone and just like that the sounds of Christmas are once again in the air! Even though it is now November, here in the SF Bay Area is still feels like summer. All of the tents and sleeping bags have been stashed away until next spring, as outdoor music festivals are pretty much done for the year. But this hardly means that there are less shows and concerts to see. This is why the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters has been feverishly working overtime (well, when we're not attending Hanna Montana concerts!) to bring you all the music news you need to know. Strictly bluegrass. Not just content to be producing this "little" newsletter twice a month, Carltone and company are about to take on another new project. After turning down big buck offers from Rupert Murdoch, Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and The View, we have decided to go where the good music and good folks are, and that is the California Bluegrass Association. There is a column on their main page called The Almost Daily News, where the latest local, state and national bluegrass info can be found. Starting on November 9th we'll be spreading the bluegrass gospel there every other day. Check it out when you can, as you do not have to be a member of the CBA to take advantage of their wonderful site. However, if you do have some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket, they'd be glad to share it with you, as they gladly welcome new members. And, do not fear - we'll still be bringing you all the North Bay music news here on a regular basis. We'll just have less time to be a Hanna Montana groupie… Giving thanks. If you still want to thank Warren Hellman for giving the Bay Area the 7th Annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival but just haven't gotten around to writing to him yet (Hellman & Friedman, 1 Maritime Plaza, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA, 94111), you can go one step better by attending his band's (The Wronglers) show at the Larkspur Café Theater on the 29th (details lie below). The band does not play out much, and this will give you a chance to see Warren play a bit more up close and personal than some of the shows are at Hardly Strictly. Trading picks for paintbrushes. Petaluma blues guitarist Dan Hayes has traded his guitar stand for an easel. Instead of beating the bushes trying to find gigs in bars, he has been spending his days with watercolors and canvasses. No p.a. systems to haul, no late nights, and no beaten eardrums… Another Mill Valley institution is gone. First it was Sweetwater, then Village Music, and now Charlie Deal. The unofficial "Mayor of Mill Valley" and the inventor of the toilet seat guitar, Charlie was a fixture at Sweetwater and he played every year on a float in the Memorial Day Parade. Marty Balin, Craig Chaquico, Jorma Kaukonen and many others own a custom made Deal guitar. Charlie was 72, and had been dealing with various health issues over the past few years. A private service will be held soon, and a public event will take place in January. Unplugged. The recently noted singer/songwriter series at Café Neto in Windsor has already be canceled along with other evening shows and open mics. And The Brookdale Bluegrass Festival that was mentioned in the previous newsletter has also been canceled due to problems with the venue. Got a melody in your head that just won't go away? Do songs from your youth take you back to days gone by when you hear them on the radio? Well, there are reasons for these things. Noted neurologist Oliver Sacks (he wrote the book that the film Awakenings with Robin Williams was based on) has a new book out titled "Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain" that explores the relationship between music and the mind. "He said what?" Sam Allred, renowned Austin, TX, country music deejay and founding member of the band The Geezinslaws, was fired from his job on October 30th for making inappropriate comments on the air. He was co-host of the popular "Sammy and Bob Show" since 1990, and had been on the air at the station since 1969. No one is saying what he said, but rest assured that in the recent great American tradition (can you say Don Imus?), since he is now more famous than he ever was, he will be hired by either a competing Austin station for more money or he will get a syndicated show on satellite radio… Losin' Lousiania in the broad daylight. Country music singer Sammy Kershaw recently lost in his bid to become Louisiana's lieutenant governor, winning but 30 percent of the vote. He is married to singer Lorrie Morgan. New concept in live shows. Can't make it to the Garth Brooks concerts
in Kansas City on the 5th-14th? Well, heck, if you are lucky enough
to live near one of the 300 movie theatres that will be broadcasting
the show on the 14th you can go and pay ten bucks to watch him play
live on the screen! Something tells us that no theatres in the North
Bay will be partaking in this event… Back from the brink. Drummer and singer for The Band, Levon Helm, has a new album out after going through 28 radiation treatments for cancer of the vocal chords and feeling about half-past dead. A one-time three-pack-a-day smoker, his voice was completely gone for sometime. With his voice now back to about 70% of what it once was, he is singing on his new album is titled Dirt Farmer. Fishwrap Roundup. Chuck Poling wrote about The Stairwell Sisters in the Old-Time Herald. Stacy the Banjo Man with the beanie propeller hat was featured on the front page of the Marin Independent Journal on October 28th. KQED radio host and one-time KTIM rock and roll deejay Michael Krasny has a new book out titled "Off Mike: A Memoir of Talk Radio and Literary Life." He was featured in the IJ last month. There was an interesting story in the Marin IJ recently about a recently retired 30-year policeman who is now swapping one beat for another. Instead of the regular routine of police work, Jim Laveroni will be playing drums in jazz and R&B bands.. The SF Chronicle had a story about the trials of tribulations of bands trying to "make it" on the road without major record deals, much airplay or big-time management. Band scramble. John McKelvy, lead singer and guitarist for the SF bluegrass band The Earl Brothers, has left the group after seven years. He was one of two original members. Police log. Bad rap: Clifford Harris, a.k.a. rapper T.I., was arrested on October 13th in Atlanta, GA, on weapons charges the day he was supposed to appear at the BET hip hop awards (where he won two awards). He apparently took delivery of some machine guns that were purchased on his behalf by a bodyguard. Due to a prior drug offense conviction he is prohibited from owning guns…Bad rap name: Corey Miller, a.k.a. rapper C-Murder, will be tried again for the murder of a guy in a New Orleans nightclub in 2002. His first conviction was tossed when it was discovered that prosecutors withheld criminal background information on witnesses. Old C might also want to consider a name change…Between a rock and a hard place: Robert Richie, a.k.a. Kid Rock, and his entourage were arrested on October 21st after getting into an altercation with a guy in a waffle shop in Atlanta…One mad fox: rapper Foxy Brown is, sigh, once again in the news. Already in jail for beating a manicurist and violating her parole, she has now received 76 days in punitive segregation after she scuffled with another inmate at Rikers Island jail. Again, this will just help sell more copies of the new CD that is due out any day now…House whine: British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse and her hubby were arrested in Norway for marijuana possession. One of her hits is a song titled "Rehab" in which the refrain is "They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said no, no, no." Life's railway to heaven. Country singer Porter Wagoner died on October 28th in Nashville from lung cancer. He was 80. With his trademark rhinestone suits and pompadour hairstyle, he had hits such as "Carroll County Accident," "A Satisfied Mind," "Company's Comin'," "Skid Row Joe," and "Misery Loves Company." He is also known for giving Dolly Parton her start as a singing partner back in the 60s. Broadway star and Las Vegas casino singer Robert Goulet died on October 30th in LA while waiting for a lung transplant after suffering from pulmonary fibrosis. He was 73. Clarence "Tater" Tate, who played fiddle and bass with Bill Monroe in two stints two decades apart, passed away on October 17th in TN from lung cancer. He was 76. Teresa Brewer, whose song "Music! Music! Music!" (with the famous line "Put another nickel in, in the Nickelodeon") put her on the pop charts in 1950, died on October 17th in New York from a brain disorder. She was 76. Lucky Dube, a South African reggae star, was gunned down in Johannesburg last month in an apparent carjacking. Coming attractions. Corinne West & The Posse at the Lark Theatre in Larkspur on 12/1; The Festival Consort and Tim Cain at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center on 12/1; Claire Lynch at the Freight 12/6, The Palms 12/7, and at Redwood Bluegrass Associates in Mt. View on 12/8; Stevie Coyle & Walter Strauss at Schoenberg Guitars on 12/14; Rex Foundation benefit with Bob Weir & Ratdog, Little Feat and The Waybacks on the 12/15 at the Warfield in SF; Hot Buttered Rum at the Mystic in Petaluma on 12/15; Dan Tyminski at the Palace of Fine Arts in SF on 1/4; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland 1/4-8 with the David Grisman Quintet, Dan Tyminski, Seldom Scene, Marty Stuart, and many others; Portland Old-Time Music Gathering 1/16-20. Onward to the calendar… Murphy Productions is presenting four shows this month at four different venues. On the 1st at 8 p.m. see Ray Bonneville, the one-man band of roots and country blues, at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael. Bonneville is a singer-songwriter with a percussive blues guitar style that makes a rhythm section redundant. His arch-top guitar and footboard percussion are augmented by smoky vocals mixed with outstanding rack harmonica playing. Dance to Tandamanzi at Studio 333 in Sausalito on the 10th at 8 p.m.; on the 17th at the Lark Theater in Larkspur jazz great Jackie Ryan is having a CD release party of her new album You and the Night and the Music; and on the 30th it will be pianist and singer Josh Gronner at the Belrose Theatre in San Rafael at 7:30 p.m. The joint is jumpin' at the Toad in the Hole pub in Santa Rosa. See Dave Gleason on the 1st, The Sofa Kings on the 3rd, The Spindles on the 9th, The Hellhounds on the 10th, Solid Air on the 16th, American Winter on the 21st, and many more fine acts. 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. Featured there this month are Jenny Kerr on the 1st, The Sonoma Mountain Band on the 2nd, Andrew Freeman on the 3rd, the Celtic jam on 4th, Carolina Special on the 10th, Shades of Green on the 11th, JL Stiles on the 15th, The David Thom Band on the 23rd, The Tonewoods on the 24th, Peter Lamson on the 25th, The Carrtunes on the 29th, and others. Go to the Sweetspot in Santa Rosa to see Green Chair on the 1st, Robert Herrera & Ian Scherer on the 3rd, Jed on the 9th, Four Guys On A Couch on the 10th, Johnny Beige on the 29th, and Steve Pile Band on the 30th. Lauralee Brown is one in-demand singer. On Tuesdays you can find her at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. On the 1st from 5:30-8:30 p.m. see her at The Seafood Peddler in San Rafael as guest vocalist for Alex Markel's Rent Party Rhythm Section; on the 3rd from 6:30-11 p.m. at the Corte Madera Rec Center it will be the Lauralee Brown & Company Dance Band performing for The Mayflower Choral Society's Annual Fall Frolic, a fundraiser which provides musical scholarships to students yearly; on Saturdays the 10th, 17th, and 24th from 6:30-9 p.m. it will be The Intimate Sounds of Lauralee Brown & Company at The Waterfront Grill in Petaluma with special guest musicians; on the 16th from 7:30-10:30 p.m. at Saylor's Restaurant & Bar in Sausalito it will be Lauralee and Jazz & Beyond, and on the 30th there you can see LLB and Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh & Greg Punkar. Marin bluegrass jam. On the 1st and the 15th the jam will take place at the Marin Lutheran Church at 649 Meadowsweet in Corte Madera, from 7:30-10 p.m. Dave Hanks will host on the 1st, and Deirdre Donovan and David Zimmerman will be there on the 15th. The Ace in the Hole Pub outside of Sebastopol is the place to see Juan Boulder on the 1st, Chris Bramble Band and Mountaindawg on the 3rd, Canal St. Jazz Band on the 6th, Happy Hour w/Buckshot Boys on the 9th, Tabla Rasa on the 13th, The Good Life Crises on the 14th, Sonny Lowe & SweetHarp Santana on the 17th, The Thugz on the 18th, Bottle Shock on the 24th, Chris Kelly on the 27th, and Pladdohg on the 29th. At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see Al Jarreau on the 1st, Billy Ray Cyrus on the 2nd, Diana Ross on the 3rd, and Queen Latifah on the 24th. Some shows of note at the Larkspur Café Theater, besides the open mic every Tuesday with Michael LaMacchia, are Cole Tate on the 2nd, the Duo-Tones on the 3rd, Gratful Dead on the 7th, Jelly on the 19th, Michael LaMacchia's Organic Jive Collective on the 10th, Blues Legend Francis Clay's Birthday Bash on the 13th, James Cotton on the 15th, Larkin Gayl and Jerry Hannan on the 24th, The Wronglers on the 29th (see below), 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 Frobeck on the 2nd, Johnny Vegas and the High Rollers on the 3rd, PBJ Peri's Blues Jam on the 4th, Dr. Mojo on the 8th, Swamp Thang on the 10th, Sexy Sunday on the 11th, Jeb's TwangFest on the 14th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 15th, Lansdale Station on the 17th, Jinx Jones on the 21st, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 24th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 25th, The Beat Meters on the 29th, The Tom Finch Group on the 30th, and lots more. The five-piece acoustic band Bottle Shock is playing on the 2nd, the Day of the Dead, at the Sebastopol Community Center. The show starts at 8, and also on the bill are the Trailer Park Rangers, and an old Sonoma County favorite, Uncle Wiggly. Advance tickets are available at Peoples Music in Sebastopol, The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa, Artisans in Sebastopol, and at the Community Center. Costumes are encouraged. The Station House Café in Point Reyes Station presents a dance party benefit on the 2nd at 7:30 p.m. for West Marin's public radio station KWMR featuring The Artifacts, masters of folk, swing and blues. Reservations are recommended. Call (415) 663-1515. Go the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa where there are Celtic jams on the second and third Wednesdays and a bluegrass/old-timey jam on the 4th Wednesdays. See Greenhouse on the 2nd, Rhythm Rangers on the 3rd, Late Harvest on the 10th, Blacktop Moon on the 17th, Spindles on the 23rd, The Farallons on the 24th, The Tonewoods on the 29th, Under the Radar on the 30th, and more. Schaef-Abel Productions has three shows coming up in November at Studio E in Sebastopol. On the 3rd it will be Lucy Kaplansky, Terri Hendrix with Lloyd Maines on the 9th, and The Larry Hosford Band on the 17th. At The Mystic in Petaluma see Poor Man's Whiskey and Blue Turtle Seduction on the 2nd, Junior Reid on the 11th, Ozomatli on the 14th, The Feud Reunion on the 16th, The Roches on the 17th, New Riders of the Purple Sage on the 24th, and more. Cascada de Flores will present a special Day of the Dead concert of Mexican music, dance and story for all ages at the Dance Palace Community Center in Point Reyes Station on the 2nd starting at 7:30 p.m. Cascada de Flores tells the story of traditional music and dance of Mexico. The band is a professional folkloric ensemble dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and dissemination of Mexican and Cuban regional music and dance through national and international performances, educational programs, and recordings. The event will feature an altar created by the Dance Palace Afterschool Art Program kids, and people are invited to bring items to add to the altar. Saylor's Restaurant in Sausalito (different food and location than the late Saylor's Landing) now has live music on Fridays and Saturdays in the restaurant from 7:30-10:30 p.m. (except for the special show on Friday the 9th, which starts at 8). On the 2nd it will be Ken Husbands & Rebecca Griffin, Mindy Cantor on the 3rd, Amy Wigton in the upstairs Cabo Wabo Room on the 9th, Eugene Huggins on the 10th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 16th, Steve Malerbi on the 17th, John Brite & Paul Robinson on the 23rd, Lisa Kindred on the 24th, and Lauralee & Acoustic Favorites on the 29th. Santa Rosa guitarist Kevin Russell has another busy month playing with four bands. On the 2nd his band Laughing Gravy and Dave Gleason will be playing a Gram Parsons Tribute Show at the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa starting at 8:30 p.m.; on the 3rd his band The Rhythm Rangers is at The Black Rose in Santa Rosa at 8:30 p.m., playing a wild mix of Western swing, alt-country and rockin' blues; on the 24th Jayne Russell & Wilson will be at The Toad in the Hole, 9 p.m.; and on the 30th Under the Radar will be at The Black Rose. This newly re-organized band features Kevin, Layne Bowen and Ted Dutcher (all from Modern Hicks) along with Michael Capella, playing bluegrass, swing, blues and country music. At the Napa Valley Opera House you can see CéU on the 2nd, the Django Reinhardt Festival Band on the 3rd, Theatreworks USA In Seussical on the 4th, ukulele phenomenon Jake Shimabukuro on the 9th, Richie Havens on the 10th, Larry Vuckovich on the 15th, and American Tap Masterpieces on the 17th. Finbar Devine's Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are The Royal Deuces on the 2nd, The Alhambra Valley Band on the 3rd, Stadler-Gibbons on the 9th, Jimbo Trout on the 10th, Blues Barn Burners on the 16th, High Country on the 17th, Natasha James on the 23rd and 24th, and Caliban on the 30th. Jammin' in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 3rd and the 10th it is bluegrass, old-time, old country, acoustic picking and fiddling; on the 17th it will be swing music; and on the 24th it will be pickers' choice. Out at Rancho Nicasio see The Sun Kings on the 3rd, John Stewart on the 4th, Vinyl on the 10th, Colin Gilmore on the 11th, Trailer Park Rangers on the 16th, Gary Vogensen & Bobby Black on the 18th, Chrome Johnson on the 23rd, and others. See the Marin-based acoustic trio Barbwyre when they play on the 3rd at the Coffee Roastery in San Anselmo from 5-7 p.m. At any point you may hear combinations of two and three-part harmonies, mandolin, mandola, fiddle, pedal steel, dobro, electric and acoustic guitar. The members are Dana Rath, Jon Mitguard, and Mike Stadler. Finnegan's in Novato is the happening place in town for live music on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is also an open mic every Monday starting at 8:30 p.m. See Matt Thompson & Jimmie O on the 3rd, Damir Stosic on the 7th (and 21st), Revolver on the 10th, Dave Manning on the 14th, Snappy Dave & Dan on the 17th, and Josh Gibson on the 28th. Mill Valley's Dore Coller has some cool gigs. On the 3rd at 7 p.m. he'll play with Savanna Blu (Dore, Gary Kaye, Dave Hanks, Steve Kallai) at Cafe Amsterdam in Fairfax. On the 11th the Hot Club of Marin will be at 19 Broadway at 5 p.m., on the 15th at the Left Bank in Larkspur from 7:30-9:30 p.m., and on the 26th at the 142 Throckmorton. Live from West Marin. Tune into the West Coast Live radio show on the 3rd at 10 a.m. (KALW-FM 91.7) when they broadcast live from Rancho Nicasio. It is a variety show that features music, writers, actors and more. You can also listen on line or even attend in person. Some of the guests on the show will be East Bay banjo sage Bill Evans (he has a new book out called Banjos for Dummies)(isn't this title an oxymoron?), guitarist Peter Kaukonen (brother of Jorma), writer Henry Petroski, and naturalist Claire Peaselee. 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 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta's comedy night every Tuesday you can see Jonathan Poretz on the 3rd, the Wine Women & Song Breast Cancer Benefit on the 4th, David Frishberg on the 9th, Tito LaRosa & Friends on the 16th, David Nelson & Friends Benefit for Bill Laymon on the 18th, Austin deLone on the 23rd, Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings on the 24th, Blame Sally on the 30th, and other great shows. The North Bay band Ring of Truth Trio is headed south. Take a drive down the coast to see them play at the San Gregorio Store on the 3rd from 2-5:30 p.m. The Trio is Henry Nagle (vocals, pedal steel and lead guitar), Rory McNamara (vocals and guitar), and Muir Houghton (bass). Joining the trio for the day will be Michael Messer (The Goldbrickers and Those Darned Accordions) on drums and percussion. The special surprise guest this month will be the delightful singer and songwriter Lisa Redfern who will be singing at the store for the first time. Mill Valley's Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved will appear at The Riptide in SF on the 3rd starting at 9 p.m. You will be encouraged to put some money in the tip boot. Marin musician/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will be making music in four different counties this month. On the 4th he'll be appearing at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley with SF Mime Troupe composer Bruce Barthol. Sausalito is the next stop, with Jesse Lee Kincaid at Caffe Trieste on the 9th. At the Larkspur Cafe Theatre on the 11th he'll be performing at the 84th birthday celebration concert for legendary blues drummer Francis Clay. The new jazz/rock band Tres Mojo can be heard at Ireland's 32 in SF on the 23rd and at Rafters in San Rafael in the 29th. Finally, he'll be joining friends from the Jefferson Starship, featuring David Freiberg, for a special performance at the Ledson Hotel in Sonoma on the 24th. 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. The fabulously redone Nick's Cove in Marshall hosts "Local's Night" every Tuesday. Go and check out a great music lineup this month: Tony Magee (Delta blues) on the 6th, Leon Bristow (twangy Americana) on the 13th, Danny Montana solo (eclectic country, folk & blues) on the 20th and Jeb Brady (blues and R&B) on the 27th. Enjoy great food and a stunning view. In addition to music on Tuesdays, Nick's offers features specials on dinners and Lagunitas beers, all designed to keep you coming back for more. Music is from 7-9 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. On the 7th see The Bluebellies, the Jazz Roots Trio on the 14th, the Pat Echols Experience on the 21st, and The Tom Finch Group on the 28th. Kyle Alden will be hosting a songwriter showcase at BookBeat in Fairfax on the 7th from 7-10 p.m. See Kyle and other songwriters sing original songs in an intimate setting. Kyle will be joined by Big Value guitarist Rick Meissner. Then on the 25th Kyle and Friends will be at the San Gregorio General Store in San Gregorio from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jeanie & Chuck Poling's bluegrass and country jam at The Plough and Stars in SF will take place on the 7th. It runs from 8:30-11 p.m., but it is a bar, so you must be 21 to attend. Stop on by to pick a tune, and join the hosts for a Guinness. The Marin County bluegrass String Break on the 8th will be playing at the Atlas Café in SF from 8-10 p.m. This is at the corner of 20th St. and Alabama in the Mission district. Go listen to Auburn Bluegrass Fiddle Champ Joe Osborn and the band, featuring Gary Kaye on banjo, Dave Hanks on mandolin, Mike Staninec on guitar, and Duncan Draper on bass. Special guest Karen Grace will sing a few songs. 19 Broadway in Fairfax has the usual mix of music on their schedule. On the 9th see Peakseason and Chopper 5 (details below, on the 10th it will be Pato Banton and Mystic Roots, Second Sunday Salsa Night falls on the 11th with Mucho Axe and Terroritmo, the 16th it will be The Young Dubliners, the 17th see Norrisman, Jah Thunder, and D.U.S.T., Pride & Joy on Friday the 23rd., Hot Buttered Rum on the 24th, and Myloekoe on Friday the 30th. Futuregrass. On the 9th, starting at 8 p.m., the young Marin bluegrass band The Itchy Mountain Men will be performing at Old St. Hilary's Church in Tiburon. The pre-show will include Christine Donaldson, Bromo Kru, and Molly Tuttle, who will be performing with her two younger brothers, Michael and Sullivan. This show is planned, produced, performed, and promoted largely by the teenage performers, and will be entertaining for all ages. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. There is a shuttle from the Boardwalk in downtown Tiburon to Old St. Hilary's. Please join bands Peakseason and Chopper 5 on the 9th at 19 Broadway in Fairfax for a show to support the Marin County based organization Search for the Cause. The show starts at 9 p.m. and a $15 donation is encouraged. Search for the Cause's purpose is to investigate how exposures in our daily lives increase the risk of cancer, reduce harmful environmental conditions and educate communities on healthy lifestyle choices. House concerts in Marin. Drew Pearce will be hosting ambeR rubarth (sic) and David Peters in Novato on the 9th. Mill Valley songwriter Jesse Lee Kincaid and his band (Kurt Huget and Spike Klein) will play at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito on the 9th starting at 7 p.m. Ain't Misbehavin' performs acoustic vintage and western swing, jazzy ballads, originals, and more at the Station House Café in Pt. Reyes on the 9th at 7 p.m. Maybe even some magic tricks! Standup guys. 77 El Deora and The Saints Car Club will be playing a benefit on the 10th in San Rafael. 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 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, and speech pathologists. Rotaplast pays their airfare and 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. The bands will play a set of their finest hillbilly noir/oblique Americana a little after noon, and it's happening at Country Club Bowl. Sunday jazz. Schuster, Draper and Bay will be at Cafe Amsterdam playing jazz on the 11th from 6-10 p.m. The multi-instrumentalist Duncan Draper will be playing drums for this gig. Sebastopol guitarist Walter Strauss and his trio (with Sam Bevan and Kendrick Freeman) will be playing a transcultural night of celebration and collaboration on the 16th at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz in Berkeley on a bill with Mamadou & Vanessa (Wassoulou music from Mali) and Stephen Kent (Didjeridu maestro and MC). Then on the 20th at 8 p.m. Walter will play solo at Infusions Teahouse in Sebastopol. Lorin Rowan's Rattlebox w/Barry Sless (steel guitar), Doug Harman (cello) and Paul Cicco (percussion) will be opening for David Nelson & Friends at 9 p.m. on the 16th at the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa. Sonoma's Adam Traum will be playing at the Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood on the 17th. Woebegone Laurie. Tune into Garrison Keillor's radio show A Prairie Home Companion on the 17th to hear Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum perform. In the Bay Area, that is KQED-FM (88.5) at 6 p.m., and then the show is replayed on Sunday the 18th at 11 a.m. For show times in your area go here. Put on your dancing shows and head to the Petaluma Veterans' Memorial Building on the 17th at 7 p.m. for the "Singin' and Swingin' on a Star" benefit for the Pacific Empire Chorus. Dance to Swing and A Miss, a local 16-piece swing band. There will be dance lessons and a contest. There will also be performances by Confetti and by Petaluma's Pacific Empire Chorus, an award-winning women's a capella chorus. This performance will feature swing songs from the 40s. $25 includes dancing, appetizers and soft drinks. There will be pickin' of gospel, bluegrass and old-time music as usual up in Sebastopol on the fourth Sunday of this month, and the date is the 25th. It takes place from 2-5 p.m. at the Sebastopol Christian Church, 7433 Bodega Avenue, in Sebastopol. Bring acoustic instruments and your favorite gospel songs to sing. On Thursday the 29th at 8 p.m. the next edition of the bluegrass series Bluegrass Gold will take place at the Larkspur Café Theater in downtown Larkspur. Bluegrass Gold is produced by Carltone Music and co-sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass Society. Headlining the bill will be The Wronglers. The Wronglers (Warren Hellman, Chris Hellman, Nate Levine, Bill Martin, Krista Martin, and Colleen Browne) made their stage debut in October of 2006 at Warren's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco, and they played there again last month. The band combines bluegrass, folk, and old-time techniques, producing an intelligent, intimate sound with an abundance of twang. Warren's love of bluegrass and old-time music permeates every aspect of his life, and his excitement at playing on stage for an audience brings him a huge sense of involvement and satisfaction. He describes the band's repertoire as "simple songs played by complicated people." 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 Laurence Juber on the 29th. Coming on December 14th are Stevie Coyle & Walter Strauss. Reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. Call (415) 789-0846 for more info. 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 alternate banjoists Larry Cohea and George Goodell. The address is 3600 Petaluma Boulevard North. Call (707) 775-4232 for more info. Music Television. There is usually some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area, but as of press time the station had not sent out their schedule for November. *************************************************************************************************** October 15, 2007 Midway through the suddenly wet month of October, the staff here at Carltone World Headquarters is still in recovery from the great time at the free 7th Annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park two weekends back. It was quite the event, and the weather could not have been more beautiful. Thanks to all of you who signed the Carltone mailing list at the fest. As for the event itself, sure, there has been the usual complaint or two on chat sites about "too much of this kind of music, not enough of that, the fest was too crowded, blah blah blah," but here is a simple solution to all of those naysayers who think that, just because they have access to a computer, the world wants/needs to hear their unsolicited opinions: Don't go next time! Everyone else will have a much better time without you, and you will be happier as well. So everybody wins! Hardly Warren. As mentioned in the previous edition of this newsletter, Hardly Strictly benefactor Warren Hellman was interviewed in the Pacific Sun two weeks back, and you can now read this story here. For those of you who attended the festival and 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 41 cents and about five minutes of your time. Not a bad price to pay for two and a half days of amazing music… Check out East Bay photographer Mike Melnyk's fabulous Hardly Strictly photos here. This is just a small sample of the total amount. While you are at it, look at Mike's other photos and instruments as well. Corrections. Saylor's Restaurant and Bar in Sausalito is now called simply that. Heretofore the joint at 2009 Bridgeway (it was listed as 2000 in the previous edition) was called "Saylor's South of the Border"; the community jam that was mentioned at the 142 Theatre on October 24th has now been moved to December 2nd; the usual mention of the pickin' of gospel, bluegrass and old-time music jam in Sebastopol on the 28th may have been premature. Turns out that there may be no jam this month, as the arranger of the event could not find a host. It is possible that someone may step forward at the last minute, so you are welcome to drop by and see; and Doug Adamz will be performing solo at the Toad in the Hole in Santa Rosa on the 27th, not the 20th, as previously noted. Ever wonder how those big music festivals first got started? Well, wonder no more by checking out a documentary called The Trips Festival. It took place in 1966 at the Longshoreman's Hall at Fisherman's Wharf, and Marin filmmaker Eric Christensen's film just premiered at the recently concluded Mill Valley Film Festival. While no web site can be found about the film, you can read about it here in Paul Liberatore's story in the Marin IJ. Let's see a show of hands of all of you that we there 41 years ago… Strawberry Music Festival photos are now up on their site. Tickets go on sale in November for the 2008 festivals. Not your ordinary Joe. Congratulations to Marin County fiddler Joe Osborn, who won the fiddle contest at the recent Auburn Bluegrass Festival. Joe plays in the Marin band String Break. The International Bluegrass Music Association held its big hoedown in Nashville two weeks back, and they handed out the awards for best this, that and the other instrument. If you want to find out who won what, go here. The Bluegrass Unlimited story about The Infamous Stringdusters (not to be confused with just your Ordinary Stringdusters) by Chris Stuart that was mentioned here last time is finally up on the magazine's site. The Dusters won a few awards at IBMA, and they are headed to the Bay Area in November. Alas, not to Marin or Sonoma though. The San Francisco Jazz Festival runs from October 17th-November 30th. This is a lot of time to see some of your jazz favorites in various venues in the city. Band scramble. Stevie Coyle, founding member of the popular Bay Area band The Waybacks, has left the band to pursue a solo career. Go to his newly revamped web site to find out what he is up to. The band will continue on without him. Josh Williams is no longer the guitar player in Rhonda Vincent & The Rage. Randy Graham has left David Parmley & Continental Divide, and Ron Spears is playing mandolin in his place. Fishwrap Roundup. Paul Liberatore also wrote about another movie at the film festival, a Dylan biopic titled I'm Not There; Jill Kramer, besides writing the Warren Hellman story mentioned above, also wrote the cover story for last week's Pacific Sun, and it is about Marin rocker Sammy Hagar; in the SF Chron there was a story by Jesse Hamlin about a Harriet Tubman tribute show at the SF Jazz Fest. In rehab. Joe Nichols, a studly country singer who had a hit titled "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off," recently entered a facility in Nashville for substance abuse. Police log. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime: Foxy Brown just can't stay out of the news. Already in jail for a year for violating terms of her probation (for fighting with a manicurist), she made headlines again last week for refusing to get into a correction department bus for a court appearance. Of course, the more she makes headlines, the more records she will sell when the new CD comes out next month…No cream puff: Sean Combs, once known as "Puff Daddy," and now known as "P Diddy," is under investigation in New York City for allegedly punching out a patron at a nightclub last weekend. Earlier this month a guy filed a $5 million suit against the Didster for because his bodyguards beat the dude at another nightclub. Get out your handkerchiefs. Silence is golden: There is a report out of London that former Beatle Paul McCartney is offering his soon-to-be-ex-wife Heather Mills a paltry $51 million divorce settlement to go away and never talk about their four-year marriage. One can only wonder what he fears she will say… Ailing. Tom Tworek, noted Bay Area bluegrass photographer, has been in the hospital in Palo Alto for some time now, battling cancer. Go to the link, get his address and send him a card. Life's railway to heaven. Robert "Red" Shipley, longtime host of the Stained Glass Bluegrass radio show on WAMU back east, died in Virginia on October 6th from cancer. He was 70. He won the Broadcaster of the Year Award at the IBMA in 2006. Enrico Banducci, legendary proprietor at Enrico's in SF's North Beach back in the 50s and 60s (where up and coming acts such as Lenny Bruce, Barbra Streisand, Dick Gregory, Bob Newhart and folk groups like the Kingston Trio got some early gigs), died in South SF on the 9th from natural causes. He was 85. Coming attractions. Ray Bonneville at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael on 11/1; Lucy Kaplansky in Sebastopol on 11/9; Warren Hellman's band The Wronglers at the Larkspur Café Theater on 11/29; Laurence Juber on 11/29 at Schoenberg Guitars in Tiburon; Claire Lynch at the Freight 12/6, The Palms 12/7, and at Redwood Bluegrass Associates in Mt. View on 12/8; Dan Tyminski at the Palace of Fine Arts in SF on 1/4; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland 1/4-8 with the David Grisman Quintet, Dan Tyminski, Seldom Scene, Marty Stuart, and many others; Portland Old-Time Music Gathering 1/16-20. Additions The Marin Civic Center often has some events of interest. The Bioneers Conference takes place on the 19th-21st, The Crooked Road show is there on the 26th (details below), and on 28th you can come alive with Peter Frampton. Local boys make good. Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue will be bringing their bluegrass show to Saylor's in Sausalito on the 20th from 8-11 p.m. Three out of the four band members live in Sausalito. The venue just started having music this month, and this show was not yet posted on their web site as of press time. There is no cover, but dinner reservations are strongly recommended. Call (415) 332-1512 for info. On the 20th see the band Lee Highway (veterans of Kentucky Rose and the Sawtooth Mountain Boys) plus The MacRae Brothers' Tribute to Jake Quesenberry at the Redwood Bluegrass Associates show in Mountain View. Sausalito House Boat Concerts will be presenting another show at their temporary location in El Cerrito on the 20th at 8 p.m. featuring Caroline Aiken. This will also be Julie's birthday bash. The address is 2417 Edwards Avenue. For more info call (415) 289-0490. The Wild Catahoulas will be playing at Monroe Hall in Santa Rosa on the 20th. Dance lessons start at 7 p.m., live music from 8-11. Monroe is located at 1400 W. College Avenue. Out at the Dance Palace in Pt. Reyes Station on the 20th at 8 p.m. see "Noh: Angels, Demons & Dreamers," original adaptations of Japanese theater with Fred Curchack and Laura Jorgensen. And on the 21st at 4 p.m. it will be the Piano Concert Series with Lisa Spector performing works by Bach, Rachmaninoff, and Chopin. Music from the Crooked Road: Mountain Music of Virginia is headed to this way for a 15-city tour through five states. This nationally acclaimed tour is named after Highway 58, a route known as the Crooked Road, Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, which winds for over 200 miles across the ridges and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains, from the western slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the coalfields of southwestern Virginia. The trail connects major heritage music venues in the Appalachian region. The traditional mountain gospel, bluegrass, and old-time music heard today has been passed down from generation to generation and lives on through a wealth of musicians and instrument makers along the trail. The tour features National Heritage Award Fellow and Appalachian guitar master Wayne Henderson, bluegrass banjo virtuoso Sammy Shelor, family old-time string band The Whitetop Mountain Band, old-time fiddle and banjo masters Kirk Sutphin and Eddie Bond, the up-and-coming bluegrass band No Speed Limit, and a young keeper of ancient mountain ballads and songs, 19-year-old Elizabeth LaPrelle. You can see the show on the 25th in Santa Cruz at the Rio Theatre, on the 26th at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael, and on the 28th in Yountville at the Lincoln Theater. Down Home Music and Arhoolie Records presents a free in-store concert of the authentic mountain music performed by members of the Crooked Road Tour on the 26th at 12 noon in their nearly new Down Home Music Store located in Berkeley on Fourth Street. For information call (510) 204-9595. The Murphy Productions show on the 27th, where they will be hosting Django Obscura and The Matt Eakle Quartet at Studio 333, located at 333 Caledonia, in Sausalito at 8 p.m., has been turned into a benefit for Marin sax player Martin Fierro. Go to the site for more details. Reminders At the Ace in the Hole Pub outside of Sebastopol see Justin Upshaw on the 17th, Beat Meters on the 20th, West County Jazz on the 21st, Foolish Creatures on the 25th, Loose Gravel on the 28th, and Zinful Minds on the 31st. 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. On the 17th see Banana & Friends, Jelly on the 24th, and The Sons of Emperor Norton on the 31st. On the 28th it will be the Iron Springs Anniversary Party and KWMR Benefit from 2-10 p.m. They have a full day and night of events planned, including food and beer specials, and great music featuring The White Hill Jazz Band in the afternoon and D'lilah Monroe & Her Fat Cats at 7 p.m. A percentage of the evening's proceeds will go to support KWMR, West Marin Community Radio, keeping the airwaves filled with local programming and music. This will also be a membership drive: everyone who signs up as a new KWMR member will receive a very special premium from the pub. Finnegan's in Novato is the happening place in town for live music on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is also an open mic every Monday starting at 8 p.m. See Josh Gibson on the 17th, Damir Stosic on the 24th, and Petty Theft on the 24th. Good things are happening at Peri's in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Mike McShea. See Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 18th, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 19th, Twang Ditty on the 23rd, 35R and 5 Minute Orgy Halloween Bash on the 27th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 28th, Harbor Rats on the 30th, Sabbath Lives on the 31st, and others. 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. 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. Featured there this month are Kimrea & Joe LoCoco on the 18th, John Kelley on the 19th, Rick Hardin on the 25th,Dockside on the 26th,High Country on the 27th, Greenhouse on the 28th, and much more. Besides playing at Murphy's on the 18th, 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. At The Mystic in Petaluma see The Avett Brothers on the 18th, The Sun Kings and The Unauthorized Rolling Stones on the 19th, New Monsoon on the 20th, and more. Lauralee Brown can be found on Tuesdays at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. On the 19th see Lauralee Brown & Company at Saylor's in Sausalito w/Chris Planas on guitar and Mark Armenta on bass, and on the 27th she will be singing a variety of styles in Petaluma at the Waterfront Grill from 6:30-9 p.m., accompanied by various talented players. The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta's comedy night every Tuesday, see the Ascension of the Blues show on the 19th and 20th, the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble on the 25th, Robert Dubac's "Male Intellect: The Second Coming!" on the 26th and 27th, and other great shows. Finbar Devine's Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are Caliban on the 19th, High Country on the 20th, Flatt Lonesome on the 26th and Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys on the 27th. At Rancho Nicasio you can see The Rhythm Rangers on the 19th, Maria Muldaur on the 20th, Kelly Willis on the 28th, and others. Ain't Misbehavin' trio performs vintage and current acoustic tunes, paying tribute to Bob Wills, the Boswell Sisters, Fats Waller, Johnny Mercer, Hoagie Carmichael, Sons of the Pioneers, as well as some bluegrass, originals, and jazzy ballads. See them at the Station House in Pt. Reyes Station on the 19th beginning at 7 p.m. Some shows of note at the Larkspur Café Theater are the open mic every Tuesday with Michael LaMacchia, Wine Women & Song Breast Cancer Benefit on the 20th, Poor Man's Whiskey on the 25th (details below), SambadA on the 27th, and, of course, lots more. Café Royale presents Postcards from El Deora: As Lurid As Mom and Apple Pie, an exhibit of show posters by Maurice Tani for 77 El Deora performances, 2003-2007. The imagery, like the music of 77 El Deora, is a bubbling stew of hillbilly noir: fast cars, faster women, guitars, western wear, hand guns and other hyper-romantic symbolism celebrating American popular culture. The exhibit will hang now through October 28th. 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 joint is jumpin' at the Toad in the Hole pub in Santa Rosa. See Kunkel & Harris on the 20th, North of Malibu on the 17th, The Rosetown Ramblers on the 21st, Doug Adamz on the 27th, and more. Twang radio. Hicks with Sticks newsletter writer Jose Segue will be back on KALW as a guest host on Peter Thompson's Bluegrass Signal show airing on Saturday the 20th, from 6:30-8 p.m. KALW broadcasts on 91.7 FM and on the web. Bluegrass will take the day off as Peter and Jose present Bay Area twang music released in 2006-2007 by bands like Red Meat, Axton Kinkaid, Loretta Lynch, Joe Goldmark & The Seducers, the Pine Box Boys, Rhythm Rangers, Big B & His Snakeoil Saviors and Jinx Jones. Go the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa to see the Tonewoods on the 20th, Ring of Truth Trio on the 25th, the Moonshiners on the 26th, and more. Jammin' in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 20th it will be swing music, and on the 27th it will be pickers' choice. Mill Valley's Dore Coller has some cool gigs. The Hot Club of Marin will play on the 20th at the Left Bank in Larkspur from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; and on the 29th at 7:30 p.m. it will be the first ever Hot Club of Marin Club Meeting and Gypsy Swing Jam at 142 Throckmorton Theater. All musicians who come and join will break up into groups, there'll be a featured artist, HCM will start things out, and then every group will get to play a few tunes on stage for a recital, not necessarily in that order. Membership will have its privileges with a newsletter, discounts and goodies, etc. Schaef-Abel Productions has one fine show coming up at Studio E in Sebastopol. On the 20th don't miss Reilly & Maloney. From the mid-1970s through the late 1980s, the voices-and-guitars duo of Ginny Reilly and David Maloney made delightful harmonies together. In 2003, they started performing together again after a decade-plus pursuing their solo careers. Old fans will be happy to hear that they've lost none of their vocal magic. Reilly still has one of the sweetest voices in folk music, an ethereal soprano that dances lightly around Maloney's grittier baritone, and the contrast in their voices and their unique sense of harmony makes for some wonderful duets. Lindalou and Michael have a lot going on this month. On the 20th and 28th from 1-4 p.m. you can see them in Petaluma at the Adobe Pumpkin Farm. On the 21st they'll be playing at the memorial celebration in Sebastopol for their dear friend, Diane Bodach, a beautiful poet and singer who died recently after a long struggle with cancer. And on the 27th see them at The Calistoga Farmer's Market from 9 a.m. until noon on Washington Street by the Community Center. Dan Brunetti and David Chapman will accompany them. Just him and Bobby McGee. Kris Kristofferson will be playing a show at the Lincoln Theatre in Napa on the 21st, and then he'll be in Carmel By The Sea on the 24th. Danny Montana and the Bar Association have two fun shows this month, with special guest David Phillips on pedal steel. On the 21st, from 4-8 p.m., it's all aboard the Sausalito Empress for an evening dinner cruise on the bay. Contact Empress Events for tix and more info. Then on the 27th it's out to Smiley's in Bolinas for some big fun at the beach...and a birthday celebration for Danny Montana and bassist Tim Bush. Bring your party hats! Music starts at 9 p.m. with the Dogtown Ramblers playing some swampy blues. Join Mill Valley artist Jesse Lee Kincaid on the 21st when he will be the DJ at the Park School's walkathon. Out in West Marin Paul Knight & Friends will be at the Station House Café in Pt. Reyes Station on the 21st from 5-8:30 p.m. with Mark Silber, Chojo Jacques and Banana. The Bluegrass Gold show, which ran for 8.5 years at Sweetwater and is produced by Carltone Music, will move for the time being to the Larkspur Café Theater on the 25th. The premiere show at the LCT, starting at 8 p.m., will feature the North Bay band Poor Man's Whiskey. They are the hottest bluegrass band to emerge from Sonoma County. Young, talented, and engaging, this septet has a knack for creating a hoedown wherever they go. Born in the backwoods of the wine country, the band formed as a side project among old friends. They are now playing to rave reviews up and down the West Coast. PMW plays with an original style that fuses the bluegrass tradition with thick vocal harmonies, jazz runs, and improvisational jams. Their most recent CD is titled Roadside Attraction. Go to the Sweetspot in Santo Rosa to see Johnny Beig on the 25th, The Steve Pyle Band on the 26th, and others. John Brite & Paul Robinson will be singing for diners at Saylor's on the 26th. At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see Kathy Griffin on the 26th, and the Camerata Beriloche Orchestra on the 30th. The Hicktones will be entertaining at the Healdsburg Pumpkin Festival on the 27th, in downtown Healdsburg, from 9 a.m. until noon. Their bluegrass harmonies will take place after the pumpkin race. On the 27th Tom Richardson will play a gig with singer/songwriter colleague Lisa Redfern at Cafe Noto in Windsor from 8-10 p.m. If you are up in Reno on the 27th working the slots take a break to attend the Bluegrass Dinner Show at 6 p.m. at the Great Basin Brewing Company in Sparks. Fans of bluegrass and Americana music won't want to miss this show, as Reno's own hard-driving bluegrass band, Straight Ahead Bluegrass, will open, followed by National Champion Bluegrass Guitarist Steve Kaufman. Reservations required. House concerts in Marin. Drew Pearce will be hosting another concert on the 27th in San Rafael with Isul Kim and Javier Montiel. On the 28th in Cotati at 3 p.m. check out the Songs of Sonoma Songwriters in the Round with Lisa Nemzo, John Haley-Walker, Caren Armstrong and Elaine Dempsey. Marin musician/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget will be with his band Namely
Us on the 28th at Cafe Amsterdam in Fairfax. Music Television. There is some good music stuff on TV on KQED-Channel 9, public television, in the SF Bay Area: SPARK! DEL SOL STRING QUARTET, DAVID HEVEL, LA FAMILIA PENA-GOVEA 10/17 7:30 p.m., 10/21 6:30 a.m., 10/22 midnight, 10/22 3 a.m., 10/23 2:30 a.m.: "Hear the Del Sol String Quartet rehearse and debut the work of contemporary chamber composers; laugh with sculptor David Hevel as he makes fun of pop culture celebrities with his outrageous animal creations; join La Familia Pena-Govea, the family band where everyone has a part to play in this musical dynasty in the making." BROADWAY - THE AMERICAN MUSICAL 10/17 9 p.m., 10/20 11 p.m.: "Tradition (1957-1979) - West Side Story not only brings untraditional subject matter to the musical stage, it ushers in a new breed of director/choreographer who insists on performers who can dance, sing and act. But by the time Jerome Robbins' last original musical, Fiddler on the Roof, closes after a record run of 3242 performances in 1972, the world of Broadway has changed forever. Rock'n'roll, civil rights and Vietnam usher in new talents, many trained by the retiring masters, taking musical theater in daring new directions with innovative productions like Hair, the first Broadway musical with an entire score of rock music. By the end of the 1970s, Broadway becomes the centerpiece of a remarkably successful public relations campaign that will lure tourists to New York for years to come. Putting It Together (1980-present) - Legendary as the 'Abominable Showman,' notorious producer David Merrick re-conquers Broadway in 1980 with a smash adaptation of the movie musical 42nd Street. But soon the biggest hits are arriving from an unexpected source - London. Producer Cameron Mackintosh redefines the business of show business as Cats, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon become international blockbusters. Sondheim's Sunday in the Park With George defies categorization, while Jerry Herman's crowd-pleasing La Cage aux Folles has two men sing a love song to each other for the first time on Broadway - a breakthrough soon overshadowed by the rising decimation of the AIDS crisis on Broadway. Yet with Julie Taymor's triumphant re-imagining of The Lion King, Disney leads an astonishing resurrection of 42nd Street. After 9/11, Broadway - like the rest of America - emerges from the darkness." AMERICA IN THE 40'S - COMING HOME 10/20 6 p.m.: "The country never looked back as troops returned from the war, and the reunion of American families began a boom that changed the country forever. A burst of growth in jobs, technology, suburban sprawl, the middle class, and even babies created a new consumerism that continues today. Through music, interviews, film clips and historic footage, this final episode recalls the last years of one of America's most idealistic eras." DAVID HOCKNEY - THE COLORS OF MUSIC 10/21 2 p.m.: "Poetic and narrative, David Hockney progressed from pop to naturalism to photo collage - always with a unique, powerful use of light and color. Now, his inventive stage designs have transformed opera into a magical experience - one to watch as well as to hear. Ironically, as he reaches the height of his craft, Hockney is, in private, racing against time as he is slowly becoming deaf." OUR STATE, OUR STORIES - THE KEY OF G 10/21 6 p.m., 10/27 4 a.m.: "An intimate documentary about a disabled man's transition into adulthood. This charming and insightful film tells the story of Gannet, a 22-year-old with a rare disability, as he moves out of his mother's home and into an apartment with three musicians as primary caregivers. Cobbling together funding from an array of state programs, Gannet's new roommates attempt to form a household together, creating an extraordinary world of interdependence and survival." GUYS AND DOLLS (1955) 10/21 1 a.m.: "Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons star as high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson and Salvation Army missionary Sarah Brown. Frank Sinatra plays Nathan Detroit, while Stubby Kaye reprises his Broadway role as Nicely Nicely, and practically steals the show with his show-stopping solo 'Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat.' Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz." ANDREA BOCELLI - AMORE UNDER THE DESERT SKY 10/28 10 p.m.: "The Tuscan-born Andrea Bocelli continues to seduce audiences everywhere with the moving melodies and passionate performances that have enthralled American viewers. Setting the standard for 'crossover' classical tenors, Bocelli has become one of the most famous and beloved singers in the world. This special was recorded in Lake Las Vegas from a concert venue that literally floats in the resort's signature 320-acre lake. With sweeping views of the area's Ponte Vecchio-style bridge and Mediterranean-themed village as a backdrop, Bocelli performs songs from his Amore album, such as 'Autumn Leaves' and 'It's Impossible.' Also featured are duets with 2001 Tony-award winner Heather Headley, David Foster, and others." SPARK! SAXOPHONIST HOWARD WILEY 10/24 7:30 p.m., 10/28 6:30 a.m., 10/30 2:30 a.m.: "Saxophonist Howard Wiley explores the tradition of spiritual music found at a plantation prison in the Deep South, and other stories." FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971) 10/28 midnight: "Norman Jewison's adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical received eight Oscar nominations, winning for Best Cinematography, Best Music and Best Sound. The story is set in the Ukrainian ghetto village of Anatevka. Israeli actor Topol (Best Actor nominee) reprises his London stage role as Tevye the milkman, whose equilibrium is constantly being challenged by his poverty, the prejudicial attitudes of non-Jews, and the romantic entanglements of his five daughters. Based on the book by Shalom Aleichem." PEANUTS GALLERY 10/31 4:30 a.m.: "In 1990, Pulitzer Prize winning composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich and beloved cartoonist Charles M. Schulz began an extraordinary friendship that would ultimately unite their creative talents in one masterwork. Through interviews with Zwilich and Mrs. Schulz, along with character clips and rarely seen footage of Charles Schulz himself, this program tells the story of how the Peanuts characters went from the daily comics to Carnegie Hall. It culminates with a performance of Zwilich's 'Peanuts Gallery for Piano and Orchestra' by the Florida State University Symphony Orchestra." SPARK! PLAYWRIGHT PHILIP KAN GOTANDA, AND OTHER STORIES 10/31 7:30 p.m.: "Explore the relationship between jazz and the Japanese American internment with playwright Philip Kan Gotanda and A.C. T.; see why choreographer and dance educator Janice Garrett is attracting the best local dancers and critical acclaim in the Bay Area dance scene; meet Jess Curtis and his company Gravity as they work on 'Under the Radar.'" *************************************************************************************************** October 1, 2007 Welcome to the 82nd edition of Carltone's Corner! The quidnuncs here at Carltone World Headquarters, when not glued to CNN 24/7 for the latest news about OJ/Britney/Lindsay, are busy scouring the back roads of Marin and Sonoma counties looking for all the pertinent music news that you really need to hear about but generally gets ignored by the five or so major media chains that own all the newspapers in this country. And even though all roads lead to Golden Gate Park on the weekend of the 6th and 7th for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, there is a heck of a lot of great stuff going on the rest of the month as well. Speaking of Hardly Strictly, an interview by longtime award-winning staff writer Jill Kramer with fest benefactor Warren Hellman will be the cover story of the Pacific Sun on Friday the 5th. Pick one up or read it on line. The death and rebirth of Sweetwater. On September 23rd the venerable Sweetwater nightclub in downtown Mill Valley closed its doors for good to the public in its longtime location. On Monday the 24th there was a private farewell party hosted by owners Thom and Becky Steere that featured performances by Bob Weir, Sammy Hagar, Austin deLone, The Rowan Brothers, Heather Combs, Ramlin' Jack, Lisa Kindred, Narada Michael Walden, Dan Hicks, and many others. During the show, in the midst of tearful farewells by the owners, some great news was forthcoming: Sweetwater hopes to move to a new venue in town by January of 2008. The location is the old Greenwood Furniture store around the corner on Miller Avenue, next to D'Angelo. They are still trying to shore up financial backing, so if you have a huge chunk of spare change that it just burning a hole in your pocket, contact Becky (becky@sweetwatersaloon.com) to get in on the ground floor of the new venue. You can read all about the night and the new venture in Paul Liberatore's story in the Marin IJ and also in Matt Kramer's fine story in The Pacific Sun. Say what? Are you hovering around age 50 and starting to realize that you don't hear as well as you used to? I SAID ARE YOU HARD OF HEARING? Right, just what we thought. All of those youthful years of going to loud rock concerts are now catching up with the boomers, and you can read the sordid details in a story reprinted recently in the Marin IJ. Peaceful, easy feeling. The Eagles will make their first appearance at the Country Music Association Awards on November 7th. Later this year, they will release Long Road Out of Eden, a double-CD featuring 20 new recordings. The Eagles have been recognized at the CMA Awards before, when Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles was named album of the year in 1994. Americana artist Marty Stuart will begin hosting an hour-long weekly show on XM Satellite Radio starting on the 5th of this month. Airing on Fridays, Marty Stuart's American Odyssey will offer a range of American music, such as traditional country, blues, rockabilly, bluegrass, gospel and rock. New release. Congratulations to Mill Valley singer/songwriter Jamie Clark and his wife Cheryl. They had a baby girl named Eden Sophia on September 23rd. All indications have it that little Eden has pipes at least as powerful as her proud singing papa… All hail Merle! After months of anticipation, country great Merle Haggard's new bluegrass CD has finally been released. It is called The Bluegrass Sessions, and it features Marty Stuart on mandolin, Rob Ickes on dobro, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, and Carl Jackson played guitar and sang two-part harmonies. Alison Krauss also adds harmony vocals on a couple of tunes. Ronnie Reno produced the disc. Spectator sport. While the media tried dang hard to get the unwashed masses interested in defamed record producer and whacky-wigged Phil Spector's murder trial, there were just too many "reality" and game shows to chose from to pique the fickle public's interest. After five months and a gazillion dollars of taxpayer money spent, the spectacle ended in a mistrial last week. He was accused of murdering a B-movie actress in his foyer after meeting her just hours before in a nightclub… San Diego bluegrass picker Chris Stuart has written another cover story for Bluegrass Unlimited, this time on the young band The Infamous Stringdusters. But as of press time here the magazine still has their September cover story posted. Chris has also been nominated by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) for Print Media Person of the Year. For full details on award winners this year, on Friday the 5th go to the IBMA web site. Local guys in the movies. North Bay singer-songwriter Jerry Hannan has a song titled "Society" with Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder in Sean Penn's film Into the Wild, which opened last week at a theatre near you. And SF banjo player Erik Pearson wrote and played a song called "Fork and File" that is also on the Crooked Jades record World's on Fire. You hear it in a scene when the main character is kayaking. Sailing with the Rowans. Plan ahead to join Chris and Lorin Rowan on a sea cruise next January 21st-26th. Kerrville and Falcon Ridge in association with Fan Club Cruises invite you to a Festival At Sea, featuring the Rowan Brothers, Susan Werner and Eric Schwartz. It will be a five-night concert cruise from New Orleans to Mexico on the Carnival Fantasy. Prices start at $429 per person and include five nights accommodations, all meals, private cocktail party with the performers, two concert events, duty free shopping on board, full range of shipboard activities, onboard casino and much, much more. For complete info and brochure, go to the web site. The Wolf Mountain Bluegrass Festival that normally takes place in October has been canceled due to a conflict with the fairgrounds. What is really too bad is that this year the fest had finally gotten smart and actually had a weekend booked that was not up against Hardly Strictly in SF. Something smells rotten. The Sex Pistols (minus long-dead bassist Sid Vicious), led by lead singer Johnny Rotten, will be reuniting for a couple of shows. They will play one at the Roxy in LA on the 25th of this month, then play four in London in November to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their controversial album Never Mind the B*llocks. Unconfirmed rumors have the ageing lads using hair dye and Geritol to get ready for the big shows… Twang radio. Hicks with Sticks newsletter writer Jose Segue will be back on KALW as a guest host on Peter Thompson's Bluegrass Signal show airing on Saturday the 20th, from 6:30-8 p.m. KALW broadcasts on 91.7 FM and on the web. Bluegrass will take the day off as Peter and Jose present Bay Area twang music released in 2006-2007 by bands like Red Meat, Axton Kinkaid, Loretta Lynch, Joe Goldmark & The Seducers, the Pine Box Boys, Rhythm Rangers, Big B & His Snakeoil Saviors and Jinx Jones. Band scramble. There is yet another new bluegrass band in the North Bay led by ubiquitous fiddler/mandolinist Ed Neff. It is called Blue & Lonesome, and also in the band are Larry Cohea on banjo, Jeff King on bass, Mike Wilhoyte on the guitar, and Paul Shelasky on fiddle. Ryan Carter, longtime bass player in the SF bluegrass band Homespun Rowdy, moved back to Philly just in time to see the Phillies play in the baseball playoffs. There is a new acoustic trio of songwriters/players based in Marin called Barbwyre. The members are Dana Rath, Jon Mitguard, and Michael Stadler. See them play on the 13h in Sebastopol at the Toad in the Hole. Butch Waller is the new mandolin player in the Bay Area bluegrass ensemble known as The David Thom Band. Fishwrap Roundup. There was a story by Paul Liberatore about Donna Jean Godchaux in the Marin IJ last month that you can read here. She was the only female member of the Grateful Dead. Liberatore also wrote about the singing Bacon Brothers, a Kate Wolf tribute album, Sammy Hagar, the Joy of Cooking band, and rockabilly guitarist Bill Kirchen. Rick Polito in the Marin IJ wrote a story about the Marin rock clubs of yore that you can read here. In the SF Chronicle there was a story about long-dead British musician Nick Drake, who has put out more albums since his demise than he did while he was alive. And much to the surprise of Bay Area musicians of all ages, dinosaur rock writer Joel Selvin, amazingly so, wrote a story in the Chronicle about a young up and coming SF band called Crowsong. Police log. Mill Valley's Most Wanted: Before closing last month some
cretins broke into Sweetwater and stole off the stage wall the large
mandala quilt that had been hanging on there since the 1970s. If anyone
has any information about who did this, please contact the Mill Valley
police to let them know…. Spare the rod and spoil the child: Pop
singer Rod Stewart's son Sean will have to stand trial in an assault
case in Los Angeles. Punches were thrown and Sean's Rolls Royce was
involved as well…Passing the baton: rapper Snoop pleaded guilty
in Santa Ana, CA, for trying to carry a concealed weapon onto an airplane
- at baton. He was sentenced to probation and community service…
Cracked in the head: Uncle Kracker pleaded guilty to assault in Raleigh,
NC, last month, after he was arrested for reaching his hand underneath
a woman's skirt in a bar. She slapped him, so big man that he is (and
we do mean big), he slapped her back. He first gained notoriety as a
deejay for Kid Rock. This must be all it takes these days to become
famous these days…Notorious and big: the late rapper Notorious
B.I.G. was in the news again, even though he has been dead for ten years.
His murder has never been solved, and one Waymond Anderson, a former
R&B artist now serving a life sentence for murder in a separate
case, has now he admitted that he lied in a deposition when he claimed
that a policeman was involve in B.I.G.'s demise. Ailing. George Grantham, who was the drummer in the trailblazing country/rock band Poco three decades back, recently suffered a severe stroke. Banjo player John McEuen and George's daughter Gracie are trying raise money to defray medical costs and living expenses for George and his family. Go here for more info. Life's railway to heaven. Marcel Marceau, the famous French mime who put the art of mime back on the map for the past 60 years, died on September 22nd in Paris at age 84. Patrick Bourque, former bassist for the band Emerson Drive, died suddenly on September 25th at his home in Montreal. The 29-year-old musician replaced Emerson Drive's original bass player, Jeff Loberg, in 2003. Bourque had been living and working in Canada since resigning from the band in August. Robert W. "Bob" McLean, a Tennessee businessman who donated Bill Monroe's renovated 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin and Mother Maybelle Carter's 1928 Gibson L-5 guitar to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, was found dead in Shelbyville, TN, on September 25th of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 60. At the time of his death, the former stockbroker was involved in multiple lawsuits for allegedly cheating investors out of $20 million and was due to appear in court on September 26th for a bankruptcy case. Jerry Dean, a Bay Area jazz DJ for some 50 years, died September 5th of a heart attack. He was 75. Dean was a versatile DJ on KJAZ for 35 years, where he worked every time slot, including the popular "Dinner Jazz" show. He also emceed the Russian River Jazz Festival for 26 years. Coming attractions. Ray Bonneville at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael on 11/1; Lucy Kaplansky in Sebastopol on 11/9; Laurence Juber on 11/29 at Schoenberg Guitars in Tiburon; River City Bluegrass Festival in Portland 1/4-6/08 with the David Grisman Quintet, Dan Tyminksi, Seldom Scene, Marty Stuart, and many others. Onward to the calendar… At the Ace in the Hole Pub outside of Sebastopol see Shawn Snyder on the 2nd, Taylor Brown on the 3rd, Feisty Females (Kim Trypsmith & friends) on the 4th, Sofa Kings on the 7th, Seraphin on the 11th, Mike Gibbons Band on the 13th, Honey Rose on the 16th, Justin Upshaw on the 17th, Beat Meters on the 20th, West County Jazz on the 21th, Foolish Creatures on the 25th, Loose Gravel on the 28th, Zinful Minds on the 31st. Good things are happening at Peri's in Fairfax. Every Monday is acoustic open mic night hosted by Mike McShea. See WTJ Trio on the 3rd, Trailer Park Rangers on the 6th, PBJ Peri's Blues Jam on the 7th, Jesse Lee Kincaid on the 9th, Blue Note Cats on the 11th, Billy Boys and Honey Dust on the 12th, Sexy Sunday on the 14th, Rahman's Songwriters in the Round on the 18th, Rusty Evans & Ring of Fire on the 19th, Twang Ditty on the 23rd, 35R and 5 Minute Orgy Halloween Bash on the 27th, Krickie's Songwriters' Night on the 28th, Harbor Rats on the 30th, Sabbath Lives on the 31st, and others. 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. On the 3rd see The David Thom Band, Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys on the 10th, Banana & Friends on the 17th, Jelly on the 24th, and The Sons of Emperor Norton on the 31st. On the 28th it will be the Iron Springs Anniversary Party and KWMR Benefit from 2-10 p.m. They have a full day and night of events planned, including food and beer specials, and great music featuring The White Hill Jazz Band in the afternoon and D'lilah Monroe & Her Fat Cats at 7 p.m. A percentage of the evening's proceeds will go to support KWMR, West Marin Community Radio, keeping the airwaves filled with great local programming and music. This will also be a membership drive: everyone who signs up as a new KWMR member will receive a very special premium from the pub. Iron Springs, working with the Marin County Community Development Agency, has now become a certified green business. What does this mean? Green businesses practice resource efficiency and focus their operations on limiting their impact on the earth and its resources. A green business not only conserves resources but also educates employees and customers about resource conservation. Marin musician/singer/songwriter Kurt Huget is making the rounds as usual this month. His roots-rock/Americana band, Moonlight Rodeo will be featured live on the Bruce Latimer TV show in Pacifica on the 3rd, and they will be making a return engagement at Rancho Nicasio on the 12th to celebrate the release of their new CD. Kurt makes a solo appearance on the 13th at the Aqus Cafe in Petaluma, and his jazz group Namely Us can be found at the Mill Valley Film Festival on the 13th as well as at their regular Sunday night gigs on the 14th and 28th at Cafe Amsterdam in Fairfax. South Bay singer/songwriter Mick Overman will be playing at the Tradewinds in Cotati on the 3rd starting at 8 p.m. and then on the 4h see him at The Shanachie Pub in Willits from 8-11 p.m. Jeanie & Chuck Poling's bluegrass and country jam at The Plough and Stars in SF will take place on the 3rd. It runs from 8:30-11 p.m., but it is a bar, so you must be 21 to attend. Stop on by to pick a tune, and join the hosts for a Guinness. Finnegan's in Novato is the happening place in town for live music on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is also an open mic every Monday starting at 8 p.m. See Josh Gibson on the 3rd (and 17th), Matt Thompson & Jimmie O on the 6th, Damir Stosic on the 10th (and 24th), Scallywags on the 13th, and Petty Theft on the 24th. Café Royale presents Postcards from El Deora: As Lurid As Mom and Apple Pie, an exhibit of show posters by Maurice Tani for 77 El Deora performances, 2003-2007. The imagery, like the music of 77 El Deora, is a bubbling stew of hillbilly noir: fast cars, faster women, guitars, western wear, hand guns and other hyper-romantic symbolism celebrating American popular culture. The exhibit will hang now through October 28th. 77 El Deora is a San Francisco-based, five-piece, alt-country/Americana outfit fronted by vocalist Jenn Courtney and songwriter Maurice Tani. Opening reception, including musical performance, is on the 4th at 8 p.m. at Café Royale, 800 Post St. @ Leavenworth in SF. Go to the Sweetspot in Santo Rosa to see Green Chair on the 4th, Juan Bolder on the 6th, Robert Herrera & Ian Scherer on the 11th, Johnny Beig on the 25th, The Steve Pyle Band on the 26th, and others. 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 joint is jumpin' at the Toad in the Hole pub in Santa Rosa. See Amber Lee & Anomalies on the 4th, The Bluebellies on the 5th, Doug Jayne & Dean Wilson on the 6h, Kirk Keeler on the 12th, Barbwyre on the 13th, Kunkel & Harris on the 20th, North of Malibu on the 17th, Doug Adamz on the 20th, The Rosetown Ramblers on the 21st, and more. So many movies, so little time! The 30th Annual Mill Valley Film Festival runs from the 4th through the 14th. Go to the site for details. 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. Featured there this month are Pete Olson on the 4th, The Sonoma Mountain Band on the 5th, Andrew Freeman on the 6th, the Celtic jam on the 7th, Blue & Lonesome on the 12th, Spiral Mystics on the 13th, Kimrea & Joe LoCoco on the 18th, Dockside on the 26th,High Country on the 27th, Greenhouse on the 28th, and much more. 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. Lauralee Brown is one in-demand singer. On Tuesdays you can find her at The Ward Street Cafe in Larkspur holding down the Acoustic Sounds with Denise Leigh and Greg Punkar from 7-9 p.m. On the 4th she will be guest vocalist at the Seafood Peddler in San Rafael with Alex Markel's Rent Party Rhythm Section from 5:30-8:30 p.m.; on the 6th, 13th and 27th she will be singing a variety of styles in Petaluma at the Waterfront Grill from 6:30-9 p.m., accompanied by various talented players; and on the 19th see Lauralee Brown & Company at Saylor's in Sausalito w/Chris Planas on guitar and Mark Armenta on bass. The 142 Throckmorton Theatre has a variety of entertainment on the calendar. Besides Mark Pitta's comedy night every Tuesday, they are hosting many events for the Mill Valley Film Festival, as well as the Ascension of the Blues show on the 19th and 20th. Some shows of note at the Larkspur Café Theater are the open mic every Tuesday with Michael LaMacchia, Rebecca Riots on the 5th, The Pine Needles and Adam Traum on the 6th, the James Mosely Band on the 7th, Jesse Brewster and Gentry Bronson on the 11th, Asher & LaMacchia on the 13th, Wine Women & Song Breast Cancer Benefit on the 20th, Poor Man's Whiskey on the 25th (details below), SambadA on the 27th, and, of course, lots more. At the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa you could see Jethro Tull on the 4th, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons on the 5th, Emmylou Harris on the 9th, Kathy Griffin on the 26th, and others. Dead Set will be playing a concert along with the Chris Bramble Band as part of Sebastopol's Mr. Music Series at Subud Hall on the 5th. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Saylor's South of the Border restaurant in Sausalito (different food and location than the late Saylor's Landing) is having music on Fridays from 8-11 p.m. starting this month. On the 5th see Jump To It, Eugene Huggins on the 6th, Lisa Kindred on the 12th, Tom Bowers Duo on the 13th, Lauralee Brown & Company on the 19th, Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue on the 20th, and John Brite & Paul Robinson on the 26th. Saylor's is located at 2000 Bridgeway near the Seven-Eleven. See the North Bay Celtic fusion band Greenhouse on the 5th at the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa, on the 19th at the Toad in the Hole in Santa Rosa, and on the 28th at Murphy's in Sonoma. Pre-hardly. See Jeanie & Chuck and friends as they take over the Velo Rouge Café in SF from 7 to 10 p.m. on the 5th for a pre-fest pep rally, and everyone is invited for a lovely evening of music and mirth. Some of their friends will be Pam Brandon, Doug Blumer, Maurice Tani, Misisipi Mike Wolfe, Steve Swan, Denise Funari, Gayle Schmitt, Matt Lax, The Cowlicks and a special appearance by Chickwagon. The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival will be happening is SF's Golden Gate Park on the 5th-7th. Be there! Bill Callahan, Bill Kirchen, Charlie Louvin, David Grisman Bluegrass Experience w/ special guest Curly Seckler, The Del McCoury Band, Doc Watson, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Earl Scruggs, Emmylou Harris, The Hacienda Brothers, Hazel Dickens, Heartless Bastards, Hot Buttered Rum, Jim Lauderdale, Jody Stecher & Bill Evans / The Secret Life of Banjos, Jorma Kaukonen, Marley's Ghost, Poor Man's Whiskey, The Wronglers, The Cash Magnets, Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys and oh, a few more bands… Finbar Devine's Irish Pub & Restaurant located in the Old Opera House in downtown Petaluma is staying true to its roots, offering live music every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Enjoy the best Celtic, Americana and roots bands while eating great food and sipping a pint of ale or spirits with new and old friends. Featured bands this month are the Linda Wiggins Band on the 5th, Quin Band on the 6th, The Bluebellies on the 12th, Alhambra Valley Band on the 13th, Caliban on the 19th, High Country on the 20th, Flatt Lonesome on the 26th and Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys on the 27th. At Rancho Nicasio you can see The Rancho All-Stars on the 5th, The Hacienda Brothers on the 6th, Three Guys Named Mo on the 7th, Moonlight Rodeo on the 12th, It's A Beautiful Day on the 13th, Rhythm Rangers on the 19th, Maria Muldaur on the 20th, Kelly Willis on the 28th, and others. Marin County's favorite (and only) old-time band The Roadoilers will be playing a contra dance in Petaluma on the 5th at Hermann Sons Hall from 8-11 p.m. There's a big ol' fingerstyle guitar night coming up at 8 p.m. on the 5th at BookBeat in Fairfax. Stevie Coyle (of The Waybacks) will share the evening with Acoustic Guitar Magazine gear editor Teja Gerken, host Jack Irving and overseas guest Detlef Bunk. The Sonoma County 2007 Harvest Fair will be held at the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds on the 5th-7th, and it will feature more than 500 wines, a bounty of crisp, fresh produce, and aromatic cuisine prepared by some of California's most talented chefs, as well as entertainment and activities for all ages. Live jazz, pumpkin carving contests, hayrides, art, photography, magic shows, llama and potbellied pigs promise to showcase the talents and lifestyle that is uniquely Sonoma County. You can see Lee Waterman & Jazz Caliente, Milagro, The Eric Muhler Trio, Dream Door, and The Susan Comstock Swingtet. Wagon, down to a duo for now with Brian Lamoreaux (banjo and guitar) and Adam Bowers (dobro), will play two shows this month. On the 5th at 8 p.m. they will open at Hotel Utah in San Francisco with other local bluegrass acts during Hardly Strictly, and on the 12th see them at the Pelican Inn in Muir Beach starting at 7 p.m. If you can't make it down to SF from the foothills area for the fest, go instead to the Auburn Bluegrass Festival on the 6th to see Sidesaddle, Keith Little & Friends, and Mountain Laurel. Sonoma's Adam Traum will be playing on the 6th at the Larkspur Café Theater, opening for the Pine Needles. He will have a driving rhythm section featuring Tony Robinson on the bass and George Schmeltz (Poor Man's Whiskey) on drums. This will be a great night of Americana roots music. There will be a Wine Country Cajun Festival on the 6th in downtown Napa featuring the Zydeco Flames and The Bayou Boys. Go the Black Rose Pub in Santa Rosa to see Greenhouse on the 5th, The Carrtunes on the 6th, Ring of Truth Trio on the 11th (and 25th), The Farallons on the 13th, the Tonewoods on the 20th, the Moonshiners on the 26th, and more. House concerts in Marin. Drew Pearce will be hosting two house concerts in Marin this month. On the 6th in Fairfax enjoy Amie Penwell and Kym Tuvim, and then on the 27th in San Rafael it will be Isul Kim and Javier Montiel. At The Mystic in Petaluma see Jorma Kaukonen on the 6th, The Avett Brothers on the 18th, The Sun Kings and The Unauthorized Rolling Stones on the 19th, New Monsoon on the 20th, and more. Jenny Kerr will be out with a full band for the first time in quite a while on the 6th. After exploiting the joys of the acoustic duo for the last year, they will be rockin' and rollin' with bassist Mike Anderson (of The Cowlicks) and drumming force of nature Tony Vito. They will be making an in-store appearance at The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa for one acoustic set at 4 p.m., and then the band goes electric and rocks for Breast Cancer Awareness at The Russian River Brewery in town. Show starts at 9 and goes until midnight. Mill Valley artist Jesse Lee Kincaid performs with his band at Caffe Trieste in Sausalito on the 6th at 7 p.m. Jesse then will play solo at Peri's in Fairfax on the 9th at 9:30 p.m., and on the 21st he will be the DJ at Park School's walkathon. Show me the money! The 20th Anniversary of the Carousel Fund Casino Night will take place on the 6th at the Petaluma Veteran's Building. The event raises money for local families who have children who suffer from a catastrophic illness. This year the house will rock with Eddie Money. The San Geronimo Valley Community Center's second annual gala, "Under the Stars," will take place on the 6th in Forest Knolls. The event features top zydeco dance band, The Zydeco Flames, as well as the Valley Jazz Quartet, fine foods, wines and beer from top local venues, and a silent auction. A shuttle will ferry guests from the Community Center parking lot at 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd in San Geronimo from 5-7 p.m. and back again from 9-11 p.m. Jammin' in Sebastopol. The place to be on Saturdays is the Coffee Catz, from 2-5 p.m. On the 6th and the 13th it is bluegrass, old-time, old country, acoustic picking and fiddling; on the 20th it will be swing music, and on the 27th it will be pickers' choice. The first hundred years. On the 6th from noon until 6 p.m. the town of San Anselmo presents The Centennial Picnic, its final event of the year in honor of the town's 100th birthday. This old-fashioned community event features free live music by San Anselmo artist and musician Jeb Brady as he leads his band, The Jeb Brady Band, through a musical tour highlighting 100 years of music. Brady brings in special musical guests from the community to add to the celebration, including San Anselmo sixth grader Zachary Mathe who is opening on piano with "The Entertainer," the singing sensation of Drake High School junior Lily Housh, and delightful authentic jazz from Fairfax legend Dore Green, who once toured with Frank Sinatra and is now in her 80s, still plays music regularly around Marin. Some of the activities will be free kids' crafts and games including lawn bowling, bocce ball, milk can toss, horseshoes, ring toss, bean bag tic-tac-toe, and prizes, and good old-fashioned community activities including a watermelon eating contest, sack race, three-legged race, balloon toss, egg and spoon contest, and the ever popular tug-of-war. Local restaurants and clubs will be selling food at the picnic, or you can bring your own. The snack shack will be open for soft drinks, and the Log Cabin is the site for buying beverages as well as viewing a display provided by the town's historical commission. This free event will be held at Memorial Park located behind San Anselmo's Recreation Department at 1000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., adjacent to Redhill Shopping Center. Livin', lovin', Louvin. Don't miss Charlie Louvin when he does an in-store appearance at Amoeba Music in SF on the 6th at 2 p.m. Charlie was one-half of The Louvin Brothers, the popular country/bluegrass duo from the 1950s. He is in town to play the Hardly Strictly Fest, and you can see him up close and personal at the Amoeba store located at 1855 Haight Street. David Zasloff, house concert master musician and comedian, will play five instruments, sing some terrific jazz tunes and tell some hilarious stories on the 6th at 7:30 p.m. at Daniel Oberti's Art Studio in Sebastopol, and he will also be playing somewhere in Napa on the 7th. For reservations and info call (818) 566-1442. Novato singer/songwriter Amy Wigton will be singing at the Mill Valley Film Festival on the 8th from 6-8 p.m. at the Outdoor Arts Club located at 1 West Blithedale Avenue, in downtown Mill Valley (across from the Sequoia theater). This is a free and public event. Happy hour is from 5-6 and the café will be open until 8. Mill Valley's Dore Coller has some cool gigs. The Hot Club of Marin will play at 19 Broadway in Fairfax on the 14th at 5 p.m. as part of Ned Ripple's Jumpin Jive show; on the 20th they will be at the Left Bank in Larkspur from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; and on the 29th at 7:30 p.m. it will be the first ever Hot Club of Marin Club Meeting and Gypsy Swing Jam at 142 Throckmorton Theater. All musicians who come and join will break up into groups, there'll be a featured artist, HCM will start things out, and then every group will get to play a few tunes on stage for a recital, not necessarily in that order. Membership will have its privileges with a newsletter, discounts and goodies, etc. Schaef-Abel Productions has two shows coming up in October at Studio E in Sebastopol. On the 12th you can see Girlyman, and on the 20th don't miss Reilly & Maloney. Girlyman, the multiple award winning, indie-folk trio is known for its lush, seductive and complex three-part harmonies and modern bluegrass/folk sound, equal parts Alison Krauss & Union Station and REM. The members of Girlyman switch off songwriting duties, lead vocals, and play a range of instruments, including the acoustic and baritone guitar, djembe, banjo and mandolin. From the mid-1970s through the late 1980s, the voices-and-guitars duo of Ginny Reilly and David Maloney made delightful harmonies together. In 2003, they started performing together again after a decade-plus pursuing their solo careers. Old fans will be happy to hear that they've lost none of their vocal magic. Reilly still has one of the sweetest voices in folk music, an ethereal soprano that dances lightly around Maloney's grittier baritone, and the contrast in their voices and their unique sense of harmony makes for some wonderful duets. Chipfest 2007. A musical celebration of the master musician and mandolin maestro, Chip Dunbar, will take place on the 13th at the New College of California in Santa Rosa at 8 p.m. Like the Kate Wolf Festival, this event is intended to honor the memory of Chip Dunbar by holding a mini-folk festival that presents the folk, bluegrass, blues, swing, country and rock music that Chip loved. When Chip passed away last November, Sonoma County lost one its very finest music teachers. Among the performers will be many of Chip's former students and band mates. The Eclecti-cats, HiJinks, Terra Nova and Under the Radar are some of the bands that served as a vehicle for Chip's immense talent as a singer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist. Some of the performers for this show will be The Mighty Chiplings, Ted Dutcher & Ellen Silver, Chips Off the Old Block, Lisa Redfern, The Hot Fritattas, All Strings Considered, Sara Winge & Friends, Solid Air and Under the Radar. Tickets are $15 general public ($13 for Sonoma Folk Society members) and they are available at The Last Record Store or by contacting Kevin Russell via email krussellmft@aol.com or by calling (707) 824-1858. Santa Rosa House Concerts proudly presents award-winning singer-songwriter Michael McNevin for an evening of music and dining on the 13th. Seasoned and accomplished, Michael's talent lies in his ability to extract juicy bits of life from his surroundings and let a tale unravel from each one. His voice is one that stays with y |
