Outstanding!!!!! - Northern California Bluegrass Society

March/April 2013 Publication of the Northern California Bluegrass Society. For additional information, go to www.ncbs.us
Editors: Brenda Hough and Nancie Barker
Bean Creek and Snap Jackson &
The Knock On Wood Players
Named Best Bands At Northern
California Bluegrass Awards
The deeply traditional Bean Creek (Santa Cruz) and the eclectic Snap Jackson & The Knock On Wood Players
(Stockton) tied for Best Bluegrass Band at the Northern California Bluegrass Awards held in Redwood City on January
26, 2013. The Awards were part of the Northern California
Bluegrass Society’s Bluegrass On Broadway Festival.
John Kornhauser of San Francisco and A. J. Lee of
Tracy were named Best Male and Female Vocalists, while
the voters named San Francisco’s Yoseff Tucker as Best
Guitar Player.
Other winners: Ed Neff of Petaluma, Best Mandolin
Player; Jim Mintun of Santa Cruz, Best Dobro Player; and
Lisa Burns of Mountain View, Best Bass Player. There were
ties in both the Best Banjo and Best Fiddle categories, with
Luke Abbott (Santa Cruz) and Larry Cohea (Oakland) sharing the banjo honors and Pete Hicks (Aromas) and Lee
Anne Welch (Saratoga) sharing the fiddle honors.
Four Bay Area women bluegrass music pioneers, Kim
Elking, Laurie Lewis, Kathy Kallick and Beth Weil, received Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Bluegrass On Broadway receives principal financial support from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission, the
Redwood City Public Library, and the Tapestry Church, with
additional support from other Redwood City businesses and
organizations.
Outstanding!!!!!
Bluegrass By the Bay
page 1
Bluegrass By the Bay
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The Sound of Paul Knight!
By Brenda Hough
Many bluegrass fans would recognize Paul’s smiling
bearded face at the sound controls at a festival, but he is often the overlooked star of any bluegrass show. The performers always know to thank the sound man who can make a
band’s sound delight an audience. Paul lives in Marin County
and when we interviewed him in November 2012, he was
hosting a special evening with Paul Knight and Friends at the
Station House
Café in Point
Reyes Station.
(By the way, the
food is excellent
with oysters and
popovers as
“stars” of the
show)
BH: Of course,
we like to start
at the beginning, how did
you get started
with sound and music?
PK: My first job in the field was when I was 19 years old in
Boston. I played electric bass at the time, jazz fusion was really popular then in the late seventies. My cousin had a sound
company, and I got a job there. What I was doing was not
crew work, but repairing speakers and rebuilding them from
the components and up. I really learned, connecting the bare
wire to bare magnet, building the cabinets. That knowledge
helps a lot,
It was called the American Speaker Company, and they
were one of the big players on East coast. They pioneered
the scooped folded horn used at all the rock shows. I got
stuck in the repair shop, and one of the engineers went to
Australia for a tour. He said, “Why don’t I take Paul?”
Paul didn’t get to go to Australia, but the owner of the
company started taking him to shows They did the sound for
Al Hirt in Maine. The show was in an old armory building with
horrible acoustics so learning to adjust sound to fill awkward
venues was an early part of Paul’s training. Moving Hammond organs and speakers in Boston was another learning
experience.
PK: Another show was an oldies show with the Drifters, the
Shirelles, Chuck Berry, and Tiny Tim. There’s a backing band
for each singer. Tiny Tim had a young blond woman who
would dance around him while he sang. I was a crew guy on
stage, and it was a chance to see show biz lore. Chuck Berry’s not there, and the show’s going on. There’s a banging on
the door, and there’s Chuck Berry, with a Cadillac pulled up
to the door, and a guitar in his hand. Just like you’d always
heard, he never met the band or rehearsed with the band; he
doesn’t even call out the tunes. You have to be in the right
key, and he asked for his payment in cash before he got on
the stage. I also remember the Shirelles would hold up their
hands at the end of the song and take a deep bow and their
mikes would point at the monitors. Waaaa (feedback)…so
we had to move the channels every time.
Paul also helped with the Boston Pops and the Boston
Symphony shows on the Fourth of July. Some of his friends
Bluegrass By the Bay
joined rock bands and while he continued to play bass, he
wasn’t playing professionally. His first wife was a singer and
they moved to California.
PK: My buddy, Jonathan Schiele, played alto sax and guitar
when I first met him. He was my first stop on my trips to California. The last trip, he was playing bluegrass; he’d picked up
the banjo. You’re aware of bluegrass, when I was growing up,
the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, and
you know about Doc Watson, but you really don’t know about
bluegrass from that. But he was playing the Stanley Brothers
and Bill Monroe and there was a wonderful family of Bay Area
musicians. I had gone to Essex Street, near Berkeley, and
there were a lot of musicians living there. My ex-wife found
out about an acoustic bass and I started playing it. So right
away, you’re not in the garage with an amp, you’re outside
playing music, what could be better? The upright was so cool
and slowly over time I sold all my electrics.
BH: So was this a transfer from what you did on electric to
acoustic?
PK: There’s a difference in the fingering in the way you play
but I was taught these blues and boogie woogie lines that
translate into r and b and jazz and I found it pretty easy. I
have large hands so I felt comfortable getting around a bass.
I was playing with good musicians and the first band was with
John and Judith Edelman, Coyote Ridge. I went to Grass Valley and Strawberry and I knew Sandy Rothman, one of the
Bluegrass Boys. Now I come back around with a bass, and
in a few years I was playing bass on his first solo record with
Steve Pottier.
Paul was working with a sound company doing “nuts and
bolts” PA work and was also working at Magic Music. It gave
him experience working with all levels of musicians as well as
different locations. He also started doing work at Freight and
Salvage.
PK: I went on the road with Laurie Lewis in ’94 as a sound
engineer and road manager. When the band is out on the
road, you are making sure that they’re where they’re supposed to be, they’re getting paid. The way I look at it is you
really don’t want touring musicians to think about anything but
playing. I was with her for a couple of strong years; we did
the Southeast and she had done “Who Will Watch The Home
Place?” She’s always had fantastic bands, and so if I could
help them come across, get those vocals coming out, and
they had consistent standing ovations. Rounder Records put
together a tour and it was J.D. Crowe, Laurie Lewis and Del
McCoury. That was 29 shows in 30 days, two buses and I
was on the J.D. Crowe bus. I was hired as a monitor engineer, but they didn’t have that in the budget. They had a
house engineer and a road manager and then Laurie wanted
me there so she augmented my pay.
BH: Do you have a procedure for setting up the sound?
PK: Things I want to hear on the bass are different keys –
there can be big bumps in the low end. You need to hear
those big open strings I do a lot of my work before the band
arrives. For acoustic music, on microphones you should be
able to get 80% there without the bands. Any music that’s
practiced in a room with nothing means that the band should
balance themselves. The vocal mics and monitors should be
exactly at the same level and then dial in the room which I do
with my voice. They should be able to walk up to the mics
and be really close.
BH: So when you speak into the mic, you are testing out the
room.
page 3
PK: I can do that from the board position. When I’m at the
mic, what I am listening for are things that are going to muddle the sound, taking away the definition and the clarity so
that will show up in obvious things, like the midrange in the
vocals so you’re not hearing the s’s and t’s. That’s due to the
reverberation in the room. You’ll hear that something is lingering there. There is a tonality that is ringing out on its own.
You dial that out in the equalizer. It’s this frequency range,
lows, the low-midrange, upper mid-range or highs. Highs are
obvious, lots of sibilants, sssss and tttts. Lows, big boomy,
zero in on them and knowing where your voice is reaching.
The mid-range is where a lot of the muddling happens. You
get used to little zones on a 31-band equalizer and what
does it do to the tambor of the sound. So I boost it, and I do
this before the band arrives. Sound systems are more sophisticated now, and the cabinets had resonance and a lot of
that’s gone now. It’s acoustic music, do you play in a circle?
The monitors give that feeling. They should all play together
and not be too loud for the next person. So I listen….the guitar player plays a lot of solos, then rhythm and lead, and the
mandolin player does chops and leads. The fortunate thing,
if you play the music, you’re not wondering where that solo is
coming from. Some people can control the rhythm the same
as the lead. It you’re not doing that, you are depending on
the engineer to bring your solos up. There’s no reason to
expect that the engineer will know your music. You might
have 5 soloists or splitting breaks, but the first guideline is
get the vocal sound nice. Bring the instrumental solo as loud
as the vocal. After everyone has taken their solo, there’s
your setting. The volume level is dictated by the proper balance. This is all a learning curve, the musicians have to balance with other people. They learn to balance themselves in
jams. If a band doesn’t learn that they’re a unit making one
big sound, then the sound person is not going to solve the
problem.
frequency. One foot over, and you’ve moved that bass peak
away from the band. Just hearing the kickoff to the song is
hard from the back. You’ve got to learn about the sound, the
microphones and how they react with each other. You want
to learn to play, you play with a band, and now you have to
learn these other things.
When I do a sound workshop, I tell people to get a mic stand
and learn how to use it. I see people who have been playing
for years that can’t adjust a mic stand. Why have that be
another distraction to make you nervous? When you get on
a stage, you’ve got a monitor, a microphone, a few inches
can make a big difference. So all these things you need to
spend time learning.
BH: Do you listen for other things while you are playing in the
band?
PK: I set up the sound ahead of time. I always dial them in.
In this restaurant we are playing against a brick wall. The
sound comes at us and sometimes it’s a little rowdy. It’s a
small place and I can’t get a lot of monitor. If you are going
to play a bar, you’re going to be background music; be prepared to be background music and don’t play that sensitive
ballad that you’ve worked up. Break into another fiddle tune,
relax and have a good time.
BH: So this is a monthly gig here in Point Reyes station?
PK: I got really lucky. When I started it out, I just brought in
a jam that had happened at Grass Valley, it was a picking
party. We sit down in a half circle and play. It’s not a concert,
nobody feels they have to communicate with the audience.
Sit down, we’re just jamming, we’re not interfering. It’s a
challenge, I’ll branch out to jazz sessions, Cajun, Irish sessions. It gives me a chance to play all sorts of styles.
Paul Knight and Friends play at the Station House Café
at Point Reyes on selected Sundays at 5pm. Check
www.stationhousecafe.com for appearance dates.
JAMES REAMS & THE BARNSTORMERS
2 Events In Northern California
Redwood Bluegrass Associates – March 9th
Sonoma County Bluegrass/Folk Festival – March 10th
James Reams & The Barnstormers, a bluegrass band
that was nominated by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2002 as Emerging Artist of the Year, will be appearing at two venues in Northern California during March.
On Saturday, March 9th, the band will be performing for
the 21st Annual Redwood Bluegrass Associates Concert
Series (co-sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass
Society). The show is held at the First Presbyterian Church
located at 1667 Miramonte Ave at Cuesta Drive in Mountain
View, CA (http://www.rba.org). Tickets available online at
http://rba.org/tickets.html. This is a great opportunity to see
this long-established iconic bluegrass band playing in an intimate setting with bluegrass fiddler, Blaine Sprouse.
The Sonoma County Bluegrass and Folk Festival will
BH: Now when you’re on the other side as the bass player,
be held on Sunday, March 10th. James Reams & The Barnare you able to monitor the other people?
stormers are a featured performer at this one day familyPK: Bass players are standing in the back, and I won’t have
friendly event that is co-sponsored by the California Bluea monitor. As a bass player, you are behind the instruments
grass Association and the Sonoma County Folk Society. The
and you’re not getting the benefit of the acoustic sound. So
festival is being held at the Sebastopol Community Center
I’ll try to aim those monitors so they’ll get in between the peolocated at 390 Morris Street in Sebastopol, CA (SCB&F Fesple. You learn to hear through the people. If you’re up
tival). Tickets are available online through the California
against a wall or up in a corner, the bass is enhanced,
Bluegrass Association (SCB&F Festival Tickets). This will be
boomy and woofy where you are. If you have two speakers
a great day of music.
and you’re dead center on them, that’s the maximum low
Bluegrass By the Bay
page 4
nals the loss of reality in old age. Jody Stecher has produced
a gallery of significant vignettes – snapshots of dreams, passages of time, glimpses of loved ones, and contemporary
commentary – compacted in 13 songs with carefully crafted
melodies, vocals and instrumental interludes.
Reviews
DIX BRUCE & JULIE CLINE: LOOK AT IT RAIN
by Brenda Hough
JODY STECHER: WONDERS AND SIGNS
Vegetiboy Music
www.jodyandkate.com
©2012
Song list: Five Roads Up to Phoenix, Kenny in Kansas
City, The Kabul Grinder, The Waters of Caney, Weasels and
Snakes, Fly Away Home, Long Time A Comin’, The Highway,
Look Me Up When You’re Down Under, Gwendolyn McGrath,
Osama’s Pajamas, At Waterloo, The Southwest Train.
Some breads are light and fluffy with pockets of air making
holes, and other breads are dense with grains and flavors
with every bite giving the taster something new to contemplate. Jody Stecher’s album of original songs is one of those
multigrain wonders with bits of tasty crunchy and soft sweet
tidbits that will invite repeated listenings and unravelings of
meaning.
Jody plays guitar, mandolin and various banjos and his
instrument selection adds undertones and mood to the vocals. His straight forward lyric delivery wraps around a labyrinth of word associations, rhymes and reasons, and you are
advised to check Jody’s web site www.jodyandkate.com for
the details and background for each song. Joining Jody in the
presentation are Kate Brislin on vocals, Keith Little, Chad
Manning on fiddle, Eric Thompson on guitar and mandolin,
Suzy Thompson of fiddle and accordion and Bill Evans on
banjo.
“Look Me Up When You’re Down Under” is the most accessible song, and the catchy invitation to visit is matched
with the story of a failed Alaskan romance with connections
and contrasts in Australia. The song has a country, BuckOwens flavor delivery, a Cajun beat and bluegrass choruses
all joined together in a happy romp. “Southwest Train” is a
peppy, Gilbert and Sullivan blend of English town names
matched with the countryside sightings of ponies, town buildings and tasty pasties. “Long Time A Comin’” focuses on
changes in our times with wages of the workers contrasted
with those of the CEOs and the changes in the justice system
as terrorists come to trial. “Osama’s Pajamas” is filled with
references to the mind games we see in the media about terrorists lurking all around us and Jody’s references to “boogie
men” may put all the words into perspective. Another political
commentary is embedded in “Weasels and Snakes” with its
phrase, “too big to fail, fix it with government bail.” “Five Rode
Up to Phoenix” is a tribute to his bluegrass bandmate, Forrest
Rose, and the bluegrass cadence of the fiddle and banjo embellish the song. Jody’s skill with clawhammer banjo underlies
the delightful “Kabul Grinder” which is a tribute to a monster
sandwich with 97 spices. Another banjo interlude is the instrumental “Gwendolyn McGrath” named after one of Jody’s
students. “Fly Away Home” is a touching collage of lullaby
phrases sung gently with just a touch of disconnect that sigBluegrass By the Bay
http://musixnow.com/dixandjulie.html
©2012
Song List: Little Birdie, Making Believe, Take This Hammer, I Get Blue, There’s More Pretty Girls Than One, Fair and
Tender Ladies, Shady Grove, Darling Will You Ever Think of
Me? Look At It Rain, The Banks of the Ohio, Just Someone I
Used To Know, Pretty Polly, Frogs for Snakes, I Am a Pilgrim,
Where the Soul Never Dies.
Dix Bruce has been active in the Bay Area music scene
since the 1970s. His numerous instructional materials books
and recordings with Mel Bay publications have taught many
students how to play mandolin and guitar and his popular
Parking Lot Pickers series has been a great reference book
for bluegrass singers and musicians. Julie Cline is an acclaimed ceramicist but her musical talents will certainly be
heralded from now on.
Dix and Julie Cline have
assembled a fine selection of
original and well-loved Americana songs. Their smooth
vocal harmonies soar above
a guitar and mandolin backdrop. “Shady Grove” is given
a makeover with both a modal folk-style section and an
uptempo bluegrass version.
“Fair and Tender Ladies” features Julie’s lead vocal and
the warnings mentioned in
the song are still worth heeding. “I Get Blue” is a Dix
Bruce original and the bouncy
rhythm underscores the singer’s frustration with his lover. “Look At It Rain” is another Dix
original and the duo’s bouncy harmony is matched by a rolling
guitar rhythm and mandolin punctuation. Dix’s smooth guitar
playing and Julie’s seamless flow from solo to rhythm mandolin are showcased in a crosspicked version of “Banks of the
Ohio.” Dix and Julie perform a energizing two-mandolin accompaniment in their version of the classic murder ballad
“Pretty Polly.” Dix’s instrumental “Frogs and Snakes” is given
a bluesy, rough-edged treatment that just sets a perfect
groove. The album ends all-too-soon with a rendition of
“Where The Soul of Man Never Dies” graced by their counter
melody harmonies. Some singers have a perfect symmetry in
their voices and a gentle balance in their instrumental skills;
Dix and Julie have a magical blend that will invite repeated
listenings and joyous sing-a-longs from their listeners.
THE CREAK: HERE, HOLD THIS
www.thecreak.net
©2012
Song list: Stuck in the Mission, Do What You’re Feeling,
I’m Johnny Lee, I’ll Be gone, A Table For One, Carolina,
Fool’s Gold, No Vacancy, Old Dominion, Let It Rain, This
page 5
Weekend, Mom.
In the 60s San Francisco was a wellspring of talented
rock bands such as the Grateful Dead and the Jefferson Airplane, and these days there are many exciting bands that
blend rock, blues, and bluegrass with urban sensibility to
make an exciting contemporary bluegrass. The Creak won
the Emerging Artists award at the 2012 Bluegrassin’ in the
Foothills festival, and this album showcases the exciting energy, creative artistry and ear-catching songs that made this
group a winner.
The band members are Ryan Lim on bass and vocals,
Chris Underwood on banjo, guitar, dobro and cello, Joe
Readel on vocals and guitar, Korey Kassir on mandolin and
vocals and Joe Boone on guitars. The band’s hard-driving
pulse is an exciting blend of bluegrass stomp and rock precision and the music is sure to get your feet moving. The
band’s vocal harmonies are smooth and closer to classic rock
and roll.
The opening song, “Stuck in the Mission,” is an upbeat
song with the soles of the shoes, and it’s followed by the advice to “do what you’re feeling, not what they think you ought
to.” “Johnny Lee” is in the vein of a “Boy Named Sue” and the
muscular vocal delivery is matched with strong fiddle and guitar passages. “I’ll Be Gone” is one of those gotta-get-out-ofthis-mess songs with a classic one liner – you’re about as
special as a worn out pair of shoes. The wry comments continue with a lover’s last words – kissing you is like chugging
gasoline. The mismatched love affairs continue in “Carolina”
with its delightful banjo-flavored slow rock rhythms and harmonies. More commentary on financial ups and down is filled
with wry observations and the listener will delight in the humor. The eye-catching album cover art features movie set
scenes and our heroes are riding to the rescue!
JEAN BUTTERFIELD: BROTHERS IN TIME
www.jeanbutterfield.com
©2012
Song list: When We’re Together, Springtime, Window of
Time, Little Waves, Tears Melt Down the Castle Wall, Brothers in Time, Flowing Free, My Last Goodnight, Dragon by the
Road, Forgiveness, Sky Above the Clouds.
Jean Butterfield has been singing and writing songs from her
home near Yosemite, California. Her solo album features 10
of her original songs and she is joined by Walter Sydoriak on
mandolin and Dan Mazer and Jeff Gurule on banjo. Jean
plays a very melodic Santa Cruz guitar that weaves around
her clear, strong vocals and her stories of love, nature and the
shifting sands of life invite contemplation and consideration.
Jean uses trees in several of her songs to show continuity in life: “Brothers in Time” is about two trees intertwined in
time and space, and “Dragon by the Road” is a sentinel tree
observing life. The ebb and flow of life in the small towns of
California are observed in “Window of Time,” and as the lumber mill’s burner consumes the waste, the lumber products
give the town its prosperity and reason for being. “When
We’re Together” is another linking of man to nature – “we
share with one another when we’re together, we focus as one
and see our path has begun.”
Like a cool mountain stream or a soft breeze with the
scent of pine, Jean Butterfield’s songs have a crisp freshness
in the lyrics and a melodic instrumentation that are a welcome
change.
Bluegrass By the Bay
Eddie and Martha Adcock House Concert
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Roger Siminoff is excited to announce that he will be
hosting a house concert at 7:00pm, on Thursday, March 21,
2013, featuring Eddie and Martha Adcock. As many of you
know, Eddie Adcock was the banjo player with the famed
group The Country Gentlemen whose configuration from 1960
-1964 featured Charlie Waller (guitar), Eddie Adcock (banjo),
John Duffy (mandolin), and Tom Gray (bass). “In my estimation, this was one of the finest bluegrass bands ever, and I
attribute much of that to Eddie Adcock who I believe is one of
the finest banjo players ever”, says Siminoff. “Trust me - it will
be an amazing night!” The concert is $20.00 and 100% goes
to the Adcocks. Please mark the date: March 21, 2013, and
please rsvp if you plan to attend ([email protected] ) because seating is limited.
And if you play BANJO:
Eddie has agreed to give a one-hour banjo workshop if
enough banjo pickers interested in learning from this master.
It will be held at the Siminoff home at 4:00pm on the day of
the concert (Thursday, March 21, 2013) and the cost is
$30.00 per person. The workshop will be followed by a light
dinner (for workshop attendees) and anyone who is staying
for the concert, willl be able to hang there until concert time
(7:00pm). Please rsvp now for the workshop and concert. An
early headcount is necessary so Eddie can plan his schedule.
Mike Auldridge - December 30, 1938 –
December 29, 2012
Mike Auldridge was widely
acknowledged as a premier resophonic guitar (Dobro) player. He
played with The Seldom Scene for
many years, creating a fusion of
bluegrass with jazz, folk and rock.
Born in Washington, D.C.,
Auldridge started playing guitar at
the age of 13. His main influence
through his early years was Josh
Graves who also sold him his first
Dobro. A 1967 graduate of The
University of Maryland, Auldridge
worked as a graphic artist for a
commercial art firm in Bethesda, Maryland and then for the
now defunct Washington Star-News. He did not start playing
music full-time until the Washington Star-News folded in
1976.
Auldridge played with several bands, including Darren
Beachley and The Legends of the Potomac bluegrass band,
Emerson and Waldron, Cliff Waldron and the New Shades of
Grass, Seldom Scene (of which he was a founding member),
Chesapeake, The Good Deale Bluegrass Band, and John
Starling and Carolina Star (which featured three original members of The Seldom Scene). Mike was also a member of the
touring bands of Lyle Lovett and Emmylou Harris.
Mike Auldridge with The Seldom Scene in 1971 really set
the bar for style and technique influencing all players past and
future.
Just one day prior to his 74th birthday, he died on December 29, 2012 at home under hospice care in Silver Spring,
Maryland after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer.
page 6
Bluegrass Music Camp for Kids at the Brookdale/Costanoa Bluegrass and Old
Father’s Day Festival
Timey Festival
The California Bluegrass Association (CBA) is very excited
to finally offer an instructional program for children ages 8-16
during the 38th Annual Father’s Day Festival, June 13th-16th.
“Bluegrass Camps for Kids”, directed by Kate Hamre has
been hired to bring the dream of a camp to life
(www.bluegrasscampsforkids.com). She has produced successful music camps for kids since 2002 and many CBA
member musicians have
taught at her camps in
Alaska, Hawaii and at
RockyGrass among other
locations.
Camp attendees will explore a diverse range of
traditional music styles and
instruments and will be
instructed on a variety of
instruments. Campers will
be taught everything from
individual instruments
(beginning through advanced guitar, bass, mandolin, fiddle and banjo) to
dancing, singing, jamming,
songwriting and performing
by experienced camp faculty. The camp believes that playing multiple instruments is
a great asset to a child’s musical education and encourages
children to take multiple instrument classes.
Registration is a multi-step process. The CBA will handle
the registration/payment of the $300 tuition for the 4 day
camp on their website (www.cbaontheweb.org) and/or snail
mail address. Festival tickets for the guardians of the campers will be verified and then camp registration will be confirmed. Further registration, which includes a questionnaire
about the child’s experience/ability and instrument preference, will be handled by Bluegrass Camps for Kids which
will also administer all emergency contact information and
health releases and send out all camp handouts and materials. The CBA will also accept any donations for scholarships for campers and hope that their CBA members see the
value in this camp and donate to the CBA Youth Program for
a scholarship fund.
The CBA has always been recognized for their programs
which support families and children during their Festival.
Their Kids on Bluegrass program, Darrell Johnston Kids Instrument Lending Library and their vibrant recreational program, KidFest, will now be joined by an instructional children’s day camp. Donations to the CBA Youth Program and
support of these programs through the years have made this
new camp possible. CBA is excited to be able to expand
their Youth Program to include a Bluegrass Camp for Kids
and look forward to expanding their programs year round in
the future. If you need additional information, call Darby
Brandli at 510-735-6364.
Bluegrass By the Bay
New digs for March Brookdale Bluegrass Festival
Friday March 8th through Saturday the 9th.
The festival will be held at the beautiful Costanoa
Lodge and Resort, 2001 Rossi Road 94060, Highway 1 just
20 miles north of Santa Cruz and 50 miles south of San
Francisco. This is a luxury lodge with 35 rooms available
during this two day event. Additionally, RV spaces within
walking distance to the lodge are available with power, water, satellite TV and Wi-Fi and there is also a KOA
campground with tent-cabins with deluxe queen beds and
electric mattress heating pads. All camping areas have indoor/outdoor showers and bathhouses with saunas, heated
floors and lounge areas with fireplaces. (Bring your own
wood). Performances will take place in the Oak Room of
the South Lodge and, weather permitting, outdoors on the
lawn by the lodge. Please bring your lawn chairs for outdoor
seating. A full cash bar and food booth will be open at the
resort and in the performance area. There is also a convenience store for all your camping needs. A huge hot tub is one
of the Lodges deluxe room perks, some rooms come with
fireplaces, private balconies. This is a great resort so prepare to be impressed.
Go to http://brookdalebluegrass.com/ and follow the
link to COSTANOA Lodge and Resort web site. Contact Teri
Giordani, at [email protected] or [email protected] or
650-879-7307 to reserve a room, she will also have information on the tent cabins, KOA camping and RV spaces. Be
sure to mention Brookdale Bluegrass for the discount and
best location for the event.
There are great trails all around the property for hikers,
bicyclists, or horses. Park your rig on Friday night and relax
until Sunday!! Special jam areas and in room jamming is
encouraged. This is an NCBS welcomed event, produced by
Eric Burman festival director and the Brookdale Bluegrass
Music team. Camera crews will be on site to video tape the
event for the “Brookdale Bluegrass Music Hour” shown
weekly on Channel 27 community TV.
Performing Bands:
Peter Rowan, Snap Jackson and the Knock on Wood Players, Sherry Austin & Henhouse, Front Country, The Naked
Bootleggers, Stoney Mountain Ramblers, Cactus Bob and
Prairie Flower, BrookdaleBluegrass Band, Elicia and the Fun
Guys, Hi Hat Bill & Carr Creek Crossing, Jean Butterfield,
BanjerDan, Laura Lind, Bluetail Flies.
Saturday Morning Workshops from 9 to 12 with
Peter Rowan, Laura Lind and BanjerDan.
Performances Saturday from 12 to 9 p.m.
Come for a great weekend!!!!
page 7
www.cbaontheweb.org
Berkeley Old Time Music Convention
www.berkeleyoldtimemusic.org
September
Bluegrassin’ In The Foothills
www.landspromotions.com
September
Fall Strawberry Festival
www.strawberrymusic.com
October
Brown Barn Festival www.scbs.org
October
Hardly Strictly Festival
www.strictlybluegrass.com
September through April
RBA Concert Series
www.rba.org
December
Boulder Creek Bluegrass & Oldtime Festi
val www.brookdalebluegrass.com
VENUES
Amnesia 853 Valencia St, SF amnesiathebar.com
Atlas Café 3049 20th St, SF www.atlascafe.net
Don Quixote's Music Hall 6275 Highway 9, Felton
www.donquixotesmusic.info
Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison St, Berkeley
www.freightandsalvage.org
Frog and Fiddle 1544 Webster Street, Alameda
www.frogandfiddle.com
Fandangos Pizza 3163 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto.
www.fandangopixxa.com
Great American Music Hall 859 O'Farrell St, SF
www.gamh.com
Jupiter 2181 Shattuck, Berkeley www.jupiterbeer.com
Mission Pizza & Pub 1572 Washington Blvd, Fremont
www.missionpizza.com
Music Store, The 66 West Portal, SF
www.themusicstoresf.com
Phil's Fish Market & Eatery 7600 Sandholdt Rd, Moss
Landing www.philsfishmarket.com
Plough & Stars 116 Clement St, SF
www.theploughandstars.com
Sam’s BBQ 1110 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose
www.samsbbq.com
San Gregorio General Store Hwy 84 & Stage Rd, San
Gregorio www.sangregoriostore.com
Smokin’ Okies BBQ, 1941 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill
Willowbrook Ale House 3600 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma
September
RADIO STATIONS
KALW 91.7
www.kalw.org
KFJC 89.7 www.kfjc.org
KPFA 94.1 www.kpfa.org
KPIG 107.5 www.kpig.com
KKUP 91.5 www.kkup.com
WAMU online bluegrasscountry.org
[email protected]
FESTIVALS & CONCERTS
January
Great 48 Hour Jam www.cbaontheweb.org
February
Bluegrass On Broadway www.scbs.org
February
SF Bluegrass & Old Time Festival
www.sfbluegrass.org
February
Wintergrass www.acousticsound.org
March
Boulder Creek Bluegrass & Old Timey Festival brookdalebluegrass.com
March
Sonoma Bluegrass & Folk Festival
www.socofoso.com
May
Parkfield Bluegrass Festival
www.parkfieldbluegrass.com
May
Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair www.scbs.org
May
Cloverdale Old Time Fiddle Festival
www.cloverdalefiddles.com
May
Spring Strawberry Festival
www.strawberrymusic.com
June
Father’s Day Festival
www.cbaontheweb.org
June
SF Free Folk Festival www.sffolkfest.org
June
Susanville Bluegrass Festival
www.susanvillebluegrass.com
July
Scotts Valley Bluegrass Festival
www.scottvalleybluegrass.com
July
Boulder Creek Bluegrass and Old Time Festival www.brookdalebluegrass.com
August
Good Old Fashioned Festival
www.scbs.org
September
King’s River Bluegrass Festival
Bluegrass By the Bay
page 8
Bluegrass By The Bay is published bi-monthly by the Northern California Bluegrass Society, an all volunteer, non-profit, tax exempt 501 (c )(3) organization. The NCBS was founded in 1982 as the Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society, and continues to be
known by that name in the Santa Cruz area. The name was changed in 1999 to reflect the expanded scope of the Society’s activities. The Society brings people together for the preservation, enjoyment, and advancement of bluegrass and related acoustic
music through jams, workshops, concerts, festivals, and this newsletter. © 2012 by the NCBS
Editors:
Brenda Hough [email protected]
Nancie Barker [email protected]
NCBS Board of Directors:
President: Mike Hall
[email protected]
Vice President:
Mike Russell [email protected]
Treasurer: Bruce Edmundson
[email protected]
Secretary: Bruce Bellochio [email protected]
Eric Burman: [email protected]
Penny Godlis: [email protected]
Brenda Hough: [email protected]
Nancie Barker:
[email protected]
Elicia Burton: [email protected]
Submission Deadline: the 10th of the month preceding the
desired publication month.
Electronic submissions: email to [email protected]. Formats accepted: Microsoft word or plain text; tiff, jpeg, or pdf
images.
Hard copy submissions: mail to BBB Editor 970 Vista Ct.,
Morgan Hill, CA 95037.
Advertising Rates
Display ads: full page
$ 100
half page
60
quarter page
30
business card 20
Advertisement dimensions: full page, 7” by 10”; half page,
7.5” by 5” or 3.5” by 10”; quarter page 3.75” by 5”; business
card, 3.5” by 2 1/8”
Committee Chairs:
GOF Festival Director: Eric Burman [email protected]
Membership: Gary Anwyl [email protected]
Webmaster: Stewart Evans [email protected]
Volunteers: Penny Godlis [email protected]
NCBS website: http://ncbs.us or http://scbs.org
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BLUEGRASS SOCIETY
Membership Application
Name:________________________________________ Date:____________________________
Address:______________________________________ Phone:___________________________
City:________________________ State:_____ ZIP:__________
Email:______________________
Please list first names of family members who are joining, volunteer work you would be interested in doing for NCBS,
or any comments, questions, or corrections you would like to make. Thanks for joining us!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
__Life Member*
$500
Check one:
__Life Couple*
$750
__New Member
__INDIVIDUAL
$20
__Renewal
__Family (under one roof)
$25
__Address Change
Make checks payable to NCBS
NCBS Membership Chair
P.O. Box 390846
Mountain View, CA 94039-0846
*Life memberships include advance reserved seating at NCBS concerts (preferred seats), NCBS T-shirt, and a lifetime subscription to
Bluegrass By the Bay
Bluegrass By the Bay
page 9
Northern California Bluegrass Society
Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society
P.O. Box 390846
Mountain View, CA 94039-0846
Send Address and E-mail Changes To:
NCBS Membership Chair
at the above address
Cut out this box! The mailing label is now your NCBS membership card.
Kindly remember to send your renewal. Expiration date is listed below.
Bluegrass By the Bay
page 10