Jan/Feb - Northern California Bluegrass Society

AJ
Publication of the Northern California Bluegrass Society
For additional information, visit www.ncbs.us
January/February 2015
Editor: Linda L. Descoteaux
Bluegrass On Broadway Set for January 23-25
Redwood City Welcomes NCBS Festival
8th Annual NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival
January 25, Noon-5 p.m.
Redwood City Main Library
Films Selected for Screening
by Michael Hall
The Northern California Bluegrass Society's free
Bluegrass On Broadway Festival will be
held January 23-25, 2015 in Redwood City. The
festival includes the NCBS Awards Show & Concert
on January 24 at the Veteran’s Memorial Senior
Center Theatre; the 8th Annual NCBS Bluegrass
Film Festival on January 25 at the Redwood City
Main Library; and bluegrass music in the
restaurants, churches and bars of Redwood City
throughout the weekend. Principal financial support
for Bluegrass On Broadway comes from
the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission,
the Redwood City Public Library, the Redwood City
Department of Parks Recreation & Community
Services, John Dabney, and other Redwood Cityarea businesses and organizations.
In this issue
Bluegrass on Broadway
NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival
2015 NCBS Bluegrass Award Finalists
Al Knoth Celebrates 45 years of Bluegrass Radio
Pete Wernick’s Bluegrass Jam Camp
CD Reviews by Brenda Hough
Redwood Bluegrass Associates Spring Concerts
Beyond the Holler
Venues, Festivals & Concerts
Gryphon Stringed Instruments
Bluegrass By The Bay
G2 – Mind Over Matter (David Elfgrin, Sweden): A
second generation Stockholm bluegrass band comes
to the US.
At The Feed & Seed (April Janow & Dax Cuesta, (sic)
Films, NC): A small Southern town welcomes
bluegrass music.
Mipso In Japan (Jon Kasbe, NC): A young American
bluegrass band visits Japan in this short film.
Do What You Love (Katarzyna Kochany, Canada): A
musical video by an Arizona bluegrass band.
Banjo Romantika (Lee Bidgood & Shara Lange,
East Tennessee State University, TN): The story of
bluegrass music in The
Czech Republic.
The Cricket (Andrew
Cartoun, Stoney
Lonesome Productions,
CT): A short about
recording acoustic music
in the days of the wax
cylinder.
Broadcast: A Man And
His Dream (Jordan
Nance, NC): The story of
WPAQ Radio in Mt. Airy,
North Carolina.
Page 1
2015 Northern California Bluegrass Society Award Finalists
Members of the Northern California Bluegrass Society have cast their votes in nine categories for the area’s
best bluegrass musicians. As evidence that every vote counts, there are six finalists in the Guitar category
due to a tie. The Awards Show And Concert will be held on Saturday, January 24 at the Veterans Memorial
Senior Center Theater in Redwood City as part of the 8th Annual Bluegrass On Broadway Festival.
Bluegrass Band
Male Vocalist
Female Vocalist
Banjo
Bass
Dobro
Fiddle
Guitar
Mandolin
Abbott Brothers
Bean Creek
Central Valley Boys
Snap Jackson & The
Knock On Wood Players
The Tuttles With A. J. Lee
Luke Abbott
Larry Cohea
Rob Horgan
Snap Jackson
Sonia Shell
Tom Bekeny
Pete Hicks
Alex Sharps
Jack Tuttle
Mark Wardenburg
Luke Abbott
Pete Hicks
Snap Jackson
Billy Pitrone
Yoseff Tucker
Lisa Burns
Sarah Eblen
Dave Gooding
Louise Mintun
Max Schwartz
Leslie Abbott
Kathy Barwick
Helen Foley
Avram Frankel
Jim Mintun
Kathy Barwick
Avram Frankel
Steve Pottier
Yoseff Tucker
Marty Varner
Yvonne Walbroehl
Al Knoth to Celebrate 45 Years Of
Bluegrass Radio
by Michael Hall
Al Knoth will celebrate his 45th year of bluegrass
radio broadcasting with a special edition of Cuzin Al's
Bluegrass Show on Sunday, January 18 on KPIG Radio
107.5 FM on the Central Coast. Several big bluegrass
stars will appear live at the Watsonville studios for the
expanded broadcast, which will begin at 5 p.m.,
rather than the usual 6 p.m. The station can also be
heard online at
www.kpig.com.
Al's career
began at KTAO
in Los Gatos. Al
later moved to
KFAT in Gilroy,
KHIP in Hollister,
and now KPIG in
Freedom
(Watsonville).
Bluegrass By The Bay
Regina Bartlett
Sarah Eblen
Mary Gibbons
A. J. Lee
Louise Mintun
Page 2
Tom Bekeny
Kim Elking
Pete Hicks
Ed Neff
Michael Tuttle
Call for Volunteers
Is this your year to get involved and
have some bluegrass volunteer fun?
Northern California Bluegr ass Society
volunteers make the music happen in
the San Francisco Bay Area and the
Monterey Bay Area. There are exciting
volunteer opportunities with a number
of projects all year long, including the
22 nd annual Good Old Fashioned (GOF)
Bluegrass Festival. The GOF Festival
Committee will be filling these positions
in early 2015:



Volunteer Coordinator;
Backstage Hospitality Chair; and
Raffle Prize Chair.
For more information, email GOF
Festival Director Eric Burman at
[email protected].
Bluegrass By The Bay
Page 3
Russ Carson: Avenue of the Giants
Patuxent Music
www.pxrec.com
©2014
Song List: New York Chimes, Things in Life, Let Me
Rest, Charlie’s Neat, Heartbreak Hall of Fame, Pat
Made Me Do It, Stone Cold, Daddy’s Dream, Letters
Have No Arms, Montana Cowboy, New River Train,
Avenue of the Giants
Reviews
by Brenda Hough
AJ Lee: A Song for Noah
www.aissalee.com
©2014
Song List: Sugar Moon, Not Gonna Cry Over You, Ripple,
Mustard Seed, Old White Horse, A Song For Noah
AJ Lee has been the little girl with the big voice, but now
that she’s reached the old age of 16, there is no doubt
that her voice is destined to be heard beyond the
bluegrass genre. Belting out song lyrics with conviction is
difficult for anyone, but AJ puts a fire in the lyrics
combined with a sense of believability. AJ plays guitar,
mandolin and fiddle, and what she can’t provide
instrumentally is provided by Robbie Mizzone on fiddle,
Tommy Mizzone on guitar and Marc Doten on bass, piano,
organ and vocals.
The song selection
goes beyond
bluegrass. Most
noteworthy is her
version of the Grateful
Dead signature piece
“Ripple.” Her warm
vocal is wrapped with
melodic guitar and
dobro that reaches
out to the listener.
Bob Wills’ “Sugar
Moon” is a beautiful Texas Swing song, and AJ gives it the
saucy bounce that invites a rendezvous. Another
development is AJ’s new skills as a songwriter. Her “Not
Gonna Cry Over You” has a catchy set of lyrics, and a
happy assortment of instruments including piano, dobro,
mandolin and fiddle. Her tribute to her “Old White Horse”
is filled with the images of shared pleasure and the stirring
trills of the dobro. Some old English folk ballads tell of
disturbed mothers and neglected children, and AJ’s “Song
For Noah” is a remembrance of the children drowned by
their mother. AJ Lee is fulfilling the promise that was
evident when she first started performing, and the future
will be wondrous as her voice, instrumental skills and
songwriting continue to gather depth and perception.
Bluegrass By The Bay
Page 4
Russ Carson was raised in a bluegrass family and
his dad not only played banjo, but also made them.
Banjo playing became Russ’ driving force; he
became a member of Audie Blaylock’s Redline band,
and has recently joined Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky
Thunder as the banjo player.
Russ is joined
by members
of the Redline
band: Audie
Blaylock on
vocals and
guitar, Jesse
Brock on
mandolin,
Patrick
McAvinue on
fiddle, Jason
Moore on bass, and guest vocals from former band
member Darrell Webb. The fact that these
musicians have honed their group sound is
apparent on the cohesiveness of the songs.
The album opens with Tony Trischka’s “New York
Chimes” and Russ high powers his banjo through a
flurry of notes followed by gentle chimes and solos
from Patrick on fiddle and guest Kenny Smith on
guitar. It’s an impressive opener. The title song,
“Avenue of Giants,” was written by Russ after a visit
to the California redwoods; the banjo rolls have the
rhythm of a ride through the trees, with changes of
pace conveyed by the banjo taking the rhythm
under the fiddle solo. “Pat Made Me Do It” is
another Carson original and it showcases his fluid
banjo playing.
Also included in the collection are vocals from Audie
Blaylock and Darrell Webb. Audie sings the classic
“Montana Cowboy” written by Vern and Ray, and
Darrell takes the lead on the Tim Stafford song
“Stone Cold,” which follows the bluegrass theme of
love, revenge and murder. “Let Me Rest at the End
of My Journey” is formula bluegrass with tight
instrumentation and a soaring tenor lead from
Audie. Russ has managed a fusion of traditional
bluegrass with his impressive banjo playing.
Phil Leadbetter: The Next Move
Pinecastle Records
www.unclephilonline.com
Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley:
Before the Sun Goes Down
Compass Records
www.compassrecords.com
©2014
Song List: I’m A Ramblin’ Rolling Stone, I’ve Never Seen
A Love That Wasn’t Blind, Baptism, Just Joshin’, Jesus,
My Old Dog and Me, Hole in the Earth, Georgia on My
Mind, Leadbelly, Pull the Trigger, I’m a Modern Day
Interstate Gypsy, Sweet Georgia Brown, When the Roll
Is Called Up Yonder
Phil Leadbetter has won the IBMA Dobro Player of the
Year Award in 2005, but his greatest victory will be over
the cancer that has been with him the last three years.
While he was recovering, Phil made a dream list of
musicians that he would invite to play on his next
recording project and this album is the fulfillment of that
dream. Joining Phil are Jerry Douglas, Rob Ickes, Mike
Bub, Shawn Camp, Marty Raybon, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck,
Kenny Smith, Dale Ann Bradley, Jim Hurst and many
more.
As might be expected, Phil’s dobro shines on all of the
songs, but most notably the tone and tasteful playing
that is his hallmark is featured on the solo spiritual
“When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder.” Bela Fleck’s banjo,
Buck White’s piano, Kenny Smith’s guitar and Sierra
Hull’s mandolin join Phil for a rousing version of “Sweet
Georgia Brown.” Fellow dobro masters Rob Ickes and
Jerry Douglas join Phil in “Just Joshin’,” a tribute to
pioneer dobro player Josh Graves. Marty Raybon’s
heartfelt vocal in “Baptism” is matched by Phil’s melodic
dobro and Steve Thomas’ fiddle. Steve Wariner sings his
original “Hole in the Earth” and the perils of working in
the mines is balanced by the love of family. Con Hunley
gives a bluesy rendition to “Georgia on My Mind” and
Phil’s dobro adds a strong supporting undercurrent.
Hopefully, Phil’s health will continue to improve and he
will have more opportunities to share his dobro mastery
in the years to come.
Bluegrass By The Bay
©2014
Song List: Before The Sun Goes Down, Lightning, I’d
Rather Be Gone, Georgia on a Fast Train, My Way Is
the Highway, Workin’ Man Can’t Get Nowhere Today,
When My Last Song Is Sung, Pride and Joy, More
Than Roses, Raisin’ the Dickens, Misery, Little Cabin
on the Hill, There Ain’t No Good Chain Gang
It goes without saying that any album featuring Rob
Ickes will have wonderful dobro sequences and there
are plenty to be found. The real delight is the pairing
of the dobro with the heartfelt and expressive voice of
Trey Hensley. Trey was “discovered” by Blue
Highway as they prepared their last album and he
sang “My Last Day in the Mine” on The Game. Joining
the duo are Mike Bub on bass, John Gardner on
drums, Andy Leftwich or Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Ron
Block on banjo and Shawn Lane, John Randall
Stewart, and Dan Tyminski on vocals.
The title song, “Before the Sun Goes Down,” begins
with a fiddle and dobro passage that revives the old
country sound and Trey’s warm baritone has echoes
of George Jones or Hank Snow. “Lightning” has a
fast-paced banjo underlying the story of a moonshiner
framed with fiddle and dobro swirls. Trey’s vocals soar
in Merle Haggard’s “I’d Rather Be Gone” that has to
be one of Merle’s best songs. Also included in the
selection are Merle’s “Workin’ Man Can’t Get Nowhere
Today” that seems most appropriate these days, and
“When My Last Song Is Sung.” Trey’s rendition of
“More Than Roses” has his resonant baritone offering
hope and regret on a love gone astray. Rob and Trey
combine instrumental licks on a rousing guitar and
dobro acoustic mix on Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and
Joy.” Trey’s vocal on the song has a righteous mixture
of grit and punch. Rob and Trey combine their talents
for a rousing rendition of the Buddy Emmons song,
“Raisin’ The Dickens.” The Bob Wills song, “Misery,” is
given a bluesy tone and Aubrey Haynie’s fiddle work is
frosting on the cake. Folks may lament that the old days
of country music are gone, but Rob and Trey have
revived the old days with gusto.
Page 5
Beyond the Holler
by Linda L. Descoteaux
Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick are celebrating the
release of their new CD, Laurie & Kathy Sing the Songs
of Vern & Ray, with three Northern California shows:
Snap Jackson and the Knock on Wood Players
have lined up shows at two trip-worthy venues: The
Haggin Museum in Stockton’s Victory Park,
January 15 at 6 p.m.; and Klinker Brick Winery in Lodi,
January 17 at 11:30 a.m.
The Wood Brothers play City Winery in Napa on
January 15; The Fillmore in San Francisco on
January 16; the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz on
January 17; and the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
in Chico on January 19.
The Central Valley Boys head to the Blythe
Bluegrass Festival, January 16-18 at the Colorado
River Fairgrounds. Also performing: Larry Gillis and
Swampgrass, Copper River, The Lost and Found,
Audie Baylock and Redline, James Reams and the
Barnstormers, Detour, The Bluegrass Martins, The
Roustabouts, and many others.
Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, January 2 at 8 p.m.; a
private venue in Gilroy, January 3 (email
[email protected]); and the French Garden
Restaurant in Sebastopol, January 4 at 7 p.m..
Armando’s in Martinez features Front Country on
January 16 and Houston Jones on February 14.
The True Life Troubadours kick off 2015 at Winter’s
Tavern in Pacifica on January 4 at 8 p.m.
The Tuttles with AJ Lee perform at the Freight &
Salvage in Berkeley on January 8 at 8 p.m., and at a
NCBS-welcomed show at the First Presbyterian Church
in Mountain View on January 17 at 7:30 p.m.; don’t miss
the pre-show jam at 5 p.m.
Steep Ravine is wrapping up work on their second CD;
catch them on January 9 at 9 p.m.at The Crepe Place in
Santa Cruz and at the Black Oak Casino in Tuolumne on
February 26.
Do your musical shopping with The Good Luck Thrift
Store Outlet on January 9 at Slim’s in San Francisco;
the Catalyst in Santa Cruz on January 9; and The
Partisan in Merced on January 24.
The Throckmorten Theatre in Mill Valley hosts Blame
Sally on January 10 at 8 p.m.
Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) is touring in support of his
solo album, All I Do Is Lie. Northern California dates
include Amnesia in San Francisco January 11; The
Rendezvous in Chico January 17; and Don Quixote’s in
Felton January 18.
The Northern California Bluegrass Society welcomes
Laurie Lewis to the Contemporary Jewish Museum in
San Francisco on January 15 at 6:30 p.m. The live solo
performance is free with museum admission ($5 after 5
p.m.). The concert is part of the museum’s Hardly Strictly
Warren Hellman exhibit.
Become part of an 18-year tradition--join Ed Neff &
Friends at the Willowbrook Ale House in Petaluma any
Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m.
Bluegrass By The Bay
Red Dog Ash returns to Newman’s West Side
Theatre as host band for the 2015 Bluegrass Series,
featuring Front Country on January 17, AJ Lee on
February 14, and the David Thom Band on
March 14. www.westsidetheatre.org
Molly Tuttle and John Mailander share a doublebilling with Melody Walker and Jacob Groopman in
San Francisco on January 24 at St. Cyprian’s Church
at Turk & Lyon. The January 31 show at this venue
features Patchy Sanders and Misner & Smith.
Shows for both dates begin at 8 pm.
Gourmet Haus Staudt in Redwood City hosts 27
Strings on January 24 at 6 pm as part of Bluegrass
on Broadway.
Keith Little & The Little Band performs on
February 7 with special guest Blaine Sprouse at the
First Presbyterian Church in Mountain View. Keith’s
little band has some big talent: Michael Witcher on
dobro, Josh Tharp on banjo, Luke Abbott on fiddle
and mandolin, and Steve Swan on bass.
Sherry Austin & Henhouse share the bill with the
Carolyn Sills Band at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in
Santa Cruz on February 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Front Country opens for the Steep Canyon Rangers
at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on
February 27.
Spend Friday the 13th of February with Amber Cross
and The Old Time Fiddle and Banjo Show at
D’Ambino Vineyard and Cellars in Paso Robles.
www.danbino.com
Adkins & Loudermilk are touring; see them at the
Willits Rotary Club in Mendocino County on February 27,
and The Grange in Morgan Hill on February 28.
Page 6
Bluegrass By The Bay
Page 7
Venues
San Francisco
Amnesia, 853 Valencia St Amnesiathebar.com
Atlas Café, 3049 20th St www.atlascafe.net
Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St www.gamh.com
The Music Store, 66 W Portal Ave www.themusicstoresf.com
Plough & Stars, 116 Clement St www.theploughandstars.com
East Bay
Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St, Berkeley
www.freightandsalvage.org
Jupiter, 2181 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley www.jupiterbeer.com
Rooster’s Roadhouse, 1700 Clement Ave, Alameda
North Bay
Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley
www.sweetwatermusichall.com
Willowbrook Ale House, 3600 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma
707-775-4232
South Bay/Peninsula/Coast
Don Quixote’s Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton
www.donquixotesmusic.info
Fandango Pizza, 3163 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto
www.fandangopizza.com
Mission Pizza & Pub, 1572 Washington Blvd, Fremont
www.missionpizza.com
Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery, 7600 Sandholdt Rd, Moss Landing
www.philsfishmarket.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
Festivals & Concerts
Jan 8-11
Jan 16-18
Jan 23-25
Jan 31
Feb 26-Mar 1
Mar 6-8
Mar 7-8
Mar 14
Mar 20-22
Apr 11
The Great 48 Jam, Bakersfield
www.cbaontheweb.org
Blythe Bluegrass Festival
www.blythebluegrass.com
Bluegrass on Broadway, Redwood City
www.scbs.org/events/bob/
Sebastopol Acoustic Guitar Festival
www.seb.org
Wintergrass, Bellevue, WA
www.acousticsound.org
Bluegrass on the Beach, Lake Havasu City, AZ
www.landspromotions.com/parkerhome.htm
Brookdale Bluegrass Spring Festival
Costanoa Lodge www.brookdalebluegrass.com
Sonoma County Bluegrass & Folk Festival
Sebastopol Community Center www.socofoso.com
WinterWonderGrass, Squaw Valley, North Lake
Tahoe
www.winterwondergrasstahoe.com
Cloverdale Fiddle Festival
http://cloverdalefiddles.com
Radio Stations
89.7 KFJC
www.kfjc.org
91.5 KKUP www.kkup.com
Bluegrass By The Bay
Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair
www.scbs.org
May 8-10 Parkfield Bluegrass Festival
www.parkfieldbluegrass.com
May 21-24 Strawberry Music Festival, Grass Valley
www.strawberrymusic.com
Jun 18-21 Fathers Day Bluegrass Festival, Grass Valley
http://fathersdayfestival.com/
Jun 12-14 Huck Finn Jubilee, Victorville
www.huckfinn.com
Jun 19-21 Live Oak Music Festival, Santa Barbara
www.liveoakfest.org
Jun 20-21 San Francisco Free Folk Festival
www.sffolkfest.org
Jun 25-28 Kate Wolf Memorial Festival, Laytonville
http://katewolfmusicfestival.com
Aug 6-9
Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival
Tres Pinos
www.scbs.org/events/gof/
May 2
91.7 KALW www.kalw.org
WAMU Online
bluegrasscountry.org
94.1 KPFA www.kpfa.org
The Bluegrass Mix
www.bluegrassmix.com
107.5 KPIG www.kpig.com
Page 8
KVMR-Nevada City http://www.kvmr.org
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. © 2015 by the NCBS
NCBS website: http://ncbs.us or http://scbs.org
Northern California Bluegrass Society
Board of Directors
Committees
Eric Burman, President
[email protected]
Mike Russell, Vice-President
[email protected]
Good Old Fashioned Festival Director:
Bruce Bellochio, Co-Secretary [email protected]
Eric Burman, [email protected]
Brenda Hough, Co-Secretary [email protected]
Membership Committee Chair:
Bruce Edmundson, Treasurer [email protected]
Gary Anwyl, [email protected]
Mike Fisher
[email protected]
Volunteer Committee Chair:
Penny Godlis
[email protected]
To Be Announced
Mike Hall
[email protected]
Webmaster Committee Chair:
Pan
650-868-2435
Stewart Evans, [email protected]
Bluegrass By the Bay Linda L. Descoteaux, Editor
Submission Deadline:
Electronic Submissions:
Formats Accepted:
Hard Copy Submissions:
Advertising Rates:
10th of month preceding desired publication month
Email to [email protected]
Microsoft Word or plain text; Images in jpeg, tiff, or pdf
Mail to BBB Editor, 2942 E Swift Ave, Fresno, CA 93726
Full Page:
$100 7” x 10”
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Quarter-Page
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Business Card:
$20 3.5” x 2-1/8”
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
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Check one:
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*Life membership includes:
 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
Make checks payable to NCBS
NCBS Membership Chair
PO Box 390846
Mountain View, CA 94039-0846
Northern California Bluegrass Society
Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society
PO Box 390846
Mountain View, CA 94039-0846
Send Address & 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