This afternoon's Bluegrass Signal program previews upcoming NorCal events,

often with music from new releases -- like these!

The Nov. 18th Bluegrass Signal program (4:00 - 5:30 pm) is part of the bi-annual KALW On Air Folk Festival (2-7 pm), and includes performances live in the KALW studio from Laurie Lewis with Tom Rozum & Leah Wollenberg plus Blue Birds On A Wire (Joselyn Sky, Jasper Manning, Ida Winfree, and Scott Conroy).

Nov. 4, 2023

Greetings -

Thanks very much for your interest in Bay Area bluegrass and old time music events -- and for sending me additions, updates, and corrections. Please visit the Bluegrass Signal web site for the latest listings and playlists, as well as a number of items and articles of interest to bluegrass and old time music fans.

And thanks to everyone who supported KALW on behalf of Bluegrass Signal during the station's Fall Membership Campaign. It's why we can do what we do!

I hope you're able to hear and/or play some music soon -

PeterT



(L->R): Chad Manning, Brandon Godman, Jim Nunally, Sharon Gilchrist, John Reischman, Bill Evans

CONCERTS

Nov. 4 (5 [SOLD OUT] & 8 pm): Water in the Kettle (Evie Ladin's Body Music evening of story, dance, and community) - Manny’s, SF

Nov. 4 (6 pm): Savage Bond - Luigi’s, Martinez

Nov. 4: Crying Uncle with the Howard Twins (Cross-Eyed Possum) - Hopmonk, Novato

Nov. 5 (3 pm): The Knuckle Knockers - Bernal Star, SF

Nov. 7 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice (and guests) - The Page, SF

​Teo Quale & Chris Luquette -

- Nov. 8: house concert in Petaluma; info/res: ted-at-tedtedted-dot-com.

- Nov. 9: Amado's, SF

- Nov. 10: Hop Dogma, Half Moon Bay

Nov. 8: Nina Gerber & Steve Baughman - house concert in Oakland; info/res: houseconcert-at-att-dot-net

Nov. 9 & 10: Rising Appalachia - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley * SOLD OUT *

Nov. 9: Blue & Lonesome - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

California Bluegrass Reunion (Bill Evans + John Reischman, Sharon Gilchrist, Jim Nunally, Brandon Godman, Chad Manning) -

- Nov. 9: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Sparks, NV

- Nov. 10: The Side Door, Sacramento

- Nov. 11: The California Theatre, Santa Rosa

- Nov. 12: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley (NOTE: afternoon workshops)

- Nov. 14: The Otter Opry, Monterey

​NOTE: Nell & Jim play a short opening set for each of these shows (except 11/9)

Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens - 

- Nov. 9-12: Santa Barbara, San Diego, Aliso Viejo, and Northridge

- Nov. 15: Bing Concert Hall, Stanford

- Nov. 16: Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, Davis

- Nov. 17: Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley

- Nov. 18: Green Music Center, Rohnert Park​​

Nina Gerber & Chris Webster -

- Nov. 10: Nevada City Theatre

- Nov. 11: Sebastopol Community Cultural Center

Laurie Lewis & George Guthrie -

- Nov. 10: Chico Women’s Club

- Nov. 12: Pine Cone Inn, Kernville

Nov. 10: Feral Friday Square Dance - Polish Club, 22nd & Shotwell, SF

Nov. 11 (11 am): Salty Sally - Mill Valley Lumber Yard

Viv & Riley -

- Nov. 14: The Sofia, Sacramento

- Nov. 15: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Nov. 14 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice (and guests) - The Page, SF

Nov. 15 (5:30 pm): Eric & Suzy Thompson - Hopmonk Sebastopol

Nov. 16: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Brewsters Beer Garden, Petaluma

Nov. 16: Bluegrass Holiday - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Nov. 17 (4 pm): Mission Blue Duet - Winters Tavern, Pacifica

Nov. 18: Ray Bierl (with Cary Black) - The Back Room, Berkeley

Nov. 21 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice (and guests) - The Page, SF

Nov. 22: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers - Sam's BBQ, San Jose

Nov. 25 (2 pm): Bearcat Stringband Duo - Cato’s, Oakland

Nov. 25: Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands (Brandon Godman, Hasee Ciaccio, George Guthrie) plus others - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Dec. 7: Bangers and Grass (Bill Evans, Tom Bekeny, Steve Pottier, Jim Nunally, Chad Manning) - Kensington Circus Pub

Dec. 8: Feral Friday Square Dance - Polish Club, 22nd & Shotwell, SF

Dec. 13: Mr. Sun Plays Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

​Dec. 14-17: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - Guild Theatre, Menlo Park

Dec. 14: Black Opry Revue with Autumn Nicholas, Julie WIlliams. Nicky Diamonds, Stephanie Anne Johnson - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Dec. 15 (4 pm): Mission Blue Duet - Winters Tavern, Pacifica

Dec. 16 (11 am): Sweet Sally - Gather Restaurant, Berkeley

Dec. 28: Breaking Up Xmas square dance - Ashkenaz, Berkeley

Jan. 9: Earl Scruggs 100th Birthday (+3) All-Star Bluegrass Celebration with Bill Evans, Jim Nunally, Chad Manning, Mike Witcher, Tom Bekeny & Steve Pottier plus special guests Kathy Kallick, Evie Ladin, and others tba - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Jan. 11 (and every 2nd Thursday): Chad & Jasper Manning's Bluegrass & Beyond - Kensington Circus Pub

Jan. 17: Jake Blount - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Feb. 9: Black Opry Revue with Lori Rayne, Layna, Naomi Wachira, and Deidra Hall - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Feb. 13: Hawktail + Väsen Duo - Felton Music Hall

Feb. 14-15: Hawktail + Väsen Duo - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

FESTIVALS

Jan. 25-27: Winter Music Festival - Florence, OR 

Appalachian Road Show; Never Come Down; Josh Goforth; Henhouse Prowlers; Becky Buller Banjo Duo; Crying Uncle BG Band; Beth Wood

Feb. 22-25: Wintergrass - Bellevue WA

Pharis & Jason Romero; Mile Twelve; Mr. Sun; Jake Blount Trio; Mighty Popular; Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam; Hawktail + Vasen Duo; John Reischman & Old Acoustic; Tim O’Brien Band; Mile Twelve; Laurie Lewis & Nina Gerber; Mark Schatz & Bryan McDowell; Eli West; Whiskey Deaf; Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road; From China To Appalachia; many others

JAM SESSIONS

Jamming at this weekend's South State 48

IN-PERSON JAM SESSIONS 

Nov. 19 (3 pm): Redwood Cafe, Cotati; host/info: davidacarlson62-at-hotmail-dot-com

[possible replacement for 3rd Sundays jam at Coffee & Moore]

Jan. 4-7: The Great 48 Jam - Bakersfield

including

Jan. 6: Earl Scruggs’ Centenary Celebration - Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, Bakersfield

(Bill Evans, Tom Bekeny, Mike Witcher, Chad Manning, Jim Nunally, Steve Pottier - plus Peter Rowan and Herb Pederson)

<><><><><> REGULAR EVENTS <><><><><><>

Sundays (11 am): Market & Main (upstairs), Martinez

Sundays (4 pm): The Lucky Horseshoe, SF

Sundays (6 pm): Tam Jam - Taste of Rome, 1000 Bridgeway, Sausalito

First Sundays (1 pm): Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association - Hoover Middle School, Naglee & Park, San Jose

​

First Sundays (3 pm): old time jam - Church Of the Oaks, Cotati; host/info: janettefiddler-at-gmail-dot-com

(mostly) Second Sundays (3 pm): Old Time Jam w/ Tony Phillips - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

next jams: 11/19, 12/10

(mostly) Second Sundays (4 pm): Marin Bluegrass Sessions - Mantra Wines, 881 Grant Ave., Novato

next jams: 11/19, 12/10 

​Third Sundays (1 pm): oldtime jam - The Way Station, Fairfax

Third Sundays (1 pm): SCVFA jam - South Bay/Peninsula parks (changes each month; cancelled if rain)

11/19: Ocean View Park, Santa Cruz

Fourth Sundays (1:30 pm): California State Old-Time Fiddlers District 9 bluegrass and old time jams - United Methodist Church, Castro Valley; info: steve-dot-goldfield-at-gmail.com 

(mostly) Fourth Sundays (3 pm): Bluegrass & Country Jam w/ Richard Brandenburg - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

next jams: 11/26, 12/17

Fifth Sundays (1 pm): Sebastopol Grange Hall; info: socofoso-at-gmail-dot-com

Mondays (7-9 pm): South Bay (Mostly) Old Time Jam - Unitarian Universalist Church, 505 East Charleston Rd., Palo Alto

First Monday (6 pm): The Garage Jam - Out West Roadhouse, 321-2nd St., Petaluma; host/info: tedkuster-at-californiabluegrass-dot-net​

Tuesdays (7 pm): Hotel Utah, SF; host/info: woodylauer-at-gmail-dot-com

Second & Fourth Tuesdays (7 pm): Dublin Heritage Center Park (usually in the Old Schoolhouse), Dublin; host/info: bob-dot-gisler-at-icloud-dot-com

Tuesdays (6:30 pm): monthly Brewgrass Jam - Cato's Ale House, 3891 Piedmont Ave., Oakland; host/info: cheney-dot-munson-at-gmail-dot-com

next jams: 11/28, 12/19

Wednesdays (6:00 pm): East Bay Bluegrassers Jam - Rockin' Robbie's Music Store, 2nd Fl, 11231 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito; host/info: eastbaybluegrassers-at-gmail-dot-com

Wednesdays (7 pm): open jam, followed (at 8:30 pm) by invitational band - Amado's, SF; host/info: woodylauer-at-gmail-dot-com

​ 

Thursdays (7 pm): Java Jam - Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company, 101 W Main St., LG

First & Third Thursdays (7 pm): Marin Lutheran Church, 649 Meadowsweet Ave., Corte Madera; host/info: loew-at-comcast-dot-net

Second & Fourth Thursdays (7 pm): Sonoma Town Bluegrass Jam - Room 110, Sonoma Community Center; led by Chandra Friese and CW Bayer; info: tedkuster-at-californiabluegrass-dot-net​

Fifth Thursdays (7 pm): Sonoma County Bluegrass Sessions: open jam with host band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma; host/info: tedkuster-at-californiabluegrass-dot-net

Saturdays (5:30 pm): Taco Jam - Baja Taqueria, 4070 Piedmont Ave., Oakland

Second Saturdays (11 am): old time jam - Rotary Valley Senior Village Community Center, San Rafael

​

Second Saturdays (12 pm): Bluegrass Train Jam - Santa Clara Depot, 1005 Railroad Ave, SC; host/info: kennedymk-at-comcast-dot-net

Third Saturdays (2 pm): old time jam - Charles Street Village Clubhouse, Cotati; host/info: heidi-dot-chesney-at-gmail-dot-com

<><><><><><><><><><>

​

ONLINE JAM SESSIONS 

Tuesdays (7 pm): Andronico’s Oldtime Jam via Zoom led by Dinah and Noah Stroe; info/link: steve-dot-goldfield-at-gmail.com



INSTRUCTION

Paul Shelasky's fiddle class at the Walker Creek Music Camp; photo: Patrick Campbell

IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION

The next session of in-person Freight & Salvage classes begins the week of Nov. 6th, and includes:

Tuesday

7:00 pm: Beginning Fiddle II: Tunes to Build Technique w/ Erik Hoffman

8:30 pm: Fiddle Repertoire: Tunes, Technique, and a Taste of Theory w/ Erik Hoffman

8:00 pm: Bluegrass Jam w/ Olvier Zyngier

Wednesday

5:30 pm: Intro to Mountain Dulcimer w/ Deborah Hamouris

7:00 pm: Mountain Dulcimer II w/ Deborah Hamouris

Thursday

7:00 pm: Rhythm Guitar Basics w/ Richard Brandenburg

8:30 pm: Easy Repertoire for Jamming w/ Richard Brandenburg

WORKSHOPS

California Bluegrass Reunion workshops - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Nov. 12 (2:00 pm):

• Bluegrass Banjo Jam Survival Skills w/ Bill Evans
• Double Mandolin Workshop w/ John Reischman & Sharon Gilchrist
• Twin Fiddles w/ Chad Manning & Brandon Godman
• Walking and Strumming: Enhancing Your Rhythm Guitar Playing w/ Jim Nunally 

​

ONLINE INSTRUCTION

The next session of online Freight & Salvage classes begins the week of Nov. 6th, and includes:

Tuesday

5:30 pm: Rank Beginner Clawhammer Banjo w/ Evie Ladin

7:00 pm: Clawhammer Banjo Repertoire & Technique w/ Evie Ladin

7:00 pm: Rhythm Guitar Basics w/ Richard Brandenburg

8:30 pm: Easy Repertoire for Jamming w/ Richard Brandenburg

Mon. & Wed. (starting Nov. 6): Fiddles at Four w/ Suzy Thompson; a Zoom class featuring watery tunes this time



Bay Area instructors include:

• Richard Brandenburg; richard brandenburg-at-gmail-dot-com 
• Evie Ladin; evie-at-evieladin-dot-com
• Avram Siegel; avramsiegel-at-comcast-dot-net
• Eric Thompson; eric-at-ericandsuzy-dot-com 
• Suzy Thompson; suzy-at-ericandsuzy-dot-com 
• Jack Tuttle; jack-at-jacktuttle-dot-com
• Manning Music



​

CBA music teacher directory

​MUSIC CAMPS

April 11-14: Walker Creek Music Camp (between Marshall & Petaluma)

RADIO SHOWS

Bluegrass Signal is broadcast on Saturdays, 4:00 - 5:30 pm (Pacific) on KALW (91.7 FM in Bay Area). It is then archived for one week HERE.

Nov. 4: What's Goin' On?

Musical previews of upcoming area events, often featuring music from new releases.

Nov. 11: Between the Wars

Allegra Thompson presents music for Veterans/Armistice Day.

Nov. 18: On Air Folk Festival

​Live music in the KALW studio from 2-7 pm, with Bluegrass Signal performances at 4:00 pm (Laurie Lewis with Tom Rozum & Leah Wollenberg) and 5:15 pm (Blue Birds On A Wire - Joselyn Sky/pedal harp, lead vocals. Jasper Manning/mandolin, Ida Winfree/guitar, and Scott Conroy/bass).

Nov. 25: All Kinds Of Country

Sully Roddy's unique blend of bluegrass, blues, classics country, and more.



Bluegrass Signal is also broadcast four times each week on Bluegrass Country. 

The initial broadcast of Bluegrass Signal is on Monday at 11 pm (Eastern time). The show is then rebroadcast on Wednesdays (midnight), Fridays (6 pm), and Sundays (midnight). The times given are EASTERN and the program is available HERE.

Bluegrass Country has an ARCHIVE PLAYER, so you can pick the date and (Eastern) time of broadcast to hear Bluegrass Signal -- or any of the other 33 shows on Bluegrass Country -- at your convenience!

NOTE: Pacific Time broadcasts of Bluegrass Signal on Bluegrass Country: 

Mon. (8 pm), Tues. (9 pm), Fri. (3 pm), and Sat. (9 pm). 

Nov. 6-11: Across the Tracks

New releases from Alice Gerrard, George Jackson's Local Trio, Jim Lauderdale & the Po' Ramblin' Boys, Price Sisters, East Nash Grass, Larry Cordle, Kathy Kallick Band, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Missy Raines & Allegheny, the Lonesome Ace Stringband, and Alex Leach.

Nov. 13-18: Across the Tracks

New releases from Jody Stecher & Mile 12, Cup O' Joe, Patrick McAvinue, The Fretliners, Alison Brown & Stuart Duncan, High Fidelty, Bob & Sarah Amos, Kathy Kallick Band, Roxboro Connection, Sam Bush Band, Junior Sisk, and Trey Wellington.

Nov. 20-25: Eat At the Welcome Table

Gearing up for Thanksgiving with songs about food and dining together.

Nov. 27 – Dec. 2: All Kinds Of Country

Sully's fave Bluegrass Duos!

Bluegrass Signal PLAYLISTS

Please visit the Bluegrass Signal website for the the September and October, 2023, playlists -- and all the others!

Announcement from the California Bluegrass Association (CBA):

CBA Ambassador and Lifetime Member Frank Solivan, Sr. passed away at the end of August, 2023, breaking the hearts of generations of young musicians and their families whom he loved and supported for three decades. Frank, with his mustache and smile, was known by thousands in the worldwide bluegrass community for his love and support of his musician son Frank Solivan II (Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen) and for his lifelong work with young musicians.

The California Bluegrass Association has led the way in emphasizing programs for youth with Frank Solivan, Sr. designing and developing the first Kids on Bluegrass Program in the early 1990s. Frank’s vision was also implemented at the International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass with Kim Fox directing (and Frank assisting) the first IBMA KOB program in Nashville. Many other festivals have followed suit.

Frank retired from Kids on Bluegrass in 2019 and personally designated Helen Foley Garrett as his successor and the CBA KOB program is stronger than ever. The CBA also continues to support our young musicians who apply for and are accepted into the IBMA KOB program at the annual World of Bluegrass event in Raleigh.

Make donations to the CBA's Youth Programs HERE