Oct. 29, 2021

Happy Boo-Grass!

Thanks very much for your interest in Bay Area bluegrass and old time music events -- and for sending me 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 for your donations on behalf of Bluegrass Signal during the Fall Membership Campaigns of both KALW and Bluegrass Country!

Your interest & support -- and your ears - are much appreciated!

~ PeterT

R.I.P., Sonny Osborne (memorial tribute on 11/20 Bluegrass Signal show)

CONCERTS

NOTE: many of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

Scroggins & Rose -

- Oct. 29 (7 pm): Sandbox, Sand City (Monterey County)

- Oct. 30 (5 pm): Groupmuse house concert (outdoors), Berkeley

- Nov. 6 (3 pm): Groupmuse house concert (outdoors), Mill Valley

- Nov. 7 (4 pm): Scroggins & Rose - house concert (outdoors), Alameda

thebarefootquales-at-gmail-dot-com      

Oct. 29: Jim Kweskin​ & Friends - The Back Room, Berkeley

Oct. 29: Daisy Caire, Thomas Shewmake & Benjamin Kopf - The Side Door, Sacramento

Oct. 29 (9 pm): Evie Ladin Band - QuaranPalooza (online music fest raising funds for cancer research)

Oct. 30 (3 pm): The Knuckle Knockers (Karen Celia, Bill Foss, Martha Hawthorne) - Bernal Star, SF

Oct. 30 (5 pm): Goat Hill Girls - Summit House, Los Gatos

Oct. 30 (5 pm): Evie Ladin Band - Halloween Bootenanny - downtown Berkeley BART station

Oct. 30: AJ Lee & Blue Summit - Felton Music Hall 

Oct. 31 (2 pm): Red Planet Ramblers (Kevin Carr & Daniel Steinberg) - stories and music - (outdoor) house concert in Santa Cruz Concerts-at-InstantHarmony-dot-com

Nov. 4: Goat Hill Girls - Summit House, Los Gatos​

Nov. 4: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Stringband Fever - Plough & Stars, SF

- Nov. 5: Lonesome Still

- Nov. 12: Riley Hill & Brand New Still

- Nov. 19: Geoffrey Miller

- Nov. 27: Muleskinner Stomp

Nov. 6: McLane, Justis & Barwick - The Side Door, Sacramento

Nov. 11: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers - Summit House, Los Gatos

Nov. 11: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Nov. 11: Muleskinner Stomp - Amados, SF

Nov. 12: Sierra Hull; Dead Horses - Center for the Arts, Grass Valley

Nov. 13: Sierra Hull; Dead Horses - The Chapel, SF

Nov. 13: North Country Blue; Red Dog Ash - West Side Theatre, Newman

Nov. 13: Painted Mandolin featuring Joe Craven - Michael’s On Main, Soquel

Nov. 14 (12:30 pm): Daisy Caire - The Back Room, Berkeley

California Bluegrass Reunion with Bill Evans, Darol Anger, John Reischman, Jim Nunally, Chad Maning, and Sharon Gilchrist - 

- Nov. 12: The Side Door, Sacramento

- Nov. 13: Amaranta House Concert, Palo Alto raywilly-at-gmail-dot-com

- Nov. 14: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley (also: afternoon workshops)

Nov. 15: David Grier - house concert in Rohnert Park ted-at-tedtedted-dot-com

Nov. 17: Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms - house concert in Santa Cruz

Nov. 18: Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms - Amados, SF​

Nov. 18: Purple Mountain Majesty Band - Summit House, Los Gatos

Nov. 18: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Nov. 19: Mission Blue - HopDogma Brewing Company, Half Moon Bay

Nov. 19: T Sisters - Starline Social Club, Oakland

Nov. 20 (3 pm): Mission Blue - Winters Tavern, Pacifica

Nov. 20: AJ Lee & Blue Summit; The Coffis Brothers - Hopmonk Tavern, Novato

Nov. 25: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Nov. 27 (9 am): Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band - Grand Lake Farmers Market

Nov. 27: Laurie Lewis & Friends - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Nov. 27: The New Acoustic Collective - The Back Room, Berkeley

Nov. 28 (8 am): Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band - Marin Civic Center Farmers Market

Nov. 28: Peter Rowan (solo); Ramblin' Jack Elliot; Rainy Eyes - The Chapel, SF

Dec. 2: Goat Hill Girls - Summit House, Los Gatos

Dec. 2: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Kathy Kallick Band -

- Dec. 3: tba

- Dec. 4: tba, Sebastopol  hogiemoon-at-comcast-dot-net

- Dec. 5: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley; The High Water Line opens

Dec. 5: AJ Lee & Blue Summit - Club Fox, Redwood City

Dec. 7: Rodney Crowell featuring John Jorgenson - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Dec. 9: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers - Summit House, Los Gatos

Dec. 9: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

​Béla Fleck's My Bluegrass Heart w/ Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Bryan Sutton

- Dec. 10: Cascade Theatre, Redding

- Dec. 11: Silver Legacy Resort, Reno, NV

- Dec. 12: UC Theatre, Berkeley

- Dec. 13: Sunset Cultural Center, Carmel By The Sea

- Dec. 14: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa

- Dec. 16: Balboa Theatre, San Diego

- Dec. 17: Theater at the ACE Hotel, Los Angeles

​

Dec. 12: Fog Holler; Hank & Ella with the Fine Country Band - Sweetwater, Mill Valley

Dec. 16: Purple Mountain Majesty Band - Summit House, Los Gatos

Dec. 16: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Dec. 23: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

​

Jan. 6: Goat Hill Girls - Summit House, Los Gatos

Jan. 6: Words + Music w/ Laurie Lewis, Don Henry, Claudia Russell, & Nina Gerber - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Jan. 12: Nefesh Mountain - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Jan. 13: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers - Summit House, Los Gatos

The Punch Brothers; Haley Heynderickx -

- Jan. 14: Cascade Theatre, Redding

- Jan. 15: Fox Theater, Oakland

- Jan. 17: Sunset Center, Carmel

- Jan. 18: Campbell Hall, Santa Barbara

- Jan. 19: Ace Hotel, LA

Jan. 20: Purple Mountain Majesty Band - Summit House, Los Gatos

Jan. 21: AJ Lee & Blue Summit - Ivy Room, Albany

Feb. 9: Bruce Molsky & Alison deGroot - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

March 4: Mr. Sun (feat. Darol Anger) - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

March 30: Della Mae - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

April 7: Aoife O'Donovan - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

FESTIVALS

NOTE: many of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

Jan. 13-16: Portland Old Time Music Gathering - Portland, OR

Feb. 24-27: Wintergrass - Seattle

Sister Sadie, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Della Mae, Mr Sun, The Travelin’ McCourys, Hubby Jenkins, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Kenny & Amanda Smith, Brother Boys with Missy Raines, Jake Blount, Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, Tony Trischka/Bruce Molsky/Michael Daves, Nefesh Mountain, Mike Block Trio, Betse & Clarke, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Eli West, Pearl Django, Joe Craven & Mamajowali, Miles & Karina, The Brothers Comatose, Never Come Down, Kristen Grainger & True North, The Jangles, Farmstrong, Brother’s Keeper

March 4-6: Bluegrass On the Beach - Lake Havasu City, AZ

Appalachian Road Show, Little Roy & Lizzy, Special Consensus, Monroe Crossing, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Seth Muldar & Midnight Run, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band, Bluegrass Etc.

May 26-30: Strawberry Music Festival - Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley

June 16-19: Father's Day Bluegrass Festival - Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley

​California Showcase: Blue & Lonesome; Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band; North Country Blue; Skillet Licorice; Sheri Lee

June 17-19: Wenatchee River Bluegrass Festival - Cashmere, WA 

June 23-26: Kate Wolf Music Festival - Black Oak Ranch - Hwy 101, 5 miles north of Laytonville

​

Aug. 11-14: Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival - San Benito County Historical Park, Tres Pinos

JAM SESSIONS

NOTE: many of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

First & Third Saturdays (12-3 pm): Coffee Catz, Sebastopol

Second & Fourth Saturdays (12:30 - 2:30 pm): Arlene Francis Center, Santa Rosa

Host/info: David Carlson davidacarlson62-at-hotmail-dot-com

Second Saturdays (12 - 3pm): Bluegrass Train Jam - Santa Clara Depot, 1005 Railroad Ave, SC; host/info: Mary Kennedy kennedymk-at-comcast-dot-net

First Sunday (3-5 pm): Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association monthly jam - Rose Garden Park, Naglee & Garden Dr., San Jose

First Monday (6-8 pm): The Garage Jam - Out West Roadhouse, 321-2nd St., Petaluma

Wednesdays (7 pm): Andronico’s Oldtime Jam via Zoom;

info/link: dinahbeatrice-at-gmail-dot-com

Nov. 28 (3 pm): Richard Brandenburg's bluegrass/country jam - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Dec. 12 (3 pm): Tony Phillip's old time jam - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

GATHERINGS

Nov. 5-7: CBA’s South State 48 Jam - Carlsbad

​* SOLD OUT * Contact dannyclark-at-californiabluegrass-dot-net if you still need lodging

Nov. 11-14: Pozo Saloon Old Time Music Gathering, Santa Margarita

• Nov. 11: Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms - Octagon Barn Center, San Luis Obispo

Jan. 6-9: CBA’s Great 48 Jam - Bakersfield

Includes workshops, open mic, and concerts

INSTRUCTION

ONLINE CLASSES

Old Time Fiddling w/ Suzy Thompson suzy-at-ericandsuzy-dot-com

Bernal Jam Workshop w/ Richard Brandenburg richardericbrandenburg-at-gmai-dot-com

Flatpicking Fundamentals w/ Eric Thompson eric-at-ericandsuzy-dot-com

Structure of Music w/ Avram Siegel avramsiegel-at-comcast-dot-net

Manning Music chadandcath-at-gmail-dot-com

Evie Ladin

Jack Tuttle

Dix Bruce

The Fall II series of online Freight & Salvage classes begins the week of Nov. 7th, and includes ...

Sundays

5:30 pm: Travis Picking Guitar w/ Kay Eskenazi

Mondays

7:00 pm: Crafting a Simple Bluegrass Solo w/ Dix Bruce

8:00 pm: Fiddle Tunes with a Touch of Theory w/ Erik Hoffman

Tuesdays

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

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

Wednesdays

​5:30 pm: Hustle (freelancing) Hero: Folk w/ Evie Ladin 

​5:30 pm: Intermediate Mountain Dulcimer Tunes, Harmonies, & Chords w/ Deborah Hamouris

7:00 pm: Intro to Mountain Dulcimer w/ Deborah Hamouris

Thursdays

5:30 pm: Singing from Inside the Song w/ Richad Brandenburg

7:00 pm: Flatpicking Essentials w/ Richad Brandenburg

8:30 pm: Expand Your Bluegrass/Country Repertoire w/ Richad Brandenburg

Nov. 4-7: Fiddle Hell Online

On Zoom: 175 live workshops, 35 live concerts, 35 live jam sessions

Old time instructors: Judy Hyman, Jeff Claus, Ben Hunter, Emily Schaad, Jay Ungar, Molly Mason, Riley Baugus, Rachel Eddy, Jake Blount, Cathy Fink, Rev Robert Jones, Andy Reiner, Nokosee Fields, Tom Collins

Bluegrass instructors: Darol Anger, Sharon Gilchrist, Jeremy Kittel, Laura Orshaw, Emory Lester, Erica Brown, Matt Shipman, Joy Adams, Dr. Richard Brown, Tony Watt

Other instructors: April Verch, Becky Tracy, Rodney Miller, Andrea Beaton, Kevin Burke, Natalie Haas, Calvin Vollrath, Katie McNally, Jason Anick, Andrea Hoag, Belen Escobedo, …

CALIFORNIA BLUEGRASS REUNION WORKSHOPS

Nov. 14 (2:00 pm):

- Practice Techniques to Improve Your Banjo Playing w/ Bill Evans

- Enhancing Your Rhythm Guitar Playing w/ Jim Nunally

- Twin Mandolins w/ John Reischman & Sharon Gilchrist

​MUSIC CAMPS

tbd, 2022: Walker Creek Music Camp - Marshall

instructors: Greg Schochet (Beginning Bluegrass Jamming) • Steve Pottier (Bluegrass Guitar) • Evie Ladin (Old Time Ensemble) • Howard Rains (Rhythm & Old Time Back-up Guitar) • Alan Munde (Bluegrass Banjo) • Tony Marcus (Swing Rhythm Guitar) • Leela Grace (Clawhammer Banjo) • Joe K Walsh (Bluegrass to Newgrass Mandolin) • Steve Roy (Bass) • Richard Brown (Bluegrass Monroe Style Mandolin) • Ivan Rosenberg (Dobro) • Tim Connell (Swing & Jazz Repertoire Mandolin) • Nate Lee (Bluegrass Fiddle) • TBA (Bluegrass Vocals) • Tricia Spencer (Old Time Fiddle) • Rebecca Stout & Clinton Davis (Harmony Singing) • Paul Shelasky (Swing Fiddle) • Katie Glassman (Swing Vocals) 

June 12-15: CBA Music Camp

June 15-18: CBA Youth Academy

RADIO SHOWS

Bluegrass Signal is broadcast on Saturdays, 5-6 pm (Pacific) on KALW (91.7 FM in Bay Area). It is then archived for one week HERE.

Oct. 30: Scary Times On Sugar Hill

A collection of Halloween songs released on Sugar Hill Records, with music by the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Country Gentlemen, Seldom Scene, Good Ol' Persons, Hot Rize, Peter Rowan, Kathy Kallick, Front Range, Robin & Linda Williams, Austin Lounge Lizards, and Lonesome River Band.

Nov. 6 & 13: The Blue Sky Ain't No Friend of Mine

Allegra Thompson's annual collection of music for Armistice/Veterans Day 

Nov. 20: Banjo Boy Chimes

PT's memorial celebration of Sonny Osborne.

Nov. 27: What's Goin' On?

Musical previews of upcoming Bay Area bluegrass and old time events -- including three shows tonight!

Dec. 4: Hicks With Sticks

Jose Segue presents some of the twang sounds that have caught his ear of late.

Dec. 11: Leah Picks ‘Em & Plays ‘Em

Ms. Wollenberg presents some of the bluegrass (and beyond) sounds that have caught her ear of late.

Dec. 18: Across the Tracks 

New releases make excellent last-minute gifts!

Dec. 25: ’Tis the Season

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Jan. 1: Songs For A New Year

PT spotlights "new" songs by Mark Schatz, Frank Wakefield, Lynn Morris Band, Larry Sparks. Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Kathy Kallick Band, Slocan Ramblers, Mike Compton & David Grier, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Strange Creek Singers, and, yes, the New Lost City Ramblers.

Jan 8: Get myself a rockin’ chair/To see if I can lose/Them thin dime, hard times/Hell on Church Street blues

Leah Wollenberg compares and contrasts the Punch Brothers (in the area this week) tribute and Tony Rice original; bonus: fiddle tunes with this date’s title.

***************************

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). 

Oct. 25-31: Scary Times On Sugar Hill

A collection of Halloween songs released on Sugar Hill Records.

Nov. 1-14: Previews of the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention

Allegra Thompson plays music by Jake Blount, Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin, Eddie Bond, the Slate Mountain Ramblers, the Horsenecks, Evie Ladin Band, Gus Cannon, and others.

Nov. 15-21: Big Mon … live!

Live recordings of Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, emphasizing shows from 1963.

Nov. 22-28: Larry Sparks ... live!

Live recordings of Larry Sparks & the Lonesome Ramblers (mostly from 1976-80) and Larry with his first boss, Dr. Ralph.

Nov. 29 - Dec. 5: Happy Birthday, Chubby Wise

Leah Wollenberg spins some of her favorite sides by the influential fiddler.

KALW PLAYLISTS

BOO-GRASS SIGNAL: Scary Times On Sugar Hill - Oct. 30, 2021 

NOTE: all tracks released on Sugar Hill Records

THE ORIGINAL COUNTRY GENTLEMEN: Bringing Mary Home/Bluegrass – The World’s Greatest Show (82)

THE SELDOM SCENE: I’ve Come To Take You Home/Like We Used To Be (94)

NASHVILLE BLUEGRASS BAND: The Ghost Of Eli Renfro/The Boys Are Back In Town (90)*

NASHVILLE BLUEGRASS BAND: Dark Shadows Of Night/Unleashed (96)

GOOD OL’ PERSONS: Who’s That Knockin’ At My Door?/Good N’ Live (88)

KATHY KALLICK: Burying Ground/Call Me a Taxi (96)

FRONT RANGE: Silent Ground/Silent Ground (00)

HOT RIZE: Shadows In My Room/So Long Of A Journey (96)

HOT RIZE: Footsteps So Near/Traditional Ties (85)

PETER ROWAN: Deal With the Devil/All On A Rising Day (91)*#

ROBIN & LINDA WILLIAMS: At the Crossroads Again/Devil Of A Dream (98)

AUSTIN LOUNGE LIZARDS: Hillbillies In a Haunted House/Never An Adult Moment (00)

DON RIGSBY: Bluestone Mountain/Empty Old Mailbox (00)

LONESOME RIVER BAND: Devil Chased Me Around the Stump/Finding the Way (98)#

*also available on Bluegrass Murder Ballads

#also available on The Dark Side Of Bluegrass



Please visit the Bluegrass Signal website for the September and October, 2021, playlists -- and all the others!