Northern California Bluegrass Society

Punch Brothers Set For NCBS-Sponsored San Francisco Concert April 18th

Michael Hall — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:00:07 +0000

The Punch Brothers, led by mandolinist Chris Thile, are headed for San Francisco on Sunday, April 18th. The Herbst Theater show is part of the San Francisco Jazz Festival and sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass Society. Show tickets can be purchased online or by calling 866-920-JAZZ (5299). Here the band plays a rousing YouTube version of ”Rye Whiskey” on a Virginia radio station on February 16, 2010.

Jake’s Brown Barn Bluegrass Festival Set For September 10-12, 2010

Michael Hall — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:00:07 +0000

The 2010 Jake’s Brown Barn Bluegrass Festival will be held September 10-12 at the Ludwig Ranch Park, San Martin, CA. The event is staged by the Quesenberry Family in honor of their late father, Jake Quesenberry, and is sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.

NCBS/SCBS Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair Set For Saturday, May 1 At Duck Pond Stage

Michael Hall — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:00:51 +0000

The Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair (”Since 1987″) will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2010, Noon-5:00pm at the Duck Pond Stage in San Lorenzo Park, next to the courthouse in downtown Santa Cruz. The FREE afternoon of bluegrass is the world’s oldest celebration of “May — Bluegrass Month,” and is the longest-running event staged by the Northern California Bluegrass Society/Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society.

Bands: Harmony Grits, Mountain Drive, Family Hogwash, Down Beets, Faux Renwah.

Down from Smiley Mountain

Stewart — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:00:56 +0000

The Smiley Mountain Band is a familiar fixture at the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival, but living up in the Sierras as they do, we in the lowlands don’t see too much of them outside of festival season. This weekend they’ll be down off the mountain to perform at the Plough and Stars in San Francisco on Friday night, and then heading across the bay to McGrath’s Pub in Alameda on Saturday night.

Here they perform “Thanks a Lot” at the 2008 GOF.

Redwood Bluegrass Associates Presents Joy Kills Sorrow In Mountain View Concert April 10

Michael Hall — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:15 +0000

Redwood Bluegrass Associates presents the Boston-based bluegrass band Joy Kills Sorrow in a Northern California Bluegrass Society-sponsored concert on Saturday, April 10, 2010. The 8:00pm show will be preceded by an open jam at 5:00pm, both at the First Presbyterian Church of Mountain View, 1667 Miramonte Avenue at Cuesta Drive, Mountain View.

The youthful band’s name was the slogan for Indiana radio station WJKS, the first live on-air home of The Monroe Brothers.

Tickets: $18 advance/$20 at the door.

NCBS has sponsored and assisted with all RBA concerts since 1995.

2010 Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival Main Stage Line-Up Announced

Michael Hall — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:00:25 +0000

The Northern California Bluegrass Society has announced the main stage line-up for the 2010 Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival at Bolado Park, Tres Pinos (7 miles south of Hollister), set for the weekend of August 13-15.

The Bands: 27strings, Abbott Family, Alhambra Valley Band, Barefoot Nellies, Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys, California Borderline, Common Cents, Courthouse Ramblers, Dark Hollow, David Thom Band, Faux Renwah, Highway One, Houston Jones, Jeanie & Chuck’s Country Roundup, JEDD Brothers, Nell Robinson & Red Level, OMGG, Pearly Blue, Rogue River, Savannah Blu, Shades of Blue, Sidesaddle & Co., Still Searchin’, Wronglers.

Northern California Bluegrass Society & San Francisco Jazz Festival To Present The Punch Brothers April 18

Michael Hall — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:16:57 +0000

The Northern California Bluegrass Society joins with the San Francisco Jazz Festival to present The Punch Brothers at the Herbst Theater, San Francisco, at 7:00pm on Sunday, April 18, 2010.

The Punch Brothers band line-up includes musicians who are well-known to California bluegrass fans: Chris Thile (mandolin), Gabe Witcher (fiddle), Chris Eldridge (guitar), Noam Pikelny (banjo), and Paul Kowert (bass).

Concert tickets can be purchased online or by calling 866-920-JAZZ (5299).

Sunday Film Festival, Weekend Bluegrass On Broadway Festival A Big Success In Redwood City

Michael Hall — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:31:37 +0000

The four-day NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival ended today with the NCBS International Bluegrass Music Museum Film Festival, a hugely successful weekend for the third-year event held in Redwood City. For the first time at the festival, the filmmakers for all three independent films on the program attended and spoke to the audience about their projects.

The BOB was the last of three festivals staged by the Northern California Bluegrass Society during a 4-week span, ending a run with the San Francisco Bluegrass & Old Time Festival and the Boulder Creek Bluegrass & Old Timey Festival.

Attendance was up significantly for all of the weekend’s live music events, including Saturday’s Northern California Bluegrass Awards.

NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway, including the NCBS International Bluegrass Music Museum Film Festival, receives principal financial support from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission, Redwood City Public Library, Redwood City Friends of the Library, and Tapestry Church (formerly, the Peninsula Christian Center), and from other area businesses and individuals.

Bluegrass On Broadway Concludes With Sunday’s Bluegrass Film Festival

Michael Hall — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:00:45 +0000

The Third Annual NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival ends on Sunday with a film festival featuring three new documentaries about Old Time Music made in the last year by Bay Area filmmakers, plus two outstanding films from the historic archives of the International Bluegrass Music Museum. The film festival (like all BOB festival events) is FREE. Here is the Sunday schedule:

SUNDAY, March 14

NCBS International Bluegrass Music Museum Film Festival:

Noon-5:00pm, Community Room, Redwood City Main Library, 1044 Middlefield Road.

Host: Carl Pagter, International Bluegrass Music Museum Trustee.

The Crooked Jades: Old Time Is Not A Crime, by Jim Swenson & Doug Williford. Personal appearance by Doug Williford.

The New Lost City Ramblers In Always Been A Rambler, by Yasha Aginsky, presented by The Arhoolie Foundation. Personal Appearances by Yasha Aginsky & Carrie Aginsky.

The Waltz To Westphalia: The Journey Of An American Fiddle Classic, by Joe Weed. Personal Appearance by Joe Weed.

Wade Mainer Concert Film, IBMM

Dan Crary, IBMM

Dalton Mountain Gang Wins Best Bluegrass Band At Northern California Bluegrass Awards

Michael Hall — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:00:45 +0000

The Dalton Mountain Gang of Fresno was named Best Bluegrass Band at the Northern California Bluegrass Awards in Redwood City on Saturday, March 13, 2010. The band’s lead singer and guitarist, Yoseff Tucker, was named Best Guitar Player and tied for Best Male Vocalist with Billy Pitrone, also of Santa Cruz. Newcomer A. J. Lee of Tracy was named Best Female Vocalist.

Ed Neff of Petaluma was named Best Mandolin Player by the voters, while Larry Cohea of Oakland repeated as Best Banjo Player. Santa Cruz’ Annie Staninec continued her reign as Best Fiddle Player. Kathy Barwick of Sacramento won the title of Best Dobro Player, while the voters named Paul Knight of Point Reyes Station the 2010 Best Bass Player.

Early leaders of the Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society, Dick and Joyce Clark of Mountain Ranch and Dick and Judy Dowell of Davis, were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the third annual awards ceremony presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.

The Northern California Bluegrass Awards are part of the Northern California Bluegrass Society’s four-day Bluegrass On Broadway Festival.