Celebrating the 20th annual RBA concert season

01-21-12: The Special Consensus plus Snap Jackson & the Knock on Wood Players 02-18-12: Red Wine 03-24-12: Chris Stuart & Janet Beazley plus Brittany Haas & Lauren Rioux 04-14-12: Loafers Glory - Note Date Change!

All presented as a tribute to Bill Monroe on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

01-21-12
The Special Consensus

Listen!
Used to These Old Blues
Danny's Dance

“A superb bluegrass outfit in a classic vein but with more than enough modern sensibilities to attract every ear in this now pleasantly fractionating genre. The vocals are spotless, the playing as shiny as a newly minted penny, and music like this is the reason people come to love bluegrass.” - Mark S. Tucker, FAME (Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange)

From the deep rolling hills of old Chicago … since 1975, The Special Consensus has presented a repertoire that includes traditional bluegrass standards, original compositions, and songs by contemporary artists from other musical genres. As a result of this musical diversity, they have performed at the most traditional bluegrass events but also have been the band to bridge the gap between traditional and "progressive" bands at more diverse festivals.

Greg Cahill (banjo, vocals) co-founded the band and, in addition to all the Special C recordings, has released three solo recordings and four instructional DVDs, and initiated the Traditional American Music Program in schools across the country.

Dustin Benson (guitar, vocals) is a nominee for SPBGMA’s Guitar Player of the Year, and a veteran of bands led by Larry Stephenson, Lorraine Jordan, and Alecia Nugent.

Rick Faris (mandolin, vocals) is actually an award-winning guitar player who toured extensively with the multiple award-winning Faris Family Bluegrass Band before joining Special C.

David Thomas (bass, vocals) played in several Alabama-based bands, and was on the instructional DVD Bluegrass Jamming Essentials with Adam Steffey, Tim Stafford, Megan Lynch, and Bill Evans.

“Compelling, interesting, and sophisticated bluegrass music ... not as a band so much as a concept, a vehicle for banjoist Greg Cahill's urban bluegrass style, which encompasses the influences of Chicago blues, swing, newgrass, and commercial country music, and which is always tight, clean, and smooth.” - Neal Loevinger, Signs

PLUS

Snap Jackson & the Knock on Wood Players
the pride of Stockton, effortlessly blending bluegrass, Americana, soul and old time music to create a unique, fresh, and energetic sound, presented with high energy and high spirits.

Their album “started at 1000 mph and didn’t stop for anything. This continuous high intensity music is very addictive. You never know what the next song is going to bring. I love it and my listeners love it as well.”
- Al Shusterman, KCBL

02-18-12
Red Wine

RED WINE is the premier bluegrass band in Europe. Based in Genoa, Italy, they were co-founded by Silvio Ferretti and Beppe Gambetta in 1978. Martino Coppo, who had started another bluegrass band, Green Cellar Society, at the same time, joined Red Wine in 1981.

Red Wine has played throughout Europe and North America, including several appearances at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, as well as IBMA's Fan Fest, the Station Inn, the Poppy Mountain Festival, and top festivals throughout Europe. They have collaborated with many notable bluegrassers, and their most recent CD is all bluegrass, mixing traditional (Carter Stanley's “I’ll Never Grow Tired of You”), contemporary (Gillian Welch's "Winter's Come and Gone"), country (Foster & Lloyd’s “Just Call Me Lonesome”), and Italian (“Il Cielo d’Irlanda”).

Martino Coppo and Silvio Ferretti also played for years in the international band, Freewheelin’, and both contribute to Italian and American music magazines, do workshops and play studio sessions, and are recognized as masters of their instruments and bluegrass singing.

Red Wine has become an intergenerational band, with Martino and Silvio now joined by the hard-driving bass of Lucas Bellotti, who's also an excellent harmony singer, and the dazzling guitarist, Marco Ferretti, who is Silvio's son and the band member with the most hair.

RED WINE:
Martino Coppo - mandolin, vocals
Silvio Ferretti -banjo, vocals
Marco Ferretti - guitar
Lucas Bellotti - bass, vocals
with special guest
Annie Staninec - fiddle

DISCOGRAPHY
Winter's Come and Gone - 2007
Italian Cats - 2001
Times & Changes - 1998
Full Taste - 1989

http://www.redwinemusic.net/jmla/index.php?lang=english

03-24-12
Chris Stuart & Janet Beazley
PLUS Brittany Haas & Lauren Rioux

Chris Stuart is a songwriter, singer, guitarist, old-time banjo player, teacher, and writer. He is a winner of the Merlefest Chris Austin Songwriting Contest in both bluegrass and gospel categories, and of the IBMA Song Of the Year for "Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away," recorded by Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass. His songs also have been recorded by Dale Ann Bradley ("Julia Belle"), Michael Cleveland ("Farewell for a Little While"), Claire Lynch ("Paul and Peter Walked"), Doyle Lawson ("When the Last of Our Days Shall Come"), Suzanne Thomas ("Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts"), Bobby Osborne ("Shenandoah Wind"), Larry Cordle ("First Train Robbery"), and Cornerstone ("20 Naked Pentecostals In A Pontiac"). Chris has recorded several albums and toured widely with his band Backcountry, as well as with the New York based band Cornerstone. He is likely the only bluegrass musician with a degree in Medieval History who has performed in Oman.

Janet Beazley is a bluegrass banjo player, singer, songwriter, and teacher. She first performed bluegrass with Copperline, which also included Eric Uglum, and has been a member of Backcountry with Chris Stuart since 2005. In addition to the albums she and Chris have recorded together, Janet released a highly-aclaimed solo CD which spent nearly a year in the national bluegrass charts. Janet is likely the only bluegrasser who has a Doctorate in Early Music Performance, teaches Early Music, and plays Baroque flute and recorder.

Favorites at music camps around the world, including the CBA's, Chris Stuart & Janet Beazley play mostly original material in the traditions of bluegrass, Americana, and, yes, even early music, and put on a great show.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY: Crooked Man (Backcountry/2008)
CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY: Mojave River (Backcountry/2004)
CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY: Saints & Strangers (Backcountry/2003)
CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY: The Bluegrass Tribute To Jack Johnson (CMH/2000)
JANET BEAZLEY: 5 South (Backcountry/2005)
CHRIS STUART: Angels of Mineral Springs (Backcountry/2002)
ERIC UGLUM, CHRISTIAN WARD & AUSTIN WARD (with CHRIS STUART & JANET BEAZLEY): Old Road To Jerusalem (Backcountry/2007)
ERIC UGLUM (with CHRIS STUART & JANET BEAZLEY): Shenandoah Wind (Backcountry/2004)
COPPERLINE (with JANET BEAZLEY): Long, Long Way (Hooser/1996)
CORNERSTONE (with CHRIS STUART): Lonesome Town (Folk Era/1995)
CORNERSTONE (with CHRIS STUART): Out Of the Valley (Folk Era/1994)
CORNERSTONE (with CHRIS STUART): Maggie's Daughter (Cornerstone/1992)

http://www.chrisstuart.com/

PLUS!

Brittany Haas & Lauren Rioux

Brittany Haas (fiddle, banjo, vocals) is a hometown hero who first played for RBA (with Jack Tuttle) in 2004. She is currently a member of the Boston-based alternative bluegrass band, Crooked Still, and is a veteran of bands led by Darol Anger and Tony Trischka.

Lauren Rioux (fiddle, guitar, vocals) is a resident of Maine and a member of Darol Anger's Republic Of Strings and Crow Molly (with Scott Nygaard).

Darol Anger's assessments:
"Brittany is one of the world’s most rhythmic and accurate fiddlers, and her approach to bowing has to be seen to be believed. Great tunes … lots of spillover into Bluegrass, Old-time and just plain Great Fiddlin’."
"A versatile, soulful fiddler and vocalist, Lauren is powered by the Right Stuff: an irresistible sense of fun, and her endearing radiation of the pure joy of making music."
As a duo, the women bring their extensive knowledge of Appalachian music and experience of being at the forefront of the contemporary string band scene, as well as the strength and depth of seasoned performers. Their music is steeped in groove, emotion-filled, and harmonically progressive. The joy they share on stage as they weave and dance through duets on their instruments and vocals is palpable among audience.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

LAUREN RIOUX: All the Brighter (self/2011)
BRITTANY HAAS: Brittany Haas (Oak/2004)
CROOKED STILL (with BRITTANY HAAS): Some Strange Country (Signature Sounds/2010)
CROOKED STILL (with BRITTANY HAAS): Live (Signature Sounds/2009)
CROOKED STILL (with BRITTANY HAAS): Still Crooked (Signature Sounds/2008)
SCOTT NYGAARD & CROW MOLLY: Scott Nygaard & Crow Molly (Fret Soup/2009)
TONY TRISCHKA (with BRITTANY HAAS): Territory (Smithsonian Folkways/2008)
DAROL ANGER & THE REPUBLIC OF STRINGS (with BRITTANY HAAS): Generation Nation (Compass Records/2006)
DAROL ANGER & THE AMERICAN FIDDLE ENSEMBLE (with BRITTANY HAAS): Republic of Strings (Compass Records/2004)

http://www.laurenrioux.com/
http://www.myspace.com/brittanyhaas

04-14-12
Loafer's Glory

Herb Pedersen: “It’s been fun to work with an all-acoustic lineup. That sound puts us back about as far as you can go in country music. The neat thing about Loafer’s Glory is that we all have a love for this music. Bluegrass is interesting. The instrumentation is virtually identical from group to group; the difference comes in the vocals. The great bluegrass groups — Monroe, the Louvins, the Stanleys, the Osbornes — all had a unique vocal imprint.”

So does Loafer's Glory.

Some of the finest and most experienced musicians in Southern California (or anywhere) have joined forces to play a seamless and compelling blend of traditional bluegrass and old time music. Three of the band members have been playing acoustic music for the better part of 40+ years, and the fourth is recognized as the hottest young talent on the scene. Everyone sings - and how! Everyone plays banjo!! And everyone plays additional instruments ...

Loafer's Glory is:
Herb Pedersen (guitar, banjo)
Bill Bryson (bass, banjo)
Tom Sauber (fiddle, banjo
Patrick Sauber (banjo, mandolin, guitar)

Their additional performing and recording affiliations include: The Foggy Mountain Boys, Vern & Ray, The Dillards, Country Gazette, Old & In The Grey, Emmylou Harris, David Grisman, Desert Rose Band, Linda Ronstadt, John Denver, Chris Hillman, Tony & Larry Rice, Here Today, Laurel Canyon Ramblers, Bluegrass Cardinals, Grateful Dudes, Alice Gerrard, Mike Seeger, Dirk Powell, Mark Graham, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, and The Bladerunners. Whew!

This should be a special evening of music -- and it will also include RBA's annual pre-concert barbeque (courtesy of Sam's BBQ). Don't miss it!

Herb's (partial) history - http://herbpedersen.com/credits.html
Bill's bio - http://www.grateful-dudes.net/bill_main_page.htm
Tom's bio -http://www.alicegerrard.com/tombradalice/tom.html
Patrick's bio - http://laurielewis.com/2011website/band.html

"Love & Wealth" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CItYXGR5jeo