Peter Schiffman's blog

Ryan McKasson (fiddle) Eric McDonald (guitar and vocals) and Jeremiah McLane (accordion) are masters of the Celtic music tradition.  Touring nationally, they will appear at the Palms Playhouse in Winters on Friday the 15th.   Prior to their Palms show, they drop by the Folk Brothers between 10 and 11 AM on Wednesday the 13th to play some live music as well as chat with Bill and Peter.

Join The Folk Brothers - Bill and Peter - when they welcome Bay Area-based string band The Crooked Jades to the KDRT studios.  Founded in 1996, The Jades have been on a two decade mission to revitalize old-time string band music for our modern era.   The Crooked Jades are currently touring their latest album - "Empathy Moves The Water", their 7th album, but first in a decade - which features a mix of traditional as well as original ballads and tunes.  They will also be appearing at The Palms in Winters that same evening (March 1). 

Davis singer-songwriter Rita Hosking will join Folk Brothers Bill and Peter at 10:30 AM to talk about and  play a few songs, from her latest album entitled "For Real".  Rita will be touring with the album starting this Spring, with a CD release show at The Palms Playhouse on Saturday April 21st.  

Abbie Gardner is a fiery dobro player and singer-songwriter.   Whether performing solo or with Americana darlings Red Molly, her acclaimed tales of love and loss, both gritty and sweet, are propelled by her impeccable slide guitar chops.  Her latest CD, "Wishes on a Neon Sign", is available now and features a collection of original songs including co-writes with Chris Stapleton and David Olney.  In support of her new album, Abbie is currently touring the West Coast, with local stops on the Folk Brothers, Wednesday morning (Jan. 17th) at 10:30 and that same afternoon at Armadillo Music at 5:30 .

The Folk Brothers dedicate this week's program to this new, Grammy-nominated double album of 32 tracks of Appalachian ballads which originated both in the old (i.e., Scotland and England) and new worlds.   The album, featuring artists including Rosanne Cash, Martin Simpson, Alice Gerrard, Jody Stecher, Doyle Lawson, is a fundraiser for the Great Smoky Mountains Association.

Portland-based The Decemberists have partnered with English singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Olivia Chaney to create an album which celebrates and reimagines 60's and 70's British folk rock.  Front man Colin Meloy had dreamed of having The Decemberists be the Albion Band/Steeleye Span/Fairport Convention to Chaney's role as Shirley Collins/Maddy Prior/Sandy Denny.   The results are stunning.  The Decemberists with Olivia Chaney will be appearing at The Mondavi Center on August 18th.   Please join me this Wednesday (July 26th at 5 PM).

In advance of June 4th's premiere screening of Alvin Remmer's documentary "The Closing Of The Palms Playhouse" at the Veteran's Theater in Davis, The Folk Brothers will devote our May 31 show to reminiscing about the musical magic that happened regularly in that South Davis barn.   As well as the musical artists - like U Utah Phillips and Kate Wolf - whose names were associated with the old Palms, we will recall some of the extraordinary shows that graced the barn.

I am looking forward to hosting the Americana, acoustic string trio The Stray Birds on Live DiRT at the KDRT studio, Thursday, May 25th beginning at 2:00 p.m.  The Stray Birds – originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania – are on the West Coast leg of the “Open Window Tour” for their most recent album “Magic Fire”, recorded in Woodstock, New York, with producer and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson).   The Stray Birds will also be appearing at The Palms Playhouse in Winters at 8 PM that evening (May 25th).

Lesley is a California born songwriter who has moved from jazz to Americana and is touring her latest album, "A Calm Sun".

Lesley will be hosted by Folk Brother Bill Wagman starting at 4 PM.

https://www.lesleykernochan.com

Longtime local favorite, Joe joins Brother Peter to talk about the upcoming gig with his latest project, Joe Craven and The Sometimers, this Thursday evening, March 3, at The Davis Oddfellows Hall.   The gig is a CD-release party as well as a fundraiser for Joe's Rivertunes Roots Music Camp.  We'll spin tunes off the new album as well as talk about Joe's passion for bringing out the musical creativity in those young of age and hearts.