Wayne Hagen's blog

Its Bluegrass time. Fom Flatt and Scruggs to the Infamous Stringdusters lets get down to Bluegrass new and old.

I'm going up to Sutter Creek on August 17 to get things set up for the Sutter Creek Jug Band Festival. It's at the beautiful Sutter Creek Inn right on Main Street. Ten bands, some of whom you've heard on Sounds So Sweet and some you've never heard - including the Mighty Jugamites Mento Band! The Brokin Jug Band will play in the mid-afternoon.

Then the Brokin Jug Band (Forest and I) will be playing at the Lazy Summer Daze Festival in Leland Meadows above Yosemite. Great location and lots of great music. We play Saturday afternoon at 3:00 for more than an hour.

So of course there will be no live Outta Style or Sounds So Sweet August 17 or 24. I've gone back and cherry-picked some of my favorites for your listening pleasure. I'll be back August 31 to help you kick off your Labor Day Weekend.

"Boogie" Bruce Englhardt passed away Wednesday. An essential member of the Dirty Butter Jug Band, The Club Zayate Jug Stompers, and the, Tarantulas Bruce was a maistay in the Santa Cruz music scene for over 30 years. And he was a friend.

It was during an email exchange between Bruce, Mike Billo, and myself that the idea for a California jug band festival of some kind was hatched. That lead to the International Jug Band Festival in Sutter Creek, the San Francisco Jug Band Festival, the California Jug Band Association, the Santa Cruz Jug Band Jamboree and a host of other exciting opportunities for those interested in jug band music. He will be sorely missed.

Tonight I'm playing music featuring Bruce. Music that he inspired and music that inspired him.

When I was first thinking about doing another show I thought about doing a Bluegrass show. I opted instead for a more free format. But tonight (March 2) on Outta Style I'm going to play some Bluegrass - something old and something new. Let me know if you like it and I'll make it a pretty regular feature of the show.

The story of Journey (or less romantically - OR7) the gray wolf who traveled 1000 miles looking for love and becoming the first gray wolf in California in 88 years must have insired Dr. Paul to include Prokofiev's masterpiece in his Tuesday show. It has also inspired me to play a version of Peter and the Wolf - by Dave Van Ronk and the Kazoo-O-Phonic Jug Band.

Sounds So Sweet is moving to a different day and time. I'm taking over Friday Nights with 2 (count 'em - 2) music shows. Sounds So Sweet will air live at 9:00 PM Friday night fillin' the air with the sweet sounds of jug band music. Of course if you just can't adjust it will still repeat Sunday at 5:00 PM.

But if you've ever wondered if I listen to anything other than jug band music you can find out at 8:30 PM Friday nights as I debut Outta Style - a quick half hour glimpse into the rest of my musical mind. Check it all out!

See you Friday Night!

Wayne

I've often wanted to play some of the other stuff I enjoy. I think, "I could do a Blues show." Or, "I could do a Bluegrass show." Or "I'd like to play some of the old odd stuff I have that doesn't fit the jug band format." Or "Gosh, I wish I could play some of my Americana or psychedelic stuff." Or..... How about a show maybe called Out of Style where I can play some of whatever I want. A quick half-hour glimpse into my musical mind. I wanted to call it "Wayne's World" but I think that's been taken.

It's just that most music that appeals to me is out of style and I want to be able to not be limited to any one style. I'm likely to play something from the twenties next to a recent release,
an old country hoedown followed by Pharoah Sanders, or a whole show of electric blues, or all vinyl, or just whatever I pick up off the floor.

Join me for a bit of musical mayhem.

Rod knows I'm a big Grateful Dead fan. So he asked Judy and I to take over his show this week 10/16. So brace yourselves for some Pigpen!! We'll do something old, something new, and definitely something Jerry.

Meantime Sounds So Sweet will continue it's exploration of the History of Jug Band Music by looking at it's rediscovery in the 50's on into the 60's. Dave Van Ronk, Even Dozen Jug Band, the Quarrymen, Fritz, Jim Kweskin, Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. Will we get all the way to some 13th Floor Elevators?

For early Saturday morning risers we offer local musicans. Our latest is Pete Santogrossi from his CD The Valley Town Observer. If you want to contact Pete, email him at carlorossi33@yahoo.com

I'm going to be at the Haight Street Fair on Sunday. I'll be playing jug with the Amazing Grapes at noon in the Red Vic and with Babar at 2:00 at the Mural Stage. I'll also be at the CJBA booth. Stop by and say Hi!

Meanwhile I pulled out a show from January featuring bands from Australia. This is a thank you to Tony Dunn of the Gutbucket Jug Band down under who sent a very nice response to my show of May 29th in which I gave props to the reuniting of Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band. Enjoy!

I'll be live again on the 19th.