Past CFS Concerts

Past CFS Concerts

Oct 11, 2014 (Sat) John McCutcheon

 7:30 PM,  First Presbyterian Church

114 SW 8th St. Corvallis.

Advance tickets are available at Grass Roots Books. The cost is $18 in advance for CFS members, seniors 65+ and kids under 12, and $20 for nonmembers; add $2 at the door. Tickets are also available online at www.tickettomato.com for $20 plus a small fee (no discounts).     Info:             541-753-9224

 More John McCutcheon Information

Oct 5, 2012 (Fri) – Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill (CFS — Alternative Strings)

8:00pm, $18 / $16 CFS or Seniors / $14 Children through highschool / +$2.00 on the day of the show
Tickets at Grassroots Books or at the door

Oct 12, 2012 (Fri) – John McCutcheon

7:30 PM First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW 8th St. Corvallis.
Advance Tickets at Grass Roots Books, $16 for CFS, $18 for others; add $2 at the door.
Info:             541-753-9224

Mar 22, 2012 (Thu) — Tracy Grammer Trio

“Tracy Grammer is a brilliant artist and unique individual. Her voice is distinctive, as is her mastery over the instruments she plays.”
– Joan BaezCD release tour for little blue egg a collection of previously-unreleased Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer recordings.

Apr 28, 2012 (Sat) — The Bee Eaters with Laurie Lewis (Alternative Strings)

7:30pm First Presbyterian Church of Corvallis 114 SW 8th Street. Tickets in advance at Grass Roots Books and Music, Online (or            1-800-838-3006       ) $16 / $14 (CFS) / $10 (student/senior) or at the door: $18/$16/$12

Feb 1, 2012 (Tue) — Jim Malcolm (Scotland)

Scots Traditional Music, 2004 Songwriter of the year.
7:30 pm, advance tickets $16 at Grass Roots Books and Music or $18 at the door, $2 off for CFS members and seniors, Majestic TheatreCommunity Room, 115 SW 2nd St.
Check out the information page for his 2009 concert.

Jan 6, 2012 (Fri) — Holdstock and MacLeod

Songs, Shanties, and Laughter from England and Scotland
7:30 pm, in the Community room of the Majestic Theatre, Tickets $18 at the door or $16 in advance at Grass Roots Books and Music (after Dec 1), $2 discount for CFS or seniors Contact: Dick Thies,             541-753-8307
(This is a 50-seat venue because the performers asked to do an intimate concert.)Still enthusiastically performing together after twenty-five years, Holdstock and MacLeod continue to perform authentic renditions of the songs of their homelands (England and Scotland). Whether performing shanties and other traditional music of the sea or nineteenth century ballads, Allan MacLeod and Dick Holdstock are still captivating audiences from coast to coast. Audiences always join in by singing and laughing along to their outrageous songs and stories.Dick and Allan trade off on mandolin and guitar accompaniments to some of their songs and frequently use a cappella arrangements. They have mastered the art of traditional harmonies which often are described as descants. There strong melodic tones resonate with all who have the pleasure of hearing them.Needless to say, an evening of music with Holdstock and MacLeod is always a memorable event and an extraordinary glimpse into a not so distant past. New insights into history and old customs are revealed through their songs of the people.Allan and Dick have produced four great recordings at Sierra West Studios: “Holdstock and MacLeod,” “Deepwater Shanties,” “Silver in the Stubble” and “Deepwater Ballads.”

Dec 11, 2011 (Sun) — Christine Lavin and Uncle Bonsai “Just One Angel” show

7:30 pm, at the Majestic Theatre, Coproduced by CFS and Majestic Management .
Uncle Bonsai and Christine Lavin, with special guests Larry Murante and Darryl Purpose, hit the road in December, to perform their songs from this holiday compilation, along with their usual fare. These will be the first Oregon and California Uncle Bonsai performances in over 20 years!
A Christmas / Hanukah / Solstice / New Year’s concert. Come celebrate the holidays with Christine, Uncle Bonsai, Larry, and Darryl, as they perform their songs from “Just One Angel” along with selections from more than 40 other recordings.

Nov 11, 2011 (Fri) — Jeff Peterson (Slack Key Guitar)

7:30 PM, The Majestic Theatre The Majestic Theatre, 115 SW 2nd. $18 at the door, $2 discount for CFS members and for advance cash purchases at Grass Roots Books and Music . Credit card purchases through the Majestic Box office (            541-738-7469      ).Corvallis is in for a real treat on Friday November 11. The Majestic Theatre (115 SW 2nd) will be transformed – think Hawaii – as slack key guitar master Jeff Peterson takes the stage. He will be joined by some of the singers and dancers from the OSU Hui O Hawaii group which is cosponsoring the concert.Here is the story of how this came about. We were on vacation in Kauai and were listening to their local community radio. The announcer talked about a concert that night with someone named Jeff Peterson — and so we went. He was terrific, not only as a guitarist and composer, but also with his stage presence. He told interesting stories about his native Maui and the history of the slack key guitar. We spoke to him afterwards and invited him to Corvallis. After being duly impressed with the dancers at the OSU luau in April, we decided to collaborate for this special event.

Recognized as one of Hawaii’s most versatile musicians, Jeff Peterson is at the heart of the Hawaiian music scene today. His passion for the guitar has allowed him to shine as a solo artist and has given him the opportunity to collaborate with a wide variety of artists from Hawaii, across the US, and abroad. His focus on Slack Key guitar, classical, and jazz music has allowed him to develop a unique and transcendent voice on the guitar while being deeply rooted in the traditions of his Hawaiian heritage.

Born on the Island of Maui, multiple Grammy Award and Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner Jeff Peterson grew up on the slopes of Haleakala where he was introduced to the rich heritage of Hawaiian music by his father, a paniolo, or Hawaiian cowboy, on the Haleakala Ranch.

As a performer, Jeff has had the honor to work with a wide range of artists and groups including Eric Clapton, James Galway, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Aaron Neville, Boz Scaggs, the Honolulu Symphony, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom, The Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawaii, jazz bassist Rufus Reid, shakuhachi master Riley Lee, the acclaimed string quartet Ethel, and with many other artists in the fields of Hawaiian, classical, and jazz music.

He recently had the honor of performing for former president Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the island of Kauai on two separate occasions. He achieved a milestone in Hawaiian music at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in 2005, when a recording featuring Jeff and other island artists, “Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2”, won the first ever Grammy Award for best Hawaiian recording. He is also featured on the recording that won the 2010 Grammy Award in the Hawaiian music category. His latest solo CD, “Maui On My Mind” won the 2010 Hoku Award for Best Slack Key Album.

WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY! If enough people sign up, Jeff does terrific workshops for ukulele and/or slack key guitar. It would be 4-5 PM on Friday for $25 and is at The Troubadour. Please call us if you would be interested in attending. Cliff and Chere Pereira             541-753-9224      cherep@comcast.net

Oct 13, 2011 (Thu) — Ferintosh

Abby Newton on cello, Kim Robertson on harp, and Rosie Newton on fiddle, playing Celtic music of Scotland, America, and Nova Scotia on their first NW tour.
7:30 pm, First Presbyterian Church, Corvallis, Tickets: $15 ($13 members) atGrass Roots Books and Music and at the door.
“The music they play can range effortlessly from achingly beautiful to simply breathtaking. And they have such a good time doing it!” — J. Ungar
FERINTOSH, featuring cellist Abby Newton, Celtic harpist Kim Robertson and guest fiddler, Rosie Newton, perform the vibrant folk music of Scotland, America and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. From soulful songs and airs to strathspeys and reels, their spirited arrangements showcase their virtuosity and the rhythmic energy of this timeless music.
KIM ROBERTSON is a renowned performer and instructor who has stretched the boundaries of the harp for a new generation of performers and audiences. As a pioneer in the American folk harp movement, she combines an improvisational spirit with a passionate sense of tradition, bringing a contemporary touch to a centuries-old instrument.
ABBY NEWTON is a cellist of unusual versatility, best known for her groundbreaking work in the revival of the cello in American and Scottish traditional music. She has composed cello parts for over seventy-five recordings by a variety of folk artists on both sides of the Atlantic, including Scottish singer, Jean Redpath.
ROSIE NEWTON has been playing fiddle for as long as she can remember. She grew up immersed in the folk music scene in Woodstock, NY, attending concerts and parties with her mother, Celtic cellist Abby Newton. For the past six years she has been living in Ithaca, New York where she went to college majoring in viola performance. In Ithaca, she was swept into the local old time music scene.

Aug 30, 2011 (Tue) — Väsen from Sweden

Majestic Theatre Corvallis, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $18/$16/$11
Väsen is a Swedish word with many meanings: spirit, noise, living being, and essence among the most prominent. The band carries its brilliant acoustic ensemble interplay to new levels with a contemporary energy and attitude that is rarely found in acoustic bands. The combination of nyckelharpa (traditional Swedish keyed fiddle) and viola is propelled by percussive guitar, with tunes that are irresistible and unforgettable. They bring breathtaking virtuosity and freewheeling inventiveness, thanks to the near-telepathic attunement between Olof Johansson (nyckelharpa), Mikael Marin (viola) and Roger Tallroth (guitar).
Playing music together as teenagers in early 1980’s, Olov Johansson and Mikael Marin would also regularly visit older musicians who lived nearby in the Uppland region, learning traditional music from them. They became a link in the living tradition that Swedish folk music has enjoyed through the centuries. In 1989, at a music gathering in Røros, Norway, Olov met Roger Tallroth and they became instant friends, jamming for the rest of the day and far into the night.
Since then they’ve toured extensively, won a Swedish Grammy, appeared twice on A Prairie Home Companion, and performed at a host of prestigious festivals including Savannah Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Vancouver & Calgary Folk Festivals, and the Skirball Cultural Center, to name only a few. They’ve also collaborated on tour and in the recording studio with American musicians Mike Marshall and Darol Anger, who brought ’s music to wildly enthusiastic new audiences at the Wintergrass Music Festival in Seattle.
“The sound may be traditional, but the attitude is completely modern, mixing up the ideas of folk, the virtuosity of prog, and the humor of the insane asylum into a cuisinart of acoustic bliss.” — Chris Nickson, Wired
“…the band’s anciently original compositions can be immensely brooding, stately, fitfully spry or dramatically expansive.” — Richard Harrington, The Washington Post
“The absurdly broad term ‘world music’ is rendered useless in the face of these … musicians who play with such genuine passion and glee that everything on the globe seems to disappear except their hometown fires.” — David Greenberger, National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered”Väsen has invited Corvallis talented fiddler Tatiana Hargreaves to be their special guest.

June 10, 2011 (Fri) — Sarah Jarosz with Alex Hargreaves & Nathaniel Smith

7:30 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW Eighth St., Corvallis
Tickets will be on sale at Grass Roots Books and Music: $17.00 Adults, $15.00 CFS Members, $15.00 Seniors (60 and older), $10.00 Students (15 and under). Ticket prices go up 1 dollar at the door.
One of the best and brightest in the new acoustic music scene, the New York Times calls Sarah Jarosz“an unretouched gem committed to the dark corners of bluegrass past;” Rolling Stone notes she“could be Gillian Welch’s long-lost daughter…” Sarah’s musical journey includes recent performances with Allison Krauss and Jerry Douglas at the BBC Transatlantic Sessions in Scotland, as well as appearances on Austin City Limits and the Prairie Home Companion.
Inspired by songwriting, Sarah devotes equal attention to her instrumental work. A stellar mandolin player, she earned a Grammy nomination for her instrumental ‘Mansinneedof’ on her first album, and plays eight different instruments on her new one. Not surprising, then, her trio for this concert will include two of the most exciting and accomplished string musicians on the scene today: Corvallis’ Alex Hargreaves (fiddle/mandolin) and Nat Smith, a virtuoso jazz/improvisational cellist who tours both with Natalie McMaster and Mark O’Connor.
Sarah’s second album for Sugar Hill Records, Follow Me Down, due out in May, 2011, pays homage to her musical roots while pushing beyond, taking us on a journey both dark and mystical. Concert goers can expect a dynamic rich blend of original and traditional music, vocal and instrumental, performed by three of the finest musicians to be heard anywhere.
As an extra treat, opening for Sarah’s trio will be Tatiana Hargreaves.

Feb 11 & 12, 2011 (Fri & Sat) — Neal Gladstone

… at the Majestic

Feb 4, 2011 (Fri) — Tatiana Hargreaves and Scott Law

7:30 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW 8th Street
$17.00-non-members. $15.00-cfs members & seniors (60&older). $10.00- students (age 15 and under). Prices go up one dollar the day of show for all adults.
Introduced to one another three years ago through Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings, Scott Law and Tatiana Hargreaves have created a fresh new combination of fiddle, banjo, guitar and vocal music spanning the length and breadth of American folk traditions. Drawing from the deep well of Appalachian oldtime and bluegrass, their duo blends a rhythmic energy with virtuoso guitar flat-picking , old-soul fiddling, and the emotional depth of their unique vocal harmonies. Created from the spark of opposites and a ‘no words necessary’ collaboration of kindred spirits, the music brings together their distinct musical personalities and traditions into an exciting live performance. Guitarist, songwriter-composer and singer, Scott Law embodies the ideal of the American Steel-String Guitar Master. Scott’s adventurous musicality connects him with audiences across the globe, propelled by his rare rhythmic concision and in-the-pocket groove as a member of fiddler Darol Anger’s REPUBLIC OF STRINGS, as well as through his own solo and group endeavors. Scott has shared the stage with a variety of contemporary greats, among them Phil Lesh & Friends, Darol Anger, The Travelin’ McCoury’s, Danny Barnes, String Cheese Incident, Railroad Earth, Crooked Still and Tony Furtado. Scott also worked with Jerry Garcia Band’s B-3 organ legend, Melvin Seals from 2001 to 2003 and was a member of the award winning Seattle instrumental world-music group, Hanuman. Scott has scored and performed music for film and television, including an original song for the CBS primetime feature “Viva Laughlin” in 2007 and scores for 2 full-length documentaries by The Columbia Land Trust and Tom’s Of Maine.
At 15 years of age, playing both fiddle and banjo, Tatiana Hargreaves has already steeped herself in the archives of Appalachian music and song, and has appeared on stage with folk and bluegrass musicians including Bruce Molsky, Darol Anger, Mark O’Connor, Uncle Earl, Sara Watkins, Brittany Haas, Tristan Clarridge, Tashina Clarridge, Crooked Still, Luke Bulla, Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum. In 2008, Tatiana became the youngest ever to win the Championship Division of the Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers Contest, and in 2009 won the Clifftop Appalachian String Band Festival Fiddle Contest in West Virginia. Tatiana appears on the Violin Shop (Nashville) Fiddle Masters Concert Series DVD Volume III and has a CD entitled “Started Out to Ramble” produced by Bruce Molsky.

Oct 15, 2010 (Fri) — John McCutcheon

8 PM, First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW 8th St at Monroe
Advance tickets are at Grass Roots Bookstore for $14 (CFS) and $16 (non CFS); add $1 at the door. Out of town ticket info: call Chere Pereira at             541-753-9224      .
Multiple Grammy-nominee McCutcheon charms audiences with “story telling that has the richness of fine literature” (Washington Post) and his mastery of a stage full of folk instruments is simply amazing. He plays guitar, fiddle, autoharp, banjo, jaw harp, (hambone if we are lucky) and is best known for his hammered dulcimer playing. A John McCutcheon concert is always energizing, fun, uplifting, community building, and his audiences leave with a renewed sense of hope for humanity. “This notion of telling stories of ordinary people who have done great things, and carrying those stories from one place to another, of telling people ’this is where I’ve been, these are the stories I can bring you,’ is the heart of what I do,” McCutcheon sums up. “That’s my goal. If you can recognize yourself in my songs, then I’ve done my job.”

Sept 28, 2010 (Tues) — Lúnasa

“This is the hottest Irish acoustic group on the planet.” — The New York Times
7:30 pm, Majestic Theater, 115 SW 2nd St., Corvallis, Door price: $20 CFS Members; $22 Non-members, $2 discount for advance sales, seniors 65 and over, and kids under 12.
Lúnasa ~ direct from Ireland, touring the West Coast! Just released newest CD “Lá Nua” in April.
Advance Tickets at Grass Roots Books and Music and Winestyles(cash or check); Credit card sales through the Majestic Theatre box office (phone             541-738-7469      ) ($2 surchage).Corvallis Celtic music lovers will have a rare opportunity to hear Ireland’s all-star quintet Lúnasa perform right here in our fair town! We like to think it’s because Corvallis has a reputation of being wildly enthusiastic about Celtic music, but it doesn’t hurt that we happen to be halfway between the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle, two mainstays of the west coast concert circuit.Lúnasa is one of the most sought-after bands on the international Celtic music scene. The band’s inventive arrangements and bass-driven grooves are steering Irish acoustic music into surprising new territory.Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honour of the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts, Lúnasa is indeed a gathering of some of the top musical talents in Ireland including bassist Trevor Hutchinson (a key member of The Waterboys), fiddler Sean Smyth (an All-Ireland champion who has played with Coolfin), Kevin Crawford, considered to be among the finest flautists in Ireland (formerly with Moving Cloud), uilleann piper Cillian Vallely (pipes soloist in the Broadway production of ‘Riverdance’ ) and Paul Meehan, guitarist and banjo player formerly with the Karan Casey Band.The band just released their 8th CD, Lá Nua (Irish for ‘New Day’). You can see a video of the band and hear samples of their amazing music at www.lunasa.ie. Get your tickets early – this may be a sell-out! For more information call             541-829-3475      .

Jul 30, 2010 (Fri) — Alex Hargreaves and Grant Gordy

8pm, First Congregational Church, 4515 SW West Hills Rd $16 general public, $14 CFS members, $10 youth (under 15) Advance Tickets atGrass Roots.
These two brilliant, young musicians have put together a wonderful quartet and are doing a west coast tour this summer. This will be the official Corvallis CD release concert for each of them. Here’s a little about them:
Alex Hargreaves of Corvallis, Oregon, excels in a wide variety of styles including jazz, bluegrass, new acoustic, Texas style, western swing and classical. Mentored by some of the greats in progressive acoustic music, he has already performed with Jerry Douglas, Mark O’Conner, Chris Thile, Mike Marshall, and David Grisman. Recently released on Adventure Music, his debut album, Prelude, features Bela Fleck, Mike Marshall, Noam Pikelny, Grant Gordy and Paul Kowert. Alex is the youngest ever Grand Champion of the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest in Weiser, Idaho, and last year won the Grand Masters Fiddle Championship in Nashville.
Grant Gordy is the lead guitar player for the David Grisman Quintet. Here’s what Grisman says about him: Grant “belongs to the new elite family of American acoustic practitioners who are pushing the ever-expanding envelope of a musical frontier … Bluegrass, newgrass, jazz, classical and even ‘dawg’ are all audible influences in Grant’s musical vision. His guitar stylings offer a rare blend of flat-picking virtuosity, jazz exploration and classical sensibility — all displayed here in the setting of his choosing.” That setting is Gordy’s self-titled, debut album, which incorporates all of the styles Grisman refers to, blending great technical skill with a true artist’s feel and expression.
This shapes up to be a particularly wonderful concert. Folks interested in more information should contact Mark Weiss at mjweiss@cmug.com

June 26, 2010 (Sat) Golden Tree Story

8 PM at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (2945 NW Circle Blvd). The cost will be $10 at the door ($1 discount for CFS members).

May 7, 2010 (Fri) — Chuck Pyle

Singer, songwriter, finger-style guitarist.
8:00 pm Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2945 NW Circle Blvd., Corvallis.
Advance Tickets at Grass Roots Books and Music (227 SW 2nd,             541-754-7668      ), $12 members, $14 nonmembers, add $1 at the door.
For more information, call Chuck or Chere,             541-753-9224      .

Feb 19, 2010 (Fri) — Jamie Laval (Scottish Fiddle Champion)

7:30pm, $18, $16 CFS, $12 students, $2 less in advance (at Grass Roots Books and Music).
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2945 NW Circle Blvd., Corvallis.

Older CFS concerts