Treehouse

• Rachael Young, piano
• Benjamin Young, whistle and guitar
• Kevin Craven, fiddle
• Shari Ame, fiddle
• Bo Leyden, mandolin, flute

bring a mix of Irish, Quebecois, and New England style, and put it together with Pacific Northwest flair. Becky has played for dances throughout Vermont, New Jersey, Arizona, and California, and previously played with Amazon Creek in Eugene. Ben and Rachael come from the Irish traditional session background, having played with many groups across Canada and throughout Washington, Oregon, and California. Bo and Shari play with several Corvallis area bands.

Noah Grunzweig

Noah Grunzweig is a master of stories and dance!  He called in Corvallis most recently last November. Noah brings enthusiasm and encouragement to new and experienced dancers alike. He promotes safe dancing and a culture of consent that welcomes children and adults to contra dancing. Noah is fluent in traditional and techno contra.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

An evening house concert with
Birch Pereira
and the Gin Joints
from Seattle

Born out of a love of the early years of swing, americana and rock ‘n ‘roll, Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints is a band whose sound transports you to the time of speakeasies, honky-tonks and roadhouses. With upright bassist and vocalist Birch Pereira at its center, the band features skilled and versatile musicians who share the love of the American song traditions and a desire to offer a fresh angle on them.

Check out all the fun videos at   https://www.theginjointsband.com

If you’ve seen them before, then don’t miss this opportunity to hear the continuing evolution of their repertoire and skills.

The band’s debut album, Dream Man, was released independently and received the Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Award for “Northwest Jazz Recording of the Year” in 2016. Their second album “Western Soul” was released in March 2018 and features western-tinged jazz and soul originals along with reinterpretations of old blues, swing and early rock’n’roll. Fans, critics and deejays have delighted in Birch Pereira’s “old soul,” tenor voice, the group’s new, stripped-down arrangements of musical gems from the past and Pereira’s ever growing repertoire of original, yet period-evoking material. Frank Gutch Jr, of No Depression described the new album thusly: “I love this album. I love the sound of it. I love the feel of it. I love the idea of it.”

One of the fun aspects of the Gin Joints is that, depending on availability, Birch can draw from a large pool of highly talented Seattle musicians, who all love playing this music.   Joining Birch this time are Adrian Van Batenburg on drums/percussion (returning again to Corvallis) and fine Seattle guitarist Colin Higgins (see below).

PERSONNEL
After playing cello in the Corvallis Youth Symphony, Birch Pereira got his BA in Jazz Studies (bass performance) from the University of Washington in 2005.   Since then he has become well-known in Seattle as a highly versatile bass player, band leader, composer, producer/engineer and teacher.  With the formation of the Gin Joints he moved out front as vocalist, arranger, composer and bass player — and hasn’t looked back since.

Adrian Van Batenburg got his BA in Jazz Studies (drumming/percussion) from University of North Texas in 2002.  He has been gigging, recording, touring and teaching since moving to Seattle that year.

Colin Higgins studied jazz guitar performance at North Texas University and University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. He graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Music degree from University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point.  Colin moved to Seattle in the fall of 1997. He’s performed in a wide range of musical settings, from jazz to classic rock, with many great Seattle musicians.

A house concert is a great way to hear music in an intimate setting and get to know the performers up close and personal.

To reserve a space and get directions,   email to peartree15@comcast.net
(or, if an email won’t work, call 541-753-9224).

Verlon Thompson and Chris Arellano

As a solo performer and as the trusted sidekick of Texas Americana songwriting icon Guy Clark, Verlon has viewed the world from stages everywhere from Barcelona to Binger (his hometown in Oklahoma). Along the way Verlon Thompson compositions have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley, Anne Murray, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Trisha Yearwood and many more.

Chris Arellano, a Willamette Valley resident off and on for two decades, weaves together the Norteno music of his Northern New Mexico upbringing with Alternative Country and Blues influences-for a signature style that he calls Nuevo Americana. Fused with song and story, Spanish and English, his transcendent lyrics move listeners with emotion and passion.

Roy Zimmerman

There’s a new president and administration for Roy Zimmerman’s song-writing mill.  With everything going on in the world,  this should be interesting (and entertaining).

Roy Zimmerman is a satirical songwriter in the Tom Lehrer/Phil Ochs tradition with a great gift for clever and funny lyrics that really rhyme and an incredibly entertaining banter between his songs.

“You’re brilliant. Just brilliant!” — Terry Jones, Monty Python

Tom Lehrer himself says, “I congratulate Roy Zimmerman on reintroducing literacy to comedy songs.  And the rhymes actually rhyme, they don’t just ‘rhyne.'”

Joni Mitchell says, “Roy’s lyrics move beyond poetry and achieve perfection.”

He spent the Comedy Boom years of the Eighties doing stand-up in San Francisco, sharing stages with George Carlin, Bill Maher, Kate Clinton, Dennis Miller and many others. He wrote all the material for his funny folk music quartet The Foremen, recording two albums for Warner/Reprise Records. He’s done several shows with The Pixies’ Frank Black, swapping songs in a solo acoustic setting.

“Roy Zimmerman simultaneously inspires me and makes me laugh my ass off,” says comedian/author Paul Krassner.

Zimmerman tours almost constantly, taking his funny songs about fracking, creationism, marijuana laws, government shutdown, same-sex marriage, guns, taxes and abstinence across the country, often playing in some of the least Progressive places in America for the most Progressive people there.  “I get accused of preaching to the converted,” he says, “but I don’t think of it that way. I think of it as entertaining the troops.”

In thirteen albums over twenty years, Roy has brought the sting of satire to the struggle for Peace and Social Justice. His songs have been heard on HBO and Showtime. He has recorded for Warner/Reprise Records. He’s been profiled on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Zimmerman’s YouTube videos have amassed over seven million views, and he’s a featured blogger for the Huffington Post.

Sing Out! Magazine writes, “Zimmerman is a guy on the left skewering folks on the right with rapier-sharp lyrics … underneath the caustic satire is a man who is surprisingly optimistic.”

Wesley Hall at the First Presbyterian Church is upstairs, most easily accessed through the entrance on 11th Street near the corner of Monroe.  This event is sponsored by the Benton County Democrats.  It is not a church-sponsored event.

RUNA

“Best of all, RUNA sounds like no one else!” – Travis Rogers, Jr., Music Life & Times

Quickly gaining recognition as one of Irish music’s new “super-groups,” RUNA has been en- chanting audiences by pushing the boundaries of Irish folk music into the Americana and roots music formats since their formation in 2008. Interweaving the haunting melodies and exuberant tunes of Ireland and Scotland with the lush harmonies and intoxicating rhythms of jazz, bluegrass, flamenco and blues, they offer a thrilling and redefining take on traditional music.

The group has been honored internationally, winning Top Group and Top Traditional Group in the Irish Music Awards and four Independent Music Awards including Best Live Album, Best World/Traditional Song and Best Bluegrass Song.

“Timeless and flawless…” – Jim Allford, PA Music Scene

RUNA consists of vocalist and step-dancer, Shannon Lambert-Ryan of Philadelphia, Dublin-born guitarist, Fionán de Barra, Cheryl Prashker of Canada on percussion, Zach White of St. Louis on guitar, vocals and mandolin, and Maggie White of Kentucky on the fiddle and Mandolin.

RUNA recently released their fifth album, “RUNA: LIVE”, which was recorded at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, MD on Thursday, March 17th, 2016. Receiving lavish praise on both sides of the Atlantic, the album has been hailed as “an incredible masterpiece” – Marcene Bronson, The Celtic Crier

Seeking to preserve and continue a traditional culture in a modern age, RUNA creates the backbone of its signature roots sound from the musical and geographical diversity of its individually established band members. Their strive for excellence and creativity blazes a trail for the future of folk music, earning them the reputation as one of the most innovative Irish folk groups of this generation.

“Genuine and with endless innovation…” – John O’Brien, Jr., Ohio Irish American News

Folk-Americana Duo
Jennings & Keller

Jennings & Keller is an award-winning nationally touring duo based out of Florida. They offer up 21st Century Americana with influences in folk, jazz, and roots music. They fuse many different musical elements into a unique eclectic style that is refreshingly diverse.

Dana Keller, a veteran pedal steel, dobro, and guitar player, has spent years performing on stage or in the studio with such luminaries as Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Stevie Wonder, Larry Graham, Marvin Gaye, Dave Mason, Johnny Rodriguez and The Allen Brothers, to name a few. Dana has been an endorsee of the Gretsch Guitar and Drum Company since 1980. His dobro playing has been called “jaw-droppingly good”. Along with being lauded for his world-class musicianship, he is known as a “songwriter’s songwriter”, often drawing comparisons to Gene Clark and Jessie Winchester.

Laurie Jennings Oudin is a former Shakespearean actress who has spent many years on the stage. Her theater background combined with a lifetime of professional singing gives her an obvious command of the stage as well as the songs she sings. With a vocal style that ranges from early Joni Mitchell to Emmylou Harris, Laurie leaves audiences mesmerized by her stunning vocal delivery.

In the 11 years of playing together, Jennings & Keller have released 4 CDs. They have received accolades and airplay from radio stations at one end of the country to the other. In true troubadour spirit, Laurie and Dana travel the country in their motor home, performing at festivals, cafes, wineries and house concerts. Along with developing a large and loyal fan base, they have earned a reputation for quality musicianship and expert storytelling.

The Fire

• Rebecca Lomnicky on Scottish fiddle,
• David Brewer on Highland pipes and whistles,
• Adam Hendey on guitar & bazouki

The Fire is a high energy pure-drop Scottish music band, with world class fiddling in combination with bagpipes, guitar, bodhran, whistle, and bouzouki. The group includes, International Scottish Fiddle Champion Rebecca Lomnicky, multi-instrumentalist David Brewer of the popular Celtic band Molly’s Revenge, and Adam Hendey on guitar and bouzouki.  Members of the trio have each spent copious amounts of time delving into the traditions of their respective instruments, with Rebecca and David having additionally lived and studied in both Edinburgh and the highlands of Scotland. Together, The Fire performs captivating Scottish music which bridges the gap between the fiddle and bagpipe music of Scotland—two worlds united, into a heartfelt and rousing musical experience. Between their entertaining and informative stage banter, vast array of instrument combinations and extensive repertoire, including everything from soaring slow airs to intricately arranged dance tunes, these charismatic performers will leave you on your feet with your hands together. The Fire has headlined at Celtic festivals such as The Pleasanton Scottish Highland Games, The Utah Scottish Association Highland Games, The Portland Highland Games, The Sedona Celtic Harvest Festival, The Northwest Folklife Festival, The Oregon Scottish Festival, The Yachats Celtic Music Festival, The Monterey Scottish Games and Celtic Festival, and has performed at a variety of venues throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland.

The Fire is currently based out of Santa Cruz, California, and has recorded two albums together. (Rebecca is from Corvallis)

The Real Sarahs

With organic harmonies that enchant and uplift the spirit, The Real Sarahs share their special gift of vocal synergy. This trio of women, who are all named Sarah, create magic with voices in harmony, acoustic instruments and the energetic connection between artists and audience. With a breadth of influences, you are likely to hear threads of folk, jazz, blues, and country music running through their songs. Singing from the stories of their own life journeys and experiences, their original music is honest, evocative and heartfelt.

A house concert is a great way to hear music in an intimate setting and get to know the performers up close and personal.

Melody Pie Trio

Neo-Traditional Folk • Roots • Music

Together in melodious folkroots conversation, MPT free-ranges from storysong folk balladry and lyrical harmonic tone poems, to traditional fiddle tunes, bluegrass, country rock, jump blues, swing grooves and improv jam. Fiddler Kevin Craven, cellist Beth Brown and singer-songwriter Ralph Penunuri play an eclectic variety of original and traditional multi-instrumental stylings. 

Scott Cook

A roots balladeer with a rare personal warmth, Canada’s Scott Cook has managed to distil the stories collected over eleven years touring across Canada, the USA, Europe, Asia, Australia and elsewhere into straight-talking, keenly observant verse. Road-worn, painfully honest, and deeply human, his tunes weave threads of folk, roots, blues, soul and country over spacious fingerstyle guitar and clawhammer banjo arrangements. His fourth release, One More Time Around, was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award, and its opening track “Pass It Along” won the Folk and Acoustic category in the 2013 UK Songwriting Contest, with UK magazine Maverick Country naming him “one of Canada’s most inspiring and imaginative storytellers”. In 2015 he put together a seven-piece honky-tonk band for his fifth studio album, Scott Cook and the Long Weekends Go Long, and in 2017 he released his sixth album Further Down the Line, earning his second Canadian Folk Music Award nomination, for English Songwriter of the Year. The album is packaged in a 132-page softcover book offering a look back, in words and pictures, on his last decade of near-incessant rambling. Cook is one of the hardest-working DIY troubadours on the road today, averaging over 150 shows and a dozen festivals every year since 2007. All the hard miles notwithstanding, he still believes that songs can change your life, and your life can change the world.

“Scott Cook has distilled his travels down into songs powered by a sharp eye for imagery, a healthy dose of humanity, and that unforgettable voice, that at the same time intones the rigors of the road and the most comfortable couch you have ever slept on.” -David Francey, 3x Juno-winning songwriter

“As good a modern folkie as we have these days. A voice perfect for the genre. An understanding beyond the norm.” –No Depression

“He sings his heart and soul, and in doing so lets light flood into your own… A good eye for imagery, a gentle human touch, a wry sense of humour, a whole lot of integrity, a warm, rugged voice and a bunch of memorable lines… Truly one of Woody Guthrie’s children.” –RnR Magazine

A house concert is an excellent way to enjoy music in an intimate environment and get to know the musician.

The Nettles

Laura Brophy – fiddle
Kevin Johnsrude – guitars
Michael Proctor – bass
Brian Bucolo – percussion

The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere. .

Michael Karcher

Michael has been having the time of his life calling around the U.S. and Canada since 2011.

He has honed a warm and concise style of teaching and calling, to the delight of dancers across North America.

NOTE NEW TIMES: Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Rushad Eggleston

For those not in the know, Rushad is the cellist from another planet. He’s a legend, clown, goblin, cello-shredder, acrobat, wild “jazz” vocalist, bundle of laughs, inventor of bluegrass cello, Grammy Nominee, time traveler, creator of worlds, Pentecostal dancer, proprietor of igwarfnees, president of Norwegian Ostrich Society, winner of some contest in 1725.

Rushad is truly a musical genius and he spends a lot of time exploring boundaries.  While it may seem like he’s from another planet, he comes down to earth and plays at places like Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center.  He was the first string player awarded a full scholarship to the Berklee college of music, and while still there he became their first active student ever to be nominated for a Grammy award.  If you have never seen Rushad, now is your chance to witness greatness.

Note: Larger, more comfortable space and room for everyone, come one, come all!  No reservations necessary, bring your friends and family and pay at the door!  Please enter through the glass doors on 8th or from the parking lot on 9th.  We’ll still have a potluck snack break at intermission, but please don’t bring alcohol (church regulation).  This is kid friendly and encouraged, Rushad is inspirational.    Cash preferred  (checks made to Rushad Eggleston if you must)

Melody Pie Trio

Neo-Traditional Folk • Roots • Music

Melody Pie Trio is fiddler Kevin Craven, cellist Beth Brown and singer-songwriter Ralph Penunuri – in melodious neo-traditional folkroots conversation. Playing an eclectic variety of original and traditional stylings, MPT free-ranges from storysong folk balladry and lyrical tone poems, to traditional Celtic tunes, bluegrass, country rock, jump blues, swing grooves and improv jam.

Heron Valley

Heron Valley are an energetic, young traditional band from Scotland who have serious enthusiasm for the music they play. Their roots lie in Scottish and Irish traditional music, while taking influence from various Folk, Country and Bluegrass styles. The five-piece, energy fuelled group comprises piper/guitarist/whistle player Euan McNab, banjo player/drummer Nick Hamilton, pianist Arlene Mackechnie, guitarist/vocalist Abigail Pryde and bassist Callum Cronin.

Since their inception in 2014, Heron Valley have always ensured that they are conveying the highest amount of energy they have to every crowd they play to, ensuring that people who come to see them live have a fantastic experience. In 2015, they set themselves the challenge of releasing a music video and a debut single, to allow people to clearly see their intentions. This began with their set of tunes, Pressed for Time, and their original idea of filming out on open water on a yacht. The storyline took the band from performing out on this moving boat, to their journey to and performance at a gig. The idea of this was to convey to their audience the enjoyment people have when they come to see them live. This was extremely well received and racked up 85K views, with people all over the world purchasing the single. A year later, they released their second single ‘Home’ along with an extremely diverse music video. This time, they set off at 4AM to climb up Beinn an Lochainn, a hill in the west coast of Scotland. The video sees this journey from bottom to top and shows them playing on cliff edges in the area they all grew up. This gathered an incredible 173K views, and was shared over 2,000 times.

Due to this success, Heron Valley then quickly made a massive impact on the folk scene in Scotland, and 2016 seen them on their tour of 11 Festival stages over the UK, while 2017 seen them on a tour of over 20 festivals around the UK and Europe. Johnny Walley at Folk Music Radio was ‘particularly impressed by the structure of their set, building up the energy incrementally in a series of waves, taking the audience along with them every step of the way.’ With the unbelievable reaction they received at these gigs, and the demand for more recordings of their music, Heron Valley released their debut album, Roam, in May 2017. This has been extremely well received by the public, and has been the focus of their gigs during their 2017 Summer tour. This features 8 brand new tracks of self-penned songs and lively sets of tunes.

The BFD

• Betsey Branch – fiddle
• Fran Slefer – button accordian
• Dan Compton – guitar

The BFD plays for a contra dance about every other month at Fulton Community Center in Portland. Betsy is a versatile musician who loves to explore multiple genres of music. She has wandered her musical way through music from Ireland, Scotland, Appalachia, Quebec, Sweden, England, Bulgaria and New England, to mention a few. She plays regularly for contra and English Country Dances. Fran plays button accordion and fiddle. She grew up in Limerick, Ireland, and lived in Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, and Dublin before moving to the United States. Fran began playing the fiddle in Dublin, learning from Tralee fiddle player Maire O’Keeffe. Her repertoire delves into the dance music of Ireland, Québec, France and Brittany. Dan Compton is a long-time folkie in the Pacific Northwest music scene, and has performed at numerous concerts, festivals, and music- and dance camps. He’s a captivating fingerstyle player as well as a dynamic flatpicker and accompanist.

Gordy Euler

Gordy has been dancing and calling in this area for over 15 years, and he’s good!

NOTE NEW TIMES: Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.