Countercurrent

Countercurrent is an acoustic folk music duo based in Olympia, Washington, composed of Alex Sturbaum and Brian Lindsay. They have achieved nationwide acclaim for their high-energy style, which draws on deep traditional roots from Ireland and North America while incorporating new influences to create a sound that is at once unique and timeless. Alex’s driving guitar and gifted songwriting, Brian’s lyrical fiddle and rock-solid foot percussion, and the duo’s lively interplay, tight vocal harmonies, and unstoppable groove make a Countercurrent performance an event unlike any other. Wherever they go, the question remains the same: “How does that much sound come out of just two people?”

For this special fundraiser concert, they will be joined by renowned New England fiddler Cedar Stanistreet for twin fiddle harmonies and driving dance tunes that can’t be beat! Countercurrent has a huge following among Corvallis contra dancers. This house concert provides a rare opportunity to hear the full breadth of their musicianship in an intimate, acoustic setting. 

Tickets will go on sale April 14 at https://www.corvalliscelticfestival.org/upcoming-events/

The location has a capacity of only 40 people, so order early

Masks welcomed for everyone’s continued safety

7:30 Jim Lynch

Jim Lynch is a singer/guitarist whose music reflects his passion for blues, country, old standards, and folk-inspired Americana. His set will include an eclectic variety of both well-known songs and hidden gems in these genres.

8:30 Choro na Cozinha

The name is Brazilian and means “choro in the kitchen.” And they, in fact, practice in the kitchen.  CnC plays a Brazilian music style known as Choro, whose character ranges from fun to sweet. The quartet has clarinet (Bill Pfender), mandolin (John Bliss), 7-string guitar (Spencer Doidge), pandeiro (hand drum) and vocals (Kimberly Cullen). Choro has a long history as an urban popular music in Brazil, and has become better known around the world in the last few decades.

 Best Cellar is held on the last Friday of each month of the school year.
Admission is pay-what-you-will, with a minimum of 2 dollars. Kids are free and welcome.
Coffee, tea, and gluten free cookies are fifty cents each.
Masks are encouraged but not required.
Most often in “the cellar” of the church, with an entrance around the back side of the church.
For more information contact Mark Weiss at mjweiss@cmug.com

Two Crows for Comfort Acoustic Roots

This group sounds so good to my ears. I highly recommend joining us for this special concert. Manitoba Country Music Association’s 2021 Roots Duo/Group of the Year, Two Crows for Comfort, are a touring folk-roots duo from the prairie wonderland of Manitoba. These wandering troubadours, accompanied by their pup, Elliot, travel across North America in an 18-foot camper, playing countless shows from coast to coast to coast Here’s a little video sample of their fine sound. Donation $20 per person. Email for details and to make your reservation.

A house concert is an excellent place to hear and meet great musicians in a very intimate setting.

The Garden Gate
Justin & Kailyn

The Garden Gate, an acoustic folk duo specializing in beautiful harmonies comprising of two longtime local musicians Kailyn Kubiak and Justin Groft will be hosting a free concert. We’ll be under a barn like patio and enjoying spectacular wines and views of the vineyard while we bust out two hours of originals and covers.

Jubilate! O Sing
A concert to celebrate the Solstice and 30 years together as a singing community

As always, our program is guided by Jubilate!’s quest for musical excellence and a desire to express a wide range of human emotions and experiences. We hope you enjoy our musical selections on topics related to change, hope, awareness, diversity, community, and social justice.

All are welcome. Donations are accepted at the gate instead of advance-purchase tickets. Food, wine, beer, and nonalcoholic beverages are available for purchase from Tyee or Nick’s Soul Food. Please no dogs, and no alcohol other than what you purchase there. Find the winery at 26335 Greenberry Road, Corvallis.

The Quitters!

The Quitters duo consists a right-side up finger picker (Stevie Coyle) and an upside-down flat picker (Glenn “Houston” Pomianek). They were two original founding members of The Waybacks quintet, and Glenn was co-founder and long-time lead guitarist for the high octane Americana band, Houston Jones. Additional info on The
Quitters is at www.quittersduo.com

Glenn Houston’s guitarist influences range from Michael Bloomfield to Doc Watson, as shown in his mastery of both acoustic and electric guitar. Glenn has been voted Best Guitarist by the Northern California Bluegrass Society and has shared billing with Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, Earl Scruggs, Doc and Merle Watson, Willie Nelson and countless other famous artists.

Stevie Coyle was inspired to take up finger-picking by the first Hot Tuna album. After degrees in Theatre and Theology, he hit the road with The Royal Lichtenstein Circus, doing comedy, magic, wire-walking sword-swallowing, and juggling. Since then he has released a solo CD and opened up his own high-end acoustic guitar shop, Mighty Fine Guitars, in Lafayette, CA. He is also a master of the comedic mashup, with such songs as “Stairway To
Gilligan’s Island” and “Mary Tyler Moore Meets The Reaper” in his repertoire. In addition to his stellar musical career, Stevie also claims fame as an actor and comedian, including appearances on Cheers and The Comedy Store.

Located off of Greenberry Road between Corvallis and Monroe, doors will open at 2:30pm. A no-host taco truck will be available for your enjoyment, but you are also welcome to bring your own food and/or drinks. We will crank up the music at 3:30pm

While there will be plenty of sunshine on this day of summer solstice weekend, bring clothes that are appropriate for the day’s weather report. Also bring water and a camp chair and/or blanket to sit on while on the lawn.

To reserve a seat, email Pete at muddycreekconcert@gmail.com.

Masks welcomed for everyone’s continued safety

7:30 Flat Stanley Incident

The Flat Stanley Incident is an Oregon band based in the Willamette Valley.  They deliver their own eclectic mix of Americana music built on original material, ranging from traditional folk to contemporary genres. Rob Pugliese and Steve Martin (formally of The Kindreds) are joined by Texas bass player Ron Green

8:30 Can’tNeverCould

Can’tNeverCould is a new Corvallis band made up of long-time local musicians Rita Brown, Bill Smyth and Leigh Ann Starcevich. Featuring rich vocal harmonies, expressive guitar, they do originals as well as intriguing songs from the 60s to the present (The Band, Joni Mitchell, Pure Prairie League, Guy Clark, Brandi Carlile, Tracy Chapman, Natalie Hemby, and more).  A fun and friendly band.

 Best Cellar is held on the last Friday of each month of the school year.
Admission is pay-what-you-will, with a minimum of 2 dollars. Kids are free and welcome.
Coffee, tea, and gluten free cookies are fifty cents each.
Masks are encouraged but not required.
Most often in “the cellar” of the church, with an entrance around the back side of the church.
For more information contact Mark Weiss at mjweiss@cmug.com

Chere Cliff Mark Tim Audrey

Audrey Perkins, Mark Weiss, Tim Hardin and Cliff and Chere Pereira

in a Concert to support the UUFC Democracy Action Team

Come enjoy the music of this quintet offering a concert to warm the heart, give you courage, and refresh the humor button with a wide variety of music—tunes by the likes of Stephen Foster, John Lennon, Woody Guthrie, The Youngbloods, Peter Meyer, Emmy Lou Harris and others, along with a few seriously funny zingers.

Our band is a loose, rough-cut gem that fosters and celebrates community (and keeps each other sane in these times!), reminding us of the power of coming together in song!

The Democracy Action Team at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis volunteer hours and hours of their time to hand write thousands of letters to unregistered and low-propensity voters encouraging them to participate in our democracy. Supporting this effort is a way you can participate and help by offering funds to purchase stamps and other supplies.

Music is love.  Treat your heart

We do this together.

Masks welcomed for everyone’s continued safety

7:30 Tom and Ellen Demarest

Fifty-one years, one month, and five days after Tom played the very first night of The Best Cellar, he’s back with his wife Ellen. They have great vocal harmonies to go with terrific song selection. Although they’ve played The Cellar many times in the past, it’s a treat to have them back.

8:30 Mike and Carleen McCornack
with Dale Bradley

These three absolutely delighted The Cellar audience last summer and for decades before. Here’s what some other artists have said about them:

“Beautiful melodies, great musicians, pure, heartfelt vocals all blended together into music that will leave you smiling in your heart.” -Bill Staines, singer, songwriter

“Their songs are wonderful. exquisite. I love their voices and sweet harmonies. Very expressive. -Steve Gillette, songwriter

 Best Cellar is held on the last Friday of each month of the school year.
Admission is pay-what-you-will, with a minimum of 2 dollars. Kids are free and welcome.
Coffee, tea, and gluten free cookies are fifty cents each.
Masks are encouraged but not required.
Most often in “the cellar” of the church, with an entrance around the back side of the church.
For more information contact Mark Weiss at mjweiss@cmug.com

The Neal Gladstone Birthday Celebration Concert

Join us for a celebration of Neal Gladstone’s birthday and life at the Tyee Winery.

• Bring a picnic or get food at food carts on site.
• Enjoy Tyee wine and beer – please no outside alcohol.
• Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.
• Kids welcome with supervision and ticket
• No dogs please

Proceeds benefit the Greenbelt Land Trust
Grounds open at 3pm, concert at 5pm

Rakish

In a performance that toes the line between concert music and session music, Boston-based Rakish explores tunes and songs from Irish and American folk traditions in a way that reflects their shared interest in and love for old traditional tunes and chamber music. Maura Shawn Scanlin, a two-time U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion and a winner of the Glenfiddich Fiddle Competition, wields the technical range of a classical violinist and the deep sensitivity of a traditional musician. Guitarist Conor Hearn, a native to the Irish music communities of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, performs with several traditional music bands. Rakish has taken the Celtic music scene by storm with performances at festivals across North America. This concert, co-presented by the Corvallis Folklore Society and PRAx, is a benefit for the Corvallis Celtic Festival, July 25-28.

“Naturally nimble and stylistically well-matched, with a genuinely infectious sense of delight, heart, and jubilation.”             —STRINGS MAGAZINE

Pre-concert happy hour with Celtic harp music by Laura Zaerr, 6:30 p.m.

CFS discount code: cfsceltic24

The Faux Paws

The Faux Paws have a problem. They’re a triangle band in a land of circles. Musically impossible to describe, they don’t even fit into today’s often hyphenated-genre world. No fan, industry expert, nor member of the band can seem to sum up this band’s sound in any kind of marketable way. They continue to remain a singularly unique outfit in the acoustic music community, always on the fringes, always memorable and with an increasing number of die-hard fans who feel like they’ve uncovered a secret.

Is it bluegrass? Not usually. Old-time? Occasionally. Is it Celtic? Can’t quite say that. Is it Folk? Americana? Jazz? Singer-songwriter? None of the above, but members of the Paws have deep ties to all of these traditions and blend their elements effortlessly to serve whatever musical idea is being presented.

So what can we say? This band takes risks. They’re dynamic, exciting, sincere, irreverent, infectious, and surprising. They move deftly between moods, influences and instruments but always maintaining a “groove” that pulses through the music like a heartbeat (you may not always be aware it’s there but it gives the thing life).

A Faux Paws live show is an explosive roller coaster ride that brings the audience along. Virtuosity on the fiddle, mandolin, guitar and saxophone, sure, but also vulnerability, personal lyrics, tight 3-part brother harmonies, playful interplay, intricately arranged details and soaring improvisations.

There will be snacks! Please bring camp chairs if you have any. Please park on the street unless you
a) don’t mind being parked in and
b) have mobilitylimitations.

Contra dance is returning to a regular schedule in Corvallis this fall! The dance will start at 7:00 PM with a newcomer’s lesson and community meetup, helpful for all dancers. Following the lesson will be dancing from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. No partner necessary. Dance calling and role terms will be Larks & Robins. The cost is $12 – $20 sliding scale.

Masks are required at this dance

Because of the Covid-19 situation:

All attendees must sign a waiver for the First Congregational UCC (our dance hall) before their first dance of the 2024-25 season. Please read the waiver here before you arrive in order to speed up the check-in process at the door.

Thank you for helping to keep our dance community safely dancing! For more information on attendance requirements and other precautions, please see our current COVID-19 policy here, to be further updated soon.

The Nettles

The Nettles play improvisational music based on traditional tunes. Playing hard, they’re a Celtic jam band that makes audiences move and groove. Playing soft, they’re a lyrical folk-jazz group.

The Nettles blend traditional Irish and American music with modern spices. Laura Brophy’s fiddle forms strong melodies punctuated by soaring improvisation and intertwined with Kevin Nettle’s muscular guitar. The Nettles are propelled by the purring but powerful rhythm engine of Michael Proctor on bass and Tracy Daugherty on drums.

The Nettles play for festivals, dances, bars, and weddings on the West Coast. Their music retains the vital energy of its roots, but The Nettles’ unique interpretations add to The Tradition with every performance. The Nettles joke that “We never play the same tune once.”

Kelly Tabor

Kelly Tabor is a caller and organizer from Portland, Oregon. She enjoys dances that play with elasticity of momentum and works to incorporate them at an accessible level.
dance I visit.

Emma’s Revolution
Moving Forward Concert

Known for fearless, truth-telling lyrics and melodies you can’t resist singing, Emma’s Revolution is the dynamic, award-winning activist duo of Pat Humphries & Sandy O. The duo are in their 20th year performing together. Emma’s Revolution’s songs have traveled around the world and have been sung for the Dalai Lama, praised by Pete Seeger and covered by Holly Near.

With one eye on the news, Emma’s Revolution consistently writes songs about critical issues happening in the world and enthusiastically lends their voices to the movements those issues inspire. “Our House is on Fire” was selected as the opening track for Hope Rises, a compilation CD from a national nonprofit co-founded by Noel (Paul) Stookey of Peter, Paul & Mary. “Keep on Moving Forward” opened the UN’s Committee on the Status of Women’s Bejiing+25 Conference. The song originally opened the NGO Forum of the 4th UN World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, becoming its unofficial anthem. Emma’s Revolution are winners of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize and the first Phil Ochs Award.

“Our work has always been about building connection, love and justice through song,” the duo says. “During this pandemic, we have moved much of our work online, creating opportunities for people to sing together (Zoom-style), use songwriting as a way to process emotions in an unsettled era, and attend concerts where they can have a sense of connectedness, solace and even joy in this challenging time.”

As independent artists and queer and non-conforming women, Emma’s Revolution has a national presence among communities, organizations and venues that share the duo’s vision of valuing people over profit, choosing compassion over violence, demanding accountability, and building a more just and sustainable world.

“Fervent and heartfelt” ~ The New York Times