Calendar

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.wherever they play.

Lynn Ackerson calling

Lynn’s huge collection of dances (including over 800 contras) keeps growing as she tries to keep the dancing fresh and interesting even for long-time dancers. This Spring, she’ll be calling at two weekend camps in the Bay Area (Monte Toyon and Balance the Bay), a festival (NEFFA) and various dances in New England, along with various west coast dances. In the summer, she’s on staff at two weeklong camps for the very first time: Folklore week at Mendocino, and American Dance and Music Week at Pinewoods. Even while all of these events are going on, she finds time to attend other dance weekends as “just a dancer” to keep remembering the joy that is found in the dancing and the music.

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)

Pre-Dance Potluck at 6:00 p.m.

Hosts: April & Craig Hall Cutting, 1975 SE Crystal Lake Dr #192, Corvallis (in CoHo Ecovillage); 541-754-7040.

Directions: Drive south on SW 4th St, which turns into SW 3rd ST/Hwy 99 W; turn left onto Crystal Lake Dr. Drive less than ½ a mile then turn left into the CoHo Ecovillage parking lot, just past the Crystal Lake Cemetery. Park in the lot, walk back to Crystal Lake Dr. and then to the second building, Unit 192. Look for the twinkle lights!

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

Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go round the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Bring your own instrument, borrow one, or just sing.

Katie McNally

Described by The Living Tradition as “the new face of Scottish fiddling in the USA”, Katie McNally grew up steeped in the vibrant Scottish and Cape Breton music community in Boston and is the 2009 New England Scottish Fiddle Champion. She was a student of Hanneke Cassel and has performed at venues such as the Newport Folk Festival, The Freight and Salvage, Wolf Trap, Symphony Space, Benaroya Hall, and various folk venues throughout the country. Katie performs regularly with all-female Celtic band Long Time Courting, has been a member of the New England fiddle supergroup Childsplay since 2009, and joined world-renowned Galician bagpiper Carlos Núñez on his tour of North America in 2012. Featured on the cover of Fiddler Magazine’s Winter 2014 issue,Katie is in high demand across the country as a performer, fiddle teacher, and dance musician.

In her second tour of the Pacific Northwest, Katie will be teaming up with two  innovative performers in acoustic music in the US, genre-bending pianist Neil Pearlman and Madison-based violist Shauncey Ali. Katie’s evocative and melodic playing combined with Shauncey’s powerful harmonies and counterpoint—all anchored by Neil’s rhythmically driving piano accompaniment—creates a uniquely arresting take on traditional music.

This is a 50-seat intimate acoustic venue, so the concert will likely sell out.  Buy your tickets in advance at tickettomato.com.

Join Boston-based fiddler Katie McNally for an evening of bold and exquisite tunes bursting from the Scottish and Cape Breton traditions.

First and Third Sundays

The first Sunday of the month will be dedicated to Balkan dances and the third to Israeli.

The Euphemists

Dave Goldman — piano
Alan Snyder — fiddle
Paula Hamlin — winds
Kaye Blesener — trombone
Jerry Nelson — guitarpercussion

Enjoy contradancing but miss that Big Band sound? Then you’ll love the Euphemists, a band whose motto is “All fiddle tunes get better with horn riffs!” Over the past few years, various pairings of these Portland musicians have said, “We should form a band!” Finally, inspired by the recent immigration of fiddler Alan Snyder from warmer climes, The Euphemists congealed in 2011. The band features a brass front line of Paula Hamlin, Kaye Blesener, and Jerry Nelson, while Jerry’s several guitars share backup rhythmic duties with the keyboard of Dave Goldman.

Eric Curl calling

Eric started calling in 1996 and called in California and Colorado before moving Seattle in 2006. A mechanical engineer working for Boeing, he now enjoys calling in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia on a semi-regular basis. In his spare time, he likes to hike, snowshoe, camp, visit friends and family, play music, and of course, dance and call.

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)

Potluck: There is usually a pre-dance potluck

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

7:30 James Wilson

I’m very happy to say that I am a member of SACtown’s Whiskey and Stitches and that we have been awarded a 2012 SAMMIES Award to go along with our 2011 SAMMIES Award! That and a weekend playing at the KVMR Celtic Festival in Grass Valley, rubbing elbows with the likes of the Young Dubliners, Old Blind Dogs, Molly’s Revenge, Bricktop Blaggards, Wake the Dead, and others have made this one of my best musical years ever. play mandolin, whistle, tenor banjo, melodeon in Whiskey and Stitches and mostly mandolin with Stout Rebellion – two of Sacramento’s finer Irish bands. Both regularly gig around the SACtown area and beyond. I came to Sacramento from Corvallis, Oregon where I played in folk-punk group Poitin and Stout – great experience and a fine group of lads. I occasionally get to return there and play some solo instrumentals for folks who appreciate it. Other than that, I spent a lot of years driving and working, driving and working in Southern California. My parents came to the United States from Ireland via England and Canada. Mom had a pretty good voice and Dad played melodeon and harmonica. Music was always around the house. I’m one of those Irish-Americans who was lucky enough to venture overseas when I was younger to meet the aunts, uncles, and cousins. Those are irreplaceable memories. I LOVE instrumental music and feel lucky to have connected with some many fine musical folks in my middle age. Get out and support live music!

8:30 Tom and Ellen Demarest

Tom Demarest was one of the founders of the Best Cellar and played at the first one, more than 40 years ago.  He and Ellen have been playing together in Corvallis for decades, and are perennial favorites with their original songs and great covers.

Warning: Different venue: The Chintimini Senior Center

Band:

George Penk — fiddle
Heather Pinney — piano
Deborah Lindsay — percussion

George Penk is a well-known fiddle player across the USA, especially in the Pacific Northwest. He lives in Portland where he currently plays with the bands Joyride and Jigsaw. George collaborates with many musicians in various musical adventures, including being part of the Portland Collection project through his playing on the Portland Selection CD’s. His spirited and rich fiddle style is a delight to listen to. George is widely appreciated as a consummate dance fiddler working with callers to make sure the music is in-tune with the spirit of the dances. The Penk, Pinney, Lindsay trio, which includes Heather Pinney on piano and fiddle (also a member of Jigsaw) and Deborah Lindsay (from Corvallis) on percussion, works most often with the caller Erik Weberg, who also lends his expertise on wind instruments to the tune medleys.

Erik Weberg

Erik has been calling contra dances and English Country dances for over twenty years. He has called local dances, festivals and weekends in many parts of the USA and Canada and has developed a style and repertoire that dancers enjoy very much. Erik lives in Portland, Oregon where he is active in the music and dance scene and is co-organizer of the annual Portland Megaband contra dance.

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)

Potluck: No pre-dance potluck this week

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

First and Third Sundays

The first Sunday of the month will be dedicated to Balkan dances and the third to Israeli.

MUSIC by Nor’Easter and KGB.
CALLERS: Jeremy Korr and Susan Petrick.
THEME: Alice In Wonderland; Through the Looking Glass.

Costumes welcome for Saturday night dance.

Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go round the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Bring your own instrument, borrow one, or just sing.

Tunestruck

Gordy Euler – fiddle & whistle;
Karen Iglitzin – fiddle;
Lori Shaffer – fiddle;
Sue Songer – Piano;
A great combination of some of our favorite Portland musicians, Tunestruck lives up to its name.

Rich Goss

Rich was introduced to contra dancing in 1990 in Austin, Texas and was immediately hooked. He began calling dances in 1992. He has a feel for what makes a dance fun, and a concise teaching style that makes contra dancing seem easy. Now transplanted to the west coast, Rich is living in Portland, Oregon, calling and dancing in the Pacific Northwest. A dance gypsy his whole dancing life, he has collected many interesting and fun dances in addition to composing a few dances of his own.

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)

*Potluck at 6 pm: Ginnie & Paul, 3138 SE Hathaway Drive; Phone: 541-913-5538

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

First and Third Sundays

The first Sunday of the month will be dedicated to Balkan dances and the third to Israeli.

7:30 Jeff Hino
8:30 Dave Plaehn 

Dave Plaehn and Jeff Hino are the Corvallis Blues Brothers, and tonight they each get independent billing for their solo acts, though I’ll bet there will be some duets involved.  Guests will include Deborah and Creighton Lindsay, Pete Kozak, and DeLynn Anderson.

Dave Plaehn & Jeff Hino have been performing their own distinct blend of acoustic blues, folk, and original material since 1990. Plaehn and Hino explore the uncluttered powerful interplay of blues harmonica, National steel guitar, and vocals in the tradition of the great country bluesmen like Robert Johnson, Elmore James, and Bukka White.

“It’s a nice reminder that not all the talented musicians in this state are based in the city at the terminus of the Willamette River. This is roots music at its finest played by craftsmen in the deepest sense. This is a duo that has a lot to say and the skills to back those voices, too.”

 Greg Johnson, President,
Cascades Blues Association

“Two talented blues musicians who offer a fresh and diverse array of original and traditional acoustic based compositions. Treat you ears to a real pleasing performance.”

 Rod Downing, President,
Washington Blues Society

Workshop  from 1pm to 4pm

Party  from 7pm to midnight

$10 admission to party includes workshop admission.