River of Song – A Musical Celebration of California’s Life-Giving Waters

Not only has the International Bluegrass Music Association twice named Laurie Lewis the Female Vocalist of the Year – not only did she win a Grammy for her contribution to True Life Blues: the Songs of Bill Monroe – but she also graduated from Berkeley High. Since graduation, she’s recorded more than 20 albums – with the Good Ol’ Persons, Grant Street, Kathy Kallick, and her current band Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, as well as several solo projects – and is now working with many talented new artists, helping them find their way in the recording business.

Tom, a native New Englander, first joined forces with Laurie in 1986 as an original member of Grant Street, and may well be the rightest of all the Right Hands. He and Laurie collaborated on a beautiful, Grammy-nominated album of duets, The Oak and the Laurel, and he also has released a wonderful solo album, Jubilee, recorded with an all-star cast of musicians including Laurie, Mike Marshall, Herb Pederson, and Darol Anger.

Berkeley’s Barbara Higbie is a master of piano and violin who combines technical brilliance with the pure joy of playing. Her unique compositions weave together elements of jazz, folk, and classical with the music of Ghana and Brazil. Oh, and she also sings like a dream. She has been nominated for a Grammy award, won Bammy awards, performed on more than 65 albums, including one with Santana, one with Linda Tillery and Laurie Lewis, and three with Montreux, the band she co-founded with Darol Anger.

Her latest album, Scenes From Life, is an all-instrumental collection featuring 13 new originals, that Singout! calls “highly recommended” and critic Andrew Gilbert describes as “gorgeously cinematic.” In the words of the Los Angeles Times, Barbara is a “jolt of bright sunlight” – and everyone in the audience feels her warmth.

The T Sisters, born and raised in California and now based in the creative hub of Oakland, embody harmony. It’s in their blood, bones, and history. Erika, Rachel and Chloe have been singing and writing music together since childhood, and the lifetime of practice shows.

The three sisters’ inventive songwriting is supported by their own acoustic instrumentation as well as upright bass (Steve Height), mandolin/guitar (Andrew Allen Fahlander), and drums (Marlon Aldana). Their sound represents a continuum of music, from traditional to pop influences, moments of breathtaking a cappella to swells of energetic indie Americana.

Bridging the past and the future of the Bay Area’s roots music scene, this show features Thompsonia – Eric & Suzy Thompson (Any Old Time, Black Mountain Boys, Blue Flame String Band, Texas Sheiks, California Cajun Orchestra, etc. etc.) have joined forces with their daughter, Allegra (Midnite Ramblers, Wendy Burch Steele Band, Drifter Sisters) and are releasing a CD that’s different from Eric & Suzy’s other recordings – Thompsonia is an entertaining mix of originals, rockabilly, and hokum blues, featuring the genetically matched voices of the mother-daughter team of Suzy and Allegra. Produced by Jody Stecher, Thompsonia is already garnering praise from the likes of Prairie Home Companion star Joe Newberry, who says “Thompsonia makes the listener feel like the guest of honor at a party. The varied program highlights favorite after favorite, including the Hugh Moffat love song “Rose of My Heart,” the Suzy Thompson-penned “Forrest Rag,” the romantic rockabilly “I’ve Got a Bead on You Baby,” and Suzy Thompson’s “Very Bad Mood,” which puts the listener in exactly the opposite frame of mind.”

Jenner was born in the San Francisco Bay Area. The son of two river guides, he spends his summers guiding boats down rivers in California, Oregon, and internationally, and the rest of his time writing, recording and touring his music.

“Introducing Jenner Fox, who combines the lyricism of Joni Mitchell and the commentary of Neil Young to represent the next generation of singer songwriters. Jenner’s lyrics spin captivating stories of life on the road and the American dream. He questions life, love, longing and leaving from new angles yet situations we’ve all experienced. Jenner’s writing reminds us of a TS Elliot poem in it’s depth of meaning and his musical delivery ranges from soft spoken to full blown passion at its peak. We expect to see Jenner emerge as a standout talent of his generation.” -Cookie Marenco, Grammy Nominated Founder, Producer, & Engineer of Blue Coast Records.