Ya can't tell the players without a programme

Yes, there's an almost ten year gap in the postings. Most of the early stuff continued on through about 2015 when I moved to Eugene. Of the below listings Keltocalypse, River Rocks and occasionally Gumbo continue to this day. Also (obviously) during that time period, Covid, plus increasing extortion actions by ASCAP/BMI/Secam have killed over half the small music venues we would inhabit.

Anyway

Here's a list of all the various musical groups I get/got to play with, at least occasionally. We'll try to keep this post toward the top where people can see it.  This should help folks figure out which events in the schedule provide a good match for their musical tastes

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[Edit:2023] In-between edits yet another band has come and gone:  A blues band called  

DogGoneBoyz was formed out of the weekly jam session at Whirled Pies pizza (downtown Eugene) and played oldies and Blues numbers at local events. It folded when the singer/rhythm guitarist left for Maine. Sounded pretty good for it's two year life, and was a great opportunity to build/learn new instruments:

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Gumbo: 30's-40's Swing, Americana - etc.

Gumbo @ Imagine, late 2012:  Barb Barry-Doyle, Sid Beam, Joe Casprowiak, sometimes Michael Everett.

Featuring tunes from Sid Beam, many of which evoke Swing and Southern Americana numbers from the 1920's through the early 50's and covers from that and other similar periods; Acoustic performances with emphasis on vocal harmony.  Originally Sid (Guitar and lead vocal) and Joe (Clarinet, Flute, Banjo and backing vocal) playing the Corvallis Saturday Market starting mid-2005. Later: Barb Barry-Doyle on acoustic bass and vocals and Michael various Fiddle-like instruments and backing vocal (he started showing up in mid 2007 and wouldn't go away.) 

2014 at OldeWorld Deli ... every week!

Gumbo plays several Saturday Market gigs a year and various benefit, party and coffee house acoustic performances.  There was a more 'electric' version of the Gumbo band, which in addition to Sid and Joe included David Fournier on electric bass and vocals and Dave Feinberg on electric piano and tended to play at more concert or event oriented venues, though less frequently during the last several years.

More: Gumbo at the Market.
   
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River Rocks: Laurie and Mina's Folk/Folk-Rock group

New photo:

The 2023 iteration of RRox.

Laurie Childers on Keyboard, Rhythm Guitar and lead vocals, the amazing Bill Veley on Bass,  Michael Everett on Fiddle and backing vocal, Joe Casprowiak on guitar, flute and lead/backing vocal. Tracy Daugherty on drums.

If you look closely in the photo our folk roots are showing.  Many tunes are by Laurie or Mina (Carson, former member), the group also ventures into covers of folk-rock songs and even swing numbers.

Old photo:  

Mina Carson lower right, others as above.

Fun times. Web: LaurieChilders/RiverRocks

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Formerly known as Hazel's Parlor: If you take the hottest Celtic fiddle players in the area and add in some of the better accompaniment available and the occasional singer or flute/whistle player, you can have a high energy show. Considerably more-so than you expect when you hear the word 'Celtic.'
Mostly instrumental, these folks can keep your toes tapping for hours.

New Photo:

XMas gig 2022

Old Photo: 

ca. 2014

Note many of these folks have wandered off to new ventures and newer members are being incorporated, mostly from the weekly Sunday 2:00 jam at the Old World Deli. We'll get a picture here someday...

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The bands below are ones I play(ed) out with frequently, sometimes in gigs, mostly in public jams. They sometimes show up in my schedule even though I may not be an 'official' member. I've played out with some of these folks over a hundred times.  Good stuff!
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Wild Hog in the Woods:  Totally Kickin' String Band

John Donahue, John Simonds, Hershel Olmsted, Sid Beam. Some other guy shows up occasionally. 

Just about the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Great fun to play with. Second (mostly) Thursdays at the OWD. Worth the trip.
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Corvallis Celtic Session / Rusty Strings & friends: Celtic, Cape Breton and some Old-Timey tunes

Shown:  Corvallis Celtic Session 2007 (R)  - and -  Rusty Strings and friends (L)

There are a lot of common members between these groups though they have different beginnings.
CCS started around 2005 at Browser's book store but quickly outgrew that and moved to Sunny-side Up Cafe. It was there most of five years except a year over at the Old Worlde Deli. Currently Sundays at the Old World Deli 2:PM-4

Edit: Rusty Strings now completely defunct.

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DE-FUNKT: Bands that are not playn'together much anymore

Unnecessary Violinse: Acoustic or Electric Dualing Violins, Violas. Guitar. Mostly Celtic & FolkRock

Michael Everett (Fiddle, 5-string Baritone Fiddle [pictured], Vocals) and Mina Carson (Electric or Acoustic Fiddles and Guitar, Vocals)

OK so we like the nearly identical fiddles and fanny packs look. Twins of different mothers. Really REALLY different mothers. Will play almost anything tuneful, think mid-1600's and later, possibly .much. later.

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Sam Holmes Rotating Genre Bar Band: Many Styles of Acoustic Jam

Shown: PrarieDog Backfire Countrygrass band   - and -  SplitString Experience Bluegrass band

The rotating host/genre happenings, loosely directed by Sam Holmes (Guitarist, center above) had a monthly rotation on Mondays at Squirrels in Corvallis during the winter, spring and early summer.  The weeks were originally dubbed CountryGrass, SwingGrass, Bluegrass, and Deadgrass (early Grateful Dead tunes).  The two bands above host the first and third weeks and Swing Group "FrimFram" is 'it' on the second week. Sam generally runs the remaining week(s). The host group will play the first set, frequently with a few hangers-on (like me) and it will evolve into a more general jam most nights after that. DeadGrass is starting to have a life of it's own, see below. I got integrated into several of the groups as player(s) would become necessary for gigs. On the road even. None of these crews are still together to me (admittedly incomplete) knowledge.
The biggest and most difficult thing I learned from hangin'with all these folks is when they (and especially Sam) would expect me to take a solo turn in the middle of a tune I'd never heard before. Like out in public in front of everyone. In realtime. No practice.
This, with many failures along the way, was probably the cause of more rapid musical advancement in a short time period than anything I've done. Nothing that happens on stage since then bothers me much.
This all started in 2008 as a more general folk-ish jam at Block15 brewpub, but outgrew that location after the first year. It ran through roughly 2011 (2012?).

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Mill About Smartly:  Sea Shanties, Irish bar songs.

M.A.S.@ Block 15, St.Paddys Day 2011:  Kirsten Winters, Steve Wojcikicwicz, Michael Everett, Laureen Urey.

Originally formed by Steve and Michael after they met at the Corvallis Celtic Session not long after Steve moved to town in mid 2007 to play "Songs of Ireland, Beer and the Sea" at various local venues. Practice sessions were frequently out at the Saturday Market, where several months later they met up with local punk drummer and band front-man Dustin Herron. The band took on an up tempo punkish edge, opening for several punk bands at Fox & Firkin and played several other local gigs over the next two years, culminating as the headline performers at Blocktoberfest fall 2009 in front of well over 1000 yelling dancing (and somewhat drunk) fans. That really was fun, but we decided to take it back to it's quieter roots and Dustin moved on to his new punk band "Abolishionist."
In 2011 the band was fortunate to add Kirsten on accordion and vocals, she really adds something to the sound.  There's also Laureen on Bodhran and vocals. Laureen is only available occasionally but we really like it when she can sit in   The old Website     The new Website
Aug 2013: after seven years together we dis-banded as Steve moved off to a new job in Washington D.C. It really was a fun time right up to the last show/party and grand good-bye at LesCaves.

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Ship of Fools: Also known as DeadGrass

OK, mostly dead, although Sam Holmes continues solo gigs of his own material.

This started as a jam session at Squirrel's, then a core group started practicing together on a semi-regular basis and it all congealed into something resembling a band that actually gigs out occasionally.  Mostly early Grateful Dead tunes done in an acoustic bluegrass style (as early G.D. tunes frequently were) with a smattering of other covers from the same period.  In addition to the usual Guitar drums and bass the interesting additions are Banjo, Piano and a great classically trained cellist. I get to add bits of fiddling onto the mix on occasion.
The video is not great (audio ok-ish) but here we are at the last Cloud & Kelly's gig:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk3v3WFUMRc 

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5:AM String Quartet: or 5:AM String Ensemble or whatever

Just to let you in on the inside joke: 5AM and SAM do look kinda similar, and since this is Sam Holmes' band, the name starts to make some sort of sense. It's not because we practice real early in the morning I azure you.
Most of the tunes are Sam Holmes originals. Mostly from the Possum Pie period and later. A few similar covers fill out the playlist. Sam Holmes on acoustic guitar and vocals, Kristin Latham on bass, Keith Scofield on cello and I get to add bits of fiddling onto the mix. Think Folk-Rock band that happens to feature a cellist and you'll be pretty close.

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 Mike&Mic&Mike: Acoustic Blues and McLaren Originals

Mike McLaren (Guitars, Concert Kazoo, Lead Vocal) and Mike Everett (Mandolins, Fiddle)

The Mikes got together as a result of McLaren's music teaching business and invited the other Mike out to his Acoustic Blues gigs and it's stuck together pretty good for a couple years. Most tunes are McLaren blues originals with a few covers thrown in. Enthusiastic showmanship and occasional silliness are key parts of the fun. Doesn't appear this way very often any more, but various other combinations happen from time to time
Edit: McLaren moved off to Colorado. Any escape is good!

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