Woody Simmons

www.woodysimmons.com

In 2000, Woody released 'BanjoRama' a collection of banjo instrumentals recorded over a period of 23 years. [Deep River DR1111 (2000)I love the banjo for the same reason I like so many things - it's not obviously cool. No, I feel that playing the banjo must be like being part of a religious order; a calling. No one would suffer the slings and arrows of Deliverance and "Hee Haw" references if they had another choice. Even in a world of oddballs, Simmons is odder still as she plays a much quirkier brand of banjo than I've heard before. You can hear the same stuff you hear in a lot of banjo music - bluegrass, the mountains - but there's also as much Ravi Shankar, symphony orchestra, and Ornette Coleman. Her songs are adventurous, meditative, and best of all, original. With a judicious use of accompaniment, Simmons allows her banjo to hog the spotlight, her fingers flying with the wild abandon of a woman possessed. (JB)Dirty Linen issue #97 Dec-Jan 2002 

Blame Sally's

Pam N Jeri  www.blamesally.com

SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL  

Friday January 11, 2008

San Francisco folk sirens Blame Sally have had enough of all that lying and BS'ing--whether it's coming from a no-good lover or the Commander in Chief. The four-piece effortlessly goes from spunky kiss-offs that bring to mind Lucinda Williams at her most decisive to political barnstormers that come off more as lyrical smackdowns than folkie polemics. The band's spirited, take-no-prisoners attitude is a welcome contrast to traditional folkie navel-gazing, and the band has the songs, chops and pipes to back up their tough-talking, clear-minded folk rock.

Out on a Clef

www.outonaclef.com

"What a delightful union of music and intention with pzzazz. Out On A Clef is a warm and entertaining group of women singing their hearts out!"
MargieAdam

Singer/Songwriter

  Out On A Clef is a San Francisco Bay Area lesbian vocal quartet that has been entertaining Northern California audiences since 1997 with a variety of styles including swing, barbershop, and jazz. Savvy baby boomers with attitude, they are known for a blend of polished, tight harmonies performed in a unique and whimsical way. They often "de-range" their original and standard tunes, with humorous and twisted lyrics that poke fun at convention and at themselves, as well as conveying socially progressive messages. The group has a commitment to contribute to such community efforts as raising funds for AIDS services, assisting women with cancer, and in demonstrating validation and pride for people of all sexual identities.
 

Druid Sisters Tea Party

http://www.myspace.com/druidsisters

Press Quotes;
  "A festive blend of haunting vocals and bone shaking rhythms."   "Jig til you drop"Monster drummin, Driving Feels, Absolutely killer". Beyond Chron, San Francisco, CA    

Radio Quotes:  "A tribal journey to celtic lands Where mystic druids of old dance with witches."
 "Druid Sisters evoke ritual dancing with spell binding vocals, very compelling." S. Brown, Celtic Quilt, KRVM            

"No shrinking violets. The Druid Sisters tea Party pours fourth a mighty stream of Mid-EasternCeltoFunky, tunefully trancy Toetappers. Bewitching in basic Black & BlingBling, these girls go Ovaries Out to get the croud up and dancing.

Latenight Liz, KMFB, Mendocino, CA

Mel Watson &

Jen Todd

www.100thmonkeyrecords.com

In all my decades in the music biz, I have not witnessed anyone who lives, sleeps and breathes music anymore than her."   Don Bird  Artistic & Creative director/ Producer/ Production Manager.  

 Mel Watson is the winner of 19 Australian Music Awards'Most Outstanding Instrumentalist'. for creative achievement in and around the highly acclaimed band Fruit.

Continuing on from Fruit's success, Mel is one of the most creative and innovative independent artists to come out of Australia. As a trail-blazer, Mel is unique and exciting, crossing genre's and uniting new ideas with a fresh approach.
 

A multi instrumentalist, Mel sings, plays guitar, trumpet, saxophone, flute, tenor horn, bass guitar, percussion and anything she lays her hands on.
 

She has played with artists such as Michael Frante, ISSA (Jane Siberry),  Catie Curtis, Erin McKeown, Bruce Cockburn, The Neville Brothers and Tommy Emmanuel, to name a few.
 

Mel has been a part of over 15 independent releases including 3 solo albums.
 'Seed' is her latest and most ambitious release. Recorded in her home studio in Seattle, Washington, this self-produced/ self engineered album marks the beginning of a new and exciting era for Mel, who continually expands her musical awareness and abilities.

Laura Love

 www.myspace.com

/LauraLoveMusicOfficialSite

An American Original

by Pamela Dore-follow the link; http://www.seattle

womanmagazine.com

/articles/sep07-1.htm
 
It's Laura Love's genre

'NeGrass' is foray into African-Americana
 BILL CRAIG

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

-InRich.com
 Over the last decade or so, Americana, the expansive roots-music umbrella that includes country, bluegrass, folk and blues, has earned a place on the list of mainstream music genres. If singer-songwriter Laura Love has her way, we'll soon be adding another category to the list: African-Americana.
"Country music and American blues are African-American creations," Love said over the phone from her Seattle home. "What's gone on with bluegrass music has been very heavily influenced by African-American music. I wish people understood that bluegrass is really a music that is representative of both white and black cultures."

Love's initial contribution to the field is "NeGrass," the latest entry on her 10-album discography.

A collection of original and traditional field hollers, Negro spirituals, slave songs and folk songs, "NeGrass" ("A black woman singing bluegrass -- what else could I call it?") is described by Love as a bit of her own history.

Love hopes to share her music with increasingly diverse audiences.

"I often find myself being the only fly in the buttermilk," she said. "While I embrace the audience whoever they may be, I yearn for black people to come back to this acoustic music, because the music was mostly ours to begin with. . . . I wish more black people would attend, and I definitely wish more black people would create this music.   "A lot of black people think it's not cool to like that kind of music, but it's gorgeous music, soulful music. I wish there was not so much a reclaiming of it as more a re-embracing of acoustic music among black people.
 

'I really think the time is coming. I'm running into a few black people now who are doing things similar to what I'm doing, and it's kind of heartening to see that."

 

 
Rose Street Productions Presents

the Northern California Women's Music Festival

Save the dates! August 22, 23, 24th 2008. This, the 4th year, promises to be the best year yet. Our core team is really shining and full of energy to do it again. Ask anyone who has gone before; sleeping under the stars with your sisters, the Oak trees, a full belly and a wonderful nights entertainment is just the way to unplug from our weary world for a peaceful weekend. I am beginning to recognize faces every year! These women love their little festival and keep on coming back. Why? The Food! The Music! The Crafts! The Workshops! The spirit of comeradarie! The Big sky. They come just to relax and fill themselves up. Even though festival costs have gone UP for production; Ticket Prices remain the same as last year and are still all-inclusive!

Tickets for the 2008 Festival-

Full Festival Pass (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)

2-day Festival Pass (Saturday &Sunday)

Private TIPI for you and your friends(limited quantity-reserved only)

Tickets include :

• Parking
• Tent Camping (BYOT) except Saturday passes
• All Fabulous Meals
  
• Performances
• Workshops
• Full use of facilities (showers too).  

Gates Open at 12noon on Friday and close at 2pm on Sunday.
 

Checks payable to:
Rose Street Productions (NOT NCWMF!)

PO Box 950 Mendocino CA 95460
 
please include contact phone number  

  to see some nice photos and story from last years archives, check out this fabulous website:

http://www.westcoastwomensmusic.com/

why not email this page to a friend? See the link atop this page and send it to your sisters!

Leilani Birely

  www.daughters

ofthegoddess.com

 Hawaiian Priestess and ceremonialist brings ancient

 Hawaiian healing and Goddess wisdom to the community.

Duval Speck

www.duvalspeck.com

"What could possibly be better that a vocal harmonist who can stretch the musical horizons of folk, rock, blues, and Broadway? How about two vocal harmonists? Linda Duval and Cathy Speck are the irresistible sounds of Duval Speck, a duo that specializes in nearly everything...and then some."

Weekend Newsmagazine

TerriAnne Gutierrez & Susu Pampanin

 www.terrianneandjoweh.com

TerriAnne Gutierrez, a lifelong student of dance, has been

studying and performing Middle Eastern Dance for over thirty years.

TerriAnne is one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most well-known and

sought after performers and teachers. She specializes in Modern

Egyptian and American Cabaret, with stylistic influences from some of the

forerunners of Egyptian Dance, including the great classic performers Samia Gamal and Tahia Karioca.

Martine Locke

www.martinelocke.com

"Aussie singer-songwriter Martine Locke was a co-founder of the acoustic duo The Velvet Janes, which she founded in 1996. After releasing four Janes albums on her label, Passionfruit Produce, Locke went solo. This year sees the release of her third alum, On the Verge. While Locke garners unsurprising comparisons to Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls (simply for being a guitar-wielding, folk song-singing female), On the Verge is evidence that she is not the next anyone. She's the only Martine Locke. Her guitar strumming is smooth one minute and fierce the next, and her lyrics range from unrequited love songs to the state of the nation. And with the folk worlds ubiquitous Julie Wolf (DiFranco's former bandmate) on keyboard, the new album from Locke is on the verge of greatness."

Pink Magazine March 2006

Linda Rose Stonestreet

www.myspace.com/lindarosestonestreet

Linda Stonestreet brings to the stage her genuine love of music. One can tell she just loves to perform, whether for a few folks around the campfire, or a full house. Her songs weave a brilliant web of life stories of love and loss. Her warmth of personality shines through to every audience I have seen her perform for. Whether she is crafting a tune about her childhood experiences or love's web. I always dig that she looks at life with an eye to nature, like one of my all time favorites, TUMBLEWEED DANCER. Her alto vocals and guitar work lean towards the sounds of the West. She always brings a gentleness to her lyrics. She has a smile and laugh that light up any stage.  

Teresa Reynolds

Face the Music

KZFR FM 90.1

Also on stage but not room to fit them in here are Mendocino County's Drag show, the Rhythm Kings, and from Chico, Native american flute player; Sirena , and Carrie Gerendasy