Local five-string favorite Bill Evans brings to town two bluegrass banjo legends, Bill Keith & Alan Munde, in a special one-time-only concert featuring an incredible All Star backup band and afternoon banjo mini-camp and mandolin workshop at the Freight. Expect everything from traditional sounds to the leading edge of three-finger bluegrass playing in the banjo event of the year!

Bill Keith is the inventor of the melodic style of three-finger banjo playing, which he introduced to the public as a member of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in the 1960’s. Subsequent career credits include membership in the Jim Kweskin Jug Band (with Maria Muldaur), Muleskinner (with David Grisman, Peter Rowan & Richard Greene), Music from Mud Acres and recordings with Tony Trischka and Bela Fleck. His playing has influenced all subsequent bluegrass banjo players and this concert is his first appearance in the Bay Area in many years.

Alan Munde began his long career in bluegrass music with the 1968 recording of "Poor Richard's Almanac" featuring Sam Bush and Wayne Stewart, followed by a traditional grounding in bluegrass music as a member of IBMA Hall of Fame member Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys. In 1972, Alan joined his college picking friend Byron Berline in the forward-leaning bluegrass group Country Gazette. Alan continued as the anchor of the group for 21 years. Along the way, he recorded many highly regarded albums including "Banjo Sandwich," and the "Festival Favorites" series. His playing covers all bases, from hard-driving bluegrass to melodic-style fiddle tunes and jazz-flavored compositions.

Bill Evans is a banjo life force: celebrated as a performer, teacher, writer and composer. His book Banjo For Dummies is the best selling banjo instructional book in the world and his new CD In Good Company, featuring 26 guest musicians, is currently topping both folk and bluegrass charts internationally. Bill has performed with Dry Branch Fire Squad, The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, Peter Rowan, Tony Trischka, and Jody Stecher as well as being part of the Bay Area bands Bluegrass Intentions and Due West. Along with Jim Nunally and Chad Manning, he is part of Bangers & Grass, the bluegrass artists-in-residence at the Kensington Circus Pub.

Joining Keith, Munde & Evans will be mandolin player John Reischman (The Good Ol’ Persons, John Reischman & The Jaybirds), guitarist Jim Nunally (The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience), fiddler Chad Manning (Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands) and bass player Sharon Gilchrist (Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Band, Uncle Earl, the Kathy Kallick Band). 

Banjo mini-camp with Bill Keith, Alan Munde & Bill Evans, 1-5 pm, $90

John Reischman Mandolin workshop: Double Stops and Moveable Position Playing for Mandolin, 2-4 pm, $45

Visit Bill Keith's website

Visit Alan Munde's website

Visit Bill Evan's website

Visit John Reischman's website

Visit Chad Manning's website

Vist Jim Nunally's website

Visit Sharon Gilchrist's website

Listen tracks from Bill Keith, Alan Munde, and Bill Evans:

Jim Nunally photo by Mike Melnyk