Steep Ravine's soulful sound takes roots music in compelling new directions. Fusing elements of bluegrass, folk-rock,and jazz, the band continues to enthrall audiences with their uniquely Californian sound. Songwriter Simon Linsteadt (guitar, lead vocals) and Jan Purat (violin, vocals) began playing music together in high school in Northern California, later moving on to study music at UC Santa Cruz and the California Jazz Conservatory. They fortuitously met bassist Alex Bice (bass, vocals) through jam sessions in Santa Cruz. Percussionist Jeff Wilson, a close musical compadre, is the band’s most recent addition. Steep Ravine has toured extensively throughout the country and has released two full-length records of all original material.
High Country's album, The Earthquake (Strictly Country), firmly reinforced its status as California's premier band in the Bill Monroe and Stanley Brothers tradition, and they recently followed it up with a new CD, Perfect Companions. Dubbed "One of the lonesomest, hard-drivingest traditional bluegrass bands alive" by Bluegrass Unlimited, High Country offers driving rhythms, deft picking, and soulful singing with a vital mix of powerful originals and standards, from blues to breakdowns to gospels sung in close harmony. Led by Butch Waller, the band also features Larry Cohea on banjo, bassist Glenn Dauphin, fiddler Tom Bekeny, Bob Waller on guitar, and Jim Mintun on dobro.
Chad and Catherine Manning, along with their gang of Manning Music teachers Robin Fischer, Savannah Tuma, Sharon Gilchrist, Amy Scher, Rowan McCallister, Skyler Tuma Miles Quale, Sterling Tuma, Jim Nunally, and Mike Witcher, are happy to present their students today, some as young as 3 years old, playing some classic bluegrass hits.
Blue Summit started in the summer of 2015 when a few bluegrass festivals brought together five young but seasoned musicians. Featuring AJ Lee, Sully Tuttle, Jesse Fichman, Sam Kemiji, and Isaac Cornelius, they’re all firmly rooted in traditional music, but are more than willing to explore new ideas. Their repertoire includes primarily Bluegrass, Folk, Western Swing, Old Timey, and originals, with a few contemporary songs.