Mark O'Connor started his musical career as a prodigy, apprenticing with folk fiddler extraordinaire Benny Thomasson and the genius of the jazz fiddle, Stéphane Grapelli, and developed into a master, composing such instant classics as "Appalachia Waltz." The New York Times has called his rise "one of the most spectacular journeys in recent American music," and the Los Angeles Times has described him as "one of the most talented and imaginative artists working in music–­any music–­ today."
 
He comes to the Freight with his wife Maggie, to play songs that he's identified as American classics, what he calls "the cornerstones of repertoire, style, and wonderful diversity of a new American school of string playing." From "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" to "La Bamba," from Stephen Foster to George Gershwin, the songs that Mark has selected, ­ and in some cases composed, represent four major traditional styles–­hoedown, blues, spiritual, and ragtime–that provide the foundation of our musical language. "Western European classical masterpieces are meant to be replicated," Mark writes on his blog, while "American musical pieces are intended to be recreated again and again. There is no better musical path through which a musician can learn creativity."

Mark has won two Grammy awards, seven national fiddle titles, two national guitar titles, one world mandolin title, and six Musician of the Year awards from the Country Music Association. He has played on more than 500 albums,
recording with Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Dolly Parton, not to mention his sensational collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Bela Fleck, and Edgar Meyer. Maggie O'Connor earned a Masters of Music from the Peabody Institute of The John Hopkins University, where she studied with the renowned violinist Herbert Greenberg, and has appeared as a guest soloist with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and the Santa Rosa Symphony, as well as playing with her family band True Dixon, her bluegrass trio Ra Tomatoes, and the rock group The Radio Birds.

Dirty Cello, based in San Francisco, delivers cello like you’ve never heard before! “Dirty Cello’s music is all over the map,” says Oakland Magazine, “funky, carnival, romantic, sexy, tangled, electric, fiercely rhythmic and textured, and only occasionally classical.” Tonight’s show, featuring Rebecca Roudman on cello and Jason Eckl on guitar, will focus on American roots music as well as some originals. The band has released three albums – Playing Dirty in 2013, Down and Dirty in 2014, and Dirty Cello Live in 2015 – and has won the American River Music Festival Songwriter Showcase. Their high energy performances have wowed audiences around the country and in Europe and China. “Dirty Cello is an opportunity for us to explore an eclectic mix of all the different types of music we love, from blues to rock to gypsy jazz, and everything in between," Rebecca says.

visit Mark O'Connor's website

visit Dirty Cello's website