The Northern California Bluegrass Society is a California Not-For-Profit Corporation with Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) status that is also known as the Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society. The NCBS/SCBS Tax ID No. is 94-2907716.
Mail-In Donations: NCBS/SCBS, PO Box 390846, Mountain View, CA 94039-0846.
Peninsula Bluegrass will present the Kathy Kallick Band and The Gryphon Trio in concert on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at the Palo Alto Unitarian Universalist Church. The concert is sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.
The KKB will debut its new album. Many of the volunteers involved in this event previously helped with the now-dissolved Redwood Bluegrass Associates.
The Brookdale Bluegrass Festival presented by the Brookdale Lodge and booked by Eric Burman, is set for March 15-17, 2024 at the Brookdale Lodge. NCBS has welcomed this event since 2000.
Walker Creek Music Camp, which takes place in the rolling hills of Marin County each spring and fall, is transitioning to a new ownership and leadership team. The Northern California Bluegrass Society’s Walker Creek Music Camp Scholarship Fund will continue to support some of the camp’s students.
The camp reopened last year after a three-year Covid induced slumber. We’re delighted to have this camp back on its feet and want to share the news that it is now under new leadership. Ingrid Noyes, creator and longtime director of this camp, and before it, the CBA Music Camp, has decided that it’s time for a new chapter in her life.
With the completion of last year’s spring camp, Ingrid counted 30 music camps she has directed, starting with the first CBA music camp in 2001. She is now looking forward to having more time to play music, do more teaching, and make space in her life for other things to happen. She will stay involved with WCMC as needed and attend the Spring ’24 camp to help ensure all campers are “happy campers”, as she’s always done.
Ingrid is turning the camp reins over to Michael Bryant who has been on staff as a very popular jam leader, teacher’s assistant, and webmaster. He recently stepped in to replace assistant director Kristell Moller, who tragically passed away in 2021.
Michael Bryant is a modern-day Renaissance man with deep roots in the West Marin County community having been the chef/proprietor of well-known restaurant, Barnaby’s by the Bay in Inverness, CA between 1985 – 2005. He has been a multimedia developer, technical writer for IDG’s “For Dummies” book series and currently operates New Skye Hosting, a web development & hosting company.
Since 2008, he has pursued his musical passions as a band leader, teacher and venue booker in and around Sonoma County where he has lived since 1964.
On his commitment to the music camp’s future he said, “I met Ingrid Noyes in 2013 at Walker Creek Music Camp while serving as Food Director for Walker Creek Ranch. My love for the program/community that Ingrid created was immediate and after 10 years, I’m honored and excited for the opportunity to continue providing the excellent music education experience that is Walker Creek Music Camp.”
Going forward, Michael will be assisted by new Program Director, John Treacy and Assistant Director, Lily Reid. John Treacy is another longtime valuable staff member who formerly served in various leadership roles for the California Coast Music Camp, including director, president, on-site coordinator, teacher hiring, live sound, and volunteer coordinator. He is retired from a career leading global software teams has spent his post-retirement years playing and teaching bluegrass music.
Lily Reid got involved in music camps at the age of 7 years old taking fiddle classes at CBA Music Camp. She became a teacher’s assistant at Walker Creek Music Camp soon after Ingrid created the camp in 2013 and brings a wealth of experience to our administrative staff.
Their goal is for the camp to retain its same great, fun, awesome and inclusive spirit for traditional music lovers of all ages.
Spring ‘24 camp will feature the usual mix of Bluegrass and Old-Time music along with a very popular Irish music track. The camp is excited to have two “house bands” – The Slocan Ramblers, joining us for the first time, and the much-loved Kathy Kallick Band. They’ll also have five fantastic teachers focusing on Irish music and several other favorite new and returning teachers. Full information about the staff and classes is available on the website (see below).
Registration for spring camp opens on Friday, February 2nd. As always, some classes and lodging options are expected to fill fast. For more information, or to register, visit www.walkercreekmusiccamp.org, or call Michael at 707-579-1429.
Your membership in the Northern California Bluegrass Society supports bluegrass music in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Monterey Bay Area, and in all of Northern California. Join or renew your NCBS Membership on this website or by mail.
The Historic 30th Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival, a benefit for the Northern California Bluegrass Society, will be held August 8-11, 2024 at the San Benito County Historical Park in Tres Pinos.
The United States Postal Service will issue a stamp honoring Bluegrass Music on March 15, 2024 at the Owensboro, KY Post Office. The forever stamps (but not the collectible first day of issue mailing piece) will be for first class postage and will be available at post offices nationwide.
The Kathy Kallick Band and Jack Tuttle’s Gryphon Trio will perform in concert on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at the Palo Alto Unitarian Universalist Church. The concert is sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass Society. with the newly-organized Peninsula Bluegrass. The KKB will debut its new album.
Many of the volunteers involved in this event previously helped with the now-dissolved Redwood Bluegrass Associates.
Join the folks who are supporting the late Cousin Al Knoth for an IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award. For more information contact Matt Knoth <hazmatteo@earthlink.net>.
The year is young! Now is the time to join or renew your NCBS Membership on this website or by mail.
Your membership in the Northern California Bluegrass Society supports bluegrass music in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Monterey Bay Area, and in all of Northern California.
