Bart’s Music Calendar | coming public performances
Friday March 16 and Saturday March 17, 8pm, San Francisco
Bart Hopkin, David Samas and friends at Turquise Yantra Grotto. Reservations at TurquoiseYantraGrotto@hotmail.com. (You’ll be given the address for the venue when you make your reservation. )
This is an Invented Instruments show! I’ll be playing the periodic snip flute, wobble steel guitar, and a host of other unheard-of instruments. David Samas will be there with amazing extended vocal explorations and a variety of unexpected instruments and, for the Friday show only, Todd Lerew will bring his extraordinary fire instrument, the Quartz Cantabile. And! there will be fine teas from ethnobotanist Ash Ritter.
The venue, which is a wonderfully unusual place, is tiny and seats only twenty or so. For that reason, the shows are by reservation only. Email TurquoiseYantraGrotto@hotmail.com. You’ll be given the address for the venue when you make your reservation.
Thursday March 29 2012, 7-10pm, Sebastopol
Hopkin & Winge at the French Garden, 8050 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol, California, phone 707-824-2030, http://www.frenchgardenrestaurant.com.
Sara has a long history in folk and country music, but her work extends well beyond — for instance, you should hear her way with a boppy jazz number, or with a jazz ballad. I’ll be accompanying her on guitars, joining her in the vocal chores, and even singing a tune or two on my own. French Garden is a wonderful place for dinner or general hanging out. They serve fine produce from their own gardens, and of course they sponsor lots of good music and other events.
Sunday April 22 2012, 5-8pm, Point Reyes Station
Bart Hopkin (guitar), Dale Polssar (clarinet) and Blake Richardson (bass) at the Station House Cafe, 11180 State Route One, Pt. Reyes Station, CA 94956, (415) 663-1515; http://www.stationhousecafe.com/.
With the fine bassist Blake Richardson, the Polissar/Hopkin duo becomes a trio with a fuller, more rhythmic sound. I love having that bottom in there, and I’ve missed playing with Blake lately. Come see us at our favorite place in Point Reyes Station.
Thursday May 3 2012, 7-9pm, Bolinas
Bart Hopkin (guitar) and Dale Polissar (clarinet) at Coast Café, 46 Wharf Road, Bolinas CA; phone 415 868-2298; bolinascafe.com.
Dale and I will be playing dinner music of a sort that has been called lamplit jazz. “Lamplit” refers to Dale’s habit of bringing a living-room-style standing lamp to the gig to illuminate the music on his music stand. “Jazz” isn’t an entirely accurate descriptor: we play a variety of styles, all infused with the freshness of Dale’s melodic imagination and the unmatched loveliness of his clarinet tone. Clarinet and guitar make a wonderful and natural pairing. Each instrument leaves room for the other, making music with lightness, openness and warmth.