The Timeless Women of Any Old Time
By Bruce B. Brugmann
Presenting: the Any Old Time String Band, playing Friday and Saturday nights at the Freight & Salvage Coffee House in Berkeley
Through our 40 years at the Guardian, we have had a virtually endless sea of bands in one way or another connected to the Guardian and our staff, from cartoonist Dan O'Neill at the old Red Garter band in North Beach in the l960s to the Any Old Time String band in the l970s to the Artichokes in the l980s to the Pink Mountain band of today.
The band folks liked the Guardian because they could work during the day in a friendly environment, often on special shifts, and then play late into the night in the clubs. No questions asked if they came in late or dozed on the job.
My favorite was the Any Old Time String band, a delightful blues group led by two talented ladies who worked in bookkeeping and then for me as my associate, Kate Brislin and Valerie Mindel. Kate stayed in town and developed her singing and playing talent while Valerie, who married our managing editor Mike Miller, took her bass along with Mike, who took a a peripatetic executive position with Reuters. They have toured the world from Kansas City, to Chicago, to Hong Kong twice, to Toronto, New York, and currently in Tokyo. Valerie, always the organizer, either put together a group wherever she landed or joined up with a local or did both. She was and is indefatigable.
Anyway, these are their reunion performances and the only ones they will be doing in 2008.
I will be there and give you a report. Here is their press release on the event and how to get their recordings.
WHAT: Any Old Time String Band in concert
WHEN: Friday Jan. 25 and Saturday Jan. 26, 2008
WHERE: Freight & Salvage, 1111 Addison St., Berkeley
For DIGITAL PHOTOS, or to set up an INTERVIEW with band members:
Contact Suzy Thompson (510) 848-5018 suzy@ericandsuzy.com
The Timeless Women of Any Old Time
On Friday, Jan. 25, and Saturday, Jan. 26, the pioneer all-woman Any Old Time String Band will perform live at the Freight & Salvage Coffee House, Berkeley’s home of traditional music since 1968.
During the past 30 years the original band members – Kate Brislin, Suzy Thompson, Valerie Mindel, Sue Draheim and Genny Haley – have individually made their musical marks, garnering Grammy nominations and touring and collaborating with such luminaries Maria Muldaur, John Renbourn and Garrison Keillor. For two nights at the Freight, they’ll revisit an early and long-lasting love – the gutsy old-time country and blues music that has always made Any Old Time timeless.
The San Francisco-based quintet was formed in 1976 and performed regularly at Paul’s Saloon, the Bay Area’s hottest spot for bluegrass music at the time. In addition, Any Old Time toured up and down the West Coast, sharing the stage with Bill Monroe, Pete Seeger, Doc Watson, the New Lost City Ramblers and many other folk icons.
The band reached a national audience through their recordings (Any Old Time’s two LPS have been reissued by Arhoolie on a single CD, “I Bid You Good Night”) and an appearance on “A Prairie Home Companion” in its early days.
The original five band members will all be on hand at the Freight, accompanied by bass player Steven Strauss. With Valerie Mindel currently living in Tokyo, Japan, it’s rare for Any Old Time to get together; these concerts will be the band’s only 2008 performances.
Any Old Time in concert
Friday, January 25, and Saturday, January 26
Freight & Salvage Coffee House, 1111 Addison St., Berkeley, CA 94702
$20.50 in advance; $21.50 at the door
Tickets online: http://www.thefreight.org/tickets.html
(510) 548-1761
info@freightandsalvage.org
Doors open at 7:30 pm; music at 8 pm.
digg •
del.icio.us •
sphere •
google
•
