Tall Poppy String Band is a new Old Time trio featuring fiddler George Jackson, guitarist Morgan Harris, and banjoist Cameron DeWhitt. Drawing from the deep well of American string band music, Tall Poppy String Band approaches tradition with playful curiosity; each performance more a discussion than a statement. Whether they’re chasing the elusive downbeat of a source recording, playing with the pronouns in a bluegrass standard, or challenging the assumed roles of their instruments, Tall Poppy String Band endeavors to prove that tradition is still being written.

More about the players:
Cameron DeWhitt is a clawhammer banjoist based in Portland, Oregon, named by R.D. Eno of Banjo Newsletter as being “…among the finest clawhammer banjo players alive.” They are the creator and host of Get Up in the Cool, a weekly old time music and interview podcast featuring conversations and musical collaborations with some of the most influential traditional musicians working today. Cameron also produces PitchforkBanjo.com, an online instructional video series for clawhammer banjo, and teaches private lessons.

George Jackson is a New Zealand-born fiddle player based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is known for Time and Place, his acclaimed 2019 album of original old time fiddle tunes (from which sprang the old time viral hit “Dorrigo”) and now Hair and Hide, his new collection of fiddle/banjo duets with some of the brightest stars of the banjo world. George has toured both as a band leader and with such artists as Jake Blount, Front Country, Peter Rowan, Missy Raines, and many more. He is the three-time winner of the Australian National Bluegrass Championship on fiddle, and the recipient of the 2019 Mike Auldridge composition award from the DC Bluegrass Union.

Morgan Harris is a guitarist based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Originally from Australia, they have made a name for themselves by rethinking the role of the guitar in old time music, developing a style of melodic playing that recreates the droning, driving sound characteristic of old time fiddle and banjo. In 2020 Morgan released their debut album Old Time Guitar, a collection of fifteen solo guitar instrumentals that showcase their groundbreaking approach. Their music has been featured on The Bluegrass Situation and the podcast Relax Your Grid (with Matt Brown).

Ryan McKasson, Eric McDonald and Jeremiah McLane are masters of tradition who purposefully explore the dark corners floating on its edges. Their individual artistry is enhanced when together. In short, the sum creates a greater whole. The result is an alluring complexity, full of spontaneous musicality. Pulling from parallel strands of influence, they set the standard for traditional repertoire with an underlying drive and pulse charged with rhythmic electricity, culminating in a swirling level of intensity. An air of mystery and adventure pervades a sound compelling enough to transcend boundaries and appeal to music lovers of all stripes. Devon Leger of Hearth Music says, “This trio really shows how masterful musicians listen and play off each other.

For the past 28 years, with a world-class ensemble of musicians, dancers and singers from both sides of the Atlantic, Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas has played to packed concert halls and to critical acclaim nationwide, recreating on stage the now-famous Rambling House; that remote cottage in the West of Ireland, where the neighbors gather every year for a communal night before Christmas. There, the rafters ring with fiery traditional music, Irish Christmas carols, riveting traditional dance and, of course, stories of life in the remote parish of Teampall an Ghleanntáin, Tomáseen’s birthplace. The show invites its audience to come into that cottage, into that world, into that era, with us, and be our neighbors for the night.

 

‘Drawing on the infinitely rich treasury of Ireland’s cultural heritage, Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas is a re-creation of a night before Christmas in the West of Ireland in the 1940s, in the days before the motorcar, the television, and the telephone. Now in its 28th season, this year’s show features some of the finest, most authentic, exponents of the Celtic arts performing anywhere today, on either side of the Atlantic. Traditionally, in the remote parish of Teampall an Ghleannáin -Tomáseen Foley’s birthplace - the neighbors gathered at each other’s farmhouses on the nights leading up to Christmas, bringing with them their fiddles, tin whistles, flutes, bodhráns, uilleann pipes, and, perhaps, most important of all, their unshakeable sense of community; they gathered to raise the rafters of the old houses with the joy of their music, to knock sparks off the flagstone floor with their traditional dances - and, of course, to tell stories – they filled the night with the laughter of their stories A Celtic Christmas brings to life just such a night. On stage, the spirit of a Christmas dances to life and glows brightly to create an Irish family feast - direct from the rich table of communal life in the west of Ireland. For event listings, tickets and pricing, please visit www.tomaseenfoley.com “Great storytelling swept up more than 1,000 listeners . . . "A Celtic Christmas" received a standing ovation at the end. Some people may have been standing to reach for a tissue . . . it was heart tugging. . . Foley runs pictures and thoughts across the mind like shooting stars on a crystalline night, with emotions shaking the ground.” - GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE

St. Mary's is pleased to host both a Friday evening performance and a Saturday matinee, of this gorgeous and cherished holiday tradition!! Please make sure you are selecting the show you wish to attend.  This is the portal for the Friday evening performance at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 20th. See separate listing for Saturday afternoon matinee performance.  Tickets are a great gift for the whole family.
 
  The 18th Annual Winterdance Celtic Christmas Celebration will once again crisscross the Golden State for the Yuletide season, and it is a celebration you will not want to miss! Over the years, previous iterations of the show have highlighted Scottish bagpipes and Swedish polskas, but this year the show will spotlight the mandolin and banjo skills of young prodigy Tyler Weed. The band will include his father John Weed on fiddle, Paul Katopich on guitar and vocals, Amelia Hogan on vocals and bodhran, and Marisa Gilman, who will soar like an angel with her Irish dance. This will be a fun and lively evening full of holiday music and youthful energy led by veterans of the west coast Celtic music scene.
 
  John Weed has toured and recorded for dozens of years as part of the highly regarded Celtic band Molly’s Revenge, New World String Project, Little Black Train, and other ensembles. Paul Katopich is a well-known virtuoso on guitar and is new this year to the Winterdance family.  Amelia Hogan is an impeccably authentic singer of Celtic music, and her heart comes through in honeyed tones on Irish, Scottish, British, and American-styled vocals. Tyler Weed, the youngest member of the group, comes by Celtic music naturally.  He was raised in a musical family,  hearing his mother and father playing fiddle since birth, and he learned guitar from “Uncle” Stuart Mason, Winterdance emeritus, since a wee lad. We are so pleased to have Marisa Gilman back his year with her lively brand of traditional Irish dance.  
 
  BAND BIOS
 
  John Weed, fiddler for Molly’s Revenge and New World String Project, is a classically trained violinist who has spent more than 25 years immersed in various fiddle styles. With an affinity for folk traditions, John’s exploration has emphasized Irish, Scottish, Swedish, and Old-Time fiddle. While he holds a bachelor’s degree of music from CSU Chico, the musical education that charted his path began through a long series of Irish sessions. There, he learned the nuance of aural passing of melodies and the tradition of conversing in a deeply musical manner. John’s passion for the vital expressiveness of the session has led to performances across the United States and internationally.
 
  Amelia Hogan sings both traditional and contemporary folk music with lilting grace and subtlety. She transports audiences with haunting melodies and stirs ancient spirits with an evocative storytelling presence. She sings in the Irish music tradition of sean-nos, or "old style," a highly lyrical solo a cappella style, as well as with accompaniment. She plays bodhran and Welsh lap harp and has toured internationally to global acclaim.
 
Veteran artist Paul Katopich is known for his virtuosity on every fretted instrument, including guitar and mandolin, and has distinguished himself on the stage for over 30 years. Most recently, Paul has made a name for himself with his concerts and recordings with Kevin Burke’s Open House, a headlining act in Celtic and international folk festivals across the country. His blazing guitar and mandolin work also help drive The Hillbillies From Mars, Wake the Dead, Sylvia Herold’s Euphonia, and other Northern California-based acoustic groups. Paul is also widely respected for his work as editor and feature writer at Acoustic Guitar Magazine.  St. Mary's gives a warm welcome to this inventive musician as a part of the Winterdance family this year.

 

  
  
  
  
  
  

 

St. Mary's is pleased to host both a Friday evening performance and a Saturday matinee, of this gorgeous and cherished holiday tradition!! Please make sure you are selecting the show you wish to attend.  This is the portal for the Saturday matinee performance at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 21st. See separate listing for Friday evening performance.  Tickets are a great gift for the whole family.
 
  The 18th Annual Winterdance Celtic Christmas Celebration will once again crisscross the Golden State for the Yuletide season, and it is a celebration you will not want to miss! Over the years, previous iterations of the show have highlighted Scottish bagpipes and Swedish polskas, but this year the show will spotlight the mandolin and banjo skills of young prodigy Tyler Weed. The band will include his father John Weed on fiddle, Paul Katopich on guitar and vocals, Amelia Hogan on vocals and bodhran, and Marisa Gilman, who will soar like an angel with her Irish dance. This will be a fun and lively evening full of holiday music and youthful energy led by veterans of the west coast Celtic music scene.
 
  John Weed has toured and recorded for dozens of years as part of the highly regarded Celtic band Molly’s Revenge, New World String Project, Little Black Train, and other ensembles. Paul Katopich is a well-known virtuoso on guitar and is new this year to the Winterdance family.  Amelia Hogan is an impeccably authentic singer of Celtic music, and her heart comes through in honeyed tones on Irish, Scottish, British, and American-styled vocals. Tyler Weed, the youngest member of the group, comes by Celtic music naturally.  He was raised in a musical family,  hearing his mother and father playing fiddle since birth, and he learned guitar from “Uncle” Stuart Mason, Winterdance emeritus, since a wee lad. We are so pleased to have Marisa Gilman back his year with her lively brand of traditional Irish dance.  
 
  BAND BIOS
 
  John Weed, fiddler for Molly’s Revenge and New World String Project, is a classically trained violinist who has spent more than 25 years immersed in various fiddle styles. With an affinity for folk traditions, John’s exploration has emphasized Irish, Scottish, Swedish, and Old-Time fiddle. While he holds a bachelor’s degree of music from CSU Chico, the musical education that charted his path began through a long series of Irish sessions. There, he learned the nuance of aural passing of melodies and the tradition of conversing in a deeply musical manner. John’s passion for the vital expressiveness of the session has led to performances across the United States and internationally.
 
  Amelia Hogan sings both traditional and contemporary folk music with lilting grace and subtlety. She transports audiences with haunting melodies and stirs ancient spirits with an evocative storytelling presence. She sings in the Irish music tradition of sean-nos, or "old style," a highly lyrical solo a cappella style, as well as with accompaniment. She plays bodhran and Welsh lap harp and has toured internationally to global acclaim.
 
Veteran artist Paul Katopich is known for his virtuosity on every fretted instrument, including guitar and mandolin, and has distinguished himself on the stage for over 30 years. Most recently, Paul has made a name for himself with his concerts and recordings with Kevin Burke’s Open House, a headlining act in Celtic and international folk festivals across the country. His blazing guitar and mandolin work also help drive The Hillbillies From Mars, Wake the Dead, Sylvia Herold’s Euphonia, and other Northern California-based acoustic groups. Paul is also widely respected for his work as editor and feature writer at Acoustic Guitar Magazine.  St. Mary's gives a warm welcome to this inventive musician as a part of the Winterdance family this year.

 

  
  
  
  
  
  

 

Jim has been gracing us with his presence for several years now and his unique talents always make for a great, entertaining concert. Jim is again joined by his wife Susie, an award-winning Scottish traditional singer, who has been performing with Jim Malcolm throughout Scotland for over 20 years. She sings complex harmonies in a traditional style, and is known as a tradition bearer for the ancient ballads of Scotland, with particular expertise in the bothy ballad tradition from North East Scotland. Performing together, Jim and Susie Malcolm offer our audience a unique cultural experience. Jim Malcolm is the ultimate Scots troubadour. Traveling the world with his guitar, harmonicas, engaging wit (and recently his trumpet!), he sings the traditional songs of Scotland and his own masterfully crafted songs in a style which is modern and accessible, yet utterly authentic. He is highly regarded as a brilliant interpreter of the songs of Robert Burns, and has been described as one of the finest singers in Scotland in any style. As a solo performer with over ten CDs to his credit, As well as a renowned singer, he is in the top handful of simultaneous guitar and harmonica players in the world. He plays mostly in the folk guitar tuning dadgad in both fingerpicking and plectrum styles. His concerts are always highly entertaining, peppered with funny stories and observations, in the great tradition of Scottish artists through the ages.