Laurie Lewis and Men of Note

Sam Reider, Mark Schatz and Brandon Godman

For nearly four decades, Laurie Lewis has gathered fans and honors for her powerful and emotive voice and her versatile, dynamic songwriting. She is a sought-after recording producer and an equally skilled teacher and mentor. And she is an inspiration and a ground-breaker – across genres, across geography and across gender barriers. Laurie has shown us how a woman can blend into any part of the classic bluegrass singing trio, and she showed us how a great voice could move fluidly between bluegrass and other types of music. She showed us how a female fiddler could emulate the strength and grit of the early bluegrass musicians. She has shown how a Californian can appeal to traditional bluegrass audiences, as well as winning acclaim in the worlds of Americana and folk music. She has shown us how to lead bands of talented musicians – learning from them while helping them make their best music. And she has shown us how to thrive in a constantly changing musical environment – without ever sacrificing her art.

Don’t miss Laurie’s return to OCA with her fine band of musicians including Brandon Godman on fiddle, Mark Shatz on bass and Sam Reider on accordion.

OCA is following Sonoma County Guidelines and asking that unvaccinated patrons mask while indoors.

Tickets are $30 General Admission, $25 for OCA members. Please email info@occidentalcenterforthearts.org if you need your member code.

PRESALES HAVE ENDED - TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR

Led by the Bay Area folk and bluegrass legend herself, Laurie Lewis and the Men of Note are a supergroup of acoustic talent. Featuring the unflappable, percussive groove of renowned bassist Mark Schatz, the deep jazz sensibilities of accordionist Sam Reider and the swing and drive Brandon Godman on fiddle, the new ensemble combine with Lewis' original songs to bring a rich, eclectic mix to life.
Sam Reider grew up in a musical family in San Francisco, studying jazz piano. At Columbia University in New York City, he majored in American Studies and fell in love with folk music. While writing his thesis comparing the songwriting of Woody Guthrie and Ira Gershwin, Reider picked up an old accordion and began learning bluegrass and old-time tunes. This set him off on a journey that has taken him from back porches and dive bars to concert halls and major festivals all around the world with his group, The Human Hands. Laurie met Sam at a fiddle camp, and instantly fell in love with his musicality.
Near-legendary bassist Mark Schatz is best known for his contributions on some of the most iconic recordings in bluegrass by artists such as Tony Rice, Bela Fleck, John Hartford, Claire Lynch, Tim O’Brien, Sara Jarosz, and Nickel Creek. But Mark is also a master of the clawhammer banjo, southern Appalachian clogging and hambone. A very recent transplant to Berkeley, CA, he and Laurie have been enjoying renewing their decades-long friendship and the chance to play music together.
Brandon Godman is a Kentucky native, master fiddler, and relatively new transplant from Nashville to San Francisco. He has played with greats such as Dale Ann Bradley, Melvin Goins, Karl Shiflett, Doyle Lawson, and David Peterson and 1946. As soon as Laurie heard him about five years ago, sitting in with a band at a California festival, she jumped up and tracked him down backstage. He’s been playing with Laurie’s band, the Right Hands, ever since. Brandon has a passion for all things violin and fiddle, and is the owner of San Francisco’s own The Fiddle Mercantile as well as Nashville’s well-known Violin Shop.