Fresno Famous

We all get old if we're lucky

Getting old and wrinkled is a good thing, way better than dying young.

Luck is a big part of commercial success. Great musical skills can be very rewarding personally even without public adoration.

But it is nice to be able to pay the bills.

inattentive audiences

Plenty of talent amid inattentive audiences.
This is true... but it has an interesting side effect.

There are young players in Fresno who have played for years in front of jaded local audiences. That has caused some of them to hone their skills to such a degree they cannot easily be ignored.
It was the only was to get ANY attention and maintain their self respect.
Oh, that sounds and feels so familiar...!

These players are making waves and getting attention out of town,
particularly in the Bay area.

I just played at the Fulton Plaza show headlined by violinist Patrick Contreras and featuring Mandolinist Eva Scow, Dalisay Richter and a whole group of young hot multi-ethnic musicians.

The small but enthusiastic crowd (under 1000) was treated to a great show. I was proud to be a part of it.
Tunes were ranging from All of Me to Ashokan Farewell, from Stormy Monday Blues to Kashmir.

Styles ranging from Bluegrass, Flamenco, AfroCuban and Reggae to Hot Swing, Blues, Funk and Rock.

Patrick called it a "mole" on Frank D's Audio Harvest show the other night. I like to think of it as a stew or a gumbo or maybe a stir fry of all of the different ingredients are there but the flavors remain distinct but blended in new ways.

All I can tell you is that the general population, the arts community, and the commercial entertainment community don't understand the actual quality level these kids are achieving and that is why we lose our most talented to other markets.

Remember, at one time, Audra McDonnald was just a cute kid singer at Roger Rocka's Kid shows.

By the way...
Patrick Contreras is headlining The Annual Chinatown Jazz Festival and has been making waves in the Bay Area Hip Hop Scene.

Eva Scow has recorded with David Grisman and others and participated in a workshop/performance at Carnegie Hall.

Dalisay Richter is the current California State Old Time Fiddle Chanpion.

typical fresno comment and

typical fresno comment and reason why no band ever broke out of fresno. too many loser critics and not enough supportive fans.

tha return

i just listened to the return of flowingwithfamous, and i have to agree with kumar that mardo would best be suited to krzr circa 1992.

thanks, reid, for the name-drop. and good luck to the new oaklanders. you will be missed, in many ways.

we lost that beard a long

we lost that beard a long time ago. but now even the mustache is leaving.

Impossible to replace Reid,

Impossible to replace Reid, the king of Fresno podcast engineering.

Silly Games

What kinda stuff you people trying to pull here? I get all fired-up with the return of Flowing and then Reid leaves. What the hell?

Fresno has lost one of its great beards. It will be hard to replace.

to be clear, one member of

to be clear, one member of gris gris is a fresno resident. the others just visit.