The Spring Benefit Concert celebrates the rich musical heritage shared by members of the San Francisco Folk Music Club, a non-profit organization of singers, instrumentalists, performers, songwriters, dancers, and listeners, with membership open to all. The concert, along a silent auction in the lobby, raises funds to support local musicians to attend Camp New Harmony, the club’s winter gathering held annually over New Year’s. The 2017 afternoon program showcases a wide range of acoustic music roughly defined as “folk”:

Leftover Dreams: inspiring & romantic vocal harmonies (Patrice Haan and Tony Marcus)

Corwin Zekley: smokin' fiddle tunes and so much more

Holly Tannen: witty original songs

Richard Adrianowicz & Peter Kasin: rousing sea shanties

The Splinter Group: harmonies simmered into delicate and savory blends (Fredi Bloom, Gail Caulfield, Peter Tracy)

Manantial: songs of freedom & social justice in 4-part harmony (Karen Chester, Nancy Gendel, Carol Pierson, Jan Thyer)

Patrice Haan & Tony Marcus are Leftover Dreams. Marcus, a longtime regular on the Bay Area music scene, is perhaps best known for his work with R. Crumb & the Cheap Suit Serenaders and Cats & Jammers. He's also toured Japan with Geoff Muldaur. Musically, Leftover Dreams performs standards (and not-so-standards) of the Great American Songbook combined with witty and imaginative vocal arrangements featuring Patrice Haan's sultry and seductive voice. Marcus plays guitar and sings as well, and the combination creates an intriguing mix of moody ballads, jumping swingers and unabashedly romantic love songs. Added to the brew are the occasional quirky originals, which spring from the same tradition but take a left turn somewhere.

The vocal harmonies and sparse but memorable accompaniment have drawn praise from such as Richard Hadlock, author of Jazz Masters of the 20s and host of the radio show The Annals of Jazz, who says " Singers Patrice Haan and Tony Marcus (also an ace guitarist) do something unusual: they treat often neglected popular songs with respect, restraint and unerring good taste ".

Corwin Zekley, singer/songwriter/pianist and fiddler extraordinaire, will be performing his solo show of original songs and compositions inspired by and ranging from Folk to Jazz to Musical Theater. Corwin splits his time between living and performing in Northern California and songwriting while attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Come out for an afternoon of innovative and eclectic music including Corwin’s original songs from his upcoming album.  

Holly Tannen sings satirical songs about life in Mendocino, accompanying herself on Appalachian mountain dulcimer.

Holly spent five years in England, studying traditional songs and singing around the folk clubs. On her return, she entered the Folklore program at UC Berkeley and wrote her master’s thesis on traditional ballads sung by Scotland’s Traveling People.

Holly has released four CDs, Between the Worlds, Rime of the Ancient Matriarch, The Flower of Australia, and Crazy Laughter. Her best-loved songs include Brownies for Breakfast, Bonobo Wannabee, Victim of Them, and The Last Hippie.

When Holly sings, the spirits of the past come alive. - Amy McCurdy, Los Angeles Times  

Fredi Bloom, Gail Caulfield and Peter Tracy recognized each other’s love of harmony at the Marin Folk Music Club about 30 years ago. Since then they have performed at Bay Area Folk Festivals, and many other local venues, and many years at Camp New Harmony, bringing their spice to familiar standards, contemporary and traditional folk tunes. In recent years they have added many original songs, bringing wit and wisdom to themes ranging from politics to play.

Last summer they toured Ireland where their harmonies were welcomed in pubs and music sessions from Dublin to Dingle. Their 2nd CD, Playing on the Patio, was released last July.

They are pleased to have fiddler John Roy Zat join them today.

Richard Adrianowicz’s interest in traditional music began in the early 70s when he moved to California. He was part of several groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. One of the regular shanty singers at Hyde Street Pier’s monthly shanty sings in San Francisco, he released Time Ashore is Over in 2000, a recording of sea shanties and sea songs featuring a chorus of singers from Hyde Street Pier. Singing with Peter Kasin, four other nautical recordings followed (Boldly from the Westward, Cast Off Each Line, With Shipmates All Round, and We’ll Haul And Sing Together).

Raised in Chicago, Illinois, he has a keen interest in songs of the Great Lakes sailors. Richard also plays the guitar, tin whistle and fiddle.  

"Manantial" means "spring" — as in a fountainhead — in Spanish. It is also the name of a group of four women who have been playing and singing Latin American Nueva Canción and topical songs for social change together for over 20 years. They are all members of the La Peña Community Chorus and their inspiration draws both from the great traditions of Latin American and North American songwriters, as well as from the folklore of both continents. 

visit the San Francisco Folk Music Club website

visit the Leftover Dreams website

visit the Splinter Group website