Joe Craven

“Joe Craven & The Sometimers” featuring Bruce MacMillan and Jonathan Stoyanoff, is a tight, crisp string-centric “Free Range Folkasaurus Trio” offering a “no genre left behind” policy of music making, recreating and recovering. A 30 year veteran in the biz, Joe comes impressively credentialed (David Grisman, Jerry Garcia + many others) and the 3 of them hold poetic license to operate heavy machinery. Their power tool box includes both upright and electric bass, various guitars, Dobro, lap steel, mandolin, octave mandolin, fiddle, more cowbell and who knows what else. Touring their debut release, “Blender”, this NorCal roots music trio celebrates a new kind of POP music, as in “Pursuit of Possibility” music. Give ’em a listen and you just might do a little dance while you’re at it!

Multi-instrumentalist Joe Craven is an multi-instrumental, award-winning creativity educator, former museum curator, actor, music festival emcee, Director of RiverTunes and Vocáli Voice Camps, a Co-Director for the Wintergrass Youth Academy and a fashion insultant. Joe Craven’s love of performing music has put him in many musical genres and alongside many musicians, from Jerry Garcia, David Lindley, Howard Levy, to Jason Marsalis and banjoist Alison Brown. For 17 years, he was percussionist / violinist for mandolinist David Grisman.

Under his own label, Blender Logic Arts, he has recorded and performed his wide variety of roots music projects. Joe also enjoys a fine reputation for his unique emcee work at music festivals and other art events for 20 years.

As an educator, Joe’s unique outreach programs have inspired communities in Costa Rica, corporate heads in Contra Costa, a dozen different music camps, thousands of school kids from Stockton to Scotland and college students from Alaska to Alabama. From Morocco to Mendocino – and performing solo, or in one of his many projects – whether he’s in Carnegie Hall or busking on Cannery Row – Joe’s at home and loving every minute!

Jonathan Stoyanoff is a first call bassist who is a fan of, trained in, and very proficient at, a wide variety of vernacular music. He attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA on a performance scholarship and, since then, Jonathan has been involved in a variety of musical projects. He has kept musical company with Larry Coryell, B.B. King, Robert Cray, Huey Lewis, Dave Mason, Jackie Greene, Ozomatli, Spearhead, Maceo Parker and many more. Jonathan has also played at some of the nation’s most prestigious festivals including the Monterey Jazz Festival, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, High Sierra Music Festival and Delfest.

Bruce MacMillan is a wonderfully intuitive musician dedicated to the holy temple of American Roots Music. His passion for the history and variety of America’s musical heritage has resulted in a versatility across many musical genres. From Blues to Bluegrass, Country to Jazz and Rock & Roll, Bruce plays with wonderful energy and artistry. He has performed upon many stages and at many music festivals, including the Strawberry Music Festival, High Sierra, and California Worldfest. With his wife Sally, they have two fine music stores in Chico and Redding, CA, known as The Music Connection where Bruce displays his chops as an educator, repairman and salesman. Bruce’s impressive skills on vocals plus all manner of guitars, Dobro and lap steel, bring a broad palette of sound to Joe Craven & The Sometimers.

Barry Eldridge The deep pocket grooves of drummer Barry Eldridge can be heard across an array of musical styles. Based in Northern California, the freelance musician’s diverse skills cover wide territory: from high-intensity jazz-rock fusion to folk, bluegrass and indie rock; from one-drop reggae to New Orleans second line, from hip hop to world beat, and to backing some of the region’s top singer-songwriters, Barry’s ability to support the music and bring inspired playing to the stage has earned him a reputation as one of the most versatile and in-demand drummers in Sacramento. Having performed at more than 100 venues with over 40 artists and bands the last several years, Barry’s passion for high-end performance and his relentless work ethic will continue to yield musical harvests in The Sometimers.

Hattie Craven has built a reputation as one of the finest young, if not youngest, performers on the stages of the Strawberry Music Festival, Kate Wolf Music Festival, California World Fest, Hangtown Music Festival, The Redwood Ramble, Parkfield Bluegrass Festival, Wintergrass, Live Oak Music Festival, Delfest, Millpond Music Festival and others – and all to standing ovations. She has two recordings to her credit, “Eleven” (recorded at age 11) and “Bright” (recorded at age 15) both produced by her father Joe Craven. Hattie brings the important presence of a woman to the Sometimers sound with her stunning vocal work and captivating stage presence.

• Website: https://joecraven.com/projects/