Maria Muldaur and Her Red Hot Bluesiana Band
October 19 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Advanced $35 GA/$45 VIP/$30 wall seats
$40/$50/$35 at the door (subject to availability)
Maria Muldaur is best known world-wide for her 1974 mega-hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” which received several Grammy nominations, and enshrined her forever in the hearts of Baby Boomers everywhere; but despite her considerable pop music success, her 56-plus year career could best be described as a long and adventurous odyssey through the various forms of American Roots Music. During the Folk Revival of the early ’60s, she began exploring and singing early Blues, Bluegrass and Appalachian “Old Timey” Music, beginning her recording career in 1963 with the Even Dozen Jug Band and shortly thereafter, joining the very popular Jim Kweskin Jug Band, touring and recording with them throughout the ’60s.
In the 47 years since “Midnight at the Oasis,” Maria has toured extensively worldwide and has recorded 43 solo albums covering all kinds of American Roots Music, including Gospel, R&B, Jazz and Big Band (not to mention several award-winning children’s albums). She has now settled comfortably into her favorite idioms, Blues and what she calls “Bluesiana”- a gumbo of New Orleans flavored Blues, R&B, and “Swamp Funk”. Often joining forces with some of the top names in the business, Maria has recorded and produced on-average an album per year, several of which have been nominated for Grammys and other awards. Her critically acclaimed 2001 Stony Plain Records release, Richland Woman Blues, was nominated for a Grammy and by the Blues Foundation as Best Traditional Blues Album of the Year, as was the follow up to that album, Sweet Lovin’ Ol’ Soul. Her timely 2008 album, Yes We Can!, featured her “Women’s Voices for Peace Choir,” which includes: Bonnie Raitt, Joan, Baez, Jane Fonda, Odetta, Phoebe Snow, Holly Near and others. In 2009 Maria teamed up with John Sebastian, David Grisman, and Dan Hicks. Maria Muldaur & Her Garden of Joy garnered Maria her 5th Grammy Nomination, and was also nominated for Best Traditional Blues Album of the Year by The Blues Foundation.
In 2011 Maria released Steady Love, a contemporary electric Blues album that reflects the kind of music she loves to perform live – what she calls “Bluesiana Music” – her own brand of New Orleans-flavored Blues, R&B and “Swamp Funk.” Steady Love reached #1 on the Living Blues Chart, and garnered her another nomination for Best Traditional Female Blues Artist from the Blues Foundation. In 2012, for her 40th album, Maria produced the critically acclaimed…. First Came Memphis Minnie, a loving tribute to the pioneering Blues woman who inspired and influenced so many female Blues artists who followed in her footsteps, many of whom joined Maria on this special project: Bonnie Raitt, Phoebe Snow, Ruthie Foster, Koko Taylor and Rory Block accompanied by the amazing guitar work of Del Rey, David Bromberg, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Roy Rogers, and others. In 2013, taking a brief hiatus from her yearly recording schedule, Maria focused on 3 special collaborations, performing worldwide with the 50th Anniversary Kweskin Jug Band Reunion concerts, teaming up with the Campbell Brothers, world-renowned Sacred Steel Gospel artists, for a very special presentation entitled, “Spirit & The Blues”, and touring as Special Guest Artist with Bill Wyman and The Rhythm Kings. In 2018, Maria released her 41st album “DON’T YOU FEEL MY LEG ~ The Naughty Bawdy Blues of Blue Lu Barker”, which was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Traditional Blues category. Recorded in New Orleans with an amazing cast of A-List NOLA musicians, this album finds Maria at her finest, and is true to the spirit and soul of New Orleans and Barker’s funny, coy, and risqué material. This marks her 6th Grammy Nomination! Maria says “it’s an honor to be nominated. I’m so grateful that this music is being recognized & enjoyed again after all these years!’ In Sept. 2019, The Americana Music Association awarded Maria ‘The Lifetime Achievement Americana Trailblazer Award’ for her lifelong work of covering the depth and breadth of American Roots music and for being one of the pioneers who laid the groundwork for what we’ve come to call ‘Americana Music’.
In 2020, Maria collaborated with world acclaimed New Orleans band Tuba Skinny & recorded her 43rd album, Let’s Get Happy Together, a collection of 20s & 30s vintage Jazz & Blues. Released in May 2021, the album has received nothing but rave reviews. Stream the album on all listening platforms and get your copy today to spread some much needed happiness! Keep an eye out for future performance dates.
2024 marked 50 years since Maria’s big hit “Midnight at the Oasis” was riding at the top of the charts. To celebrate this landmark, Maria created a multi-media retrospective Way Past Midnight, which chronicles her 50 year journey “to The Oasis and Beyond”. This special presentation features all her hits and fan faves from every stage of her career, as well as fascinating, entertaining, (often humorous!) stories of her personal encounters, friendships, and collaborations with many of the greatest names in music.
CRAIG CAFFALL: GUITARIST
Guitarist/Vocalist Craig Caffall’s career has paired him up with many notable artists, in many different genres, including
Bo Diddley, John Mayall, David Clayton Thomas, Cyril &Charles Neville (Neville Bros.), Lee Oskar, Dan Hicks, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Weir, Steve Earle, & Ramblin’ Jack Elliott & has been playing guitar with legendary singer Maria Muldaur for the past 19 years, touring throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, & Europe. Caffall also plays and tours with Shana Morrison (daughter of Van Morrison)
His Craig Caffall Band (CCB) has been playing venues in the Bay Area and around the United States and Mexico,
Caffall is signed with the GRA record label and has released 5 albums, with 2 more to be released within the next year.
EAMONN FLYNN- KEYBOARDS
Irish keyboardist, singer, and songwriter Eamonn Flynn first came to prominence playing Hammond organ and piano on the 14 million-selling soundtrack of The Commitments, a film about a Dublin soul band. After moving to San Francisco in 1997 he went on to record and tour worldwide with Michael Franti & Spearhead, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, Elvin Bishop, Michelle Shocked, Pee Wee Ellis, Chris Cain, Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra, Curtis Salgado, Maria Muldaur, Tony Lindsay (Santana), and a decade-long stint with Meters drummer Zigaboo Modeliste. He kept a hand in Irish music working with the Black Brothers (siblings of Mary and Frances Black) and Finbar Furey. His film and TV work includes original music for The Commitments, Moonlight, Ugly Betty, Brujo, Beached, and Creative High and he’s played Gospel organ at multiple Bay Area churches and is currently keyboardist at San Francisco’s legendary Glide Memorial Church. He’s released three albums of original songs: ‘The Irish Channel’, ‘Black Coddle’ and ‘Anywhere But Home’ and two solo piano albums: ‘King Of The Cats’ and ‘Meeting Of The Waters’. As well as continuing to work as a sideman, he tours with two original projects: ‘Dublinesque’ and ‘Dublin Soul’.
CHRIS ROSS-DRUMS
Chris Ross is a drummer, producer, vocalist and percussionist living in the Los Angeles area. He has toured and recorded with Maria Muldaur, Kenny Loggins, Lyle Lovette, Coco Montoya, Mark Chestnutt, Three Dog Night, Hall of Fame singer Sam Moore & many other artists
Chris has also worked as a house producer for Delta Entertainment, producing albums in almost every genre: Jazz, Rock, Blues, Big Band, Reggae & Holiday Music.