 |
               |
| Home | Dark Hollow info |
|
Article
by Elaine Miller Bond Dark Hollow lights a spark in San Francisco and beyond "I’d rather be in some Dark Hollow," concert, that is. The Dark Hollow Bluegrass Band has been performing in packed cafés and nightclubs in and around San Francisco, as well as local festivals, for over seven years. This June they will perform for their first time at California’s ultimate bluegrass festival: the CBA’s Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley. There, they will belt out hot bluegrass favorites and pick original songs from their debut CD, Thrilling Stories, released in 2001. "Compared to other bluegrass bands I’ve heard, Dark Hollow has a more energetic show," proclaims Jimbo Trout, who books them monthly at San Francisco’s Atlas Café. "They are extremely crowd pleasing, because they do requests and have a good, friendly feel and approach. They’re more human. They’re more real." From a fire truck to Fire on the Mountain Dark Hollow’s leader, John Kornhauser, has been with the band since its inception in 1994. They began by performing weekly at Radio Valencia, a trendy nightspot in San Francisco. But those days came to a screeching halt one summer afternoon in 1995. An out-of-control fire truck came barreling down the street, careened through Radio Valencia’s plate glass window, flattened all the tables, and suddenly ran out of steam just before smashing the bar. And with this thunderous crash, Dark Hollow was reborn. When Radio Valencia reopened after months of "remodeling," Kornhauser brought together a brand new version of the band, which was to play a standing Sunday night gig until the venue eventually closed in 1999. Since the fire truck incident, Dark Hollow has been credited with blazing a trail for live bluegrass in San Francisco. Not long after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, the closure of Paul’s Saloon – the city’s primary bluegrass venue – left San Francisco with few sites for live bluegrass. "Here’s San Francisco’s bluegrass scene in a nutshell," explains Dark Hollow fiddler Mark Kronar. "There was Paul’s Saloon. Then there was the lull. Then there was Radio Valencia. That gig opened things up for other bluegrass bands and for other venues like the Atlas Café." Kornhauser believes the band’s popularity stems from its commitment to the traditions of bluegrass: "We draw from the classic songwriters: the Stanley Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs, and Bill Monroe." Kornhauser loves the music’s intense energy and emotion. He remembers: "Since the first time I ever heard bluegrass, I felt it was the music that was written for me. I just went, ‘Wow!’ I have to learn to play it." In his musical quest as a teenager, he bought his first guitar. It was cheap, from Mexico, actually made of cardboard slathered with layers of lacquer and topped off with nylon strings. It wasn’t a Martin HD-35 (like he now plays), but he was fine with it – at least it was bluegrass! Five easy pickers "I wanted to get people who had different strengths, so the sum total would be interesting," explains Kornhauser on his choice of band-mates. Each of the five musicians has been playing between fifteen and thirty-five years. They are wizards on their individual instruments, but also come together for tight harmonies, led by Kornhauser’s powerful tenor voice. Kronar’s "acid fiddle" ranges from traditional to jazzy. A high school math and science teacher, Kronar likens his music to working with students. "It’s all communication," he says. "You want to convey what you’re exited about to your audience or to the classroom, and then you hope you generate that enthusiasm back. It’s a positive feedback loop: when they’re excited, you get even more excited." Hard-driving rhythm rolls off the finger picks of Larry Cohea on five-string banjo. Master of the Scruggs’ pegs, Cohea and his vintage Gibson Granada are well known in California through the band, High Country. He performed at the first Grass Valley Bluegrass Festival and cannot wait to hit the stage with Dark Hollow. He likes the drive achieved by the group. "It’s music that seems to move like a train," he says. "It’s an inner charge when you feel you’re in a groove. You’re five people, but you become one." (Cohea filled the spot left in 1996 by Marty Cutler.) Monroe-style mandolinist Alan Bond adds a creative edge. In his early years, eager Bond got a speeding ticket while driving hundreds of miles to buy his first mandolin, and in 1977, he financed his trademark Stanley Miller mandolin by selling his 1955 GMC pick-up truck – good bluegrass priorities! Bond also writes most of the band’s original songs. He likes the traditional sound, modeling his own compositions after Monroe’s "true songs." "My songs have some basis in truth for me," he explains. "I’m a native Californian, and my songs relate to California. The places, the stories, the mountains, and the people of California all inspire me." Trout sings their praise: "The original music is cohesive and natural sounding and fills out their program nicely." Jennifer Kitchen is the newest member of the band. She took over on doghouse bass for Merielle Flood in 1999. Kitchen’s rock-solid rhythm keeps the band on its toes, and her heart-felt vocals add a country flair. "Dark Hollow is a traditional bluegrass band," she says. "But at the same time we’re open to other good musical influences." I found my thrill A buxom redhead in a scarlet negligée – a classic beauty from the bygone era of pulp comics and sci-fi magazines – gasps at the waxing moon. Designed by Bond, this nostalgic cover of Dark Hollow’s CD, Thrilling Stories, opens the door to a diverse and authentic collection of songs. The liner notes say it all: "Among the street lights, skyscrapers, and gridlock of the City by the Bay, the stories begin – a forbidden love affair, a fat waltzing cat, and a tale of murder in Sierran goldfields –told in the music of Kentucky..." Received positively by audiences, Dark Hollow’s debut CD sounds polished and cohesive, yet captures the hot energy and spontaneity of a live performance. The band lets loose on traditional songs and seams in dynamic original tunes to fill out the Thrilling Stories. To Ray Edlund, disc jockey of Pig in a Pen on Berkeley’s KPFA radio, the CD brings the bluegrass community home. He raves: "For years I’ve listened to the melodious sounds of Dark Hollow jamming outside the thin walls of my tent at three in the morning at the Grass Valley Bluegrass Festival. Now, with the release of their first CD, Thrilling Stories, I can just slap it on my player, and I’m immediately transported back to those great times. Make no mistake about it: Thrilling Stories really cooks – highly recommended! (P.S. The artwork alone is worth the price of the album.)" The CD and opportunity to perform at festivals like Grass Valley have raised the profile of Dark Hollow and opened up many new possibilities. And the band continues to evolve and grow. Says Kitchen, "We have a chemistry, and we just like playing together. That’s what keeps us going." Stay tuned for the next "thrilling story" in their bluegrass journey. Where to see Dark Hollow First Thursday night of every month, Atlas Café, San Francisco June 13, CBA’s Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, Grass Valley * * * * * |