Dave Guarente hails from Syracuse NY, and plays the banjo. Dave has been in the San Francisco bay area for over 30 years, playing with his own band, and many local artists, theatre and church productions, as well as many artists recordings, radio and television.
Dave plays in the acoustic Bluegrass classic rock band “The Jedd Brothers“, the 1930’s style string band “Earthquake Country“, as well as the traditional bluegrass band “Carolina Special “ with longtime California bluegrass fixture Ed Neff, and many other local’ artists such as producer/performer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Dayan Kai, As of late, he is a member of the ambitious Paul Kent Americana orchestra “ Black Sunday Road show”. Dave has been a staff instructor at Sylvan Music in Santa Cruz for over 18 years, promoting the banjo out to the un-initiated by sponsoring shows, workshops and personal performances.
Dave Guarente - Banjo
John Williams - Bass
Will Fourt - Guitar
Victor Skidanenko - Mandolin
Margaret Green - Fiddle
Will Fourt grew up in La Honda, CA and started playing in his first band at age 8. After several other San Francisco bands such as Belle Monroe and her Bluegrass Boys, Five Dollar Suit, and the Heel Draggers, Will became a staple fixture in the Bay Area bluegrass scene.
Victor has played in many bands during his musical career. He previously played in Pacific Ocean Bluegrass (banjo), Jenny Lynn and her Real Gone Daddies (guitar, vocals), and The Del Williams Band (mandolin), and now plays in Rock Ridge (banjo, guitar, mandolin, and vocals), The Central Valley Boys (banjo, vocals), and currently heads Vic S and the Big Moments (guitar, vocals). Apart from his bands, he has also performed with many musicians such as David Thom, Jim Nunally, Keith Little, and the Tuttles. Victor has been nominated six years running as a contender for the NCBS Banjo player of the year award, and for 2012, had nominations for both banjo and mandolin. He is now a professional music instructor, teaching guitar, banjo, mandolin, and vocals in San Jose and Palo Alto.
Margaret previously played in the Four-Finger String Band (fiddle), the Allodola Violin Duet (violin), and also played violin in the De Anza Orchestra, the Palo Alto Philharmonic, and the San Francisco State University Orchestra, and currently plays violin and fiddle in the Montara Duet, fiddle in the Green Willow Girls, and guitar and fiddle in Vic S and the Big Moments. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance in May 2011. She is a professional music teacher and teaches fiddle and violin in Palo Alto.
John Williams is a veteran bay area bass player and makes his home in San Jose California. He is equally proficient in rockabilly and bluegrass Bass and has played in numerous bands of both genres. John is also known for his colorful pinstriped flame themed bass, known as "Big Blue".
