Jeffrey Spero’s Contradance Website
In an attempt to keep the reference section of “(southern) California Twirls” current, the information has been magically been transported from the hard copy of the book to this webpage. However, this concept has been known to fail on occasion. So here’s the usual disclaimer: Any information on this page may be outdated or just flat out wrong. Please check with the local dance communities websites (included herein) before embarking on a voyage to any dance listed here. We take no responsibility blah, blah, blah. If you’d like to submit updated information, please email me.
This page was updated 8/22/07.
Bands
Aolian (Los Angeles)
Stephen Crane - keyboard
Hector Ortiz - cello
Erik Schoenberger - fiddle
Contact: Erik Schoenberger
Atlantic Crossing (Orange County)
Georgiana Hennessy - fiddle
Patty McCollom - banjo
Matt Tonge - guitar
Contact: Patty McCollom
1249 Longview Drive
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 870-8763
The Body Snatchers (Los Angeles)
Frank Hoppe - fiddle
Joe Wack - banjo
Contact: Frank Hoppe
10656 Wheatland Avenue
Sunland, CA 91040
(818) 951-4482
Bonfire (Riverside/Los Angeles)
Bonnie Insull - flute, whistles, feet
Richard Scher - piano, percussion
Contact: Bonnie Insull
The Burnin' Ticks (Los Angeles)
Gene Burdo - guitar
Paul Jarrell - fiddle
Steve Lewis - banjo
Contact: Steve Lewis
25107 De Wolfe Road
Newhall, CA 91321
(661) 255-2149
The Chameleons (Santa Barbara)
Michael Gutin - accordion
Alan Moses - piano
Victoria Ostwald - fiddle
Jon Wilcox - mandolin
Contact: Michael Gutin
740 Mission Park Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 563-0503
Chopped Liver (Santa Barbara/Los Angeles)
Suzanne Duffy - flute
Bill Flores - banjo, mandolin, dobro, tenor sax
Michael Mendelson - fiddle, guitar
Jeffrey Spero - piano
Contact: Michael Mendelson
P.O. Box 1043
Santa Ynez, CA 93460
(805) 686-4141
Contra Dictions (Los Angeles)
Ann Kosinski - fiddle
Jim Kosinski - bass, guitar, mandolin
Patty McCollum - banjo
Barbara Whitney - fiddle
This is an open band. Contact Jim for more info.
Contact: Jim Kosinski
(818) 500-7059
Dogwood (Los Angeles)
Ned Boyer - harmonica
Marie Bruno - guitar
Michelle Nosco - fiddle
Emil Olguin - bass, mandolin
Contact: Emil Olguin
509 So. Huntington Avenue
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 280-7857
The Fiddle Tunas (Santa Barbara)
Michael Mendelson - fiddle
Mike Mullins - mandolin
Amber Roullard-Mueller - piano
Tom Wolverton - bass
Contact: Michael Mendelson
P.O. Box 1043
Santa Ynez, CA 93460
(805) 686-4141
Rick Johnson - mandolin
Chip Sanders - guitar
Kellyn Sanderson - fiddle, djembe
Contact: Rick
(619) 280-4755
For Old Times' Sake (San Luis Obispo/Seattle, WA/Tucson, AZ)
Jim Mueller - fiddle
Amber Roullard Mueller - fiddle
W. B. Reid - guitar, banjo
Jerry Ray Weinert - bass
Contact: Jim Mueller
520 Arroyo Avenue
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
(805) 473-2440
The Growling Old Geezers (San Luis Obispo)
James Bolton - banjo, guitar
Jim Mueller - fiddle
Amber Roullard Mueller - bass, fiddle
Contact: Jim Mueller
520 Arroyo Avenue
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
(805) 473-2440
Hey Wire (San Diego)
Jeff Garvey - fiddle
Given Harrison - mandolin, bass
Rick Johnson - mandolin
JoAnn Koppany - piano
Jerry Schrieber - guitar
Contact: Jeff Garvey
(619) 258-1937
Interfolk (Los Angeles)
Jim Garner - mandolin
Kriss Larsen - accordion, keyboards
Mary Ann Sereth - fiddle
Jax (Los Angeles)
Christa Burch - bodhran, vocals
Kira Ott - fiddle
Steve Shapiro - mandolin, banjo
Jeffrey Spero - piano
Contact: Steve Shapiro
14752 Albers Street
Sherman Oaks, CA 91411
(818) 785-3839
Jump Fingers (San Diego)
Dave Allen - fiddle, button accordion
Lista Duren - piano
Given Harrison - mandolin, bass
John Wright - banjo
Contact: John Wright
4842 Gallatin Way
San Diego, CA 92117
(619) 273-0728
Key Ingredients (Santa Barbara/Los Angeles)
Bonnie Insull - flute
Kurt MacInnis - mandolin
Michael Mendelson - fiddle
Contact: Michael Mendelson
P.O. Box 1043
Santa Ynez, CA 93460
(805) 686-4141
Kitchen Junket (Santa Barbara)
Rick Drake - mandolin
Kristina Eriksen - accordion
Linelle Glass - fiddle
Carl Magagnosc - piano
Contact: Linelle Glass
2111 Laguna Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 682-1593
Kristina & Her Hey For Four (Santa Barbara)
Bud Beirhaus - guitar
Kristina Eriksen - accordion, piano
Bill Flores- banjo, dobro, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, saxophone
Tony Johanssen - guitar, bodhran, whistle
Jack Joshua - bass
Contact: Kristina Eriksen
P.O. Box 92143
Santa Barbara, CA 93190
(805) 962-5993
Les Amis (Los Angeles)
Ned Boyer - harmonica, recorder
Carol Burrill - hammered dulcimer
Mark Burrill - concertina
Jim Scheel - guitar
Marmalade (Los Angeles)
Christa Burch - bodhran
Bella Issakova - fiddle
Chris Loken - piano
Steve Shapiro - banjo, mandolin
Contact: Steve Shapiro
14752 Albers Street
Sherman Oaks, CA 91411
(818) 785-3839
Michael's Mixed Nuts (Santa Barbara)
Michael Gutin - accordion, piano, guitar, vocals
Tom Lee - bass
Mike Mullins - mandolin, guitar
Victoria Ostwald - fiddle
Contact: Michael Gutin
740 Mission Park Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 563-0503
The More, The Merrier (San Diego)
Community Band
The Occasional String Band (Orange County)
Ira Gwin - fiddle
Lisa Gwin - guitar
Hugh Nestor - harmonica, mandolin, fiddle
Jack Phillips - banjo, fiddle
Carolyn Russell - guitar
Carty Wilson - mandolin
Renata Wilson - bass
Others invited to join in!
Contact: Carolyn Russell
35313 Foothill Road
Lucerne Valley, CA 92356
(760) 248-2118
Old Twine String Band (San Diego)
Jeff Bratt - hammered dulcimer, recorder
Karen Croot - fiddle
JoAnn Koppany - banjo
Martha Wild - piano, mountain dulcimer
Contact: Martha Wild
2414 San Marcos Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 283-8550
Paddy O'Furniture (San Luis Obispo)
Carol Atkinson - guitar, bodhran
Gary Atkinson - fiddle
Amber Roullard Mueller - piano
Contact: Amber Roullard Mueller
(805) 473-2440
The PorchDogs (Santa Barbara)
Bill Flores - mandolin, dobro, banjo
Denise Gill - fiddle
Jack Joshua - bass fiddle
Mark Lewis - mandolin, fiddle
Steve Owens - guitar
Contact: Mark Lewis
Ragged but Right (Riverside)
Alan Davis - fiddle
Margaret Davis - guitar
Meg Hoffman - ukulele, banjo ukulele
Rob Hoyt - banjo
Contact: Rob Hoyt
4042 Overland Street
Riverside, CA 92503
(909) 359-6984
The Rose of Tejon (Frazier Park)
Barbara Edsall - bass
Ron Edsall - banjo, guitar, mandolin
Teresa McFarland - guitar
Michelle Nosco - fiddle
Lynne Shane - hammered dulcimer
Contact: Ron Edsall
P.O. Box 2011
Frazier Park, CA 93225
(661) 245-3041
Ruby's Dream (Los Angeles)
Michelle Nosco - fiddle
Emil Olguin - mandolin
Suzie Richmond - piano
Contact: Emil Olguin
509 So. Huntington Avenue
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 280-7857
The Screaming Earwigs (Los Angeles)
Chris Cooper - banjo, guitar
Patrick Sauber - mandolin, banjo
Tom Sauber - fiddle
Contact: Tom Sauber
(626) 574-0292
Southern Exposure (Los Angeles)
David Bragger - fiddle
Steve Lewis - banjo
Joe Wack - banjo, guitar
Contact: Steve Lewis
25107 De Wolfe Road
Newhall, CA 91321
(661) 255-2149
Spin Cycle (Los Angeles)
Frank Hoppe - fiddle
Kurt MacInnis - mandolin
Aubyn Miller - fiddle
Contact: Frank Hoppe
10656 Wheatland Avenue
Sunland, CA 91040
(818) 951-4482
Spontaneous Combustion (Los Angeles)
Chris Cooper - banjo, concertina
Steve Shapiro - fiddle, mandolin
Jeffrey Spero - piano, percussion
Contact: Jeffrey Spero
2426 32nd Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 396-3322
The Swamp Mamas (Los Angeles)
Marie Bruno - guitar
Dennis Louie - percussion
Patty McCollom - banjo, whistle, vocals
Ellen Swope - bass
Marcella Wagoner - bass
Barbara Whitney - fiddle
Contact: Patty McCollom
1249 Longview Drive
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 870-8763
The Syncopaths (Los Angeles / Tacoma, WA)
Christa Burch - bodhran, vocals
Bill Flores - mandolin, guitar, banjo
Ryan McKasson - fiddle
Jeffrey Spero - piano
Contact: Jeffrey Spero
2426 32nd Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 396-3322
Turtle Creek (Los Angeles)
Steve Lewis - banjo
Gaili Shoen - piano
Dan Slosberg - fiddle
Contact: Steve Lewis
25107 De Wolfe Road
Newhall, CA 91321
(661) 255-2149
Watermelon Pie (Orange County)
Chris Berry - banjo, guitar
Gene Burdo - guitar
Mel Durham - bass, fiddle
Hugh Nestor - mandolin
Jack Phillips - banjo, fiddle
Contact: Jack Phillips
12122 Paseo Bonita
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
(562) 598-8272
White Lightning (Los Angeles/Riverside)
Rob Hoyt - banjo
Emil Olguin - guitar, mandolin
Steve Shapiro - fiddle, mandolin
Contact: Steve Shapiro
14752 Albers Street
Sherman Oaks, CA 91411
(818) 785-3839
The Wiley Ramblers (Los Angeles)
Steve Lewis - banjo, guitar
Patrick Sauber - mandolin, banjo
Tom Sauber - fiddle
Contact: Steve Lewis
25107 De Wolfe Road
Newhall, CA 91321
(661) 255-2149