Home of Joshua Zucker &
The Zucker Family Band

Anne Schrager	Judy Van Evera	Penni Gladstone

what's new?
(last updated 10/4/2011)

• WHAT'S NEW?: Oh dear has it been a long time since I've updated my site. After massive public concern at my having dropped off the face of the Earth, I thought I ought to come up for air and check in. Hello! I've actually been here all along and doing all the same things I'm always doing, just more. More work, more music, more ... babies! All good stuff, but in combination it leaves me with, well, not a whole lot of time to keep my web site up to date. Recent highlights:

  • Lots of churn in my life and in the adventures of the Zucker Family Band. We've moved to a new home in a new town -- don't worry, we haven't gone far -- still laid back 'Marin hot-tubbers' in the immortal words of a former U.S. President. Speaking of Marin, in July we successfully defended our family talent competition blue ribbon at the Marin County Fair. Video evidence can be found here. Mark your calendars: the ZFB will be playing a free, all-ages show at Iron Springs Brewery in Fairfax on Wednesday, October 19. SPREAD THE WORD!!!

  • I am ... drum roll please ... The Fifth Wiggle! I performed with the fab four from down under on Friday, August 12 at Paramount Theatre in Oakland. I've always wanted to play the Paramount Theatre, although I didn't expect to play it dressed as a giant fruit salad. You can read all about it and see more pictures here. Oh, and here's the winning audition vid. 

  • A dark confession: I am the hated mass media. I work a the Chronicle. I've been there for, omigod, about 15 years. The newspaper has consumed me. It's a big part of my life and almost a second home and second family. Well, my second home and second family are mighty challenged in all sorts of ways right now. It's been all I can do to keep up with it, but keep up with it I have. Some days it feels like a sinking ship, some days I feel like I have the opportunity to reinvent news media for my generation. Most days I get my ass kicked and try to take everything that's thrown at me in stride. 

Lots of great shows in the works with old friends and several new ones all over this beautiful country of ours. For up-to-the-minute details, check out my upcoming shows page. 

 

recent video highlights:

what else is going on?:

• Caren Armstrong and I have been having a great time playing together hither and yon. We had a blast at the new Freight & Salvage and at Strings most recently. Caren's most recent CD, Everything, is incredible. Check it out!  

• The Rowan Brothers are keeping busy on both coasts both playing their own brand of original Americana music and as members of the Rubber Souldiers, our Beatles-meet-the-Dead jam band with David Gans and C.C. Dawson. Lots of shows in the works for summer. 

• Big brother Peter Rowan dragged me and David Phillips off to Alaska recently for a fantastic musical adventure. Some highlights, including our near-death experience trying to cross Turnagain Pass can be seen here. I even wrote a song about it which I named Homer By Dawn in tribute to our brave and kind chaperone Dawn Venters. 

• I've had the fortune to continue to sub for local supergroup Houston Jones and will be doing so on an ongoing basis (whenever Chris Kee, who is THE man by the way, is kind enough to give me the opportunity). If you haven't heard these guys, you must. Some of the best music the Bay Area has to offer. They've got an awesome new CD just about ready for release, so keep an eye on their web site for details and lots more shows as spring turns to summer. 

• I'm working with a wonderful singer/songwriter named Eda Maxym who has just released a new cd. This carries on the Trance Mission tradition and has many members of that project in the mix including Stephen Kent and David Phillips. Look for shows in June and beyond. 

• Andrew Freeman and I have been having tons of fun playing in various formats. Andrew plays all over the place, but can be found every Wednesday night at Giordano Bros. in North Beach,  home of 'The Sandwich." If you haven't tried one, you're missing out! I can't make every week, but I get there as often as I can. Always great tunes, great folks and great food. Try the Session Lager, it's my favorite!

• Tony Perez & Second Hand Smoke has been given a permanent monthly slot at the Saloon in North Beach. Come spend the afternoon with us every third Saturday of the month. 

• Jerry Hannan & the Brigade have been making waves in Marin and beyond. Jerry's got a new CD out and has placed songs in numerous major films these past couple of years. 

• Tom Ross, my teacher and musical hero has just put the final touches on his latest CD entitled Reach in this Dream.  On Reach, Tom is reunited with singer/guitarist Jody Cormack for the first time on record since the legendary Horse of Stone sessions. Buy it here!  

• JOKES: Man, the jokes page is getting pretty stale...Send me musician jokes for the site!

what's josh been listening to?

• Randy Rogers Band, Roller Coaster Ride, Self-Titled, Live at Billy Bob's, Just a Matter of Time

• Radney Foster, Revival, This World We Live In

• Taylor Swift. She's my daughter's favorite and I have to admit, I like her stuff too... sigh...

• Tal Wilkenfeld, Transformation

• Fernando Otero, Pagina De Buenos Aires

• Martina McBride, Live

• Larkin Gayl, Two Hands

• Carrie Underwood, Carnival

• Barenaked Ladies, Snacktime (another Izzy pick!)

• Tony Rice, Manzanita

• Corinne West, Second Sight

• Floratone (featuring Bill Frisell, Matt Chamberlain and Viktor Krauss)

• Houston Jones, Calico Heart

• Caren Armstrong, Everything (One of the best that the Bay Area has to offer hands down)

• Brad Mehldau & Pat Metheny, both the duo and quartet records. wow.

• Brad Paisley, 5th Gear

• Rhonda Vincent, Ragin' Live and All-American Bluegrass Girl

• Cars Motion Picture Soundtrack (another Izzy pic. Great pop tunes by Sheryl Crow, Rascall Flats, John Mayer and James Taylor)

• Viktor Krauss, Far From Enough (Alison and Viktor Krauss on a record with Bill Frisell, Jerry Douglas and Steve Jordan!)

• Bill Frisell, East/West (The 'West' side was recorded at Yoshi's in Oakland. Bill continues to amaze)

• Peter Rowan and Tony Rice, You Were There For Me

• John Mayer, Try (smokin' band!)

• Jerry Hannan, Sounds Like A Story

• Nickel Creek, Why Should the Fire Die (Quite a stylistic departure for these guys -- great stuff!)

• They Might Be Giants, Here Comes the ABCs (Izzy's favorite!)

• The Makaha Sons of Nihau, Na Mele Henoheno, Vol. 2: Na Makahiki Mua-Helu Elua

• Kelly Clarkson, Breakaway (what can i say? I'm a fan...)

• Kenni & Co., Shine Shine Shine

• The Beatles

• Garrin Benfield, Where Joy Kills Sorrow

• Brad Paisley, Time Well Wasted

• Rowan Brothers, Now and Then

• Corinne West, Bound for the Living

• Down Not Out, self-titled

• Alison Krauss, Lonely Runs Both Ways

• John Scofield Trio, En Route (Sco live with Steve Swallow and Bill Stewart -- yow!)

• Dixie Chicks, Wide Open Spaces/Home

• Tom Ross, Horse of Stone

• Kitka, The Vine

• Weird Al Yankovic, Poodle Hat ("Genius in France" is worth the cost of the CD all by itself!)

That's all I can think to tell ya for now... I hope to see you at one of the shows...

...jz