Turning Tides Music: House Concerts
Simon Crisman and Tristan Clarridge, May 29, 2026
Maple Landing, 246 Ivanhoe Ave, Eugene
Multi-instrumentalist Tristan Clarridge is a 5-time Grand National Fiddle Champion and a pioneering cellist, synthesizing traditional folk influences with rhythmic vocabulary from jazz, rock and pop music, and leading a revolution among adventurous young cellists throughout the country. He has toured the world with bluegrass/nu-folk sensation Crooked Still and Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings, as well as Mike Marshall, Bruce Molsky and Cape Breton fiddle phenomenon Natalie MacMaster. Hammer dulcimer virtuoso Simon Chrisman brings a whole new approach to an instrument that has previously been thought to have limited range and technique. His inventive virtuosic touch and sophisticated rhythmic sensibilities are redefining the instrument and earning the attention of musicians from all over the world. Together, they weave a tapestry of sound all their own, drawing on roots in bluegrass, Celtic, jazz and old-time traditions. While today’s new breed often produces an amalgamation of sounds and styles based on a distant view. They were raised embedded in these traditions… raised to mold, meld, shape them and carry them forward, leaving their own indelible marks in the process. With Tristan’s grounding cello wrapped around Simon’s ethereal dulcimer, they have created a never-before-heard sound in American music. No tricks. No pyrotechnics. Instrumental voices, united in their musical exploration.
Playdate Trio, June 4, 2026
70 E Howard Ave, Eugene
The Playdate Trio: Marla Fibish, Rebecca Richman, and Lewis Santer
The Playdate Trio weaves together mandolin, fiddle, and bouzouki into something greater than the sum of its parts—locked-in, interwoven, and full of joyful mischief. Marla’s mandolin and mandola, Rebecca’s fiddle and concertina, and Lewis’s artful bouzouki and guitar, create a sound built on deep listening and shared musical intuition. Rooted in Irish traditional music, they also bring life to original tunes from Marla and their tunesmith friends, along with threads from other traditional styles.
All three are accomplished musicians in their own right. Marla has cultivated a thriving community of mandolin students. Rebecca draws on her music studies at Mills College and years of teaching experience. Lewis is a master luthier who has been building and repairing acoustic instruments since 1986, and has played in traditional Irish bands for decades.
The trio grew out of Marla and Rebecca’s 2025 duo album, Playdate, which featured Lewis’s bouzouki. What began as a guest appearance revealed a musical chemistry too good to leave in the studio—and the Playdate Trio was born.
“…absorbing and rewarding…played with a lightness of touch and a togetherness which is a joy to hear.” — Alex Monaghan, Irish Music Magazine