Hello, Friends! Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the Internet. My name is Dan Mazer, aka “BanjerDan.” I’m an acoustic musician raised in Washington, DC now living near Santa Cruz, CA. I’m mostly a banjo player, along with a couple of other stringed instruments, and I like to sing songs and tell stories. My deepest musical love is Bluegrass, of course, but I also love other styles ranging from country and folk to jazz and classical music. I have a wide range of extra-musical interests as well, including science, especially evolution and paleontology; as well as art, film, environmentalism, and history.
Live Shows
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
((All shows are BanjerDan solo unless otherwise noted.)
4/19/24, 5:00 PM
Filling in with Chris Cerna and The Bluegrass Republic at Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall & BBQ, Treasure Island Hotel & Casino!
“Chris Cerna & The Bluegrass Republic is an established bluegrass band since 2016, based in Southern CA. It’s a combination of new and experienced talent and with its ability to provide clean instrumentals and harmonies, is guaranteed to satisfy even the most critical of bluegrass music aficionados. A dedicated band that specializes in hard-driving, traditional bluegrass. Their set lists include traditional, gospel and original songs written by the band members themselves.”
https://facebook.com/bluegrassrepublic
Gilley’s Saloon, 3300 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109; 702•894•7111 • https://gilleyslasvegas.com/
“Get down to Gilley's for Bluegrass & BBQ on Fridays & Saturdays! Live bluegrass bands starts at 5PM on Fridays & Saturdays! Mouth waterin' BBQ, and Drink Specials until 10PM.”
4/20/24, 5:00 PM
Filling in with Chris Cerna and The Bluegrass Republic at Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall & BBQ, Treasure Island Hotel & Casino!
Filling in with Chris Cerna and The Bluegrass Republic at Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall & BBQ, Treasure Island Hotel & Casino!
“Chris Cerna & The Bluegrass Republic is an established bluegrass band since 2016, based in Southern CA. It’s a combination of new and experienced talent and with its ability to provide clean instrumentals and harmonies, is guaranteed to satisfy even the most critical of bluegrass music aficionados. A dedicated band that specializes in hard-driving, traditional bluegrass. Their set lists include traditional, gospel and original songs written by the band members themselves.”
https://facebook.com/bluegrassrepublic
Gilley’s Saloon, 3300 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109; 702•894•7111 • https://gilleyslasvegas.com/
“Get down to Gilley's for Bluegrass & BBQ on Fridays & Saturdays! Live bluegrass bands starts at 5PM on Fridays & Saturdays! Mouth waterin' BBQ, and Drink Specials until 10PM.”
5/2/24, 7:00 PM
Fiddling Cricket & Canyon Acoustic Society Concert Series 2024 presents: Benny Bleu: Blues Banjo, Songwriter, with special guests, Alison Steele and BanjerDan!
Benny Bleu (http://bennybleu.com/)
“In an infinitely expanding universe nearly fourteen billion years in the making, let’s zoom in on a sleepy hillside in the Finger Lakes, where Benny Bleu Haravitch’s banjo rings out in harmony with it all. Through his lens as a geologist, he contemplates ages of ecological relationships in his folk music. Haravitch’s songwriting is compassionate and patient, but his instrumental offerings are equally profound. A compelling modern clawhammer banjoist, his playing is like a marching band – the bugle melodies in lock-step with the drum corps… His career is dedicated to purveying honest acoustic roots music, not for the sake of revival, but as a living, breathing community experience in the here and now. An award winning banjo player, and a cherished songwriter, Benny Bleu lives up to the truest form of folk music – made by the folks, for the folks. His hypothesis: building connections with nature, each other, and our history through music makes for a richer future. Simple, testable, repeatable.”
Alison Steele (https://facebook.com/alison.steele.182/) is a fantastic clawhammer banjo player and singer-songwriter from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, now living in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. She performs solo and as a member of “Coyote Moon.”
Presented by Fiddling Cricket Concerts & Canyon Acoustic Society at:
The Ugly Mug Cafe, 4640 Soquel Dr., Soquel, CA 95073;
Thursday, May 2nd, 7.00pm (doors open at 6.30pm); $25 adv / $28 dr
Contact Fiddling Cricket at 408-499 -9441 or crbrundle@gmail.com for reservations or more information.
Reservations still pay at the door, by cash or check.
Food and Drink: Beer, wine, coffee, tea and soft drinks available. Usual coffee shop food. (if you wish, bring your own wine and pay corkage)
5/3/24, 6:00 PM
The Sawmill Restaurant & Alehouse, 15520 Highway CA-9, Boulder Creek, CA 95006; 831-610-8196 • thesawmillbc.com/
“The Sawmill is an iconic, destination restaurant featuring American fare, craft beers and an expansive outdoor area with a music stage. As the gateway to Big Basin State Park and the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Sawmill is located in the heart of a majestic Redwood tree forest and is across the street from Garrahan Park. Come join us for great food, great friends and a great time.”
5/4-5/24, 2:30 PM
I’m truly honored that the good folks at the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Centers has invited me to return to perform both days at the Good Old Days Street Festival! I’ll be playing acoustic music on the Chautauqua Stage from 2:30 - 3:30 PM on Saturday and Sunday, May 4th, and 5th.
Chautauqua Hall is located at: 170 16th St., Pacific Grove CA 93950
Pacific Grove Good Old Days, Chautauqua Stage
“65th Annual Good Old Days Street Festival is Pacific Grove’s premier community event and is returning to downtown Pacific Grove the first weekend of May! Each year this FREE event draws a great crowd of locals and visitors, rain or shine! Vendors from multiple states display their arts and crafts alongside a wide variety of food booths stretched down historic Lighthouse Avenue, the largest gathering of arts and crafts vendors in Monterey County.”
For more information, please contact the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce at (831) 373-3304 • pacificgrove.org/.
https://business.pacificgrove.org/events/Details/good-old-days-street-festival-931830/
--BanjerDan (Dan Mazer)
http://facebook.com/BanjerDan/
http://youtube.com/BanjerDan/
"Wow! Banjos ROCK!"