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Banjo Entertainment from the Peninsula Banjo Band

Welcome to a short recital by the

Peninsula Banjo Band

  • We play the happiest music there is. We've been around for over forty years and have thousands of fans in the San Francisco Bay area.

  • Our mission is to preserve the four string banjo and the music associated with it.
    We offer scholarships to learn to play the four string banjo and the “gutbucket”.

  • We play for parties, and meetings -- anywhere that happy music is wanted.

  • Charlie Tagawa, our leader, is a member of the National Four-string Banjo Hall of Fame.

  • We are a non-profit corporation and we make significant contributions to local charities.
    Over the years, we have given over $188,000 to various charities.

  • We are always open to new members.
    We offer scholarships to people of any age who want to learn the four string banjo or the gutbucket (wash tub bass.)

  • The public is invited to attend our practices.
    Currently, we practice and play every Tuesday evening from 8:00 - 9:00 P.M. at the
    Straw Hat Pizza Parlor on Meridian Avenue just north of Hamilton Ave. in San Jose.

Come and enjoy!

See the PBB at 8:00 PM on any Tuesday evening at the
Straw Hat Pizza - Meridian at Hamilton
in San Jose

  Announcements

  • A Spectacular new CD
    from The Peninsula Banjo Band.

    That Charlie Sound

    With 3 performances by Charlie Tagawa
    This new CD will blow you away.
    For information on
    That Charlie Sound
    and all our CD’s and cassettes.

  • The Peninsula Banjo Band's Annual Banjo Jubilee
    will be held Sunday September 7, 2008 from noon to five
    Watch this space for details.

  • PBB Charitable conributions
    2002 -- $4,750, 2003 -- $3,500, 2004 -- $5,500, 2005 -- $4,900, 2006 -- $6,000, 2007 -- $2,000.

  •   Coming Events

    Some PBB performances are open to the public.
    Following is a list of upcoming public performances.


    • Our Tuesday evening practices at the Straw Hat Pizza Parlor are always open to the public.
      We play from 8:00 to 9:00 PM
      Please come and enjoy.
      1535 Meridian Ave. (just north of Hamilton)

    To hear the Peninsula Banjo Band play Sweet Georgia Brown
    (A minute or two is required to down load the music.)

    To hire us; to inquire about membership or a scholarship; or to send us e-mail.

    Or call, our booking agent, at 408-993-BAND (408-993-2263)

    The Annual Banjo Jubilee

    For information on our CD’s and cassettes.

    For information on our books "Stories Behind Your Favorite Banjo Music"

    A Quick History of the Peninsula Banjo Band.

    About Charlie Tagawa, the Peninsula Banjo Band leader.

    About Banjo Bands in the Bay Area.

    Other Four String Banjo Related Groups.


    The Annual Peninsula Banjo Band Jubilee

    Every year the Peninsula Banjo Band hosts a wonderful day of banjo music in September.

    The 2008 show will be on September 7, 2008. Watch this space for details.

    The 2007 show was held Sunday, September 9 from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM
    at the San Jose Holiday Inn.
    1740 No First Street, San Jose California.

    And what a show it was!
    Five hours of wonderful music.
    The theme was Rhythms - Rags - Rock featuring music from Dixie to Disney, from Joplin to Jazz, from Elvis to Elton.

    The wildly popular "Banjo Stompers" from Tokyo, Japan were the hit of the show.
    Bill Lowrey and Kurt Abell were amazing on the plectrum banjo and Charlie Tagawa's expertise on the tenor banjo completed the show.
    or, click here to e-mail us.

    For pictures of the Jubliee

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    CD’s and cassettes from the Peninsula Banjo Band

    That Charlie Sound

    You'll love every one of the 17 songs on this great new CD.
    All the arrangments are by Charlie Tagawa.

    We start with 8 songs from the full band, with exciting solos fom Bill Lowrey, Jimmie Min and Dorothy Horning.
    o Just Because
    o Limehouse Blues
    o San Francisco Bay Blues
    o Bei Mir Bist Du Shon
    o I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
    o Smiles
    o St. Louis Blues
    o Tarentella Napoletano / Finiculi Finicula

    These three songs are by "Charlie and Sons."
    They are the only recordings of Charlie Tagawa's mastery of the tenor banjo.

    o Minuet in G
    o Turkish March
    o Temptation Rag

    Then back to the full band. Wait till you hear South Rampart Street Parade and Stars and Stripes Forever.
    o Roll On Mississippi
    o Do You Know what It Means to Miss New Orleans
    o South Rampart Street Parade
    o Take Me Home Country Roads
    o Wheels
    o Stars and Stripes Forever

    To order
    Send check or money order for $20.00 payable to the Peninsula Banjo Band at:
    Peninsula Banjo Band
    6310 Desert Flame Drive
    San Jose, CA 95120 We will ship postage paid.

    And for other PBB recordings and books, see the following sections.


    Over the years, the Peninsula Banjo Band has produced a number of recordings. We have re-mastered two of our old LPs to wonderful new CDs.
    (The sound clip that you are hearing now is from More! More! More! )

    Our 3 offerings are: JUST BECAUSE, MORE! MORE! MORE! and JUST ONE MORE TIME.
    Contents of each are listed below.

    The cost is $15.00 for CDs and $10.00 for cassettes.

    And, for a limited time, you can order
    2 CDs for $25.00 or
    3 CDs for $35
    and with your order for 3 CDs we'll include one volume in the series
    Stories Behind Your Favorite Banjo Songs

    Make your check payable to the Peninsula Banjo Band;
    include $2.00 per item ($5.00 Maximum) for shipping and handling, and mail to:
    Peninsula Banjo Band
    6310 Desert Flame Drive
    San Jose, CA 95120

    Just Because
    originally recorded in the 1970's, with a band of 70 members.
    Available in CD only.

    Just Because
    Carolina in the Morning
    Somebody Stole My Gal
    Alabama Jubilee
    Waiting for the Robert E. Lee
    Alabamy Bound
    Bill Bailey
    Shine on Harvest Moon
    Hava Nagilah
    For Me and My Gal
    When the Saints Go Marching In

    More! More! More!
    Originally recorded in the 80's
    Available in CD and cassette.

    Beer Barrel Polka
    Five Foot Two
    Somewhere My Love
    I’ve Been Floating Down the Old Green River
    Under the Double Eagle
    San Antonio Rose
    Coney Island Washboard
    Am I Blue
    Sweet Georgia Brown
    Just A Closer Walk With Thee
    I Wish I was in Peoria
    High Society

    Just One More Time
    Available in CD and cassette.

    Bourbon Street Parade
    At A Georgia Camp Meeting
    The Old Rugged Cross
    Sweet Georgia Brown
    Sailing Down The Chesapeake Bay
    Tin Roof Blues
    Bill Bailey
    Exactly Like You
    What A Wonderful World
    When the Saints Go Marching In

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    The Stories Behind Your Favorite Banjo Songs

    These three books contains articles which were originally published in the Band's newsletter, The News and Views.

    Volume I

    • Tin Pan Alley
    • Al Jolson - The World's Greatest Entertainer
    • One Hit Wonders: Jesse Fuller - The "Lone Cat"; Freddy Morgan
    • Polkas: Beer Barrel Polka, Liechtensteiner Polka, Pennsylvania Polka and Just Because.
    • Bill Bailey, the Blues and Frankie and Johnny
    • Shine on Harvest Moon and Take Me Out to the Ball Game
    • The Whole Thing II: American Patrol, Columbia the Gem of the Ocean, John Brown's Body, Battle Hymn of the Republic, Dixie, California Here I Come.
    • Irving Berlin
    • Shelton Brooks
    • Dueling Banjos
    • Cruising Down the River
    • The Chipmunk Song and Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer

    48 pages and a dozen articles and -- only $5.00. (+$2.00 S&H)

    Volume II

    • Spaghetti Rag and Vaudeville
    • Gus Kahn
    • Hank Williams
    • One Hit Wonders — Eugene Lockhart, Kyu Sakamoto, Bob Carleton
    • Armed Forces Songs
    • Crossovers
    • Bert Kaempfert
    • Paul Whiteman
    • Waiting For the Robert E. Lee
    • Jingle Bells and Jingle Bell Rock

    52 pages, eleven articles and -- only $5.00. (+$2.00 S&H)

    Volume III

    • Belle Baker -- All of Me, Blue Skies
    • Kalmar and Ruby -- A Kiss to Build a Dream On, Who's Sorry Now, I've Been Floating ...
    • A Trio of Irish Waltzes -- My Wild Irish Rose, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, Sweet Rosie O'Grady
    • Kerry Mills -- At a Georgia Camp Meeting, Red Wing
    • What a Record that Was -- Tzena Tzena Tzena and Goodnight Irene
    • Young and Lewis -- My Mammy, Shanty Town, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down, How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em ..., Dinah
    • The Whole Thing -- Under the Double Eagle, Stars and Stripes Forever, Saints
    • Harry Akst -- Am I Blue, Baby Face, Dinah
    • South Rampart Street Parade
    • Ice Cream
    • Bob Wills, Western Swing and San Antonio Rose
    • Christmas Songs -- Little Drummer Boy, Winter Wonderland

    53 pages, twelve articles and -- only $5.00. (+$2.00 S&H)

    Volume IV

    • One Hit Wonders: Paul Barbarin, Bent Fabric
    • A Showboat Mystery
    • Two Railroad Songs: I've Been Working on the Railroad and Wabash Cannonball
    • Two "Irish" Songs: MacNamara's Band, Danny Boy
    • More One Hit Wonders: Washington and Lee Swing, Heartaches
    • Two Peggys: Peg of my Heart, Peggy O'Neill
    • Saint Louis Blues: W C Handy and Glen Miller
    • Eddie Cantor
    • Jerry Herman: Hello Dolly and Mame
    • Gene Autry

    50 pages, 10 articles and only $5.00 (+ $2.00 S&H)

    All books are soft cover with photos in black and white.

    To order, send check or money order for $7.00 each, ($5.00 plus $2.00 for shipping and handling) to:
    Peninsula Banjo Band, 6310 Desert Flame Drive, San Jose, CA 95120

    Or, get a copy of any book free with your order for 3 CDs.
    To read about and order CDs

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    A Quick History of the Peninsula Banjo Band

    The PBB was organized in 1963 as the Cupertino Banjo Band. As it grew and attracted members from all over the Peninsula bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay its name was changed to the Peninsula Banjo Band. The band was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1975. Membership varies from 45 - 70 and includes plectrum and tenor banjoists as well as wash tub bass players.

    The PBB has performed at many public and private affairs including street festivals, retirement homes, private parties and grand civic occasions. It performed at the anniversary celebration of the Golden Gate Bridge, the reopening of the cable cars, San Francisco’s Black and White ball, Candlestick Park, the Cherry Blossom festivals, Music in the Park in San Jose, the opening of the San Jose Convention Center, special events at the De Young museum and for President Clinton and Vice-president Gore. Most recently, the band performed at the opening ceremony of The Tech museum in San Jose.

    The band has been directed for 40 of its 43 years by Charlie Tagawa, a master of the tenor banjo.

    For a complete history of the Band, and membership list, read the article written recently for the Peninsula Banjo Band newsletter, the News and Views.


    About Banjo Bands in the Bay Area

    If you like 4-string banjo music, here are some of the places in the Bay Area that you can find it.

    Appearances of 4-string banjo players in the Bay Area

    • Bob Lasley -Every other Thurdsay, 7 - 9 P.M.,
      Straw Hat pizza Parlor 1535 Meridian San Jose
      (with the Scarlett La Rue Band).

    • Dave Marty - Every Sunday, 5:30 - 9:30 P.M.,
      Marin Joe's, 1585 Casa Buena Drive, Corte Madera
      (The Main Street Jazz Band with Gary Newman, piano, and John Moore, bass).

    • East Bay Banjo Club - Every Tuesday, 8 - 10 P.M.,
      Round Table Pizza, 1938 Oak Park Boulevard, Pleasant Hill.
      (510) 928-0126.
      Contact: Terry Horner @ (925) 283-7234.

    • Happy Time Banjos - Every Wednesday, 7 - 9 P.M.,
      Straw Hat Pizza, 373 Main Street (xs Veterans Blvd.), Redwood City.
      Contact: Dorothy Horning @ (650) 851-7223.

    • Oakland Banjo Band - Every Thursday, 7:30 - 9:30 P.M.,
      Porky's Pizza Palace, 1221 Manor Boulevard, San Leandro.
      Contact: Claude Causley @ (510) 483-4455.

    • Peninsula Banjo Band - Every Tuesday, 8 - 9 P.M.,
      Straw Hat Pizza, 1535 Meridian Ave., San Jose.
      Contact: (408) 993-BAND (993-2263)

    • Sacramento Banjo Band - First & third Sundays of each month, 2 - 4 P.M.,
      Straw Hat Pizza, 2929 Mather Field Road, Rancho Cordova
      Contact: Ben Dale@ 1-800-251-6415.

    • San Francisco Banjo Band - First Saturday of each month, 8:30 - 11:30 P.M.,
      Molloy's Tavern, 1655 Mission Road, Colma.
      Contact: Bill Portman @ (650) 692-7878.

    4-string banjo players in the Bay Area are encouraged to list their engagements.
    To be listed,
    Click here or phone Jim Strickland 408-268-3956.

    In the past, the Penninsula Banjo Band newsletter, The News and Views, printed a series of articles called Our Banjo World featuring banjo bands in our area. We invite you to read the articles and visit the band in your area.

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    Four-string Banjo Related Links

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