ABOUT THE BAND
Moonshine Jelly consists of violinist and vocalist Lee Corbie-Wells, and guitarist and banjo player Kent Kessinger. The full ensemble often includes Margaret Marie on vocals and mandolin, Zina Pozen on accordion and John Thatcher Boomer on Clarinet. The band adds contemporary context to ancient folk songs and tunes of Eastern Europe, Celtic countries and the British Isles, and the Americas.
MEET THE PLAYERS
Lee Corbie-Wells:
Lee Corbie-Wells has been playing violin since the age of 6. Her father, a music teacher in San Francisco (Lee’s hometown), and her mother, a music teacher in the Oakland Public School district, taught her Celtic and American tunes by ear, fostering her love of folk music. At the age of 11 she began formal training. In addition to her instrumental studies, Lee sang first soprano in the San Francisco Girls’ Chorus for five years. She started performing solo at Brava Theatre at the age of 14, but soon got heavily into Celtic roots music. At age 18, Lee toured Southern Ireland with her first band, Drowsy Maggie, along with one of her former violin teachers, Alison Streich. Since then, she has played in numerous Celtic and Americana bands and has also performed at military functions such as house-concerts at Airforce bases in Travis, CA and in Kuwait. In her early adult years, Lee became passionate about learning Scottish Gaelic as well as other Celtic languages and became dedicated to learning songs from all different Celtic language traditions. Although she primarily plays Celtic and North American fiddle music, Lee has taken her years of experience in Blues and folk improvisation and branched out into explorations of Jazz, Swing, Ragtime, and Latin genres. Currently she plays fiddle and sings in a Scandinavian-Bluegrass-Contra band called Kaptain Bottletop. She also teaches violin and guitar in the Bay Area.
Kent Kessinger:
Kent Kessinger is from around Durham, North Carolina. He used to be a cook. and he got to cook a mid rare filet mignon for Doc Watson at one point. He became interested in migration issues and made some films around the subject. He is heavily influenced by the music of Doc Watson, Philipp Glass, Jose Gonzalez and Rev. Gary Davis.
Zina Pozen:
Zina Pozen is a familiar face in the Bay Area and Seattle Balkan music scene. Originally from Ukraine, she grew up in a family of classical musicians, playing piano from a tender age. As an adult, Zina picked up the accordion and started playing traditional Eastern European repertoire. She is a founding member of Seattle's infamous Bucharest Drinking Team. Since moving to the Bay Area in 2015, Zina has been playing Klezmer with Orchestra Euphonos, Rembetika with Metanastys, and old Soviet songs at so many after-parties and impromptu jams.
Shows
Next Shows:
If you wish to get on the email list, or would like to book us, please email: moonshinejelly@gmail.com
Also, visit our BANDCAMP!
2019
April 20: The Lost Church: 7:30 - 10:30pm: 65 Capp street, san francisco
June 3: The Revolution Cafe: 8:30 - 11:30pm: 3234 22nd Street, SaN FRANCISCO
2018
June 31: Priceless Festival at the Outpost Stage at 10:00pm: Feather River https://pricelessfestival.org/
June 3: Bar Fluxus (with Dylan Le Pogam opening) at 7:30pm. 18 Harlan Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108
June 1: Two Mile Wines at Oakland's First Friday: Opening for John Brothers Piano Company at 6:00pm: 477 25th St, Oakland, CA 94612
MARCH 9 : Trinity Cathedral : Opening for the Black Brothers (Michael and Shay Black!) : KKUP Radio - 4:00pm. Show at Trinity - 7:00pm : 81 N 2nd Street, SAN JOSE, CA.
MARCH 15 : The Revolution Cafe : 5:00 - 8:00pm : 3248 22nd Street, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
MARCH 31 : Ferment, Drink, Repeat : Guest musician Thatcher Boomer on Clarinet! : 7:00 - 10:00pm : 2636 San Bruno Avenue, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
APRIL 11 : KALW Radio : With Erica and Friends!
APRIL 15 : The Back Room : With Erica And Friends! : $15 - $20 sliding scale : Erica at 7:30pm, MJ at 8:30 : 1984 Bonita Avenue, BERKELEY, CA
APRIL 29 : World Out West Music and Dance Festival : Tickets at Wowmad.org : Humanist Hall, 390 27th Street, Oakland, CA
JUNE 31 : Priceless Festival! : Outpost Stage, 10pm : BELDEN TOWN ,CA
JULY 30 : The Rite Spot : 8:30 - 10:30pm : 2099 Folsom Street, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
SEPT 6 : The Back Room : 7:30 - 10:30pm : SECOND CD RELEASE PARTY! GREG ASHLEY AND GREG JENKINS WILL JOIN US : Door $15. Pre-Sale Tickets : 1984 Bonita Avenue, BERKELEY CA
2017
FEB 3 : Two Mile Wines : 8:00 - 10:00pm : 477 25th Street, OAKLAND, CA
FEB 28 : The Uptown Nightclub : ?????????? : 1928 Telegraph Avenue, OAKLAND, CA
MAR 3 : The Berkeley Yacht Club : 8:00 - 9:30pm : Music and Dinner $13 : 1 Seawall Drive, BERKELEY, CA
MAR 9 : The Coast Cafe : 6:00 - 8:00pm : 46 Wharf Road, BOLINAS, CA
MAR 10 : The Fireside Lounge : 11:00pm - 1:00am : With The Thundering Heard! : 1453 Webster Street, ALAMEDA, CA
MAY 9 : The Revolution Cafe : 8:30 - 11:30pm : 3248 22nd Street, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
MAY 12 : The Starry Plough : 8:00 - ????? : With Orchestra Euphonos! : $10 - $15 donation : 3101 Shattuck Avenue, BERKELEY, CA
MAY 18 : Doc's Lab : 8:00 - 11:00pm : With Three Times Bad! : 124 Columbus Avenue, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
MAY 26 : Studio Grand : 9:00 - 11:30pm : With Metanastys! : $7 - 15 donation : 3234 Grand Avenue, OAKLAND, CA
JUNE 8 : The Lost Church : 8:15 - 10:30pm : With Aya & Tano! : $10 advance; $15 on day of show : 65 Capp Street, SAN FRANCISCO
AUG 31 : The Monkey House : 7:30 - 10:00pm : $10 - $20 at the door : 1638 University Avenue, BERKELEY
OCT 20 : The Fairfax Fèis Irish Music Festival : 8:00 - 9:00pm : EV Lounge, 500 San Anselmo Avenue, SAN ANSELMO, CA
2016
FEB. 26 : Off The Grid Food Truck Fair : 6:00pm-8:00pm (?) : With Speakeasy Three! : 1401 N Shoreline Blvd. MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
MARCH 25 : The Berkeley Yacht Club : 7:30 - 9:00pm : Music and Dinner $13 : 1 Seawall Drive, BERKELEY, CA,
MARCH 26: The Poet and Patriot : 8:30 - 11:50pm : With Scott Stobbe on Banjitar! : 320 Cedar Street, SANTA CRUZ, CA
APRIL 7 : The Coast Cafe : 6:00 - 8:00pm : 46 Wharf Road, BOLINAS, CA
APRIL 22 : The Octopus Literary Salon : 9:30 - Midnight : With Red & Gold, and Dagmar! : 2101 Webster Street, OAKLAND, CA
MAY 3 : Studio Grand : Doors open at 9, Show's from 7:30 - 9:30 : $10-$15 at the Door : 3234 Grand Avenue, OAKLAND, CA
May 13 : Off The Grid Food Truck Fair : 6:30 - 8:00Pm : With Scott Stobbe! : 1401 N Shoreline Blvd. MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
MAY 18 : The Lost Church : 8:00 - 10:00pm : With Greg Ashley! : 65 Capp Street, SAN FRANCISCO
JULY 21 : The Coast Cafe : 6:00 - 8:00pm : 46 Wharf Road, BOLINAS, CA
AUG 19 : Studio Grand : 9:00 - 11:30pm : $7 - $15 at the Door : Balkan Nights with Orchestra Euphonos! : 3234 Grand Avenue, OAKLAND, CA
AUG. 22 : The DNA Lounge : 9:00 - 11:30pm : Tickets : Burlesque show! (We're guests!) : 375 11th Street, SAN FRANCISCO
SEPT 25 : Cole Valley Fair : 4:00 - 5:00pm : MIDLINE, 515 Frederick Street , SAN FRANCISCO
OCT 8 : El Cerrito Folk Festival : 6:00 - 7:00pm : 540 Ashbury Avenue, EL CERRITO
OCT 30 : Farm to Fork : 3:30 - 7:30pm : The Village - 969 Market Street, SAN FRANCISCO
NOV 8 : Revolution Cafe : 8:30 - 11:30pm : 3248 22nd Street, SAN FRANCISCO
DEC 11 : KWMR Radio Show : 6:30 - 8:30pm :
DEC 17 : The Octopus Literary Salon : 7:00 - 9:00pm : With Jon Rubin! : 2101 Webster Street, Unit 170, OAKLAND, CA
DEC 27 : The Revolution Cafe : 8:30 - 11:30pm : 3248 22nd Street, SAN FRANCISCO