See the PBB at 8:00 PM on any Tuesday evening
Straw Hat Pizza 1535 Meridian at Hamilton in San Jose
Come and enjoy!

  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    .

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

    2008 -- $6,250.

    • Coming Events

    Some PBB performances are open to the public.
    Following is a list of upcoming public performances.
    • Every Tuesday 
      Straw Hat Pizza Parlor.
       8:00 to 9:00 PM
      1535 Meridian Ave. (just north of Hamilton)
    • The PBB will open for Chrerryholmes
      at the Campbell Heritage Theatre
      Friday, March 20, 2009
      Campbell Heritage Theatre
       
    • Sacramento Banjo-Rama
      Sunday, March 1, 2009
      in Carmichael, California
      Banjo-Rama 2009


    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.

    Four String Banjo Related Links.

    Mostly for Members.

    The Annual Peninsula Banjo Band Jubilee

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

    The 2008 show was held September 7 -- and what a show it was!

    Soloists were: Charlie Tagawa with Nori Tagawa and Mary Horne, Bill Lowrey, Jack Convery with Gary Neuman and John Wilder

    Joining them were the East Bay Banjo Club, The Sacramento Banjo Band, and Happy Time Banjos.

    Headlining the event was the Devil Mountain Jazz Band.

    It was five hours of wonderful music with a theme Bayou to Broadway: The Banjo in America

    The next major banjo event in Northern California will be the Banjo-Rama, sponsored by the Sacramento Banjo Band on March 1 in Carmichael, just north of Sacramento. For more information

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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.

    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

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

    Volume II

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

    Volume III

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

    Volume IV

    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.

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    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