Local Bluegrass Banjo Video Released

Local bluegrass maestro Bill Evans has just released a new video, "Distance Between Two Points," that consists of a bluegrass soundtrack accompanying a video depicting Evans with his daughter as she discovers joy in music.

Evans, who lives in Albany, plays monthly in Kensington in the popular "Bangers & Grass" performances at the . The five-member "Bangers & Grass" ensemble – including two musicians from El Cerrito – were featured in a San Francisco Chronicle article in March.

The six-minute video, produced and directed by Sarah Fisher of Blue Lotus Films, takes place in a backyard festooned with several banjos, including a couple suspended in the air. Evans appears with a banjo in a chair, while Albany Middle School student Clara Bekeny plays in the yard.

Bekeny represents Evans' daughter Corey Evans at a younger age as she is beginning to discover music. His actual daughter – who went on to develop her music abilities and is now 19 – appears at the end of video to perform "The Distance Between Two Points" with her father. The song was written by the pair years ago.

An announcement about the release calls it "the first concept video ever for a bluegrass instrumental." The song, "The Distance Between Two Points," is from Evans' CD "In Good Company," currently at the top of the Folk DJ List charts nationally, according to the announcement.

The music on the soundtrack features Evans on banjo; three fiddlers, Darol Anger, Tashina Clarridge and Tristan Clarridge; David Grier on guitar, Mike Marshall on mandolin, and Todd Phillips on bass.