My main instruments are upright bass, guitar, and mandolin. Plus some other stuff that I'd be too ashamed to admit.

I enjoy playing a variety of styles, staying mostly in the acoustic realm: Bluegrass, Swing, country, Gypsy Jazz, French Folk, Musette, Eastern European, Klezmer, Mexican, Tango, etc. I also teach online or in person.

Current active projects:

Bistro Moustache (French Café music)


Bistro Moustache plays French Café music, a style that mixes songs with flavors of Manouche, Gypsy Jazz, Musette, Tango and Swing. That style was popular in France before and after the Second World War, and it is still very much alive today. We go from the popular timeless classics (Les Feuilles Mortes, C'est Si Bon, Ménilmontant, J'Attendrai, La Foule, Sous Le Ciel De Paris, La Vie En Rose) to more modern songs , and even some numbers you may hear on the French radio today. We also feature Jazz instrumentals and dance tunes, Waltzes, Polkas, Tangos, Auvergne Bourrées and Celtic folk. All the songs are sung in French by Olivier, a native Parisian, with accompaniment on Guitars, Accordion, Clarinet and Mandolin.Just as if Charles Trenet, Jacques Brel, Yves Montand, Georges Brassens, Serge Gainsbourg, Tino Rossi, Edith Piaf, Boris Vian, Django Reinhardt, Gus Viseur and Jo Privat were all on the same stage together for one evening.

[Listen] -- [Watch] -- [YouTube] -- [Facebook]


Swing Shift (Swing and Classic Jazz)


Swing Shift plays American swing -- songs from the 1920s through the present day. Led by Richard Southwick on vocals and guitar, the trio features Nathan Ladyzhensky on violin and melodica, and Olivier Zyngier on double bass. While the focus is on songs from the Great American Songbook, the band also likes to mix in latin rhythms, western swing, and modern pop tunes reimagined in a swing style.

[Listen] -- [Watch] -- [Facebook]


Solo performer


I sing and accompany myself on Guitar and Mandolin, for events, corporate parties, cafés and restaurants, and senior/retirement homes. My repertoire consists of favorites from the 20's 30's and 40's Great American Songbook, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, etc. as well as some Blues and Country most people will certainly recognize. Performances can be as staged or intimate shows, background music or with audience participation -- most of those songs are familiar to many people, and very often the audience members will sing with me.I mix those with French Café Music from the Bistro Moustache repertoire,(see above, e.g. Edit Piaf, Charles Trenet, etc.), Bourrées dance tunes played on the mandolin, and French children comptines, like Frère Jacques, or Sur Le Pont D'Avignon. I have played in over 30 Senior and Retirement homes in the Bay Area, most often as regular recurring performances.

Listen to the [English repertoire] -- [French repertoire]

Past bands and projects:

Past bands included The Baguette Quartette (French cafe music, musette and tangos), Way Blonde (country swing), The Mandorian Candidates (mandolin trio), French Toast (French traditional folk), Danubius (Hungarian and easter european folk), Special Delivery (country rock), Rhythm & Romance (gypsy swing), Blue Plate Special (bluegrass), Back At Two (jazz), Westwind (dance company), and a few others that disbanded before they could get a name or play a gig, or simply that I forgot. Some of these projects' recordings are still available:

Upcoming shows

(see the band sites above for details and listen to sound clips):

Sorry I'm woefully behind filling out this section,

and with more than 150 gigs to add this list for 2018 alone and more in 2019

and then the 2020 COVID shutdown

I'm not sure if / when I'll ever catch up!

  • Recent shows:

    • --- 2017 ---

    • November 4, Saturday 6:30pm: Cafe Leila, Berkeley with Bistro Moustache

    • October 28, Saturday 6pm: Ale Industries in Oakland with Bistro Moustache

    • October 19, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • October 19, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • October 11, Saturday, 3pm: private party in Berkeley with Bistro Moustache

    • October 8, Sunday 5pm: Club 1220, Walnut Creek, Bass with Swingularity

    • October 7, Saturday, 6:30pm: Cafe Claude in Sf, bass with Belinda Blair and Mark Holzinger

    • October 6, Friday, 8pm: private party in Berkeley with Bistro Moustache

    • September 22, Friday, 7pm: private party, solo

    • September 21, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • September 14, Thursday 7pm: Alliance Francaise in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • September 9, Saturday 2pm: Bass at Club Deluxe in SF, with Dukes Of Manouche

    • September 9, Saturday 6:30pm: Cafe Leila, Berkeley with Bistro Moustache

    • September 3, Sunday 5pm: Club 1220, Walnut Creek, Bass with Martin Pendergrast

    • September 1, Friday, 6pm: Oakland Museum, with Bistro Moustache

    • August 24, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • August 20, Sunday 4pm: Jupiter brew pub in Berkeley, bass with Redwing

    • August 20, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

    • July 14, Friday: private party in El Cerrito with Mike James

    • July 8, Saturday 6:30pm: Cafe Leila, Berkeley with Bistro Moustache

    • July 2, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

    • June 24, Saturday, 2pm: Drake's in Oakland, bass with Mountain Fire

    • June 22, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • June 18, Sunday, 6pm: private party in SF with Bistro Moustache

    • June 17 Saturday 6pm: Grass Valley Vern stage, with Redwing Bluegrass

    • June 11, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

    • June 4, Sunday, 2pm: Monkey House in Berkeley, with Bistro Moustache

    • June 2, Friday 8pm: Ale Industries in Oakland with Bistro Moustache

    • May 18, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • May 13 Saturday, 2pm: Bass at Club Deluxe in SF, with Dukes Of Manouche

    • May 12, Friday 8pm: Britt Marie in Albany, with Bistro Moustache

    • May 7, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

    • May 1, Monday 7pm: Bass at Saul's Deli with Klezmer ensemble

    • April 30, Sunday 6pm: Bass at the Milk Bar, SF, with Howard Simon

    • April 29, Saturday 6:30pm: Cafe Leila, Berkeley with Bistro Moustache

    • April 20, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • April 7 to 10: Bass TA, guitar instructor at Walker Creek music camp

    • April 1, Saturday: 6:30pm, private function

    • March 28, Tuesday 7pm: Bass at Bazaar Cafe, SF, with Howard Simon

  • March 21, Tuesday 7pm: Bass at Bazaar Cafe, SF, with Howard Simon

    • March 19, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • March 14, Tuesday 7pm: Bass at Bazaar Cafe, SF, with Howard Simon

  • March 9, Thursday 7:30pm: Blush Wine bar, San Francisco, with Bistro Moustache

    • March 7, Tuesday 7pm: Bass at Bazaar Cafe, SF, with Howard Simon

    • March 3, Friday 7pm: Armando's in Martinez, with Rick Horlick Bluegrass

    • February 19, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • February 16, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • January 22, Sunday 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, bass with Redwing

    • --- 2016 ---

    • December 11, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

    • December 10, Saturday 7pm: private party in Albany, with Bistro Moustache

    • December 2, Fiday, 5pm: private party in San Ramon, with Bistro Moustache

    • December 1, Thursday 6pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • November 17, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • November 13, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

    • November 3, Thursday, 6pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 23, Sunday 11am: Terrace Room in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 20, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • October 13, Sunday, 2pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 16, Sunday 5pm: Club 1220, Walnut Creek, Bass with Martin Pendergast

  • October 13, Thursday 6:30pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 6 to 9: TA at Walker Creek music camp

  • September 30, Friday, 12noon: People in Plazas, SF with Bistro Moustache

  • September 18, Sunday 5pm: Jupiter brew pub in Berkeley, bass with Redwing

  • September 18, Sunday 12:30-1pm: LaFayette Arts and Wine Festival, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 17, Saturday: 12noon, private party in Oakland, with Swingularity

  • September 15, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 12, Monday 7:30pm: Bass with the Baja Taqueria band, in Oakland

    • September 4, Sunday 5pm: Club 1220, Walnut Creek, Bass with Martin Pendergast

  • September 1, Thursday 6:30pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • August 18, Thursday 6:30pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • August 13, Saturday 5pm: Gallery Mercury 20 in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • July 14, Thursday 6:30pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • June 30, Thursday 7pm: Terrace Room in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • June 25 Saturday 5pm: Wedding in Sta Helena with Bearcat

  • June 23, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF with Bistro Moustache

  • June 5, Sunday, 5pm: Club 1220, Walnut Creek with Swingularity

  • June 4, Saturday 7pm: Bazaar Cafe, SF, with Howard Simon

  • June 3, Friday 6:30: Clos Soma, SF with Bistro Moustache

  • May 12, Thursday 6:30pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • May 19, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • April 24, Sunday 4/24: Croatian Cultural Center, Festival of the Mandolins, with Mandorian Candidates

  • April 23, Saturday 7pm: Plough and Stars in SF, with Savannah Blu

  • April 21, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • April 7, Thursday 6:30pm: Campovida in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • March 26, Saturday 3:30pm: Cleophus in San leandro, with Savannah Blu

  • March 17, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • March 6, Sunday 4pm: Club 1220,with Swingularity

  • February 18, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • January 21, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • January 14, Thursday 7pm: Caffe Trieste in Berkeley, with Bistro Douce Ambiance

    • --- 2015 ---

  • December 23, Wednesday 7:30pm: private party in Piedmont, with Bistro Moustache

  • December 19, Saturday 12:30-4pm: Cleophus Brewery, San Leandrom with Bistro Moustache

  • December 12, Saturday 6:30pm: Bazaar Cafe in SF, with Howard Simon

  • December 11, Friday, noon: private party in SF, with Douce Ambiance

  • December 3, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • November 28, Sunday 6:30pm, Chouchou in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • November 27, Saturday 6pm: private party in Piedmont, with Bistro Moustache

  • November 15, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • November 12, Sunday 6:30pm: private party (Beaujolais Nouveau) in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • November 8, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • November 1, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 25, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 24, Saturday 6:30pm: St. Francis Church in San Francisco with J.D.'s Bluegrass Kitchen

  • October 22, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 21, Wednesday, 6pm: Michel Bistro in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 18, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 11, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 8, Wednesday, 6pm: Michel Bistro in Oakland, with Duo Gadjo

  • October 4, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • October 2, Friday, 12noon: People in Plazas, SF with Bistro Moustache

  • September 27, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 20, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 19, Saturday 6pm: La Casbah, in Pleasanton, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 17, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 13, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 12, Saturday, 7pm: Monaghan's in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 6, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • September 3, Thursday 6:30pm: Mathilde Bistro, with Bistro Moustache

  • August 30, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • August 23, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • August 14, Friday 6pm: Chevalier Restaurant in Lafayette, with Bistro Moustache

  • June 14, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • June 7, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • May 31, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • May 29, Friday 6pm: Chevalier Restaurant in Lafayette, with Bistro Moustache

  • May 28, Thursday 6:30pm: Le Charm Bistro, with Bistro Moustache

  • May 26, Tuesday, 7pm, Bazaar Café, SF, with Howard Simon

  • May 24, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • May 22, Friday 6pm: Chevalier Restaurant in Lafayette, with Bistro Moustache

  • May 21, Thursday, 6pm: Monaghan's in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • May 19, Tuesday, 7pm, Bazaar Café, SF, with Howard Simon

  • May 14, Thusday, 5pm: private party in Berkeley

  • May 12, Tuesday, 7pm, Bazaar Café, SF, with Howard Simon

  • May 10, Sunday, 3- 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • May 3, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • April 30, Thursday 6:30pm: Le Charm Bistro, with Bistro Moustache

  • April 26, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • April 26, Sunday, 12 noon: Festival of the Mandolins, SF, with Instant Klezmer Orchestra

  • April 25, Saturday 7pm, Bazaar Café, SF, with Howard Simon

  • April 24, Friday, 8pm: Caffe Trieste, with Bistro Moustache

  • April 19, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

  • April 16, Thursday, 6pm: Monaghan's in Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

    • April 12, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • April 5, Sunday, 5:30pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • March 29, Sunday, 6pm: Chouchou Bistro in SF, with Bistro Moustache

    • March 27, Friday, 8pm: Caffe Trieste, with Bistro Moustache

    • March 22, Sunday, 1pm: Jewish Music Festival, Berkeley, with Instant Klezmer Orchestra

    • March 7, Saturday, 8pm: Berkeley, with Baguette Quartette

    • February 14, Saturday, 6pm: Baker Street Bistro, SF, solo

    • February 10, Tuesday San Francisco private event with Bistro Moustache

    • January 30, Friday, 8pm: Caffe Trieste, Berkeley, with Bistro Moustache

    • January 22, 8pm: Atlas Café, San Francisco, with Continental Breakfast Club

    • January 19, 7pm: Caffe Trieste, Berkeley, with Douce Ambiance

    • January 10, 8pm: Caffe Trieste, Berkeley, with Bistro Moustache

--- 2014 ---

  • December 18, 6pm: Mercury 20 Gallery opening, Oakland, with Bistro Moustache

  • December 12, 6pm, private event, San Francisco, with Douce Ambiance

  • December 11, private event, Berkeley with Eve and Martin

  • October 2, 8pm: Caffe Trieste, Berkeley, with Douce Ambiance

  • October 2, 2pm private event, San Leandro, with Darn Good Roots

  • October 1, wedding at San Francisco City Hall, with Continental Breakfast Club

  • September 2, private event, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, with Continental Breakfast Club

  • June 28: noon to 4pm at Drake's Brewery in San Leandro, with Mountain Fire

  • June 22: private function in Hayward with Darn Good Roots

  • June 8: Studio opening in Berkeley with Redwing

  • May 31: Piedmont Maker Fair, with Industrial Bluegrass

  • May 26th: Point Richmond city wide garage sale, with the Hot CLub of Marin, 10am-noon

  • May 26th: Point Richmond city wide garage sale, with Douce Ambiance, 8-10am

  • May 4th: private function in Berkeley, with Douce Ambiance

    • May 3rd: private function in Berkeley, with Redwing

    • April 24, Thursday: Creativity Explored, 3245 16th St, San Francisco, with Douce Ambiance

  • March 28, Friday 6pm: private party in San Francisco, with Douce Ambiance

  • February 15, Friday 8pm: Monaghan in Oakland, with Savannah Blu

  • February 2, Sunday 2pm: Aqus cafe, Petaluma, with Sugar Moon

  • January 26, Sunday 10am: Kensington farmer's market, with Douce Ambiance

    • January 25, Saturday, 7pm: Django Festival, Freight and Salvage, in Berkeley, with Douce Ambiance

    • January 11, Saturday 4pm: EDF audition, Zellerbach Hall, with Jubilee dance company

For 2013 and before, see past gigs.