Photo by Patricia Wilson

   

Cuckoo History

Band Member Bios:

Cuckoo's Nest was founded in the summer of 2002 for a show at the Humboldt Folklife Society's annual summer festival. Initially, the band was a trio composed of founding members Rob Diggins and Jolianne von Einem, violins, and Jim Adams on guitar. They played a diverse mix of repertoire reflecting the eclectic and far reaching tastes and experiences of the members.

The band's first show (a short set though it was!) had a little of everything - old timey and contest twin fiddling tunes, acapella vocal trios, theme songs, Jimi Hendrix and lots of Hot Club Jazz! An immediate hit with the friendly audience, they barely got off stage when they were directly approached by two different promoters to do future shows!

Little by little, as the band found its true calling - jazz - they knew they needed to add a bass. Enter, the always talented Tami Pallingston.

As the year progressed and the 2003 Festival loomed on the horizon, the group's constitution grew yet again, with the addition of guitarist Dave Wilson. In adding Dave, the group truly blossomed and became... Cuckoo's Nest, the Gypsy Jazz Quintet!

From that moment onwards the group has continued to build a fan base, not only by playing regularly at Humboldt venues but also with special events such as a concert/party in celebration of Django Reinhardt's birthday at the Westhaven Center for the Arts, USABDA dances, and cd releases Out of the Shell and It Don't Mean a Thing: Happy Birthday Django.