Beth Custer

Hello good people, Thanks for stopping by. I’ve a few screenings and performances this fall into winter. I hope you’re well and getting out to witness art in all it’s forms

Will Bernard and I became collaborators and friends in the early 1980’s and we’ve played together ever since. Will appears as a guest artist on many of my releases including Dona Luz 30 Besos, Inclement Weather, Shirt I Slept In, and Trance Mission. We released SKY to great reviews the world over. October 17th we’ll be performing on the incredible Bird and Beckett Jazz Series, 8:30-10pm. Joining us will be cellist Jess Ivry. Stop by for gorgeousness~not to be missed!

Week of November 10th brings Cathy Lee Crane screenings in NYC and I’m tempted to go…

Saturday, November 22nd, Stephen Kent and I join forces to blow the roof of off one of our fav places to play, Wu Wei Temple in Fairfax CA! We’ll be blowing something like 8-10pm, get their early to enjoy a some sustenance and wander Fairfax! Lovely photo taken at Chapel of Chimes: Maurice Tierney

Saturday December 6th the PFA will be screening PLASTIC MAN: The Artful Life of Jerry Ross Barrish. They are doing a few days of Jerry’s films. The links aren’t up yet but will post as they become available.

Russian Telegraph will be performing Turnips Friday, December 12th, 8:30-10pm at Bird & Beckett Jazz Series, and Saturday, December 13th, 7-10pm at Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium, an Earthwise Production, ticket link soon!

December 14th, 3pm, Khachapuri Trio performs at the luscious Maybeck Performing Arts Studio in Berkeley, get your tickets in advance, these 45 seats will sell out quickly!

As always your donations are gratefully accepted, none to small.

Be well, carry on, hope to see you out there~

Crane’s gorgeous…film poems made me realize anew the beauty of…deep-focus photography.”

— V.Vale, RE/Search

Hi there, heads up! Premiere of Cathy Lee Crane’s film installation trilogy Drawing the Line with indoor installations (5-10pm) and an outdoor screening of Crossing Columbus at 8pm, Friday, June 13th, 2025 at The New Farm, 10 Cargo Way, San Francisco, CA 94121. There will be a Q&A with director Cathy Lee Crane, sound designer Jeremiah Moore, and composer Beth Custer, 8pm, with the feature length Crossing Columbus outdoor screening 8:30pm. Doors @ 5pm for indoor viewing of Drawing the Line installation. Save the date, bring a picnic, stay for the outdoor screening, suggested donation $20. Proceeds go to the New Farm.

May 10th I’ll be performing with Robley D Variety Show in Walnut Creek at Up the Creek Records, 5pm or so. Super fun singing and playing flute with these stellar rock n’ roll musicians.

June 21st I’ll be at my annual favorite gig, Bay Area Music presents Garden of Memory, in Oakland’s gorgeous Columbarium with master musician Stephen Kent. Not to be missed, get your tickets early, it will sell out.

Thanks for reading and be well.

Hey, thanks for stopping by….I’m singing backups in a rock band and having a blast doing so! The Robley D Variety Show performs May 10th in Walnut Creek (!) at Up the Creek Records, 6-9pm. There’s two other bands: Jocie and The Other Selves. Advanced tickets are recommended~ see you there!

Looking very forward in presenting Cathy Lee Crane at The New Farm on Friday, June 13th, 5-10pm, 10 Cargo Way, San Francisco. This will be the first every presentation of the complete “Drawing the Line” project, conceived of as a multi-platform work (somewhat/incompletely) presented here: www.drawing-the-line.com and there’s a cool interview with Cathy. She and I have been working together for quite a while, some of my scoring will be heard in her work. Not to be missed!

In July, I will be recording David James’s Mission Rebel No. 1 with this amazing cast, L-R: David James, John Hanes, Keith Lawrence, me, Alan Williams, Lisa Mezzacappa, Allegra Bandy, and Sòlás Burke-Lalgee 

I hope you’re well and hope to see you out there!

Hi there, thanks for stopping by my site. Katchapuri Trio pictured here will be performing at Red Poppy Art House March 29th, doors open at 7pm. Advance tix highly recommended! See you there.

I feel so lucky to be working with David James now in three ensembles. His GPS ensemble will be recording in early July this year. Russian Telegraph just finished a new recording that will be released soon. Katchapuri Trio formed many years after we toured the MY GRANDMOTHER project. Kachapuri is the name of the wonderful cheesy bread we enjoyed in Tbilisi, Georgia where we played the International Film Festival. I hope we return to perform there again some day!

April brings new work for me, Kara Herold (above) is hiring me to score her Mid-Film Crisis (working title), an hilarious comedy she’s been editing. You may have seen her 39-1/2 at the Mill Valley FF, We’re thrilled to be working together after talking about it for….decades!

Larry Reed (pictured below) has been studying clarinet for years. His wonderful Shadowlight Productions is seeking screenings for his CHAGALL, a delightful 8-minute film I scored. I hope this new work plays near you soon!

As always you can donate to my endeavors. Much obliged and hope to see you out there!

A Brief Pause in my Month of Birth!

A brief pause was much needed. I came down with two nasty bugs in a row but who cares? We’re all gettin’ sick and having to pause. I slept with my legs up on a pillow and read, slept, purged. Ate barely anything and drank lots of warm teas. And moped around in my jammies thinking it would never end!

Deepest apologies to anyone who may have come out to the Feb. 7th Red Poppy Arthouse concert, we had to postpone and did our best to let everyone know, and thankfully it’s rescheduled for March 29th! This is such a delightful trio, come hear us in our fav San Francisco micro venue that’s only 5-6 blocks from 24th St. BART.

This Saturday, Feb. 15, I’m on double duty with Russian Telegraph performing at The New Farm, 3-5pm, and Robley D Variety Show from 2-3pm. Admittance it by donation so line your pockets with cash or your phone that pays(!), take public transportation, bike, or carpool, walk the Heron’s Head Park, eat at a local cafe, and come hear us perform, you will not be disappointed, rain or shine!

Have you ever seen a Shadowlight Productions work? Dalang Larry Reed has directed and performed original works around the globe for decades. I got lucky and got to score his latest release, CHAGALL. Check it out and watch for a release near you to see the whole shebang! Be well and see you out there!

Be well and see you out there! Here’s a sketch by artist Jenny Cole:

Hey everyone, my collective ensemlbe Russian Telegraph will be at The New Farm, SF. We has just laid down a 6-track EP at the glorious Bird and Egg Studio. Originals and a cover includes our renditon of Caetano Veloso’s A Tua Presenca. Here’s my hubby treating me to All Good Pizza, ty you husband! Thanks for visiting, see you out there.