Beth Custer

Amsterdam’s writer/reviewer/music lover Ton Maas has conducted a career overview with me in two, one hour segments that you’ll find once they occur: Fridays, August 15th & August 29th, Thank you to Hans Meerman and of course Sir Ton Maas. What a surprise!

Part 1:

Part 2 (available after broadcast on August 29):

Tuesday, August 26th, noon-1pm, People in Plazas presents Russian Telegraph members in downtown San Francisco, 303 2nd St. Bring your bag lunch and throw tomatoes at me please! You’ll be serenaded funky-time-style by none other than the brilliant David James, detective/bassist Keith McArthur, highly sought after drummer John Hanes, and me. We’ll be playing cuts from our new release and other tunes. Come say hi!

Friday August 29th, 5-9pm The New Farm Friday Film Series presents William Farley‘s work with the director on hand. Four short films of Farley’s will be screened in the New Farm’s Green Room on pairs of headsets (5-9pm), the feature film will be screened indoors at the New Farm’s NoBar. $20 suggested donation benefits the New Farm. Cash/Venmo/NOTAFLOF. nooneturnedawayforlackoffunds. Amen.

Robley D Variety Show goes into Hyde Street Studio this week again where I’ll be singing some backups and laying down my rock n’ roll clarinets…Thanks to Robley D for fulfilling my lifelong dream of recording with rockers! If you haven’t put Garden Party in your cue I suggest you do~an SF rock n’ roll delight!

Thanks for reading and hope to see you out there!

A photo from Fred Lyon covers our Turnips release!

On all platforms including Spotify, Apple Music , Bandcamp, Quobuz~ Russian Telegraph’s aural document! Check it, Check out & Spread! Your patronage is glowingly appreciated, carry on good people.

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: