Beth Custer

When I was maybe 20, my pianist/lawyer/cook/father Bill Custer and I were driving along Lakeshore Drive in Dunkirk, NY towards his cabin and he said to me…’film scores!’ Throughout my music career I’ve always done things backwards, only realizing in retrospect what I started. I founded BC Records in the early ’90’s not realizing I’d put out dozens of releases. I founded All Hands on Deck Publishing Company and am overwhelmed by how many scores I can publish. Everything is self-serving in the hopes of getting more work…and bringing joy! I started The New Farm Friday Film Series last summer as a fundraising idea for the volunteer & donation based community center. We presented Cathy Lee Crane, William Farley, and My Grandmother. Just this morning I’ve sealed the lineup for this summer, save the dates, and attend! I’d be much obliged~you can watch me do things backwards!

The New Farm Friday Film Series presents:

August 21st 5-10pm:

Anne Milne She’ll be coming over from Scotland, we’ll be showing many of her very cool films that have won awards the world over.

July 24th 5-10pm:

Jakub Kalousek: ‘Week Old Sushi & All Bagel Mix’…who knows what Czech transplant Jakub will bring to the table but you will be entertained, there is no doubt! Some of you may have attended his mattress film showing at New Farm a couple years ago w/David James, Tom Dimuzio and I accompanying?

June 26th 5-10pm:

LOCALS SHORTS, a evening of short films by Larry Reed (Rest in Power), Kara Herold, William Farley, Jarico Reese, hopefully Peter McCandless, and Anne Hamersky and maybe some others! These are locals and former locals that I adore~not to be missed!

The New Farm Friday Film Series has been created to help bring in donations to support our ongoing work as a burgeoning community center replete with numerous stages and gathering places. The New Farm is located at 10 Cargo Way in San Francisco. Hope to see you out there!

Photo of Beth Custer Ensemble: Anne Hamersky @1999-2000 (?) at Radio Habana Social Club. Wearing a Michael Roman (RIP) printed dress.

Thanks for reading~peace!

Hi good people! I’ll be performing at the lovely Wyldflowr Arts venue in Oakland, this will be a return to Oakland for Russian Telegraph. We’ll be performing our Turnips release and many other pieces. Hope to see you there and thanks for reading…be well~

Will Bernard played in The Beth Custer Ensemble until he moved to Brooklyn. As he was leaving he said you should check out David James~ I found him at his place of work and and asked him to play in my band. He came for a jam and became the guitarist in BCE which morphed into Russian Telegraph and he founded GPS. David James’s GPS & special guests will be presenting Mission Rebels No. 1 CD/vinyl release concert, on Friday, January 23rd. 7:30pm at Capp Street Theatre. Advance tickets highly recommended~you’ll be glad you did!

Thanks for stopping by at my renewed site! I’ve three concerts this weekend that I hope to see you at: Russian Telegraph Release Concerts: Fri., Dec. 12th, 8:30-10pm Bird & Beckett Jazz Series, SF, Sat., Dec. 13th, 8-10pm, Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium, ticket sales end soon!

Sun., Dec. 14th, 3-5pm, Khachapuri Trio at Maybeck Studio, Berkeley, here’s tickets!

Happy holidays everyone and I hope to see you out there~be well, stay in touch!

I have had the greatest time working with director William Farley on his films. He believes in the music I create for his images and his films keep on getting more and more noticed: recently The Academy inducted his entire oeuvre, that means two films I worked on are there now! Don’t miss a chance to see PLASTIC MAN: The Artful Life of Jerry Ross Barrish on the big screen at the Pacific Film Archive, Saturday December 6th, 7pm. Hope to see you there!

Stephen Kent & Beth Custer

We formed Trance Mission in 1991 and began recording in ’93, toured a bit here and there and are still fast friends and music partners. Above photo is from a couple years ago when we played with drummer Peter Valsamis at the SF International Arts Festival. Come hear us at the glorious Wu Wei Temple in the even more glorious Fairfax, CA, November 22nd, 8-10pm.

Trance Mission tour during fires of 2018, Mt. Shasta Lake

During our 2018 NW tour in the fires…thanks to Federico for driving us!

Thanks for reading, see you out there.