Russian Telegraph ensemble just recorded a 6 song EP, out soon! It includes originals by David James, Jordan Glasgow, y moi, and our version of Caetano Veloso’s amazing A Tua Presenca!
We take our ensemble name from two of San Francisco’s 47 hills and mix the compositions of David James, Beth Custer, and Jordan Glasgow with rollicking covers like ‘Hey’ by the Pixies and ‘Black Hole Sun’ of of Caetano. Members comprise Oakland/San Francisco’s A-list musicians mixing the funk and soul of Curtis Bumpy, the diverse songs of the Beth Custer Ensemble, and the worldly compositions of David James’s GPS.
- Beth Custer – clarinets, voice
- David James – guitar, voice
- Chris Grady – trumpet
- Jordan Glasgow – keyboards
- Keith McArthur – bass
- John Hanes – drums

Russian Telegraph has performed at:
Maybeck Studio our acoustic trio version w/David James & Jordon Glasgow.
2023 Arts Academy Fashion Show w/producer Jakub Kalousek.
PEOPLE IN PLAZAS noontime concerts in downtown San Francisco
RUSSIAN TELEGRAPH recorded SAY NO! feat. Daria Shani Johnson for Judith Ehrlich‘s film






Black & White photos: Chris Grady @ People in Plazas, 2023.