Skillet Licorice is the latest project from San Francisco Bay Area roots-music luminaries Elise Engelberg and Matt Knoth. Essentially a musical consortium, Matt & Elise are the core of an All-Star lineup featuring many of California’s hottest old-time musicians. The result is a full fledged proto-swing orchestra capable of expert musicianship in a dizzying array of folk genres. Whether they’re playing hot fiddle breakdowns, slinky blues, sparkling banjo breaks, ragtime or dreamy waltzes Skillet Licorice displays an impressive command of styles and techniques that comes from deep study and loving dedication to America’s folk traditions. With the help of their talented friends they’ve put together an incredible repertoire that is essentially traditional, yet with a modern approach that is anything but stale. Skillet Licorice is hot, sweet, and just a bit greasy!
Skillet Licorice is a dynamic roots music project led by San Francisco Bay Area musicians Elise Engelberg and Matt Knoth. With a rotating ensemble of California’s top old-time players, the group delivers fiddle breakdowns, blues, banjo sparkles, ragtime, and waltzes. Their repertoire combines respect for American folk traditions with a fresh, modern twist, creating music as innovative as it is timeless. Hot, sweet, and just a little greasy, Skillet Licorice captures the heart of old-time music with infectious energy and expert craftsmanship.
Elise Engelberg (fiddle, banjo) grew up in Kentucky as a classical violinist before rediscovering her bluegrass roots in California. A cornerstone of the Bay Area old-time scene, Elise has performed with the Crooked Jades, The Mercury Dimes, and the Stairwell Sisters. Alongside her performances, she nurtures a thriving music studio for young learners in San Francisco. Matt Knoth (banjo, guitar, vocals) combines bluegrass heritage from his childhood in San Jose with a passion for old-time music. A co-founder of The Mercury Dimes, Matt has performed with artists like Peter Rowan and Mark Schatz. When not on stage, Matt indulges his love of nature photography in the Marin Headlands.
The group also features Clinton Davis (multi-instrumentalist) from San Diego, a fifth-generation Kentuckian whose work has been praised by No Depression for reviving lost American musical traditions. Joining him is Rowan McCallister (mandolin, guitar, banjo), a Berkeley native and contributor to the Bay Area bluegrass and old-time communities. Rounding out the lineup, Allegra Thompson (bass) brings a legacy of early country music, influenced by her parents, well-known Bay Area musicians Eric and Suzy Thompson.
Whether performing at festivals, intimate venues, or teaching in their communities, Skillet Licorice represents the best of old-time music, combining rich traditions with modern artistry.
https://www.skilletlicorice.com/shows