California Guitar Trio, May 3
Before the Concert: An Intimate Conversation with California Guitar Trio
Saturday, May 2, 2-3:30 PM
Church of the Mountains, 10079 Church St., Truckee
California Guitar Trio
Olympic Village Event Center, May 3, 4-6PM
Bert Lams, Paul Richards, and Tom Griesgraber on Chapman Stick
Tahoe Music Alive proudly presents the California Guitar Trio on May 3 at the Olympic Valley Event Center, offering North Tahoe audiences a rare chance to experience one of the most innovative and enduring guitar ensembles in the world.
Since forming in 1991, the California Guitar Trio has forged a musical path that defies boundaries. Their sound seamlessly crisscrosses rock, jazz, classical, and world music, infused with unexpected detours into surf rock and spaghetti Western themes. The result is a thrilling, highly original concert experience that is as intellectually rich as it is viscerally exciting.
Comprised of Bert Lams, Paul Richards, and Tom Griesgraber, CGT is celebrated not only for extraordinary musicianship, but for the deep personal connection they establish with audiences. Their live shows combine dazzling precision, intricate interplay, and warm humor, creating an atmosphere where listeners feel fully immersed, as part of the music rather than mere spectators. Stories from the road, insights into the compositions, and moments of spontaneous joy make every performance unique.
Over a career spanning more than 32 years and 2,000 performances worldwide, the trio has released 21 albums, collectively streamed more than 115 million times across major platforms. Their latest live release, Live In Scottsdale: On Tour With King Crimson, captures the electrifying energy of their final opening set from the 2021 tour with the legendary progressive rock band and features the current CGT 2.0 lineup with Griesgraber on Chapman Stick. Recent studio work such as Elegy highlights the group’s acoustic side, with lush original compositions and inventive arrangements of music by the Beatles, Radiohead, and more.
CGT’s expansive catalog also includes Masterworks, reimagining compositions by Bach, Beethoven, Arvo Pärt, and Schubert; Andromeda, a visionary album of original music; Echoes, featuring reworks of material by Pink Floyd, Queen, and Penguin Café Orchestra; and collaborative projects with icons like Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto. Their music has reached far beyond the concert hall, serving as the soundtrack for Olympic coverage and major television networks; and it was even used by NASA to wake astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor.
Each member brings a distinct voice shaped by diverse backgrounds in classical training, jazz studies, rock performance, and the rigorous Guitar Craft discipline pioneered by Robert Fripp. Together, they form a trio whose collective artistry continues to evolve while remaining deeply committed to exploration, communication, and musical storytelling.
Don’t miss this extraordinary evening with the California Guitar Trio! It is an essential live music experience for guitar lovers, adventurous listeners, and anyone drawn to fearless creativity.
Listen/Watch Bert, Paul and Tom talk with Marty Anderson
How they met and learned to play together.
Before the Concert: An Intimate Conversation with CGT
Saturday, May 2, 2-4PM
Church of the Mountains, 10079 Church St., Truckee
The afternoon before their Olympic Valley performance, Bert Lams, Paul Richards, and Tom Griesgraber sit down for an up-close conversation about their instruments, their music, and three decades of making it together. Local guitarist and Tahoe Music Alive Executive Committee member Marty Anderson hosts.
This is the kind of access you rarely get — and it's free. No-cost registration is required.
SEE ALSO:
May 30, Dan Tepfer at the Piano
August, 15: George CotsirilosQuartet
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