Father, Son to Make Holiday Music During Descanso’s Annual Father’ Day Concert

The strings that bind fathers and children will be on stage June 19 during a special Father’s Day concert at Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, in La Cañada.

Multi-instrumentalist, father-son duo Fred and Zac Sokolow, performing with Brantley Kearns and David Jackson, will offer the best of bluegrass on guitar, fiddle, mandolin and dobro.

This Father’s Day presentation is the first of Descanso’s summer Under the Oaks Concert Series. All the concerts, free with Gardens admission, are at 2 p.m. at the Under the Oaks Theater.

Fred Sokolow is an accomplished jazz and rock guitarist and fiddle player who also plays the resonator guitar and mandolin. Besides solo performances, he has fronted his own jazz, bluegrass and rock bands. He has toured with Bobbie Gentry, Jim Stafford, Tom Paxton and The Limeliters.

Fred’s son Zac is a banjo master at 15 years of age. He performs with his father and other musicians at the best local Southern California venues, and the Sololows recently recorded at CD together, entitled “One More River to Cross.”

Fred Sokolow did not come from a family of professional musicians, but music was an important part of their daily lives. His mother played piano and both parents enjoyed opera and classical music.

The lure of being a cowboy caused Fred to ask for a guitar when he was 4 years old. He got the guitar and one year of lessons. Throughout junior and senior school Fred taught himself music. At the University of California, Berkeley, he played jobs when he could and decided music would be his career.

Fred has five children but only Zac followed his father’s lead by picking up a ukulele as a toddler. Zac, who still owns his ukulele, agrees with his dad that the small, easy-to-strum ukulele is a great instrument to have around for little ones to explore music. Zac graduated to guitar and, by the age of 12, was impressing his father with his growing skill and dedication to music.

Zac’s ability to listen to music and play along was particularly impressive to Fred, who says his son is 95 percent self-taught. (Zac says the number is more like 96 percent). Even if they disagree on the details, both Sokolows agree that playing together is a wonderful way for a father and son to bond and communicate.

Zac is proud of his dad musically. “I see a man who listens, who knows many musical styles and knows the roots of where the music comes from,” he says.

For Fred, the recording of “One More River to Cross” featuring Zac is a family snapshot of what they are doing together musically today.

When asked how this dad feels about working on Father’s Day, Fred said it was a special opportunity to communicate with his son. “And, since it is Father’s Day, maybe somebody can take me out for dinner.”

Zac needn’t go far to get his dad a meal. A “beer garden” set up for the afternoon near the Under the Oaks Theater, will offer hot dogs, soft pretzels and bratwurst, as well as fine wines, beer and soft drinks.

The Gardens are open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Admission fees are $7 for adults; $5 for seniors and students; $2 for children 5 to 12, and free for members and children 5 and younger. Fees for classes and programs include Gardens admission. For information call 949-4200 or visit www.DescansoGardens.org.