7/15/25
On Sunday I played a gig with my buddy Kevin Brennan who I met when The Claddagh Band played at my wedding reception in 1993. The gig was super fun and now I'm all inspired to tell this meandering tale of music, friendship and the new world we’re living in. When I was a kid there were a whole lot of Irish in Oakland. Irish from Ireland, Irish from America, and Irish, like me, from Oakland. (I feel like we’ve got our own special flavor.) A great world for a musician to be born into. I was Alison Bailey then. I learned to play the tin whistle when I was 5, and of course, the first tune I ever learned was, “The Wearing of the Green.” I got really obsessed with Irish music and learning and memorizing tunes. Then I got really into violin and wanted to get good at playing by ear (Irish style) as well as reading. (The Suzuki Method rocks for this). I studied music at Holy Names College while working down the street at the Chevron station at 35th & Mac Arthur. It was perfect, I worked midnight to 8am in the box, and I’d practice my violin between customers. Music was everything. I explored new stuff. Too $hort was selling cassettes out of the trunk of his car at parties and I was among the lucky to have one. I played along. I also played along with my bootleg Primus tape. I started playing in various bands and on lots of recordings. (Proudly I point to The Coup’s “Genocide and Juice” where I played on “Fat Cats, Bigga Fish,” and note that Boots and my grandma both share the last name Riley.) Around this time I got married and met Kevin at my wedding reception when I got up to play a tune with the band. Kevin is from Belfast and he sings, spins yarns, plays guitar and puts on one hell of a show. We clicked and I went on to play lots of gigs with The Claddagh Band over the years and we even formed an offshoot called “Original Sinners.”
I owe Kevin a huge debt of gratitude because way back then he gave me the gift of expecting I could do something, and so I rose to do it. On the gig learning. No time for questions, keys, time signatures, you just jump in and listen with your skin. That’s the only way I can describe it. Every student I ever taught benefitted from my learning this. A total game changer. Fast forward to playing this gig with Kevin on Sunday. Here we are, Summer 2025. I haven’t seen Kevin in years. My son is grown and out on his own. I just finished a 25+ year stint as a music teacher in Oakland’s Public Schools, and I’d moved to the forest to marinate in a quieter, simpler life. As the Universe would have it, I found myself sitting beside Kevin onstage at the San Gregorio General Store. If you haven’t been there, it’s an enchanting place to be. We gathered to do a memorial show and the gig featured old favorite friends who hadn’t played together in 30 years. Kevin told stories and sang his heart out. His voice, so heartfelt, I could feel his vibrato in my rib cage as I sat next to him. Or maybe it was my heart’s feeling of gratitude for the music, the audience, and the universe. Whatever it was, it was fun and meaningful. I felt endlessly grateful to the little girl who was obsessed with Irish tunes. Even though I hadn’t played them in years, they were still in me. I loved playing them again.
And that brings us to today. There is so much messaging about what it takes to be a musician. There is a lot of pressure to cultivate an online presence, create content and navigate social media. But, please let’s not forget that there are also folks out there who are making music and serving it up the old fashioned way. Kevin is a jewel of a human jukebox, and he gives it his all. He’s at San Gregorio General Store every 2nd Sunday, 2-5pm, and I vote that you go and make a day of it. It’s a beautiful drive, the store is a real experience, and you can eat, drink, be merry, and hear some great music. If you’re reading this from afar, I’m sure there are local artists somewhere near where you are that would love your listening ears and your generous tip in their tip jar. And don’t forget those folks, like me, who release original music into the digital ethers. We love to be heard, valued and celebrated even if we’re not dropping videos and sending out steady streams of reminders. We're musicians out there making music like we do. And I'm encouraging you to get out there and show some love to your valued music maker today. Go to their show, visit their page, stream their album. Thanks for taking the time to join me on this trip down memory lane. It's been real. Oh, and my third album is dropping later this year. ☺️ Stay tuned! ☘️✨🎻
Gemini Blues
Gemini Blues
Gemini Blues
Being an Oakland Public School teacher and a citizen of this great world of ours, I have the opportunity to know and love lots of folks. Sometimes I meet somebody who takes a whole lot of contemplation to get to a place where that love can flow. Gemini Blues comes from a place of real dissonance & upset. But like music so often does,
Being an Oakland Public School teacher and a citizen of this great world of ours, I have the opportunity to know and love lots of folks. Sometimes I meet somebody who takes a whole lot of contemplation to get to a place where that love can flow. Gemini Blues comes from a place of real dissonance & upset. But like music so often does, it heals as it comes up, and in the container that is this song, I found space for all of it - all the feelings from the friction to the love. Are you bad or full of grace? Yes. Like all of us.
Poncho
Gemini Blues
Gemini Blues
Creating music is how I process things. Often a song will work its way into the world way after the event. I am always amazed by consciousness and how so much goes on, often seemingly without my realizing it. My song "Poncho" is a perfect example of this. It was a year after it happened and it was quarantine time. Life got really qui
Creating music is how I process things. Often a song will work its way into the world way after the event. I am always amazed by consciousness and how so much goes on, often seemingly without my realizing it. My song "Poncho" is a perfect example of this. It was a year after it happened and it was quarantine time. Life got really quiet and all of a sudden, this song leapt to the forefront in all of its post traumatic, humorous glory.
This story is 100% true. It tells the story of a day when I was on tour in New Orleans. We had a day off to explore, and the band met up with some friends to go on an adventure. One of those friends did something so unexpected that later the experience bubbled back up, I put myself in her shoes and wrote this song.
Orbs
Newly Painted Door
Pelicanesis
Orbs is a birthday party April 23rd style! A few years back, I reached out to my birthday twin, Art Hafen, and suggested we create a song to commemorate our special day. Together with (non-birthday twin) bass player, Greg Dunn, we created this epic swirling carnival of happiness. Along the way we invited Eli Streich to join in on the
Orbs is a birthday party April 23rd style! A few years back, I reached out to my birthday twin, Art Hafen, and suggested we create a song to commemorate our special day. Together with (non-birthday twin) bass player, Greg Dunn, we created this epic swirling carnival of happiness. Along the way we invited Eli Streich to join in on the drums, and Rachel Panni on saxophone, because they’re awesome and it’s not their fault that they weren’t born on the coolest day ever. Two more birthday twins - Zalika Bryan and Le’Lani Walker - came along with their violins to put the icing on the cake. Have a listen and make a wish for the happiness of the world.
Pelicanesis
Newly Painted Door
Pelicanesis
Pelicanesis glides from the first glissando note and soars through 13 diverse landscapes, only occasionally coming down for a quiet moment of reflection. Composer Alison Balano’s latest album follows her rich, charismatic violin leads over eclectic keyboard grooves, supported by a tight formation of adept musicians on band instrumen
Pelicanesis glides from the first glissando note and soars through 13 diverse landscapes, only occasionally coming down for a quiet moment of reflection. Composer Alison Balano’s latest album follows her rich, charismatic violin leads over eclectic keyboard grooves, supported by a tight formation of adept musicians on band instruments such as bass, drums, dobro, trombone and viola. The result is playful, yet powerful. There are some thrilling moments of tonal interplay throughout, like on the jazzy tune “Prince Valiant Haircut” and within the mysterious chromatic runs on the album’s namesake “Pelicanesis”. Rachel Panni’s doubled vocals with pleasant vibrato carry the unexpected lyrics of “Poncho”, “Nectarine Roulette” and “The Proper Seat” very well. The single pick from the album (to my ears) is “I Am Dreaming of Kentucky”, a touching Americana ballad.With their innocent sound and casual complexity, I could easily hear passages from these songs on NPR’s transition music. My favorite cut: a gorgeous instrumental called “Anam Cara” that interweaves violin and piano into quite a memorable texture. - Jan Dylan Hunter Music
Newly Painted Door
Newly Painted Door
Newly Painted Door
I read a book called, "Women of the Rope." In it, my beloved teacher Gurdjieff, told a woman that she looked like a cow looking at a newly painted door. He told her the story of how a cow walked back and forth from its stall to the field day after day. One day the door to the stall was painted while the cow was in the field. Upon returnin
I read a book called, "Women of the Rope." In it, my beloved teacher Gurdjieff, told a woman that she looked like a cow looking at a newly painted door. He told her the story of how a cow walked back and forth from its stall to the field day after day. One day the door to the stall was painted while the cow was in the field. Upon returning, the cow experienced such a state of cognitive dissonance, it didn't know what to do.
I love this story so much, that I decided to tell it in music. Nightsky Mind, with our friend Eric Swihart along for the ride, tells the sonic story of the cow on that fateful day.
Umbrella People
Only A' Dream Away
Only A' Dream Away
Tarika and I had a flash of inspiration one day after teaching at West Oakland Middle School. We were really happy with the rehearsal we’d just had with the Big Band because, well, teaching is awesome. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. It rocks. People can live long, happy lives being teachers. But I digress. Umbrella People is a
Tarika and I had a flash of inspiration one day after teaching at West Oakland Middle School. We were really happy with the rehearsal we’d just had with the Big Band because, well, teaching is awesome. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. It rocks. People can live long, happy lives being teachers. But I digress. Umbrella People is a celebration of those people in our world who love and shelter others. People who provide safety, and create spaces where others can thrive. These people are everywhere. Good people doing good things and looking out for other people. This song was created for the Earth Day Celebration at Mosswood Park on April 22, 2023.
Only A' Dream Away
Only A' Dream Away
Only A' Dream Away
The very first band I ever played in was way back when I was 11 or 12. I played violin in a quartet with my friends A'da and her brothers Aaron and Kimara. This song came over me when A'da passed away and I realized I'd never get to hang with her again. Only A' Dream Away had the great joy of being featured as the soundtrack for the film
The very first band I ever played in was way back when I was 11 or 12. I played violin in a quartet with my friends A'da and her brothers Aaron and Kimara. This song came over me when A'da passed away and I realized I'd never get to hang with her again. Only A' Dream Away had the great joy of being featured as the soundtrack for the film of A'da's life shown at Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, Ca.
I hope you enjoy this song of magic, remembering and love.
In The Roux
Only A' Dream Away
I Am Dreaming of Kentucky
Making music with my friend Rachel is one of my favorite things in life. On a recent trip up to Portland we got down to the business of Nightsky Mind. Fresh off our gig creating the soundtrack to "Venus Underwater" we were ready to create something new. Something from scratch. And here it is...In The Roux! I hope you enjoy this swampy s
Making music with my friend Rachel is one of my favorite things in life. On a recent trip up to Portland we got down to the business of Nightsky Mind. Fresh off our gig creating the soundtrack to "Venus Underwater" we were ready to create something new. Something from scratch. And here it is...In The Roux! I hope you enjoy this swampy sonic brew of bubbling dreams, wooden spoons, and swirling incantation. "Agent of thickening heals the world’s sickening." Oh yeah! From us to you, In The Roux is our wish for a better world.
I Am Dreaming of Kentucky
I Am Dreaming of Kentucky
I Am Dreaming of Kentucky
During the quarantine I fell in love with with Thomas Merton.
Truly, madly, head over heels in love. I read, watched, listened to everything that I could find. I even traveled to Kentucky to visit the places where he lived, taught, and had his epiphany. Something about Thomas Merton struck chord a chord in me that is still ringing. And
During the quarantine I fell in love with with Thomas Merton.
Truly, madly, head over heels in love. I read, watched, listened to everything that I could find. I even traveled to Kentucky to visit the places where he lived, taught, and had his epiphany. Something about Thomas Merton struck chord a chord in me that is still ringing. And in the ringing of this chord, came this song....
mosaic
I Am Dreaming of Kentucky
Paganini's Fetus
I wrote this song for a beautiful friend who was really important to me, and so much like the mosaics she created. She had a way of seeing how all the different parts in life can fit together into something beautiful. You just have to get creative and do it your own way. I really love that.
Paganini's Fetus
I Am Dreaming of Kentucky
Paganini's Fetus
Welcome to my song of personal triumph! This tune comes from back when I was in college getting my BA in music. The music department was largely focused on Classical music. I had a violin teacher who really loved the student who had her lesson before me, and he always told me all about her amazingly fast trill and her precocious adventure
Welcome to my song of personal triumph! This tune comes from back when I was in college getting my BA in music. The music department was largely focused on Classical music. I had a violin teacher who really loved the student who had her lesson before me, and he always told me all about her amazingly fast trill and her precocious adventures in classical repertoire. One day as he went on and on about her working on a piece by Paganini, I remember feeling defeated. I heard myself thinking, "I can't even play a song written by Paganini's fetus." But instead of letting myself get knocked down, this song bubbled up and became my anthem. Maybe I'm not fired up to play the classics...but I'm definitely all about creating and becoming, and supporting the people around me by not comparing them to others. We are all beautiful flowers in the garden of life! Enjoy this track that comes from the album "Blips of Lucidity."
Common Regrets
Rachel says it best herself: "I'm very proud to share with you today, marking another year around the Sun for me, this new 5- track album. Not just because I think it’s a fabulous collection of songs, but also because as a new mother of a freshly turned 1 year old, it celebrates honoring and continuing the flow. It celebrates that, e
Rachel says it best herself: "I'm very proud to share with you today, marking another year around the Sun for me, this new 5- track album. Not just because I think it’s a fabulous collection of songs, but also because as a new mother of a freshly turned 1 year old, it celebrates honoring and continuing the flow. It celebrates that, even when exhausted or unsure, accepting the challenge and saying, “yes, I will continue to create”. These tracks have grown with me as I continue to grow and process and become better every day, musically and spiritually. In my experience, living within the feeling of regret can be a very heavy and lonely place. But we are not unique nor alone in these feelings, and I think there’s a healing power in recognizing that. Hence the title, “Common Regrets”."
I loved adding strings to her amazing solo work. Rachel rocks.
Tied To The Madness Tree
I woke up today thinking about the world and how things feel really crazy in lots of ways. And then I remembered reading "One Hundred Years of Solitude." I was so moved by the story that I wrote the song "Tied To The Madness Tree." The song is about how madness exists but sometimes, within the madness there are things we can do to help ou
I woke up today thinking about the world and how things feel really crazy in lots of ways. And then I remembered reading "One Hundred Years of Solitude." I was so moved by the story that I wrote the song "Tied To The Madness Tree." The song is about how madness exists but sometimes, within the madness there are things we can do to help ourselves. And in my case, way back when, when I wrote the song - I realized that not only did I plant my own madness tree, I tied myself to it. And so here's to all of us finding ways to untie ourselves from uncomfortable binds. 
Venus Underwater
I am one half of the group Nightsky Mind. My music partner, Rachel, and I created some very unique musical soundscaping for the magical world of Mermaidia. Welcome to Venus Underwater...our first full length audiobook soundtrack!
Rivers Meet
Nightsky Mind's "Rivers Meet" is an anthem that features Rachel's thought provoking lyrics and lush vocals arranged with glorious instrumentation. Featuring our friend Eric Swihart on trombone and backing vocals.
Ink Drips
Blips of Lucidity
I had the best time creating strings for Boom Bap Project's song, "Ink Drips." And just so that it may go down in history, this track led to the forming of Nightsky Mind.
"Then out of nowhere, a violin and horn duet provided by Alison Balano and Rachel Panni provide a sonic final curtain on an already amazing album. It’s instrumentation cut for kings." - Razor Tongue Media
Blips of Lucidity
Blips of Lucidity
This is my first album. It took nearly twenty years to release. It features music that was composed over decades - some tracks were written long ago and others not so far into the distant past. It is my love story and testimony.