Recorded Music
Band/Musician/Choreographers
Alchemy
Alchemy brings together three dynamic players (Eric Martin on violin, viola and foot percussion, Rachel Bell on accordion, and Karen Axelrod on piano) steeped in English Country Dance and Contra Dance music. As a trio, their improvisatory style brings a contemporary and innovative feel to both traditional and newly composed tunes. You can order their CD from https://rachelbellmusic.com/store/
Bare Necessities
Facebook: Bare-Necessities-183265758390140
Bare Necessities, a quartet of Kate Barnes, Earl Gaddis, Mary Lea, and Jacqueline Schwab, is known for its creative interpretations of English country dance tunes, and has been playing together since 1980. They have redefined the sound of English country dance music with an improvisatory and playful style. Recordings are available at barenecessities.bandcamp.com.
Belshazzar's Feast
Website: www.belshazzarsfeast.com
Acclaimed musicians Paul Sartin (oboe, violin, swanee whistle and vocals) and Paul Hutchinson (accordion) are notorious for their superlative ability, wit, rapport and depth of experience, creating a concert to remember. Together they have entertained audiences across the UK, plus in Australia, Seychelles, Belgium and the USA, with their eclectic and eccentric performances that send a fulfilled and chuckling audience home.
Childgrove
Childgrove is Debbie Jackson, Anne Ogren, and Martha Stokely. To contact Childgrove or purchase CDs: Debbie Jackson jacksondebl@aol.com or call 248-255-2713.
Copious Notes
Website: www.marashea.com/music
Copious Notes' album 3/4 Time is a kaleidoscope of lyrical and lovely waltzes, new and old, for dancing or listening--beautifully played by Mara Shea on violin and Julie Gorka on piano, with Dean Herington on clarinet, Ted Ehrhard on violin, and Walt Robinson on recorder.
The Dancehall Players
Website: thedancehallplayers.bandcamp.com/album/out-of-the-silence
The Dancehall Players have been playing for ECD in Victoria, Vancouver, and the Gulf Islands (and occasionally Seattle) for almost 20 years. Started by Ann Schau and Dan Page in 2001, the group of up to 6 players (Gregory Brown: flute/guitar /mandolin; Aaron Ellingsen: mandolin/violin; Susan Larkin: recorders/violin; Ann Schau: piano; Barrie Webster: banjo/cello; Lael Whitehead: guitar/melodica/percussion/recorders) has become the house band of the Victoria English Country Dance Society, playing live every Thursday evening during dance season, for Balls and the Hands Across The Water weekends.
We have even managed a few dance gatherings during the disturbances of 2020, outdoors, carefully distanced. Our just completed 6th recording, Out Of The Silence, arose from the need to keep making music somehow during the pandemic. A tune writing challenge within the band has led to an amazing variety of styles! We are hoping that choreographers will be inspired to write new dances for these original tunes.
Elegant Echoes
Becky Ross, Liz Donaldson, and Colleen Reed play regularly as part of a vibrant and talented community of musicians at the weekly English Country Dance sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington in Glen Echo, MD. That connection lead to their recently-released CD, English Echoes, (more info at CDBaby) as well as their formation of Elegant Echoes trio so they can continue performing together.
Each member of this trio brings a wealth of experience and style to the music. Liz Donaldson's distinctive piano style captures the mood of each dance through textures, harmony lines and exciting rhythms. She is a sought-after pianist for English, Scottish, and American Contra and Square Dances. (More about Liz at www.lizdonaldson.com)
Colleen Reed (flute) is recognized for her natural feel for dance music, whether the tune needs smooth handling or driving pulses. She has been playing for English Country Dancing since 1997 and also plays for American Contra Dances.
Becky Ross was classically trained on violin as a child and resumed playing in 1991 after discovering Celtic fiddle music. She is known for the rich tone of her playing and sensitive emotional connection to the music. She has played regularly for English Country Dancing since 1999 and also plays for Scottish Country Dances. (More about Becky at www.peatandbarley.com).
The Elftones
Website: elftones.com
The Elftones (elf´· tohnz) pl.n. is a popular, highly energetic North Carolina-based band composed of Mara Shea, playing fiddle, and guitarist, Roger Gold.
Mara Shea played a violin for lots of years before she found that it could be a fiddle, and that she enjoyed playing it that way. She grew up in New England, but didn't discover contra dancing and the wealth of music for it until she moved to North Carolina and started going to contra dances in the early 1990s. Mara likes dancing, but really prefers playing for the dancers! One of her favorite things about playing for dancers is making the music fit the shape and feeling of the dance.
Roger Gold grew up surrounded by music. His parents and older sister all sing and play various instruments. He knew at the age of six that he wanted to play guitar and persisted until his parents found a teacher. His interests took his guitar playing from the ever present folk, through electric teen-age-rock, to Traditional, Celtic, and more. He likes to "play" with the music; turning waltzes to klezmer, Bach into swing, and doing even stranger things to the tunes he writes. Roger's guitar styles range from classical to hard driving, rhythmic, contra dance music. He enjoys contra dancing, and enjoys playing music for contra dances, and has yet to figure out how to do both at the same time.
Flying Romanos
The Flying Romanos are Robin Russell ("Ro") on piano, Marnen Laibow-Koser ("Ma") on violin, viola and recorders, and Norma Castle ("No") on flute and percussion.
The Romanos have been playing and having fun together since 1998. Their music is elegant and spirited, with a strong pulse and phrasing that propel the dancers into their moves. In their music you can spot the influence of Bach, Brahms, Mozart, Spike Jones, Victor Borge and Harpo Marx, among others.
You'll find the Flying Romanos playing at ECD and contra dances in the New York metro area and further afield at waltz weekends, dance weeks, ECD balls, festivals and dance weekends on both coasts. They've toured UK, Canada and Japan.
Please contact rbnrussell@gmail.com for bookings, other inquiries, or if you wish to purchase any of their four CDs: Take Off, Round Robin, Dancing Across the Atlantic, or Dancing with Friends.
Foxfire
Karen Axelrod and Daron Douglas play as Foxfire. We are happy to ring in the new year! Karen's weekly In the Moment Not-Concerts have been bright spots in the 2020 English dance world. Daron shows up and altogether it's evident that the community is strong and ready to enjoy the fine repertoire of English country dance music. Here's to 2021! Happy New Year!
Goldcrest
Three seasoned musicians of national reputation and steeped in the folk dance traditions of Appalachia, New England, and the British Isles come together to form the band Goldcrest. Named for a British songbird with close relatives in the Americas, Goldcrest features fiddler Daron Douglas, pianist Dave Wiesler, and multi-instrumentalist Paul Oorts in a trio producing country dance music of exceptional quality and unsurpassed variety. Their characteristic sound is captured in their recording The Goldcrest Collection, featuring music for contra and English country dances of caller and choreographer Joseph Pimentel.
Hold the Mustard / A Joyful Noise
Hold the Mustard is Daniel Beerbohm (Winds), Barbara Greenberg (violin and viola), Paul Prestopino (frets and more), Eric Scott (piano), formed in 1980. Kathy Talvitie became the band's pianist in 1992.
Formed in 1992, A Joyful Noise is Daniel Beerbohm (Winds), Barbara Greenberg (violin and viola), and Kathy Talvitie (Piano).
Each band with their unique style, has been delighting dancers at community dances, balls, weekends, and camps throughout the United States. Their recordings of English country dance music include "It's Easy If You Know Where You're Going" (1989), "English Country Dance Favorites" (1991), "Red Star Line" (2002), and "Seasons of Invention" (2011).
CDs are available through CDSS.
Merry Mayhem
Merry Mayhem is what happened when the Pandas met the Sisters: an exhilarating English Country Dance plus contra band this side of anywhere! Jacob Chen, Kathy Dagg, Ashley Green, and Shanda McDonald bring you dynamic, sensitive, transcendent tunes that will drive you for days.
Nearer & Farther
Website: www.rebeccakingmusic.com
Rebecca King played these gentle original ECD tunes solo piano, for listening or dancing.
Odd Sundays Garage Band
Websites:
• Patti Cobb: reverbnation.com/patticobb
• Shirra Kammen: shirakammen.com
• Judy Linsenberg: linsenberg.com
The Odd Sundays English Garage Band consists of two internationally renowned early music virtuosos (Judy Linsenberg and Shira Kammen) and one glorious rock-and-roll singing, strathspey and contra playing keyboardist (Patti Cobb) who have banded together to create wildly danceable short recordings of English country dances for pandemic times. Visit their individual websites to learn how to purchase their books, CDs, and downloads.
Persons of Quality
Website: www.persons-of-quality.com
Jim Oakden, Rebecca King, and Jon Berger, from California recorded lively arrangements of ECD tunes for the reconstructions of Andrew Shaw, including Farnicle Huggy, Next of Kynaston, and Elephants Stairs.
Reunion
Reunion has been making music together since 1994 when Barbara Greenberg, Daniel Beerbohm, and Jonathan Jensen met as staff musicians during English Week at Pinewoods. Collaborating was so enjoyable that they were determined to keep at it after camp. Despite their already busy lives in and outside the world of dance music, they manage to keep fulfilling the promise of their band name. They recorded the album "Celebrations" for dance composer Orly Krasner and are featured on two CDs of Gary Roodman dances.
CDSS are available through CDSS.
Roguery
Anita Anderson (piano), Dave Bartley (guitars, cittern, mandolin, tenor banjo, percussion, and more), both from Seattle WA, Jim Oakden (recorders, clarinets, whistles, gaita, accordion, tenor banjo, guitar, and many other instruments) from Santa Cruz CA, and Shira Kammen (fiddle, vielle, viola, harp) from Berkeley CA.
Roguery was formed in 2008 to record Impropriety, an album to go with Brooke Friendly and Chris Sackett's first volume of dances. Since then they have met in the Rogue Valley of Oregon to record six more albums. The band's varied influences include English, contra, early music, classical, Breton, Scottish, Irish, Cape Breton, Galician, French, Balkan, jazz-fusion, gospel, Scandinavian, and Greek. CDs are available through CDSS.
STEAM!
Website: dancetosteam.com
STEAM! offers the intuitive musicality of a seasoned and exciting contra dance band; power sets, uplifting elegance, quirky fun tunes and beautiful waltzes. STEAM! are David Firestine (mandolin, bouzouki, mandola), Alice Boyle (fiddle, viola), Robert Rosenberg (guitar, banjo), and Claire Zucker (bodhrán, concertina, clogging, vocals)
STEAM! has recorded three full albums. All of these can be purchased as physical CDs (complete with liner notes and beautiful artwork!) or as digital downloads through our bandcamp page. Please follow us on bandcamp!