Syracuse guitarist Harvey Nusbaum is not a new name to the Rochester contra dances. Harvey is one of central New York’s quintessential, sought-after guitarists, competent in various genres including Irish, contra dance, folk, swing and jazz. Harvey performs and jams regularly (a lot) and his guitar playing is notable for his wide use of the… Read more »
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Filtered by Performer Style: Modern Contra
Tryptech
Cat and Zak, talented musicians and passionate dancers seamlessly fuse technology with the the traditional.
Contraforce
Charleston-based quartet ContraForce may be deeply rooted in traditional folk music and the contra dance scene, but when it comes to composing and recording their own tunes, they certainly don’t shy away from musical experimentation. Fiddler Andrae Raffield, Percussionist/handpan/saxophonist Joey Dorwart, guitarist Jimi “Two Nails” Peirano, and Vocalist Karin Mcquade have collaborated on old standards… Read more »
Trillium
Better Weather String Band
The Better Weather String band plays hot southern old time music that gets you moving. Laura Taylor on fiddle leads the band, Lloyd Graves on banjo, Valerie Graves on guitar, and Vikki Armstrong on mandolin. The band members are also dancers themselves and they make the music exciting and really danceable. Not to be missed.
Catherine Sloboda
Catherine’s fiddling is energizing, sensitive, and creates music with that elusive quality of danceability. She also has long experience in playing for dancing; in the early ’90’s, Catherine was a member of the Sloboda family band, Glenrose, who played for many contra and family dances. She is a member of the ECD bands Bellamira, Quicksilver,… Read more »
The Gaslight Tinkers
African, Caribbean, Funk, Reggae, and Latin grooves meet traditional fiddle music. It’s the genre-bending future of the music of the past. The Gaslight Tinkers’ blend of global rhythms creates a joyously danceable sound around a core of traditional New England old time and celtic fiddle music, merging boundless positive energy with melody and song. Since… Read more »
JWalk
JWalk is: Jakob Raitzyk (fiddle, electric mandolin, foot percussion) Jared Kirkpatrick (keyboard, mandolin, fiddle, percussion)
Alyssa and Alex
Alyssa Rodriguez and Alex Fortier
Confluence
Confluence is a mother-daughter duo from Western New York State. Nadine Dyskant-Miller contributes the flute and foot percussion, Barbara Dyskant contributes the piano, and we both contribute our joy of playing traditional music from Québec, New England, Ireland, and Scotland, original tunes, and more, for contra dances, English country dances, and concerts.
Jesse Ball and Everest Witman
Jesse Ball of Polaris and Everest Witman of Nova team up for our dancing pleasure.
Craig Saunders
Craig Saunders
Bob Isaacs
Bob Isaacs, from Princeton NJ, squares the circles and lines up the dots with his delightful dance compositions. A prolific choreographer of creative dances, Bob is known for his clear calling of flowing contras and amazing hot grid squares. It’s a rare treat to have Bob come to Rochester.
Spindrift
Eileen, Chuck, and a variety of friends play for both contra and English dances.
Colton Robbins
Colton Robbins is a local sensation with an electric fiddle. He will loop and accompany himself for our dancing pleasure!
Colin Hume
Colin Hume is a world renowned caller and creator of contra and English dances. He has a deep knowledge of country dance, developed over decades of calling experience in his native England.
DJ Chuckabell
Chuck Abell mixes and calls R&B, Swing and other genres with a Techno vibe
Center Street
Three young, outstanding musicians fuse creativity, musicianship, and repertoire for exuberant music. Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens (Great Bear), Tim Ball (Tempest, Arise & Go), and Casey Murray (Corner House, Ginger Majority) join forces as Center Street — playing contra dance music for getting your groove on and feeling good. “Center Street is dance music at its elemental… Read more »
Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens
Rebecca hails from Vermont, and plays Clarinet in a number of Contra bands, including Great Bear Band.
Cloud Ten
Here’s the new generation of great contra dance music. These guys in Cloud Ten have already made a name for themselves in other hot bands of the northern tradition, hailing from Gallimaufry, Nor’easter, the Red Case Ramblers, and Nova to name only a few.
The Groovemongers
For nearly 20 years, the Groovemongers have been thrilling contra dancers with a world beat approach to dance music. Countless tours, festival weekends and dance camps in 32 US states, Canada, the UK and the Caribbean have forged an ensemble that is equally at home with crafted musical arrangements as with jam band improv. Pioneers… Read more »
Tim Ball and Casey Murray
Tim Ball and Casey Murray
Eileen Kalfass and Harvey Nusbaum
Continental Drift
Eileen Kalfass and Terry Wergerland are a fiddle duo, paired with Eric Anderson on Keyboard. Fantastic Irish influenced tunes makes for great danceable music!
Andrew Anna and Julie
Andrew VanNorstrand, Anna Patton and Julie Vallimont are touring as a trio, playing fantastic dance music. Here in Western NY, we’ve delighted in Andrew’s music since he was a precocious tween growing into the rockin’ Great Bear Trio. Anna and her jazzy clarinet first came to our attention in the superstar band, Elixir. Julie’s inventive… Read more »
Buddy System
Noah and Julie play as an acoustic duo, using fiddle, feet, didgeridoo, piano, and jawharp. They play original compositions, traditional tunes from Ireland, Quebec, Appalachia, and France, and modern tunes collected from their travels in the music scene. It’s the synergy between Julie and Noah that makes Buddy System so magical. They had known each… Read more »
Polaris
Quebecois, Irish and contemporary tunes infused with a youthful energy and exuberance that fills up the hall.
Andrew and Noah
Andrew and Noah Van Norstrand grew up around Syracuse, NY and began playing for dances when they were teenagers. They are all music, all the time and play in venues throughout the United States (and beyond!). Musicianship, creativity, and energy combine for can’t-keep-from-smiling dancing the whole night long. We’re so glad when the stars align… Read more »
Andrew VanNorstrand
Insanely talented, Andrew vanNorstrand is a welcome addition to any band.
Great Bear
For more than sixteen years, GREAT BEAR has set the standard and pushed the boundaries of modern contra dance music. They are known all over North America for their epic dynamics, genre-transcending arrangements and deep dance grooves. Andrew VanNorstrand (guitars and fiddle), Noah VanNorstrand (fiddle, mandolin and feet) and Kim “Mama Bear” Yerton (piano) are… Read more »