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Festival Performers for 2008 |
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John Kirk and Trish Miller
A performance by John Kirk and Trish Miller has the drive of an old-time string band, the depth of moving ballads and show-stopping clog dances.
From the foothills of the Adirondacks in New York State, John Kirk is a nationally recognized singer, multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, dance caller, and educator. Trish plays both banjo and guitar and is an award-winning clog dancer.
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John and Trish are in demand as arts-in-education specialists, participating in several residence programs at schools and colleges throughout the United States. They have been featured on two WMHT public television specials; "Songs from the Heart of the Adirondacks" and "Christmas in the Adirondacks". John’s fiddle is featured on the sound track for Ken Burns’PBS series “The West”. Together John and Trish have several recordings available, and both teach traditional music at Skidmore College, with John also teaching at Bennington College. Sing Out magazine reports, "John Kirk is a fine player on all his instruments and he sings amazingly well. With such a widely varied repertoire, there's really something here for everyone. These folks are worth seeking out."
Since 1988, John and Trish have toured throughout both nationally and abroad, from a school at the bottom of the Grand Canyon to a concert in Barbados, and from the Albany Dance Flurry Festival to a concert at the Academy of Culture in St. Petersburg, Russia. A performance by this duo is an event not to be missed. |
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City Fiddle
City Fiddle offers a savory blend of acoustic bluegrass, Celtic, traditional and original music appealing to the entire family. City Fiddle creates a unique sound characterized by intimate harmonies and infectious energy that sets toes tapping and faces smiling in venues ranging from coffeehouses and contradances to living history events and outdoor festivals. |
One of western New York's best known fiddlers for over 20 years, Phil Banaszak is a former New York State Fiddling Champion and, in 2005, was inducted into the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame. He is a faculty member of Community Music School in Buffalo, where he teaches fiddle, violin and mandolin. His first book of original neo-traditional fiddle music and accompanying CD were released in 2002.
Gretchen Banaszak, an alum of the NewEngland Conservatory of Music, began playing the violin in the fourth grade. In 1997, after a 17-year hiatus from music, she began playing the fiddle with a special affinity for the Celtic and early American traditions.
Appearing with Phil and Gretchen will be Chris Panfil, a versatile singer, songwriter and instrumentalist who has appeared with many popular bluegrass, country and folk acts from New York to Florida. He balances powerful vocals with mandolin, fiddle, guitar, harmonica and Irish banjo.
Click HERE for a video of City Fiddle performing at last year's festival.
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Kathy Selby, Hope Grietzer, and Tom Hodgson
There’s nothing like the sound of twin fiddles, especially when interwoven with driving rhythm from one of the consummate backup guitarists in the northeast. Fiddlers Hope Grietzer and Kathy Selby with guitarist Tom Hodgson having been lifting the feet of contradancers across New York State with their lively jigs and reels and heartbreaking waltzes
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A native of England, Kathy Selby began singing and playing both folk and classical music at an early age. She discovered fiddle music on her first visit to her in-laws in Ireland, and underwent a rapid and fanatical conversion from violinist to fiddle player. When living in California, Kathy performed with Alasdair Fraser's San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers, and was also a workshop and band leader for the group.
Now living in Owego, N.Y., Hope Grietzer has performed extensively at major festivals throughout Colorado and the Midwest, and was voted “ Rocky Mountain Region Fiddler of the Year” by the Colorado Bluegrass Music Society. She’s had articles on fiddle technique published by both Mel BayPublications and by the New York State Old Time Fiddlers’ Association, and teaches group fiddle lessons for adults and children.
Guitarist Tom Hodgson plays with high energy and compelling rhythm, while his choice of open guitar tunings and mastery of chordal improvisation bring a trademark sound and color to contra dance music. A native New Englander, Tom has performed in Europe, Scandinavia and across the United States. He is in high demand as a backup guitarist, accompanying many of the top fiddlers throughout New England.
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Phil Shapiro and Carrie Shore
Phil Shapiro and Carrie Shore choose fascinating, energetic songs from the last couple of hundred years of American traditional folk song, and add newer songs written squarely in the folk tradition. This is the music we'd all be singing and playing were it not for our fabled music industry.
Carrie Shore has a super repertoire of fiddle tunes, good to dance to, perhaps to waltz to, that she skillfully interweaves between and within the songs. Carrie is masterful at complementing a singer's voice with her fiddle, allowing the singer to shine while providing interesting and melodic backup lines.
Carrie, a former classically trained violinist, has a great deal of fun playing traditional tunes, as well as bluesy and slinky improvisations. Along with her fiddle playing, she's a fine singer and harmonizer. |
PHIL SHAPIRO has been entertaining folk audiences throughout New York State and beyond for over 35 years. Phil is a fine finger-style guitarist, creative and lively, good at getting his guitar to "talk", to be part of the song and the story. Phil is known for his skill at engaging the audience, encouraging them to sing along in the true folk tradition. He is best known as the host of WVBR's Bound for Glory radio show out of Ithaca, N.Y, North America's longest-running live folk concert broadcast, since 1964. |
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The Java Joe Jammers
The Java Joe Jammers (now sited at the Cyber Cafe venue in Binghamton, New York) have been entertaining folks in Broome County for over twenty years. Led by Tim and Johanna Masters, this lively group plays a mix of traditional American and Celtic tunes with fiddles, guitars, mandolins, and banjos joining in the performance.
The weekly open jams held by the Java Joe Jammers have served as an incubator for numerous acoustic musicians in Broome County, introducing them to the time-honored tradition of gathering to play reels, jigs, polkas, aires and waltzes with friends and neighbors. A performance by this energetic and talented group is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. |
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The Toast n' Jammers Kids Fiddle Tune Club
The Toast n' Jammers Kids Fiddle Tune Club is a group of enthusiastic youngsters (and their families) that meet once a month at the NYPenn Trade Center in Johnson City, N.Y., to learn and play traditional New England, Celtic, southern old-time, and French Canadian fiddle tunes.
The group has recently begun performing throughout the community, including performances at the Newark Valley Apple Festival, the Waterman Environmental Center's Walk Through Time event on Hiawatha Island, the Roberson Museum's Irish Event, the Tioga County Historical Society's "Oh Tannenbaum" event, and a feature spot at the Binghamton contradance.
Come out and encourage our next generation of fiddlers and their families! |
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