Spinning tunes will be two extraordinary bands:

KGB from Seattle

Preview thier latest release here

Julie King – piano

Claude Ginsburg – violin, concertina, viola

Dave Bartley – mandolin, guitar, cittern, etc.

No security clearances are required to enjoy Seattle’s KGB. With fiddle, mandolin, guitar and piano, KGB creates subversive music, lulling the unwary with traditional New England contradance tunes, then jumping off into Balkan modalities, tango riffs and bluesy jigs. Claude slides from growling grooves to impossible high notes on the fiddle. Dave creates percussive energy and dazzling riffs on anything with strings. Julie explores the emotional range of the keyboard from majestic to down and dirty.

 

George Paul & Cailen Campbell from Western NC

George Paul – Piano

Cailen Campbell – Fiddle

A new partnership that has everyone’s feet moving and booties shaking.  George Paul is a multi-genre pianist, and a composer of romantic waltzes and contra dance tunes. His fingers fly over the keys making jazzy and improvised chords and rhythms.  Cailen, when he’s not farming plays the fiddle throughout the Southeast with amazing skill, strength, and subtlety.  Touching melodies and rockin’ songs both sound as if they were made from their native elements. It would normally be a treat to have one of these guys play, so this weekend will be double sweet.

Callers

Weaving dances together into pure magic will be two internationally renowned callers:

Nils Fredland from Vermont

(watch him call with Elixir)

Nils Fredland has been calling dances with admirable skill and infectious energy since 2000. Respected for his expertise as a teacher and caller, sensitive leadership, and generosity, Nils is one of the most sought-after callers in the business. He draws on a large and varied repertoire of dances, presenting material from centuries-old “chestnuts” to cutting-edge contemporary choreography.  We’re super excited to have him join us this year since he’s doing less traveling to call these days.  And being that he’s one of only a few callers who will sometimes play an instrument with the band, adding extra color and interest, we’re hoping he brings his trombone!

 

Kathy Anderson from Ohio

(watch her call with ContraCopia)

Internationally known and sought after, Kathy Anderson is a legend in her own time.  She is a favorite caller for dance camps all over the world due to her smooth vocal delivery, swift and clear teaching, enthusiasm and wit, and an amazingly diverse repertoire of both contras and squares.  The mix of high energy, quirky, and flowing dances pretty much guarantees a fun and exhilarating.

 

Sound

Jamie Platt, Dancing Planet Productions

Jamie Platt has been running sound for dances, dance weekends, concerts, festivals, and other special events in the DC area and beyond for many years. He works hard to make sure that the musicians are happy, so they devote their attention to making great music. The sure sign of a good sound guy is you don’t even know he’s there because the music is so great. That’s Jamie in a nut shell.