ITHACA NY Fri Jun 29 2012 — Contra Dance with Notes Inégales (pronounced notes inagall) at Bethel Grove. Ethan Jodziewicz (guitar, bass, banjo and feet) and Andrea Katz (fiddle) along with Michael Ludgate

(mandolin) at Bethel Grove Community Center. Calling the dances will be local favorite Pamela Goddard. All at 1825 Slaterville Road (Rt 79 about 4 miles east of Ithaca) Ithaca NY from 8-11 pm. Admission $6- Sponsored by: TCCD - Tompkins County Country. http://www.notesinegales.org/

Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/146715998785801/

We are lucky to have two new contra dance musicians now living in the Ithaca area, both are students starting well into their second semesters here. Ethan Jodziewicz (bass, guitar, banjo, mandolin and feet) is studying double bass performance at Ithaca College. Ethan is from Washington state, where he often plays with his band The Retrospectacles. Andrea Katz (from Texas on playing fiddle) is a PhD candidate in applied physics at Cornell University. Andrea played in a variety of contra dance bands in the San Antonio area and has studied with Jay Ungar and David Kaynor. Both are fantastic contra dance musicians and are playing a dance with local contra musician and music promoter Michael Ludgate under the new band name Notes Inégales (pronounced notes inagall). This will be a fun dance! http://www.notesinegales.org/

More information about this upcoming dance: Located at Bethel Grove Community Center. The contra dance starts at 8:00 - 11:00 pm. The street address is 1825 Slaterville Road (Rt 79 about 4 miles east of Ithaca; look for the yellow street sign that says “School”) Ithaca NY. Admission $6- (discounts for students and new dancers). Sponsored by: TCCD - Tompkins County Country Dances 607-273-8678. Don’t miss this celebration of the roots of New England folk dance. This is an authentic Old New England style venue with a newly refinished wooden dance floor. Bring clean shoes, a water bottle and YOUR FRIENDS. All dances taught, No partner needed. http://www.notesinegales.org/

Additional links …

BAND Notes Inégales contra dance band http://www.notesinegales.org/
VENUE http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com?key=US_NY_ITH_TCCD
VENUE’S POSTER http://canaaninstitute.org/photos/TCCD_Insert_current.pdf
FACEBOOK EVENT https://www.facebook.com/events/146715998785801/

DIRECTIONS to this DANCE http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayVenue.com?key=US_NY_ITH_BG Bethel Grove Community Center 1825 Slaterville Road (NYS Rt.79) (from Ithaca take State Street east to Rt. 79, about four miles from the Ithaca Commons; a few hundred yards past the Bible Church)

GOOGLE MAP link to VENUE http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode&q=1825+Slaterville+Rd%2C+Ithaca%2C+NY+14850&sll=42.41161%2C-76.29505&sspn=0.008523%2C0.01929&ie=UTF8&hq&hnear=1825+Slaterville+Rd%2C+Ithaca%2C+Tompkins%2C+New+York+14850&ll=42.40552%2C-76.432515&spn=0.034097%2C0.077162&z=14

About the band name: Notes Inégales (pronounced notes inagall) contra dance band http://www.notesinegales.org/ — “In music, notes inégales (French: unequal notes) refers to a performance practice, mainly from the Baroque and Classical music eras, in which some notes with equal written time values are performed with unequal durations, usually as alternating long and short. The practice was especially prevalent in France in the 17th and 18th centuries, with appearances in other European countries at the same time; and it reappeared as the standard performance practice in the 20th century in jazz.” source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notes_in%C3%A9gales

MORE INFORMATION About Contra Dancing:

http://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/music.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance
http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com/US_NY_ITH_TCCD
http://hands4dancers.org/
http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/
http://contra.binghamtondance.org/contra_calendar.htm
http://www.thedancegypsy.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTtEOaruqr4
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128273050

NPR: Youth Flock To Contra Dancing — Contra dancing has been around since the 1700s. If you don’t know it — it’s kind of like square dancing but with long lines of dancers. The dance is having a renaissance around the country thanks to a thriving youth scene and incredibly lively acoustic music. Article by Marika Partridge on All Things Considered NPR July 2nd 2010 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128273050

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TRUMANSBURG NY Sat Jun 30 - Casey Carr calling contra and square dances (she’s gifted at keeping beginners of all ages comfortable and experienced dancers entertained). Lively music (from Celtic to Quebecois to old-time, Scandinavian to French to Middle Eastern) by the amazing O’Shanigans: Tim Ball (fiddle), Phil Robinson (guitar), and Michael Ludgate (mandolin) http://www.oshanigans.org/. Location: Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts, Congress St. just off Main St., downtown T’burg http://tburgconservatory.org/. Suggested donation $10; children under 13 free; discount for families.

Come celebrate the T’burg community and the area dance community together in a splendid historic building. Contra dances have been held for hundreds of years in small town halls such as the Conservatory. Help us revive this tradition in T’burg! The steps are simple, each dance is taught, and you can come without a partner. But please bring clean, soft-soled shoes to protect the lovely wooden floor! Sponsored by the board of the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts. For info., e-mail mbs19@cornell.edu.

BROOKTONDALE NY - Join us for a House Concert and CD release Party at The Canaan Institute (Mike and Raylene’s workshop) on Saturday June 16th 2012 from 2:00-4:30 pm. This event is FREE (also a great time to purchase their new CD!) RSVP: please email Mike Ludgate to reserve your seats and for directions michael@canaaninstitute.org

Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/351665688228803

More events at Canaan Institute: Concerts, Workshops, Jams http://canaaninstitute.org/mn/mus_jamcann.html

CONFLUENCE Trio, from Olean, Rochester, and Ithaca NY, is a highly creative, versatile, and energetic band consisting of Nadine Dyskant-Miller on flute and foot-percussion, Tim Ball on fiddle, and Barbara Dyskant on keyboard. Ethan Jodziewicz (of Notes Inégales fame) is also on this new CD and will be at Canaan Road for this concert!

They feature both contemporary and traditional arrangements of music from Quebec, Ireland, New England, and elsewhere, plus modern grooves and rhythms and plenty of original material. Contra Dances are their specialty. Their music ranges from intensely driving to silky and lyrical, and is always high energy, filled with verve and life. They are clever at mixing styles and rhythms to create exciting twists and surprises. Within this you will hear (and feel) hints of blues, jazz, and Latin material tucked within the texture of our grooves along with traditional New England dance tunes played as musicians did years ago.

The musicians function as more than their number. Nadine plays simultaneous flute and foot-percussion with pulse and ease. Barbara plays both back-up and melody on keyboard with rapid precision and gusto, and Tim provides lightning fiddle with intensity and sensitivity.

Of special note is the soaring and seamless interweaving of flute and fiddle, ramping up the intensity and pulse of driving tunes and providing gorgeous lyricism in melodic selections.

http://www.confluence-band.com/

Ithaca City’s destruction of Pyramid Recording Studio
https://www.facebook.com/events/335143496522126/ (for comments and more info)

Additional Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/svantem, https://www.facebook.com/groups/327963537282385/

From Jeff Claus:

To all who are following this situation/crisis, and care deeply about the fair and ethical treatment of Pyramid as an important local business and Alex as an owner, please read all of this post and communicate directly and as soon as possible with Mayor Svante Myrick and other important city officials. Things are very much down to the wire now, and despite a meeting last week between Alex and Svante Myrick, which we all hoped would go well, there is no clear indication the city is working to achieve thoughtful, respectful resolution based on an understanding of the quality of the Pyramid facility and its value, financially or otherwise. The city is currently threatening to officially condemn the building even though the building’s condition would not be condemnable if it were not for the bridge project. I want to stress, especially for those here who know nothing of the nature of the recording facility that sits inside the building, this is in no way a condemnable building! It’s also important to note that if the building is officially condemned, no one, including Alex, will be able to enter the building, despite the many hundreds of thousands of dollars of valuable equipment inside.

There is a meeting tomorrow morning (Monday) that will include attorneys, engineers, Alex, and, maybe, the mayor. It’s my understanding that various parties in the situation will be represented, including the city, the contractor hired to do the bridge project, and Alex/Pyramid. It isn’t clear the mayor will be there, but he should be.

One thing we can do between now and then is to communicate with Mayor Svante Myrick and other city officials that we expect a thoughtful, fair, ethical resolution of this situation. Thus, I urge people to write or call the mayor to communicate this, and I urge that all communication be mature and respectful.

A few points I’d like to make: While the history of recordings made at Pyramid is notable and glorious, from my perspective the main point here is that this is an important, active recording facility with incredible equipment and expertise. A substantial recording project is fully underway there right now, for example, and there are 4-5 more coming up in the next few months. The key issue is that an important local, successful, highly professional business needs to be treated with genuine respect and financial concern. I just keep thinking the mayor and others don’t really understand what the studio is, and how complicated and expensive it would be to relocate it. The studio is, essentially, a building built inside a building, completely suspended, sound proofed, and isolated from the exterior. It’s perfectly silent inside, and it’s specifically and architecturally engineered and designed for recording (i.e., there are no parallel surfaces inside, etc.). It would cost about $750 a square foot to rebuild the studio to its current design, and this does not address the cost of the exterior building or the property. In addition, the facility houses very valuable, and in many cases rare, equipment found in only the best studios in the country. In the Northeast, to work in a comparable studio would require traveling to NYC, Woodstock, Philadelphia, or Boston and paying higher rates as well as expenses for accommodations and food. People come to Pyramid literally from all over the world to record, and all types of music get recorded there from rock to classical, jazz, hip hop, metal, folk, and more.

If things go badly from this point, this situation could become one much worse even than eminent domain. In eminent domain, property owners are compensated for an assessed value of their property. It’s rarely fair, but at least there’s a legal responsibility to recognize the loss of those displaced. In this situation, at this point, there seems to be a lack of genuine and creative effort to make things right. We need creative collaboration and negotiation that works to achieve ethical resolution. I voted enthusiastically for Svante Myrick, with an expectation of progressive, honorable, creative leadership and politics, and I think this situation begs for exactly that.

You may contact the mayor at:
(607) 274-6501
mayormyrick@cityofithaca.org
Or, you may go to his Facebook page and write him a personal message there.

I will try to post again sometime tomorrow, after the morning meeting, if and as I have information. Until then, please spend what time you care to devote to this, writing to or calling the Mayor. Posting some of the key points you think we should make to the mayor may also be helpful, but debating here seems a waste of time and energy.

Please spread the word that we need as many people as possible to email/call the mayor ASAP! And, thank you for your help!!

Jeff Claus
info@boywithafish.com

Note: Ithaca College email is down for the weekend, should be back up Monday 6.11.2012

More info https://www.facebook.com/events/335143496522126/

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BROOKTONDALE NY - Ernie Evans and the Florida State Bluegrass Band for a House Concert followed by a music jam at The Canaan Institute (Mike and Raylene’s workshop) on Thursday June 14th 2012 starting at 7:00 pm Donation for the band $15- RSVP: please email Mike Ludgate to reserve your seats and for directions michael@canaaninstitute.org

Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/216854898429872/

More events at Canaan Institute: Concerts, Workshops, Jams http://canaaninstitute.org/mn/mus_jamcann.html

ITHACA NY — Radio Personality, Singer and Multi Instrumentalist, Ernie Evans is now on tour in 2012 and beyond. Evans, currently on tour with his own group, “The Florida State Bluegrass Band” is making waves throughout the bluegrass world. As a multi instrumentalist, Evans is very picky about who accompanies him on stage making sure his music is interpreted the way it was meant. He has hand selected some of the finest musicians in the southeastern United States that meet and exceed his expectations.

Expect to be entertained by this high energy group of professional performers. Treat your audience to unique renditions of traditional and contemporary bluegrass tunes as they get the experience they came for. If you’re looking for a band to compliment your line up, sound like no other and keep customers looking forward to your next event, choose Ernie Evans and the Florida State Bluegrass Band.

Sound clips here. They do a lot of old style southern gospel vocal harmonies in addition to excellent instrumentals: http://floridastatebluegrassband.com/index_files/ernieevansandthefloridastatebluegrassbandpresskit.htm and on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkUB69A2YRA&feature=youtu.be

About the band members …

Ernie Evans — (Guitarist, Vocalist, Arranger, Band Leader ) Ernie’s lengthy resume includes touring internationally most recently as a member of Grammy Nominee, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, 5-Time Grammy Nominee Vassar Clements, and even with Motown legends “The Platters”. His music has taken him all over the world throughout his career, and when he is not on stage he can be found broadcasting in St. Augustine, FL at WFCF 88.5FM, as well as on World Wide Bluegrass with his co-host, wife, and band mate Debi Evans, on their own shows, airing weekly. Debi has been there through the entire journey learning the trade and building the company from the ground up that they both own and manage called “Evans Media Source”. When it comes to the identity of an artist/musician a specific instrument is tied to an artist name and title branding them for recognition throughout their career. In the case of Ernie Evans, that’s not so easy to do. Evans can play many instruments and sing lead and harmony vocals at a high level giving music what ever it needs when ever it needs it. Couple this with the ability to play many styles of music from Jazz, Pop, Country and more. This skill level has made a major contribution to his ability to lead and orchestrate the now nationally touring band “Florida State Bluegrass Band”. His lengthy resume includes playing most recently as a member of Grammy Nominee Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, 5 Time Grammy Nominee Vassar Clements Band, Southern Lite and Motown legends “The Platters”. His music has taken him all over the world throughout his career and he is not on stage he can be found broadcasting in St. Augustine, FL at WFCF 88.5FM and also on World Wide Bluegrass with his co-host, Wife and band mate Debi Evans on their own shows airing weekly.

Debi Evans — (Bassist, Vocalist) Debi has been a music lover all of her life. She grew up singing and is a fan of many styles of music. Her bass playing has developed very fast and has been recognized by many notable musicians. Her love for music can be heard in her playing and singing, not to mention seeing it in her presence on stage. Debi balances the vocal harmonies and adds a new dimension to The Florida State Bluegrass Band with her sweet lead voice. She is dedicated to practicing and takes performances seriously, while having a blast at the same time.

Isaac Taylor — (Banjo, Vocalist) Isaac is the youngest band member. He was born a fourth generation Florida boy, in Kissimmee, raised in Vero Beach and home schooled his entire educational career, Isaac graduated from high school in 2009 where he was studying Music Theory at Indian River State College as a Dual Enrolled Student. Music has always been his passion. He started helping his father lead singing in church when he was just four years old. His first love is acapella hymn singing, especially Sacred Harp music, with all of its beautiful harmonies. After watching the movie, Oh, Brother Where Art Thou? , he became inspired to learn more about Bluegrass music. Ralph Stanley, in particular, sparked his interest in the banjo. In 2004, just after Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, he gladly left behind four years of piano for a new adventure on the five string banjo. With a few teachers showing him the basics early on, he soon discovered that he could learn songs by ear. Isaac plays his banjo every spare minute of the day. If he is not playing, he is researching something about banjos or Bluegrass. His younger siblings are often lulled to sleep at night by its charms.

Nate Lee — (Mandolin/Fiddle) The fact is… NATE LEE, the musician, has been drawing attention ever since he hit his first double digits. His cheerful commitment to refining his game has been a hot topic in the press as well as among his listeners, instructors and fellow musicians. To quote bluegrass icon ALAN MUNDE, “He is one of the very best students—the most talented instrumentalist, equally adept at both fiddle and mandolin—I’ve had in my tenure.” Banjo master and scholar WAYNE SHRUBSALL, playing with NATE in HARD ROAD states, “That boy is playing in the league of some of the best fiddle players I have worked with…and I have worked with Byron Berline, Kenny Baker, Dale Morris and Jim Chancellor, among others.” NATE’S early fiddle and mandolin style were shaped under the tutelage of VALERIE RYALS O’BRIEN of Burleson, Texas and STEVE SMITH of Las Cruces, New Mexico. As a child, Nate appeared onstage with his teacher Valerie and in local country bands. By the age of 14, Nate had become an experienced teacher and competitor in fiddle contests. Even in his early days, his forte emerged in performance with other musicians where his ability to listen and blend coupled with his amazing chops made him a player in high demand. NATE became a professional early, performing with the MARK GORMAN BAND (country) and at venues including Six Flags Over Texas with THE CRUCIGERS (folk/grass). He currently tours with THE ALAN MUNDE GAZETTE (bluegrass). NATE has shared the stage with Joe Carr, Jim “Texas Shorty” Chancellor, Roland White, Chris Jones, Ned Luberecki, Rich O’Brien, Robert Bowlin, Slim Richey, Adam Granger, Brad Davis, Richie McDonald, Dale Morris Sr., Tim May, Bill Evans, Tommy Allsup, Mike Siler and Ted Scanlon to name a few. NATE is making his mark as a gifted teacher in his private studio and at workshops including Camp Bluegrass and Gerald Jones’ Acoustic Music Camp. He “works well with others” both young and old, relying on keen musical intuition to challenge and encourage his students. Having completed two music-intensive years at South Plains College, Nate has returned to Levelland, Texas to finish his Commercial Music Degree. Current recordings include Alan Munde Gazette, Made To Last (2008) and Steve Smith and Hard Road, Only So Fast (2008).

http://floridastatebluegrassband.com/
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1410956145
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Florida-State-Bluegrass-Band/134453319937509
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1278711506
http://evansbluegrassjournal.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/ernieevans

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SYRACUSE NY — Come hear Ithaca’s hottest new trio “Notes Inégales” (pronounced notes inagall) along with one of Central New York’s favorite callers: Sarah VanNorstrand. This will be a FUN DANCE! More details:

8:00 - 11:00 pm Sat June 16 at The United Church of Fayetteville on 310 E. Genesee Street in Fayetteville, NY. Sponsored by Syracuse Country Dancers! Admission $7- Don’t miss this dance! This is an authentic old New England style venue with a newly refinished dance floor! Bring clean shoes, a water bottle and YOUR FRIENDS! All dances taught, No partner needed. http://www.notesinegales.org/

This will be a fun DANCE PARTY featuring “Notes Inégales”; Ethan Jodziewicz (guitar, bass, banjo and feet) and Andrea Katz (fiddle) along with Mike Ludgate (mandolin) at Bethel Grove Community Center. Calling the dances will be various local callers including David Kaynor and Megan Ludgate. This will be the 4th performance of this fabulous high energy TRIO! http://www.notesinegales.org/

We are lucky to have two new contra dance musicians now living in the Ithaca area, both are students starting their second years here in the Fall of 2012. Ethan Jodziewicz (bass, guitar, banjo, mandolin and feet) is studying double bass performance at Ithaca College. Ethan is from Washington state, where he often plays with his band The Retrospectacles. Andrea Katz (from Texas on playing fiddle) is a PhD candidate in applied physics at Cornell University. Andrea played in a variety of contra dance bands in the San Antonio area and has studied with Jay Ungar and David Kaynor. Both are fantastic contra dance musicians and are playing a dance with Ithaca contra musician and music promoter Michael Ludgate under the new band name Notes Inégales. This will be an exceptionally fun dance! Complete musician bios here http://www.notesinegales.org/

More information about this upcoming dance: Celebrate the START of the summer dance season with the progessive swingy tunes of Notes Inégales contra dance band! A fun DANCE PARTY featuring Ethan Jodziewicz (guitar, bass, banjo and feet), Andrea Katz (fiddle) and Mike Ludgate (mandolin). The contra dance starts at 8:00 and continues throught until 11:00 pm. Ithaca favorite caller Sarah VanNorstrand will be calling the contra dances; perhaps including square or two. Don’t miss this celebration of the roots of New England folk dance. This is an authentic Old New England style venue with a newly refinished wooden dance floor. Bring clean shoes, a water bottle and YOUR FRIENDS. All dances taught, No partner needed. http://www.notesinegales.org/

About the band name: “Notes Inégales” (pronounced notes inagall) contra dance band http://www.notesinegales.org/ — “In music, notes inégales (French: unequal notes) refers to a performance practice, mainly from the Baroque and Classical music eras, in which some notes with equal written time values are performed with unequal durations, usually as alternating long and short. The practice was especially prevalent in France in the 17th and 18th centuries, with appearances in other European countries at the same time; and it reappeared as the standard performance practice in the 20th century in jazz.” source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notes_in%C3%A9gales and http://www.notesinegales.org/

Additional links …

BAND on WEB http://www.notesinegales.org/
BAND on FACEBOOOK https://www.facebook.com/notesinegales
VENUE WEBSITE http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/index.html
FACEBOOK EVENT https://www.facebook.com/events/375684185829162/
VIDEOS of the BAND http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Notes+Inegales

GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS to this DANCE — http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode&q=310+E.+Genesee+Street+in+310+E+Genesee+St%2C+Fayetteville%2C+NY+13066&sll=42.44623%2C-76.47966&sspn=0.004061%2C0.009645&ie=UTF8&hq=310+E.+Genesee+Street&hnear=310+E+Genesee+St%2C+Fayetteville%2C+NY+13066&ll=43.028369%2C-76.00713&spn=0.008439%2C0.01929&z=16

DIRECTIONS to this DANCE — From I-481 take exit 3E, and follow Route 5 east for three miles to Fayetteville. The church is at 310 E. Genesee Street, between Walnut Street and Chapel Street. It is a brick church with a very tall, very pointy red steeple. You can get to the parking lot from Walnut Street (one-way going south), the church driveway (on the east side of the church, also one-way going south), or Chapel Street http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/Directions.html#ucf

PARKING — TONS OF EASY PARKING right behind the church! Zoom in on this link for a look! http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=310+E.+Genesee+Street+in+310+E+Genesee+St,+Fayetteville,+NY+13066&sll=42.44623,-76.47966&sspn=0.004061,0.009645&ie=UTF8&hq=310+E.+Genesee+Street&hnear=310+E+Genesee+St,+Fayetteville,+Onondaga,+New+York+13066&t=h&ll=43.028745,-76.007012&spn=0.001041,0.002411&z=19

SALT CITY — “Just after the Revolutionary War, more settlers came to the area, mostly to trade with the Onondaga Nation. Ephraim Webster left the Continental Army to settle in 1784, and Asa Danforth, another revolutionary war hero, and Comfort Tyler, whose engineering skill contributed to regional development, arrived four years later. All three settled in Onondaga Hollow south of the present city center, which was then marshy. Salt was discovered in several swamps in Syracuse, which brought more settlers to the area, and eventually gave the city the nickname “Salt City”.” source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse,_New_York

MORE INFORMATION About Contra Dancing:

About Contra Dancing: WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST DANCE Contra dancing is easy to learn. It’s so easy to learn that you don’t take lessons. Just show up at a dance and by the end of the first night you’ll have learned all the dance moves and you will be able to enjoy the next dance even more. People are friendly and welcoming to beginners. The age range is from kids to folks that have been around for a while. Both singles and doubles come to contra dances and women as well as men ask people to dance. It is usual that you change partners after every dance. You will meet people in a relaxed, pleasant, smoke and alcohol free atmosphere. The patterns of the dance can be a tad confusing at first but remember everyone had a first time and that other dancers will help you. Listen to the caller and the music and go with the flow of the dance. Some people find they get dizzy at first. Looking directly at the person you are dancing with eliminates this sensation. For many, the music is what keeps them coming back as it is exciting and lively. People come to dance, hear the music, socialize and have a good time.

WHAT TO WEAR? Wear smooth soled shoes and comfortable light weight clothing. Some halls require non-street shoes so make sure the soles of shoes aren’t bringing grit onto the dance floor. Most people bring a bottle of drinking water. Contra dancing is joyous so it’s important that you bring a smile. Adapted from http://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/music.html

http://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/music.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance
http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com/US_NY_ITH_TCCD
http://hands4dancers.org/
http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/
http://contra.binghamtondance.org/contra_calendar.htm
http://www.thedancegypsy.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTtEOaruqr4
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128273050

NPR: Youth Flock To Contra Dancing — Contra dancing has been around since the 1700s. If you don’t know it — it’s kind of like square dancing but with long lines of dancers. The dance is having a renaissance around the country thanks to a thriving youth scene and incredibly lively acoustic music. Article by Marika Partridge on All Things Considered NPR July 2nd 2010 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128273050

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BROOKTONDALE NY - Join us for a House Concert and CD release Party at The Canaan Institute (Mike and Raylene’s workshop) on Saturday June 16th 2012 from 2:00-4:30 pm. This event is FREE (also a great time to purchase their new CD!) RSVP: please email Mike Ludgate to reserve your seats and for directions michael@canaaninstitute.org

Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/351665688228803

More events at Canaan Institute: Concerts, Workshops, Jams http://canaaninstitute.org/mn/mus_jamcann.html

CONFLUENCE Trio, from Olean, Rochester, and Ithaca NY, is a highly creative, versatile, and energetic band consisting of Nadine Dyskant-Miller on flute and foot-percussion, Tim Ball on fiddle, and Barbara Dyskant on keyboard. Ethan Jodziewicz (of Notes Inégales fame) is also on this new CD and will be at Canaan Road for this concert!

They feature both contemporary and traditional arrangements of music from Quebec, Ireland, New England, and elsewhere, plus modern grooves and rhythms and plenty of original material. Contra Dances are their specialty. Their music ranges from intensely driving to silky and lyrical, and is always high energy, filled with verve and life. They are clever at mixing styles and rhythms to create exciting twists and surprises. Within this you will hear (and feel) hints of blues, jazz, and Latin material tucked within the texture of our grooves along with traditional New England dance tunes played as musicians did years ago.

The musicians function as more than their number. Nadine plays simultaneous flute and foot-percussion with pulse and ease. Barbara plays both back-up and melody on keyboard with rapid precision and gusto, and Tim provides lightning fiddle with intensity and sensitivity.

Of special note is the soaring and seamless interweaving of flute and fiddle, ramping up the intensity and pulse of driving tunes and providing gorgeous lyricism in melodic selections.

http://www.confluence-band.com/

Updated photograph LINK! Go here for 2012 ITHACA FESTIVAL PARADE PHOTOS http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

Ithaca Festival 2012 Parade Photo Album The SEVENTH year of photos from the Ithaca Festival on Canaan Institute website! I’ll confess; my initial motivation for this was because my son, Bryan and daughter, Megan were stilt walkers in previous years … see previous photos (way) below … (this year Megan was on a uni-cycle again). But the parade is such fun and involves so many local folks - I now try to capture images of the whole procession to share each year. Thanks to the unicycle club members at F.L.O.W. for teaching my kids and Raylene to Uni-cycle (Keith, Robbert, Brendan, Lesley) Sorry, if I missed anybody. These images of the Ithaca Festival Parade are low resolution so they will load over the web fairly quickly - if you have a favorite pic and want a hi-res image send me an email request, I’ll try and accommodate. -Mike :-)