Michigan Bands

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Childgrove features Debbie Jackson on piano, Anne Ogren on fiddle, viola, and an occasional kazoo, and Martha Stokely on oboe, pennywhistle, recorder, and kazoo. The three bring their fluid, eclectic approach to the elegant and compelling melodies of English country dance, drawing on their backgrounds including classical, Celtic, jazz, Klezmer. and other intricate styles featuring complex rhythms and unusual harmonies. Hearing this music makes you want to learn the dances that go with it. The always spirited and completely danceable effects are captured on the band's two CD's, "Early Instincts" (2004) and "Wanderlust" (2008), which feature traditional and original English country dance tunes.
All three are travelers, and were the guest band for an English country dance tour to the Loire Valley in France. You can learn more about each of the band members as well as their CD recordings and original compositions by visiting their website: www.childgrovemusic.com

Dr. Grangelove (a.k.a. The Whirling Derbies, Gypsy Barbecue, Fiddlers in the Midst, etc.) is the house band for the popular 5th Saturday dances in Ann Arbor. Debbie Jackson, Dave Orlin, and Brad Battey need no introduction to Midwest dancers: together they have a combined total of over one hundred years' musical experience, although they don't look a day over thirty. They are known for their crisp rhythm, transparent textures, and unusually tasty tunes. Instrumentation includes fiddles, banjo, nyckelharpa and flute, anchored by piano, guitar, and drums. Check out those banjo/nyckelharpa duets! No gimmicks, just good music.

Sharon Hollow Stringband produces Ann Arbor's Second Saturday Contra Dance with Don Theyken. Sharon Hollow Stringband is comprised of Paul Winder, fiddle, Garth Gerber, piano, Myron Grant, guitar, mandolin and harmonica, and Brad Battey, fiddle. Each of these musicians is outstanding on their respective instruments, and as a group they bring down-home uptown with their jazzy take on oldtime contra dance music.