Great Bear (Andrew, Noah, and Kim VanNorstrand) (Monthly Program)

The Great Bear Trio is a family group from Upstate New York--two young brothers, Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand, plus their mother Kim--known as an exciting contra dance band in their home region, and around the nation as well. Their playing derives from a recognizable regional style, with energetic fiddling and percussive piano both driving the rhythms. But the youngsters know how to add a decisively modern tinge to their traditions.Brothers Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand are both still in their teens but display a mature and seasoned musicality beyond their years. The core of Great Bear?s instrumentation has always been twin fiddles and piano (ably supplied by mother Kim) but the boys are multi-instrumentalists, and their playing is frequently augmented by mandolins, guitars, banjo and an assortment of percussion including the African djembe and the Australian didgeridoo. Andrew and Noah compose and arrange the majority of Great Bear?s material, drawing heavily on Celtic and Appalachian fiddling traditions for their melodies but with plenty of room for improvisation and an occasional alt-rock or world beat groove creeping into the rhythm section. There are also some new original songs in their repertoire now, a welcome addition to their well-known instrumental skills. They have recorded three self-produced albums including Driftage (GBR CD002), Andrew and Noah?s first duo project, which received national recognition when the boys performed live on Garrison Keillor?s A Prairie Home Companion in 2004. Great Bear?s well-carved niche in the contra dance community has already ensured Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand a prominent place in the broader future of folk music and with years of performances and recordings ahead, who knows what could happen. The VanNorstrands will play for the FSGW Sunday night dance on the following night, but their music is worth listening to in a concert setting.The February Monthly Program is also an Annual Meeting of the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. At the intermission, nominations will be taken from the floor for FSGW members wishing to run for election as members of the FSGW Board for the upcoming year (July 2007-June 2008). All members of FSGW are eligible to run for office, or to nominate someone from the floor (please, only with the permission of the person to be nominated! :-) )Admission for the evening is FREE for FSGW members, $15 for others. You can also join FSGW at the door and get in free!