Americana ensemble

How many opportunities do you get to hear or play the songs that go back to the early 20th century? I'm talking about songs from the great 1920's and 1930's and the last great depression? Not many! But what a wonderful era for songs! That is the basis of the Americana Ensemble, now in it's fifth year. While it's both an ensemble class and a performing group based at the Old Town School of Folk Music, I welcome visitors. In fact, it's the way I recruit musicians. Our repetoire is mostly from the first half of the 20th century; we work on arrangements for performances at a local restaurant and/or other venues. As of spring 2011, the group includes a professional cabaret singer, another vocalist (who also plays banjo), and backup instrumentation of guitar, mando, fiddle, five string banjo, tenor banjo, and harmonica. Four of the instrumentalists perform regularly with other groups. With the serendipity of the music community, in the past we've sometimes bben joined by a young tap dancer (who knows that this is the place for great tap dance songs!) While it's a class (heavily discounted for seniors), having visitors makes it more fun. Easy parking is available at a city lot just across the street.

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