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 The band breaks rules. ILLEGAL CONTRABAND is a multi-faceted folk band that draws on a wide variety of sources. As a contradance band with an emphasis on New England, Irish, and Quebecois dance tunes, they are just as likely to throw in everything from wild Klezmer music, swing, classical, and jazz to gentle Scandinavian waltzes. And that’s only half the show. The rest consists of original dance tunes with often wildly unorthodox instrumentation. And...they sing! So finally, while you’re not looking, they may very well croon you into a false sense of security, and then make off with your heart. Illegal Contraband has a sound unlike any other band. All of Illegal Contraband’s players are multi-instrumentalists. The traditional keyboard, bass, guitar and fiddle palette is augmented by synthesizer, accordion, percussion, bodhran, pennywhistle, cornet, and French horn. And, as if that weren’t enough, all arrangements are done on the fly. This “in-the-moment,” improvisational approach guarantees that every performance will be unique. As a concert band, Illegal Contraband draws on their vast repertoire of originals and covers, while still bringing a generous complement of dance tunes. Their cheerful stage banter, solid arrangements, and high-energy performances make them a favorite with audiences in a wide range of venues. The Band is: Peter Blue – button accordion, percussion, feet Tom Wetmore – acoustic bass, electric bass, guitar, voice Liza DiSavino – guitar, pennywhistle, cornet, French horn, piano, voice A.J. Bodnar – piano, accordions, synthesizer, bodhran, pennywhistle, voice George Wilson (occasional member) – fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass   WANTED: PETER BLUE - FOR PUSHING BUTTONS
Plays: button accordion, percussion, bones, feet Peter has been calling and playing contradance music for thirty years. He has played with THE GROOVE MONGERS, THE CATSKILL RATS, his own band, FIDDLE FREE ZONE, and with folk music legends Jay Unger and Molly Mason. In Illegal Contraband, he brings everything that is decorative and fun. His Quebecois-style foot stomping commands dancers to move, whereupon resistance is futile. Still left with his hands free, Peter may pick up a button accordion, or further compel his dancers with various percussion instruments. With all of his limbs in motion, he brings to mind an octopus - but an octopus with a purpose. Fun fact: Peter has the distinction of actually being shorter than A.J. Bodnar!  WANTED: TOM WETMORE - FOR ACTING DE-BASSED
Plays: upright bass, electric bass, guitar, voice Over the past thirty-five years, Tom has lent his much coveted sound to simply the greats. He is the bass player for Walt Michael & Company and plays regularly with the Celtic button accordion master, JOHNNY WHELAN. Like any well-built foundation, Tom’s flawless playing is virtually undetectable, yet always critical. Listen close and you’ll quickly hear where Illegal Contraband gets its drive.  WANTED: LIZA DISAVINO - FOR HAVING TOO MUCH BRASS
Plays: guitar, whistle, french horn, cornet, piano, voice When by the end of a night, Illegal Contraband manages to display its class as well as its flash, just remember: It's Liza who will provide it. She brings some thirty years of refined classical playing to the contra floor, and then gets down and dirty with it. Dancers never know when Liza will lay down her guitar and herald them down the hall with her horn, or catapult them through a hot swing tune with her coronet. Or, they might just as likely find themselves floating on the ethereal notes of her whistle playing. It’s a crapshoot, and Liza holds the dice!  WANTED: A.J. BODNAR - FOR TRAFFICKING ILLEGAL CONTRABAND
Plays: piano, piano accordion, synthesizer, percussion, didjeridoo A.J.’s two desires for an evening are: 1. Show the dancers an uproariously good time. 2. Have as much fun as the dancers are having. With those two goals set firmly in his head, and in his hands, A.J. plunges forward, looking feverishly to put the room into “the zone” as quickly as possible, and by any means necessary. Whatever instruments are not in the mix, he will cheerfully supply with his synthesizer. If they cock an ear, dancers might also hear A.J. depart from the customary “boom-chuck” of the contra piano to rip through fiddle tunes with the facility of any of the other melody players.  WANTED: MARCO BREHM - FOR ILLEGAL SUBSTITUTING
Plays: upright bass If Marco were an official member of Illegal Contraband, he could arguably be called the nicest one in the group. He's not in the band, of course, so he can't be called that. But if he were, he could be. ANYWAY, "nice" is nice, but that alone doesn't cut it in the "contra game." To be a bass player who wins Marco's caliber of recognition, you better blow people away. And Marco does that. That's why he's ubiquitous. "Dance Gypsies" will no doubt take notice of him playing with various ensembles -- Marco pops up everywhere, in fact, lending his extraordinary talents to various lucky bands (like us!) Most notably he plays bass for The Brooklyn Swing Ensemble, as well as the well known contraband, Grand Picnic. Marco is sure to catch your eye with his affable smile, and your feet with his inescapable groove -- Thanks for filling in, Marco! Contra Cauldron – Highland Park, NJ (Illegal’s own contra dance series) Old Songs Festival - Altamont, NY Arden Contra Dance – Arden, DL Shepherdstown Contra Dance – Shepherdstown, WV Bethlehem Contra Dance – Bethlehem, PA Albany Contra Dance – Albany, NY Ithaca Contra Dance – Ithaca, NY Philly Thursday Night Dance - Philadelphia, PA Old Songs Contra Dance – Altamont, NY Cooperstown Contra Dance - Cooperstown, NY Oneonta Contra Dance – Oneonta, NY Swingin’ Tern Contra Dance – Chatham, NJ Swingin’ Tern New Year’s Dance - Chatham, NJ First Night Morristown – Morristown, NJ Heritage Dance Festival – Philadelphia, PA NEFFA – Natick, NY NOMAD – North American Music and Dance Festival - CT Butterball Dance Festival - PA Binghamton Contra Dance - NY Cambridge Thursday Night Contra Dance – Cambridge, MA Princeton Contra Dance – Princeton, NJ Alpine Boat Basin Dance – Alpine, NJ Illegal Contraband | Vane Pig Jazz | Liza DiSavino | A.J. Bodnar | Hornucopia | | Return Home | So What's New? | Vane Pig Artists | Our Online Catalog | Our FAQ Page | Please Contact Us | Download Our Music | Where We Will Be | Thoughts and Musings | |
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