Nic Gareiss & Simon Chrisman
- Dance
- Old Time
Nic Gareiss (percussive dance, bouzouki, vocals) and Simon Chrisman (hammer dulcimer) met in 2007 at a fiddle festival in the Californian redwoods and have been exploring sound and movement together ever since. Both innovators on their instruments, Nic and Simon bring their unique approaches together for traditional song, percussive dance, instrumental tunes, improvisation and new compositions, engaging interlocking rhythms and dynamic textures. Well-known for his work with the groundbreaking new acoustic string band The Bee Eaters, Simon’s music combines “chamber music’s finely calibrated arrangements with bluegrass’s playful virtuosity and pop music’s melodic resourcefulness.” (Boston Herald) Noted for his “dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance” (New York Times) and described as “the most inventive and expressive step dancer on the scene” (Boston Herald), Nic has performed with many of the luminaries of contemporary traditional music and dance, including The Chieftains, The Gloaming, Phil Wiggins, Liz Carroll, Bruce Molsky, Bill Frisell, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas. Together, Nic and Simon adventure into the world of time and timbre to create a breathtaking evening-length performance of song, instrumental music, and percussive dance.
Nic Gareiss
- Celtic
- Dance
- Old Time
Named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch,” dancer and musician Nic Gareiss has been hailed by the New York Times for his “dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance” and called “the most inventive and expressive step dancer on the scene” by the Boston Herald.
Gareiss draws from his deep love of sound and gesture from across the North Atlantic: from a capella percussive dance pieces, simultaneous song and flatfoot numbers following the legacy of fellow Midwestern singer and dancer John Hartford, and virtuosic improvisations interpreting traditional Irish and Scottish tunes, Gareiss offers warmth, finesse, and do-it-yourself folk inventiveness through the medium of dance as music.
Nic received the Michigan Heritage Award, his state’s highest distinction bestowed on traditional artists and a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for traditional singer of the year. He has performed in sixteen countries with artists including The Chieftains, Bruce Molsky, Liz Carroll, The Gloaming, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas, Bill Frisell, and Phil Wiggins at venues such as London’s Barbican Centre, the Munich Philharmonic, the Kennedy Center, and Steve Reich’s 75th birthday at the Cork Opera House. Always jubilant, often puckishly queer, Nic Gareiss is swiftly becoming recognized as a singular artistic presence in traditional dance and music.
Simon Chrisman
- Acoustic
- Bluegrass
- Instrumental
Hammer dulcimer virtuoso Simon Chrisman brings an unusual style to an instrument that has previously been thought to have limited range and technique… his inventive virtuosic touch and sophisticated rhythmic sensibilities are redefining the instrument and earning the attention of musicians from all over the world. He tours with the Jeremy Kittel Band and the Bee Eaters, and has performed with Darol Anger, Bruce Molsky, Mike Marshall, Laurie Lewis and Seamus Egan.
