"…exhilarating young traditional performer…" – Dirty Linen
“Schneckenburger's playing is… quietly virtuosic… (her) voice is pure and clear, full of simple emotion...” – All Music Guide
Vermont based fiddler and folk singer Lissa Schneckenburger will release her latest recording, Dance, on Footprint Records, September 8th, 2010. Dance will feature a stellar cast of musicians, including Lissa Schneckenburger (fiddle), Bethany Waickman (guitar, pump organ), Corey DiMario (double bass), Dave Cory (tenor banjo), David Harris (euphonium, trombone), David Kaynor (fiddle), Eric Merrill (viola), Jeremiah McLane (piano, accordion), Keith Murphy (guitar, piano), and Stefan Amidon (percussion). Schneckenburger will be performing across the country and internationally in support of the new release, with acoustic guitarist Bethany Waickman. Live shows will sample a number of traditional dance tunes from the CD, as well as some well-loved favorites from past releases.
As an active member of the folk community, Lissa continues to explore musical traditions, embracing a diverse palette of influences while staying true to her New England roots. Her fiddling is uplifting and lively and her singing gentle and evocative. Both in concert and in the studio she is regularly accompanied by some of the countries best musicians. Recently she has been closely studying the roots of the Downeast traditional music that she first heard as a young girl.
Dance is the second in a pair of CDs devoted to exploring New England's rich musical heritage. While the last recording, Song, (released in 2008) focuses on a selection of ballads, Dance continues the musical conversation with a sampling of ten instrumentals. Each piece is taken from New England's folk music tradition, and has a specific dance that goes with it. These tunes are often called "Chestnuts", a nostalgic reference to the tree that was once common throughout the northeast. The selections range in tone from the sublime to the raucous, with something for every folk music fan.
The tracks are graced with a wide range of accompanying instruments including guitar, double bass, percussion, harmony fiddle, piano accordion, tenor banjo, and horns. "These tunes have been played for hundreds of years, and by countless generations." Schneckenburger says, "I love the feeling of connecting with the past as we put a fresh take on these timeless melodies. We had so much fun playing around with different sounds and arrangements, and thinking about how these old dance tunes might speak to us, as a new generation of musicians."
Schneckenburger will be on tour through 2011 with Bethany Waickman. For a limited time, two un released bonus tracks will be available as a thank you gift for fans who sign up for Lissa's mailing list at www.lissafiddle.com. Whether on disc, or in concert, the vibrant acoustic renditions of traditional ballads and fiddle tunes are not to be missed!
For more information, please visit Lissa’s website at www.lissafiddle.com
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