Album Notes

Hand It Down is a collection of New England contra dance tunes composed by Bob McQuillen. Irrepressible drive, tight phrasing, entwined improvisations and gravity-defying rhythms exemplify the music.

Bob McQuillen, Laurie Andres, and Cathie Whitesides are known collectively as the Rhythm Rollers.

Bob McQuillen is a retired high school shop teacher from Peterborough, NH. He began playing for local dances in the late 1940s. He is a recipient of the prestigious National Folk Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. He plays piano on the CD.

Laurie Andres and Cathie Whitesides began playing dance music together in 1980. Together and separately they have performed at festivals and local dances across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Laurie plays an untamed piano accordion, and Cathie plays a lyrical fiddle.

\"If you were to devote all of your life to mastering the playing of exciting, danceable, exquisitely musical, fresh and humorous traditional New England contra dance music, you would still wind up wishing you could play like Cathie and Laurie.\"
Warren Argo, Director of The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes

\"I love to move to the infectious dance rhythms of the Rhythm Rollers. Laurie\'s strongly phrased accordion and Cathie\'s melodic driving fiddle give new life to traditional and eclectic tunes. Something about this music makes me smile!\"
Kathy Anderson, dance caller