Dancers and musicians Gary Nelson
and Rebecca Holbrook are
Hot Rock Hollow
Productions, and it's their goal to promote and
present innovative experiences in music and dance.
Their current project, The 5th Saturday Dinner
Concert Series, intends to delight us with modern
influences on traditional music. Join in and enjoy!
Old-Time Fusion
Traditional Appalachian fiddle music has found its way
out of the hollows and into the embrace of musicians with a
varied background in classical, jazz and world music.
“Old-Time” music has its roots in English, Irish and
Scottish tunes brought over with the immigrants and has
been the background for our modern day square and contra
dances. Contra dancing uses some of the same moves as
square dancing but with two opposing lines rather than
squares, much like the Virginia Reel we learned in
elementary school.
This fusion of old and modern instrumentation has
resulted in a genre of eclectic and exciting music that can
be appreciated by dancers and non-dancers alike. Bands who
travel the country playing for dances may include a
saxophone, keyboards, conga drums, electric base or any
instruments imaginable.
Nils Fredland of the band Elixer
is the dance caller as well as a trombonist who joins
in as he gets the dancers going on their own. Add to
this driving and energetic dance music the hauntingly
sweet waltzes from such artists as Larry Ungar of
Notorious and
Roger Gold of Steamshovel.
Influences from French Canadian, Celtic and Cajun
styles weave their way into the music of some bands as
well. Aside from being known as contra dance bands,
these musicians write and perform other types of music
in concert and on their CDs.
