Freshwater

Bio:

In an age of technological saturation, FRESHWATER strives to rediscover the joy of live acoustic music. Drawing from the ethnic traditions of the British Isles, Canada, and our United States, FRESHWATER creates a simply exuberant musical experience using song, instrumental music, and the power of percussive step-dance. Nellie Schrantz, Nic Gareiss, Bill Wiegandt, and Jessie Nieves all grew up in Michigan. There, nurtured by the musicians in the local old-time and Celtic music circles, they began to absorb the traditions associated with fiddle music and percussive dancing. Bill learned folk songs from his father, Jessie was exposed to fiddle music through the alternative strings program at a nearby high school, Nellie attended Irish sessions and feisanna, and Nic learned his first dance steps by watching his parents in their kitchen. As FRESHWATER, their mission is to use the music they love to connect with people of all ages and especially to bridge the age gap that often separates young people from traditional music. The sound is rootsy and celebratory, conjuring up deep memories of place and time but in a way that is as crisp and renewing as the breeze off of the Great Lakes themselves. An old-time ballad might follow a set of Irish jigs; followed by a contemporary song, a few crisp Cape Breton srathspeys or some flat-footing. Dancing is a central element in FRESHWATER's performances. Nic, Nellie, and Jessie have spent the last ten years absorbing any kind of percussive dance they could. For Nellie this meant delving into the competitive world of Irish stepdance. Nic gleaned from Appalachian, French-Canadian, and the Irish sean-nos dance traditions by attending folk festivals and asking every person he saw dancing to teach him their style. Jessie studied rhythm tap dance and traveled with friends to Canada where she learned Ottawa Valley step-dance. During a show while the fiddle tunes crank and the harmonies blend, their feet become drumsticks, the floor becomes another instrument. Such engaging kinesis, you might find yourself dancing along! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Expect to be out of your seats... FRESHWATER evokes the heartbeat of heritage." - Lansing State Journal, June 2005. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For booking, information and all other inquiries please contact freshwater.music@gmail.com.

Member Since:

December 20, 2005

Members:

Nic Gareiss, Nellie Schrantz, Bill Wiegandt, Jessie Nieves, Corinna Smith. With special guests: Joel Lane, Nate Powell.

Influences:

Beaver Island Musicans collected by Ivan Walton, Pat Bronner, Le Vent du Nord, Solas, Bruce Molsky, Nic Jones, Rodney Sutton, Gerry McKee, Ian Carr, Simon Mayer, Buddy MacMaster, Brenda Stubbert, Richard Wood, Dean McGraw, John Doyle, Sandy Silva, John Heinzman, Liz Carrol, Andy Carlson, Eileen Ivers, Freddie Mercury.

Sounds Like:

Four post-moderns playing raucus dance music, pop-inspired arrangements of folksongs, and lots of free-spirited step-dancing.

Record Label:

White Pine Music