About Me
Big Bandemonium is a rockin' contra dance band which represents the best of modern traditional music. The band takes music to a new level of fun, with some of the best groove you've ever heard in your life! Big Bandemonium has a driving three piece horn section, plus fiddles, guitar, piano, and bass. When you hear them you won't be able to sit still. Big Bandemonium ROCKS!
Formed by Lise Brown, on tenor sax and flute, Big Bandemonium features top New England musicians and a horn section that puts Latin, swing, and jazz into reels, jigs, and waltzes. Lise writes most of the arrangements for the band, and her arrangements are striking in their originality, and rhythm. Additional arrangements by Keith Murphy and other band members also leave audiences screaming for more!
Big Bandemonium is a favorite in New England, and has been featured on WRSI (The River) "Local Heros"; WFCR "Folk Talk" and NPR "Open Mic" (All Songs Considered).
Here are some reviews of our CD!
"Big Bandemonium is a multidimensional dance band of the rarest order. What is so exciting about this recording is that the influences are quite evident, but the integration of the brass with the traditional New England dance band is virtually seamless. Roll up the carpet and have a blast with Big Bandemonium!"
- Sing Out! Summer 2005
"The dance medley ending with the title tune moves effortlessly through Irish music, jazz, and salsa, including a lovely flute solo from Brown. On other pieces the horns provide additional oomph along with imaginative counter melodies. Composed of veteran musicians with impressive credentials in jazz and Celtic, old-time and world music, Big Bandemonium is an impressive experiment that fearlessly breaks new musical ground."
- Dirty Linen, March 2006
"As you can hear on their excellent new album, The Big Bang, a fuller, more modern sound is created that fuses the 19th and 20th century into something right in sync with the 21st century. Many songs on the album are outstanding. The first cut, Evil Diane, starts out with just fiddling and foot percussion. Gradually the piano, bass, guitar and horn section add to the mix, and soon the joyous song is flying like a clipper ship with all sails taut."
- Johnny Memphis
Daily Hampshire Gazette
WRSI, The River
"Lise Brown had a great idea when she put together the sound of a big band horn section with a top notch rhythm section and three expert fiddlers. Just when you think what you've got here is a really good contra dance band, all of a sudden the horns come blasting in with a Latin dance rhythm, a smooth lick, or a swinging solo from the sax or trombone. The combination is dynamite."
- Country Dance and Song Society News
"The Big Bang sure does open with a big bang! I defy you to keep your feet from moving while listening to the first cut, Evil Diane. Lise Brown from Greenfield, MA is the impresario of these great musicians. Great arrangements for three fiddles, horns, and rhythm push the envelope for contra music. The tune, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, is topical and may make you cry. Highly recommended."
- Great Meadow Music
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