August Week I Great Horned Ukestra

Sandy started playing the five-string banjo about 60 years ago, and he started playing penny whistles and flutes about 50 years ago.  That’s when he first became passionately involved with contra dancing and playing for dances.

In the 1970’s, he was a founding member of the Roaring Jelly dance band (which is still going strong) and the Common Ground quintet.  Back then, he also played occasionally with Dudley Laufman and the Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra.  He subsequently spent over 20 years as the founder and director of two long-standing community contra dance bands, both of which are also still playing for monthly dances:  The Berlin Country Dance Orchestra (Berlin, MA), and Oh, CONTRAire! (Westford, MA).  He has recorded with a number of traditional musicians, including Tony Saletan, Jay Unger, Jerry Robichaud, and Trapezoid.  He has also played for many well-know dance callers, including Dudley Laufman, Ted Sanella, Larry Jenkins, Tony Parkes, Lisa Greenleaf, and Sue Rosen. (more…)