The Luminescent Orchestrii - Reunion Show!

Sxip Shirey, Rima Fand, Sarah Alden, and Joseph Dejarnette comprise this brilliant New York City quartet, who share a love of Balkan and Romani music, using violins, resophonic guitar, and bass in creating a sound that blends Romanian melodies, punk frenzy, salty tangos, hard-rocking klezmer, haunting Balkan harmony, hip hop beats, and Appalachian fiddle. As seen at The Millenium Stage, Kennedy Center.

Opening set by The Wildmans

The sibling duo are currently navigating the release of their debut album, Longtime Friend, for New West Records. Growing up in Floyd, Aila and Elisha were immersed in the rich, vibrant bluegrass and old-time music scenes. As kids, Elisha picked up the guitar and mandolin, while Aila reached for the fiddle. They became enamored with their instruments, which parlayed itself into both winning numerous renowned competitions around Southern Appalachia. The Americana/indie-folk duo have been garnering a lot of attention in recent years, with Longtime Friend showcasing their interlacing harmonies and musical virtuosity — the sound itself at the sonic crossroads of Americana, alt-country and folk. Introduced by Special Guest EmCee Michael Buscemi.
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Sxip Shirey is an international composer, producer, sound artist, and sonic pioneer. His compositions, performances and curated evenings “Sxip’s Hour of Charm” established him as a fixture in New York’s underground art scene and internationally. He makes music, sound design and Foley for theater, dance and film. Shirey presented at TED, is a United States Artist Fellow, and has been artist curator and artist in residence at National Sawdust, Brooklyn. He was the composer and music director for the circus arts production “LIMBO”, produced by Melbourne based Strut N Fret Productions House and London based, Underbelly and South Bank Center. “LIMBO“ toured internationally (2013-2019) to critical acclaim, including Sydney Opera House, London’s Southbank Center, the Bogota International Theater Festival, and Madonna’s 57th Birthday Day party. He is a collaborator of singer, scholar, and song composer, Rhiannon Giddens, and released tracks together that include, “All Babies Must Cry,” “Woman of Constant Sorrow,” and “Just the Two of Us.” Shirey composed for the short Neil Gaiman film "Statuesque" which premiered on Christmas Day on SKY TV, UK. Music for Little Amal’s visit with the artist SWOON’s Sibylant Sisters presented by Saint Ann’s Warehouse here in DUMBO.

Rima Fand is a Brooklyn-based composer, musician and vocalist with a passion for multi-disciplinary performance. She has created music for performances ranging from experimental puppet theater to chamber opera to large-scale tableau vivant to contemporary musical theater to clown shows. She has also played in numerous creative musical ensembles, including the raucous string band Luminescent Orchestrii, with whom she toured internationally for a decade, Sherita, a Balkan-inspired acoustic quartet, Hydra, a women's a cappella trio, and currently Maputi, an mbira-driven ensemble.

Sarah Alden is a Brooklyn-based fiddler, vocalist, songwriter, and educator whose music bridges Appalachian folk, Balkan traditions, and modern chamber arrangement. She has released two albums of original and traditional folk music under her own name and is currently composing a new project for string quartet and voice.
As an American Music Ambassador for the U.S. State Department and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rhythm Road project, Sarah has toured internationally to share American roots music worldwide. She was also named a OneBeat Fellow through Bang on a Can and Found Sound Nation, collaborating and touring with 25 select musicians from across the globe.

Joseph "joebass" DeJarnette has extensive experience as an audio engineer, but also as a player, performer and teacher, so he brings expertise to projects from multiple perspectives. He mostly plays oldtime stringband music these days but has played everything from orchestral music to hip hop and rock over the years. Bass (upright and electric) is his main instrument. From 2001 to 2010, Jb was touring with The WIYOS and The Sweetback Sisters, playing squaredances and oldtime music sessions, attending fiddler's conventions, crashing Curtis Eller's gigs around New York City and making records when he wasn't gigging.

Joebass grew up in Madison County VA and the story of Studio 808A arguably began back in the 1980s when he received a wind up Victrola and a handful of 78 rpm records for his 6th birthday and became completely mesmerized by the concept of capturing sounds across time. Later, he discovered that with some creative patch cabling, he could add his own third grade voice to Sting records using his father's turntable, a microphone and a Sony reel to reel tape recorder. However, the studio really took shape in New York City when Joebass moved into an apartment in Brooklyn with composer Sxip Shirey.

EmCee - Jan Bell, Festival Founder & Director

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The Brooklyn Americana Music Festival is made possible by the generous support of individuals and small businesses; and also by TEAM DUMBO and the Office of Councilman Lincoln Restler. Local Arts Support Funding (NYSCA); and Brooklyn Arts Fund (NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs) Administered by Brooklyn Arts Council.

Brooklyn Americana Music Fest. - Front Row Tickets

COLLABORATORS

Brooklyn Americana Music Fest. - Front Row Tickets

COLLABORATORS