The Andrew and Noah Band
Powerful songwriting, explosive improvisation, deep dance grooves and a unique vision for the future of American roots music. That’s what the Andrew & Noah Band is bringing to festival stages, concert halls, living rooms and dance floors all over North America. Their core material, written by brothers Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand, might best be described as Americana Groove: a mix of Appalachian, Celtic, classic Country and Bluegrass, Jazz and Swing, Cajun / Zydeco, Alternative Folk, Roots Rock and various world music influences. The full seven-piece band features fiddle, accordion, mandolin, saxophone, guitars, bass, drums and three-part harmony vocals. Music that captures the memory of what we had, the urgency of where we are and the beat to keep you moving all night long.
Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand
Andrew and Noah are a true brother duo in the line of the Stanleys, the Louvins and the Everlys. Their finely-honed vocal harmonies bespeak over two decades of common musical experience, but it’s their differences that make them truly dynamic. Both brothers started out playing fiddle at age eight. Andrew was always drawn to bluegrass, swing, old-time country and cowboy songs, which eventually led him to take up the guitar and banjo. Noah, on the other hand, dug deeper into Celtic, Appalachian and contemporary acoustic roots music; branching out on the mandolin, tenor guitar, didgeridoo, drums and percussion. They recorded several albums in their teens of all original material and in 2004 they appeared on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. Now in their twenties, the brothers continue to write, record and tour all over North America with several bands including The Great Bear Trio, Giant Robot Dance and of course, the Andrew & Noah Band. They maintain their own independent label (Great Bear Records) and produce an annual music and dance festival in Oswego, NY called The Groove.
Rachel Bell
Rachel Bell grew up playing the piano and spent her college years studying music education and classical piano. As a college freshman, she surprised even herself when she picked up a piano accordion and “accidentally” fell in love with it. Rachel now enjoys a busy gig schedule playing concerts, contra dances, English country dances, French dances, and festivals. She plays with the Andrew & Noah Band, Montage, Tunescape, and Happy Endings. She loves composing quirky dance tunes, looking at waterfalls, and eating dark chocolate. www.rachelbellmusic.com
Chris Miller
Chris Miller grew up in the deep South, but ironically, it wasn’t until he moved to New York City that he turned to roots music and folk as a primary musical focus. A lifelong musician with a foundation in the Jazz tradition, Chris was mentored by the legendary Bunky Green, and went on to receive his Masters from SUNY Purchase. Chris plays a variety of instruments (dobro, banjo, clarinet, flute), but it’s his captivating saxophone style he is known for, and he’s performed at major festivals across the country, including Grey Fox, Rhythmn and Roots, Pickathon, and Suwannee Springfest. Chris has also been featured on recordings by major artists including AC Newman, Doug Wamble, The Revelers (the Red Stick Ramblers minus 1), and Mike & Ruthy. Most recently, he is founder of The Broken Stares—an augmented string quartet that combines the complexity of jazz harmony with the simple melodicism of American folk. As an educator, Chris has taught multiple years at the Northeast Florida Music Camp, was a founding faculty member of the SUNY Purchase Summer Jazz Institute, and has been a guest clinician at several schools. He joined the Andrew & Noah Band in the fall of 2010 and is featured on the latest self-titled release. www.chrismillersax.com
Dana Billings
People swear Dana Billings was born to play the drums, until they hear him play something else. Then they swear he’s a natural born pianist, bassist, guitarist, whatever. He’ll play anything you give him like he was made for it. It’s impressive, but a casual listener might not be impressed. Because a casual listener might not notice him at all. Dana blends so well into the songs he plays that a casual listener just hears great music. In addition to the Andrew & Noah Band, Dana also plays with Big Mean Sound Machine, J-san and Bronwen Exter.
Kailyn Wright
Kailyn Wright has been adding her vocal harmonies and melodies to Andrew and Noah’s music since high school. Her ability to blend seemlessly with those around her comes from a background of social singing and choral work. In 2006 she began song writing with her now husband, Noah VanNorstrand. Her intricate lyrics can be heard on Andrew & Noah’s album All the Good Summers as well as the self-titled Andrew and Noah Band.