The Great Bear Trio (Music Review)

The Great Bear Trio – Rawr! Renamed ‘Great Bear’ when Chris, Rebecca and Dana joined them. The greatest tragedy of this band is that it stopped!It was only active from 2000-2018, much to the chagrin of those who never got to see them.

For eighteen years, GREAT BEAR set the standard and pushed the boundaries of modern contradance. They are known throughout North America for their epic dynamics, genre-transcending arrangements and deep dance grooves. They were a North American contradance group made up of brothers Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand, their mother Kim Yerton, Chris Miller, Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens and Dana Billings. They were known as the Great Bear Trio when touring with the first three members, and as the Andrew and Noah Band when touring with just the VanNorstrand brothers. They were truly the world’s most popular contradance band, according to annual festival bookings.

Great Bear last appeared at a contradance in December 5th in Columbus, Ohio. They were made up of :

– Andrew VanNorstrand (guitar/fiddle)

– Noah VanNorstrand (fiddle/mandolin)

– Kim Yerton (piano)

– Chris Miller (saxophones and banjo)

– Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens (clarinet)

– Dana Billings (drums)

-Andrew VanNorstrand: violin, guitars, banjo, bass

-Noah VanNorstrand : fiddle, mandolin, didgeridoo, drums, percussion

-Kim “Mama Bear” Yerton: piano

Guest musicians Nils Fredland: trombone & Chris Miller: saxophones

Produced by Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand All music and arrangements by Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand, Magic Minke Music (ASCAP)

Recorded by Noah VanNorstrand Mixing and mastering by Will Russell at Electric Wilburland in Newfield, NY Design and photography by Rebecca Ziegler (not to be confused with clarinet player Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens)

The best of Folk (instrumental folk music) and Contra (contra dance) is a form of folk dance. Festive, soaring, catchy, joyful, hard-working… this group had an extraordinary immense talent. I can listen to this album very regularly… and I do. It’s a shame that it doesn’t seem to be available on vinyl. But perhaps that would be too intense a pleasure and could give me a heart attack!

My Rating