About Us

We play traditional folk and dance music on button accordion, guitar, fiddle, hardanger d’amore, banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, flute, and voice. We're especially fond of the music of Ireland, the British Isles, Québec, Brittany, and other cold, damp places. We play for concerts, dances, sessions and festivals — either as a duo or with other musical friends — and give lessons in many of the instruments we play.

Dan plays guitar, fiddle, hardanger d’amore, mandolins big and small, tenor banjo, and sings. Part of the Pacific Northwest folk music scene in the U.S. for many years, he moved to Amsterdam in 2021. He’s performed at concerts, festivals, and music- and dance camps, as well as pub gigs, contradances and ceilis. Dan also teaches extensively, does studio session work, and has done music for film and theater.

As a guitarist, Dan draws from a strong classical guitar background, with a command of finger style as well as flatpicking and accompaniment. Dan’s fiddle playing focuses on the dance music of Ireland, Québec, Appalachia, and Brittany. Major influences are Irish players Kevin Burke, Matt Cranitch, and Denis Murphy. Dan is also a noted composer of fiddle tunes, many of which surface on recordings and at dances and sessions.

Fran plays button accordion, fiddle, 5-string banjo, and flute. She grew up in Limerick and lived in Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, and Dublin, and the US before moving back to Amsterdam. Fran began playing the fiddle in Dublin, learning from Tralee fiddle player Maire O’Keeffe.

Fran picked up the C#/D button accordion while driving from Oregon to Québec a number of years ago – don’t worry, she didn’t do both at once. Since then she's developed a rhythmic, soulful and direct style of playing. She's particularly influenced by the playing of Jackie Daly, Brendan Begley, and Sharon Shannon. Fran plays boxes from Bertrand Gaillard and Castagnari.