Brigands' Folie

Brigands' Folie is a vibrant acoustic duo based in Minnesota playing traditional music and writing edgy original works in the 18th century style since 2005. "It is our mission to educate the public about the lives and stories of 18th Century settlers, pioneers, soldiers, and sailors through music of the period." The ensemble features vocals, guitar, handcrafted bodhran, and mandolin, and is frequently accompanied by penny whistle, fiddle, bass, and bouzouki. They spend the warmer months performing in period-appropriate attire at Living History Encampments, Rendezvous, Battlefield Reenactments, and other public events focusing primarily on historical submersion in the time period from the Seven Years War (1750s) through the War of 1812. --- A talented guitarist and vocalist, Karen has a connection with the words and the deeper meanings of the songs she sings. She is drawn to early music of Scotland, Ireland, and England by the messages threaded through the tunes. Preserving the tradition of teaching history through song is her goal. Having done historic re-enactment in the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries for more than 15 years, she has a broad background and extensive repertoire of songs of life, love, war, and celebration. Upon co-founding Brigands’ Folie, Karen directed her efforts toward studying the music of the people that gathered on this foreign shore for the conception, birth, and infancy of America. --- A classically trained pianist from the age of seven, Jake was soon led to the musical dark side (percussion) by the powers that be. Experience in jazz, classical, and contemporary music coupled with a fascination for the 18th Century and his Scotch-Irish ancestry kindled a passion for music of the era. When Karen’s broad-ranging knowledge of the genre provided the necessary spark, Jake turned his experience with the drums of various cultures toward crafting and playing the bodhran. After co-founding Brigands’ Folie, Jake took up the guitar in hopes of expanding his repertoire, and soon his musical background and guitar training exposed an aptitude for mandolin. --- Our debut album (Fog & Fire) features Tracy Garland and Jay Henderson on pennywhistle, and Mark Sterling on bass guitar. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.