From dance inducing Old Time rhythms and foot stomping Irish melodies to hard-driving Bluegrass, Baltimore-based acoustic roots quartet Charm City Junction creates a fresh soundscape that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats wondering where they'll go next. Featuring fiddle, clawhammer banjo, button accordion and upright bass, this quartet isn’t afraid to take roots music to new places — but always with an eye on tradition.
Formed in 2014, Charm City Junction has taken the acoustic music scene by storm performing around the country gaining high praise along the way for their high-energy, captivating and dynamic performances. Patrick McAvinue, 2017 IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year, takes charge with his virtuosic, powerful and musical approach to the fiddle. Clawhammer banjo wizard Brad Kolodner adds his playful, driving, melodic and groovy Old-Time touch. Sean McComiskey, soars through the tunes and fills the gaps with his soulful button accordion playing. The versatile bassist Alex Lacquement drives the train, locking everything together with his commanding and tasteful choices. Drawing from separate musical backgrounds, the four members have found a common ground on which to develop their unique approach. Since releasing their highly anticipated debut album Charm City Junction on Patuxent Music in the fall of 2015, they have performed prestigious festivals including Grey Fox, Old Songs, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival and an appearance at the Kennedy Center. They released their second full-length album, Duckpin, in the summer of 2018. The record debuted at #6 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts.
Formed in 2014, Charm City Junction has taken the acoustic music scene by storm performing around the country gaining high praise along the way for their high-energy, captivating and dynamic performances. Patrick McAvinue, 2017 IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year, takes charge with his virtuosic, powerful and musical approach to the fiddle. Clawhammer banjo wizard Brad Kolodner adds his playful, driving, melodic and groovy Old-Time touch. Sean McComiskey, soars through the tunes and fills the gaps with his soulful button accordion playing. The versatile bassist Alex Lacquement drives the train, locking everything together with his commanding and tasteful choices. Drawing from separate musical backgrounds, the four members have found a common ground on which to develop their unique approach. Since releasing their highly anticipated debut album Charm City Junction on Patuxent Music in the fall of 2015, they have performed prestigious festivals including Grey Fox, Old Songs, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival and an appearance at the Kennedy Center. They released their second full-length album, Duckpin, in the summer of 2018. The record debuted at #6 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts.
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Patrick McAvinue, 2017 International Bluegrass Music Association Fiddler Player of the year & 2015 IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year, is regarded as one of the most innovative fiddlers in the industry, able to translate the traditions of Bluegrass into a fresh, eclectic, forward-thinking language of his own. Patrick’s CD release, Rutland’s Reel, is described as, “a roller coaster of pure uncut fiddle nirvana” (Joseph Scott, Country Music Pride). A highly in-demand sideman, he has performed and recorded with Bluegrass music icons Bobby Osborne, Del McCoury, Marty Stuart, Paul Williams and J.D. Crowe, to name a few. He and his fiddle have appeared at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Birchmere, The Country Ren-dez vous Festival in Crappone, FR, and The U.S. Embassy in Quito, EC. Prior to joining the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., he was a Nashville-based session and touring musician. www.patrickmcavinue.com
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Baltimore-based clawhammer banjoist Brad Kolodner represents the next generation of Old-Time musicians pushing the boundaries of the tradition into uncharted territory. Regarded for his expressive style, creative approach and original compositions, Kolodner has rapidly gained national attention for his unique approach to the banjo. A four-time Clifftop banjo contest finalist, Brad is one of the bright young stars in the clawhammer banjo world. He regularly performs across the country in a duo with his father Ken Kolodner, a renowned hammered dulcimer player. Behind the scenes, Kolodner is helping to lead the charge as a community organizer, winning the 2016 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Momentum Award for Industry Involvement. He hosts two weekly radio programs on Bluegrass Country Radio (DC) and Radio Bristol (VA/TN) featuring the latest releases in Progressive Bluegrass, Americana and Old-Time music. He was nominated as the IBMA Broadcaster of the Year in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Brad is a major driver behind the bustling Old-Time and Bluegrass scene in his hometown of Baltimore. He founded the bi-weekly Baltimore Old Time Jam, the monthly Baltimore Square Dance and the annual Baltimore Old Time Music Festival held every year in mid-March. www.bradkolodner.com
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Grounded in the sounds of American-born music Baltimore based bassist, Alex Lacquement has crafted a unique style that is dazzling, lyrical, and transcends musical genres. Whether on stage playing jazz, old-time, bluegrass, or playing with singer songwriters his tone is unmistakable and joy for performing is obvious and infectious. In addition to being an energetic, assertive, and groovy ensemble player and imaginative soloist, he is a skilled arranger, composer and producer. Alex holds two degrees in music education from the Eastman School of Music (M.M.) and from James Madison University (B.M.). As a music educator he focuses on teaching community-based music through aurally learned songs and tunes, and dance. When he is not on the road performing, he can be found at home cultivating Baltimore’s Bluegrass scene through leading jams and teaching lessons. www.alexlacquement.com |
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Sean McComiskey is among the most innovative young performers on the button accordion, with a unique harmonic style that has earned him a spot in the pantheon of Irish accordionists far beyond his native Baltimore. As the son of legendary button accordion player Billy McComiskey, Sean has been surrounded by Irish Traditional music his entire life and has developed a deep appreciation for the rich tradition of which he is a part. This has helped Sean establish a reputation as a highly regarded teacher and promulgator of Irish music and earned him teaching positions with the Catskills Irish Arts Week, the Augusta Heritage Center’s Irish Arts Week, the Chris Langan Weekend in Toronto, the CCE Musical Arts and Dance Week in Washington, DC, the Baltimore Irish Arts Center, and the Spanish Peaks Celtic Festival. www.seanmccomiskey.com |