Waxwing is Andrew Levin on fiddle, Robin Behn on flute and whistle, Wayne Hitt
on keyboard and Shawn Webster on percussion. We play a wide range of tunes
from a bunch of traditions-Irish, Old Time, New England, and lots of new tunes
that don't quite fit a category. Whether moody, jazzy, Caribbean, Celtic,
raunchy, haunting, bristling, gypsy-esque, classical, pop, or just really sweet
or sultry, we give you a music- story to dance to. Complex arrangements, nimble
playing, daring chord progressions, driving rhythms, lots of improv-Waxwing is
"traditional music taking flight."
Andrew, music professor by day, fiddler by night, directs the orchestra at
Clemson University and writes a lot of original waltzes we love to play.
He's just released a CD of his "Uncommon Waltzes." Robin, poetry professor
by day, started out as a flute major at Oberlin, defected to whistle, and
hasn't looked back. Wayne, master arborist, made a living playing keyboards
in the dance halls of the 70s and 80s; the strobe lights haven't quite worn off.
And Shawn-- puppeteer, modern dancer, home repair business owner and percussion
teacher--has played folk, blues, country, rock, punk, grindcore, and free improv
on everything from a traditional trap set up to a host of world and "found"
instruments. Our band got its start at the J.C.Campbell Folk School.
The first few times we got together flocks of cedar waxwings kept descending
upon us till we got the message and named our band after them.