Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"a Celtic -funk-folk band called Quagmyre step-danced and chewed through horse hair at equally enthralling rates." - The Coast, Halifax, Nova Scotia
"Quagmyre brought the house down three times with seperate appearances by step-dancers Nathan Pilatzke, and Cara Butler. A flurry of taps and arms." - The Coast, Halifax, Nova Scotia
"Step dancing extraordinaires, brothers Jon and Nathan Pilatzke." - The Toronto Star
"where they found these retro influences and melded them into their music is anybody's guess. But it gives their music a unique quality that should appeal to everyone - the traditionalists, the kids, and old hippies like myself." - Celebration of Celts 2005
"Pilatzke, who's been dancing and fiddling since he was knee-high, has become a permanent fiddler with the world's premiere Celtic group, The Chieftains. It's a role that has seen him perform around the world - not to mention on all major U.S. talk shows - and in a wide variety of collaborations encompassing all musical styles." - Tri-City Revue (Kitchener-Waterloo)
Discography
Of Cabbages and Kings (2005)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Quagmire: Definitions: 1. soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot. 2. a difficult or precarious position. (Webster’s Dictionary)
quagmyre: A multi-talented Toronto-based ensemble adding an exciting contemporary twist to a Celtic-based sound. Widely known for inducing shaking of the feet.
From spontaneous origins fittingly centered upon a Toronto St. Patrick’s Day gig in 2001, quagmyre has expanded in both size and musical scope. The band has won international acclaim for their instrumental and step dancing prowess, and they are poised to make a real impact with their debut full-length CD, Of Cabbages and Kings.
quagmyre has become a highly sought-after act on the North American festival and pub circuit. Their combination of musical virtuosity and high-energy dancing has proved irresistible in a live setting.
The debut recording skillfully manages the tricky task of imprinting their patented performance prowess into the grooves. “We record as much as possible live off the floor,” explains fiddler/dancer Jon Pilatzke. “That is where the energy exists.” Of Cabbages and Kings mixes group originals with traditional Celtic material. Instrumentals nestle alongside vocal tracks, which in turn possess real variety.
All members of quagmyre are in demand outside the group. During the past four years, Jon, Nathan and Cara have been touring with The Chieftains, as on-stage fiddler and step dancers. These legendary ambassadors of Irish music are renowned for spotting and promoting young talent, and The Chieftains have taken the young trio around the world including appearances at the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize Awards and on Late Night with both David Letterman and Conan O’Brien. Jon Pilatzke also tours extensively with popular Celtic ensemble Bowfire. Most recently, Jon and Nathan have just received a Gemini Award (Canada's Emmy's) for “Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series” for their dance performance in the CBC production “The Chieftains in Canada”. The band has also just received a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for "Best Group - Instrumental".
Quagmyre has shared the stage with Susan Aglukark, Amy Sky, Great Big Sea, The Nylons, Tom Cochrane, Murray Maclauchlan, Michael Burgess, The Good Brothers, and Ian Thomas just to name a few. Extensive touring and an increased commitment to spend more time nurturing quagmyre has served to create the exciting buzz that is now surrounding the band.
Links
