WHO IS RABBIT STAMPEDE?

Rabbit Stampede: from left to right, Paul Butler, Chris Robinson, Kirsten Erwin.

Paul Butler started off as a classically trained musician on violin and viola, and developed a strong interest in early music, especially music of the medieval period. A multi-instrumentalist concentrating primarily on stringed instruments, especially fiddle and harp, he has dabbled in a number of styles ranging from filk to Near Eastern to Native American, but most of his concentration has been in historical performance of the medieval and renaissance music of Europe. He researches these ancient traditions, and creates and performs on early instruments such as the rebec, citole, bray harp and shawm. As a solo artist, he has appeared at faires, museums and schools performing and demonstrating historical music, and has also played as a harper at social affairs. He has also performed with the SCA dance band the Branslers (as one of its original founders and ongoing musical researcher/arranger), the Ren/Folk band Burlap Lute (the immediate pre-cursor to Rabbit Stampede), and the eastern European themed Karpathos (headed by Paul Ash). His recent musical wanderings have brought him to Japan, where he is exploring koto and taiko drums. In band, Paul plays violin, djembe, mandolin, hurdy-gurdy, and lead vocals.

Chris Robinson originally played classical music, Joplin and jazz on piano, but migrated eventually to guitar. After delving into the rock of Rush and Led Zeppelin, he was drawn into early and folk music via the SCA. As an early member of the Branslers, he hooked up with Paul and the two started jamming in mixed fusion versions of the early music, which eventually led to the formation of the fusion folk-early music group Burlap Lute (along with Wendy Gale and Jennifer McGuire). Chris has a strong interest in Celtic and Irish music, and has recently expanded his instrumental interests into the Irish Cittern in addition to his driving guitar. In the group, Chris plays guitar, cittern, mandolin, and occasional backing vocals.

Kirsten Erwin is a classically trained flautist and guitarist, but has recently refocused her energies almost entirely on the folk woodwind traditions of Irish, Scottish and English Country music. An accomplished whistle-player, she has attended and conducted numerous workshops in Celtic traditional music around the Philadelphia region, and performs with a number of regional musical groups, including the English Country/ Contra Dance bands Cantabile and Herd o' Cats, as well as a traditional Irish trio, Crosswinds Celtic. In addition to classical flute and pennywhistle, Kirsten has developed skills in bodhran and dumbek, as well as recent forays into alto flute. In the band, Kirsten plays flute, pennywhistle, bodhran and occasional backing vocals.