The Press Gang

BOLD  NEW SOUND has emerged in New England’s traditional music scene: The  Press Gang fuses the talents of squeezebox player Christian “Junior”  Stevens, fiddler Alden Robinson, flute-player and vocalist Hanz Araki,  and guitarist Owen Marshall into a high-octane musical partnership. The  quartet blends their skill and fluency in traditional Irish music with  their curiosity and aptitude for other styles. The joy that these  musicians pour into playing music together is unmistakable and  infectious. The result is a unique sound; at once energetic and  sensitive, innovative and reverent. “An Irish music phenomenon in America” — Irish Music Magazine “One of those rare bands that are ingenious, driving, thoughtful and yet have great respect for the tradition.” — John Doyle “Not  unlike new-grass pioneer Nickel Creek’s self-titled debut in that it  takes refuge in a tradition, but uses that context to shine.” — The Portland Press Herald ABOUT THE BAND “Outstanding  musical expertise, blending of contrasting influences, and  finely-balanced, integrated style…pure exhilaration for the ears.” — Christian  “Junior” Stevens has become an influential member of the Irish  Traditional Music community in America; particularly in New England  where his proficiency at such a young age on both concertina and  accordion was nothing short of phenomenal. Gracing stages across the  country with some of the most talented artists in the world, he is an  in-demand performer and teacher with an intensely dedicated following. Alden  Robinson learned the fiddle as a child in coastal Maine, and furthered  his education in traditional music at University College, Co. Cork in  Ireland. He quickly became recognizable as a new voice in Irish-American  fiddle music and became a staple of the traditional music scene in New  England. Alden continues to travel throughout the U.S. and Ireland to  expand his already impressive repertoire; much to the delight of  audiences and students of the craft from coast to coast. Multi-instrumentalist  Owen Marshall is one of the most highly sought-after accompanist in the  United States. With his unique sense of harmony and rhythm, he has  traveled and performed all over the world with many of the top acts in  traditional music. A demanding schedule doesn’t interfere with his  pursuit of new and innovative sounds as a bedrock accompanist with a  style that never grows stale. Once called “a quintessential  world-music musician,” award-winning singer and flute player Hanz Araki  has been a prominent figure in the Irish music community in North  America and beyond for more than 2 decades. In that time he has released  11 albums, played countless festival stages, toured nationally and  internationally, and collaborated with a number of well respected  musicians within and outside of the Celtic music genre.