Artist description Beat Smash Square is a four-piece ensemble specializing in traditional Celtic music as well as a synthesis of Celtic with Blues, Funk, Jazz, Rock 'n' Roll, and anything else that happens to catch our fancy.

Music Style Traditional Celtic and Celtic-flavoured Blues, Rock, and Soul

Musical Influences Planxty, Solas, Capercaille, James Brown, Roland Kirk, Kila, Lugnasa

Similar Artists Solas, Capercaille, Eileen Ivers, Kila, Dougie MacLean, Lugnasa

Artist History Kele Lampe and Elliot Jackson met in junior high school in the 70's and started writing songs together almost immediately. Although they wanted to form a band, they were stymied by the attitude that music wasn't really something nice girls did. It wasn't until college, when Elliot took up Morris Dancing, that they discovered Celtic music. This didn't lead to anything immediately, as the two were pursuing lives on opposite sides of the country. In the early nineties, Elliot joined with Ted Moniak, bassist for The Sceptre of Benevolence, to form the Cliff Ledge and the Bitter Pills, whose "Incredibly Sad Music Show" took the Chicago area by storm. Meanwhile, Kele and partner Michael Zimmerle moved to rural Colorado, where Kele created the Celtic Music Program "Whiskey in the Jar" for KVNF Public Radio. Kele and Michael also played with one of the Western Slope's first Celtic groups, The Rakes of Mallow. For several years the two couples visited back and forth. These visits generally culminated in one of the four saying, "We really should put together a band..." The dream finally became a reality when Elliot and Ted tired of the city life and moved to Colorado. Beat Smash Square debuted at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts in Paonia in December of 1998 to wide acclaim. They have been playing at festivals and other gatherings in the Colorado area every since.

Group Members Elliot Jackson -- knows more big words than your dictionary, and can use them, too! Kele Lampe -- will tell you the meaning of life for a nominal fee. Ted Moniak -- a half-elven adopted son of an innkeeper. Michael Zimmerle -- his mother was a hamster and his father smelled of elderberries.

Instruments Flute, Whistle, Fiddle, Guitar, Banjo, Bass, Bodhran, Vocals

Albums The Dogs of Art, Live Without Explanation

Press Reviews Their performances are "filled with abundance, warmth, celebration, and passion...I felt tears come to my eyes at the beauty of these friends making music together." -- Aspen Times They "blow the doors off at every concert they perform...(the) expertise and talent boggles the mind." -- DCI Press "Great Entertainment!" --KREX TV "I was on TV?" -- Kele

Additional Info There are no balloon folding clowns in this band. Read "The BEAT" comic by Britton Walters. Oh yeah, and our wall paper came from desktoppublishing.com (we have to put this in here or they'll hunt us down and kill us or something.)

Location Paonia, Colorado - USA

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