Coming to The Dance Hall from NYC, ContraPunctus features four distinct voices in contemporary music, including Maine's own Mike McGinnis.

The group takes its name and inspiration from counterpoint, musical lines interwoven in conversation, while embracing the full breadth of their collective experience across jazz, free improvisation, rock, and folk traditions. Their repertoire moves fluidly between original compositions, reimaginings of Carla Bley, Baden Powell, and Billy Strayhorn, and spontaneous improvisations. At once rooted and exploratory, ContraPunctus invites listeners into music that is alive in the moment; polyphonic, adventurous, joyful and generous. LISTEN HERE TO THE NEW ALBUM

Meet the band:

Mike McGinnis(Alice Coltrane, Anthony Braxton, Yo La Tengo): saxophone/clarinet

Carmen Staaf(Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jenny Scheinman): pianist

Gui Duvignau (Michael Wolff, Sofia Ribeiro) : bassist

Hamir Atwal (Tune-Yards, Myra Melford, Ben Goldberg): drummer

From Maine Public Radio: “Genre-defying and prolific are two words that keep coming to mind when exploring the work of clarinetist, saxophonist and composer Mike McGinnis. A native of Sanford Maine in York County, Mike has been New York based for more than three decades now, forging a varied career bridging jazz, contemporary classical and the avant garde. This has included being leader, co-leader and sideman on more than 50 albums, serving on faculty at The New School the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and, not least, performing in a Tony winning Broadway production and an Ang Lee film.

In May, he’ll be here with his ensemble ContraPunctus at The Dance Hall in Kittery, right on the heels of the release of their self-titled debut album—out earlier this month.” Listen to the full interview with Heather MacDougall HERE.

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $12 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)