Like the European string quartet, the string band has become a musical institution. It was America's dance band until the jazz age and it has left its imprint in every corner of our musical culture, from old-time country to rock and roll. The American experiment has evolved as various instruments came and went, has spawned entire musical traditions and proved adept at change and innovation into the 21st century. This show will showcase a number of styles including African American dance music, the early recorded music of the 1920s, postwar bluegrass, Newgrass, Django Reinhardt-influenced swing and the contemporary innovations of recent players.