KITCHEN KAYLIE BAND

The Kitchen Kaylie Band is available for putting on square and contra dances, with Banks as caller. We perform at a variety of community events and weddings. If you want music at your event, then please connect with us through earthborngarden@gmail.com.

The Kitchen Kaylie Band is a group that has played traditional folk, bluegrass, celtic, ragtime and blues music since the early 1970’s.  Peter Dufault (1923-2013) and Gene Parzek were the founding members of the band, gathering in the Dufault kitchen to play an assortment of acoustic instruments. Peter played fiddle and was a master of his own style of 5-string banjo. As he got older, he developed an intense frailing style he called “chain saw banjo.” We all struggled to keep up.  Anne Banks of Hillsdale plays mandolin, guitar, fiddle, tenor banjo and sings vocals, while Gene Partzek of Nassau plays a “no frills” back-up guitar which is essential to the band’s sound. He also adds great harmonica playing to many of the band’s songs. Scott Dufault plays mandolin and clawhammer banjo, and sings harmony vocals. Rob Parzek is the band’s sound technician. Mike Pagnani is the band’s fiddler and brings his passion for Old Time music to the group.

The name, Kaylie, is an Anglicized version of a Celtic term for a traditional festival form of entertainment where everyone participates in some way. Being born in the kitchen, the name became Kitchen Kaylie Band.