Who we are

 

The Modal
Music (tm) story

Presenting high quality ethnic and American music, recordings, dancers, and information for fun family entertainment since 1988.

 

It was back in 1988 that we realized we had grown beyond just being a single band, the Balkan Rhythm Band  (tm), which in 1980 was one of the first “world beat” groups on the Chicagoland scene. It was clear that we needed an umbrella organization for our then two bands. By 1990, the decision to create Modal Music, Inc. had proven to be exactly the right thing to have done because we had grown to become five bands.

 

Then we began to present concerts here in America and in Denmark. We have also developed a number of powerful educational programs and started booking a number of artists who were related to our groups in one way or another. In addition, we have a product line of small instruments and various things “ethnic” that are and will continue to be interesting to our fans and clients.

 

Our growth is fueled by the quality of our products, both live performances and items we sell. Generally, over half of our business is with repeat clients! People hire our bands repeatedly because they know we provide them with flexible, high quality, family-friendly professional entertainment. And, of course, it helps that we present our music in as an acoustic manner as possible in any given performance situation. Add on our efforts to include the audience in the fun by getting them up and dancing and / percussing along with us, and you have the Modal Music story: good music, good players, and responsive, friendly, interactive entertainment.

 

Our roster reflects the variety of American immigration. We have upbeat Jewish Klezmer, exotic Greek Rembetika, sweet Scandinavian dance music, and hot World Music groups like the Earwig Music label recording artist, Jutta & the Hi-Dukes (tm) which is all of the above and more. And then there is ethnically American music, too. We have a Swing / Tin Pan Alley / Dixieland band and can book a number of traditional Blues artists and bands.

 

We can also book a firey Flamenco music and dance troupe and can offer Raqs Sharqi dancers, Greek dancers, Jewish dancers, and Scandinavian dancers.

 

Please sign up on our e-mail list. We will keep you posted about new and exciting events around town as well as anything regarding the arts as seen through an “ethnic”-arts-oriented eye. And while you are at it, please let us know what you think about our site, our mission, and our artists! We appreciate your comments and interests. And, of course, please spread the word about us so that others can get involved. A great way to do that is to Like the Hi-Dukes Facebook page.

 

Stay on the Hi-Dukes World Beat - Find out
about future events sooner by liking
the band’s facebook page.

 

 

Introducing Jutta & the Hi-Dukes Demo Video

 

 

Audio Demos

 

 

Erdelezi - Balkan Gypsy song - played as a trio