ABOUT

Rose Jackson came up in the rich folk scene of western Massachusetts. Now based in Montague, she studied under fiddler Becky Tracy (Nightingale, Wild Asparagus) from whom she inherited a wide repertoire of music from Quebec, New England, Ireland, and France, a deep love for old tunes, and the intuitive sense of rhythm and danceability which infuses her playing. From multi-instrumentalist Pete Sutherland (Pete’s Posse) and Young Tradition Vermont, she developed her ear for song arrangement and harmony, and spent formative years in a Brattleboro pub listening to the songs of English singer and folklorist Tony Barrand. Equally at home in the concert hall and on the dance stage, she’s taught fiddle, song, and dance at camps and festivals around New England, toured nationally with her band Polaris and now tours with her quartet Stove Dragon and duo Helen & Rose. She was a Youth Leader with the Young Tradition Vermont Touring Group, and now serves as president of the board for Northeast Heritage Music Camp. In 2024, she received one of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s competitive Grants for Creative Individuals for her work as a tradition bearer of New England fiddle music.

Projects

  • Stove Dragon

    Four exceptional New England contra musicians join forces as Stove Dragon, the kindly dance-beast, breathing in notes and breathing out smoldering rhythms and flickering melodies, igniting dancers' feet and toasting listeners' ears.

    Oliver Scanlon and Rose Jackson fill the room with melodic lift and tight, dynamic double-fiddle harmony, while Sam Zakon-Anderson and Max Newman are a beating heart of fiery piano-guitar groove.

    Stove Dragon draws on the combined tool kits of their individual experiences touring with Pete’s Posse, Nor’easter, Polaris, The Stringrays and more. Infused with the subtle warmth of excellent musicianship, their music propels through snappy New England tunes, punchy French Canadian sets, smooth and driving Irish reels, delightful improvisations, and trad-inspired originals.

    Hold on tight and let Stove Dragon take you for a spin!

    “I’m a total fan, I would follow Stove Dragon anywhere. Their music is infectious, fascinating and buoyant.  I love dancing to them.” — Becky Tracy

  • Helen & Rose

    Rooted in the musical traditions of New England, Helen & Rose present traditional tunes from Ireland, New England, Quebec, and France, and craft vocal harmonies for age-old songs with modern relevance.

    Rose Jackson (fiddle, vocals), draws her sound from her upbringing in the folk scene of western Massachusetts, grounded in a deep love of old repertoire and her experience touring contra dance festivals with bands Polaris and Stove Dragon.

    Helen Kuhar (guitar, vocals, harmonium) hails from Cambridge, MA and can be found hosting Irish sessions around the greater Boston area, accompanying traditional musicians from across the region, and playing for contra dances around the country.

    Together, this duo Helen & Rose invite audiences in for stories, melodies, and lyrics that unite us all in our shared humanity.