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PLEASE NOTE: After 15 years the Polymorphous String Band has disbanded and reformed as the new band Allemande North. Please visit the Allemand North web page for current performance and booking information.

This page is no longer being maintained, and is available for historical purposes only.

Thanks!   The Polys

Polys disguised as frogs - click to see what we really look like! Members of the band and the instruments we play are: New - Listen to the Polys! Click on the links below to hear MP3 samples of us recorded in January 2006:
  • a mini-medley of reels with Evy on fiddle (1698K)
  • a mini-medley of jigs with Evy on fiddle (1567K)
  • a waltz with Lois on fiddle (738K)


The band originally sponsored and now performs several times a season at the 3rd Saturday Northboro Contra Dance in Northboro, MA. We also perform at other area dances including those in Worcester MA, Lancaster MA, Providence RI, Hartford CT, and Manchester NH as well as a variety of private dances and parties for both individuals and organizations.

Band Members

The Polys at Northboro - Dec. 2004

Jon Weinberg

Jon lives in Marlboro, MA and is a founding member of the Polys. He has been playing folk guitar for over 30 years and hammered dulcimer since 1990. Jon has been a member of several other bands over the years including Roaring Jelly, Over the Waterfall (with Jim Guinness and Judy Francis), the New Potatoes (with Myra Franks, Bill Fisher and Lista Duren), and Wild Card (formerly contras.com) (with Vince O'Donnell, Robin Kynoch, and Terry Traub).


Dick Hyland

Dick joined the Polys in 2001. He arrived in Mass as an escapee from the Washington, DC rat race where he worked as a mad government scientist for 37 years. Dick began playing old time country music at age 13 and graduated to bluegrass music in college. In the mid-90's he was introduced to contra dancing and contra dance music, loved it, and helped form a band at the NIST where he worked.


Lyn Paul

Lyn is also from Marlboro, MA and joined the band with her double bass at the beginning of the 1996-97 season. With a background in guitar and piano, Lyn became interested in playing traditional music after dancing to it for a number of years.


History of the Polys

Jon, Myra, and Bill had been playing together in 1994 with Lista Duren (on piano) as the group The New Potatoes, when Lista decided to move to California. Jon and Bill had been discussing the idea of starting a string band - a perfect opportunity had presented itself. After adding a bass the Polymorphous String Band was born.

Year Members Mugs Event
1995 Myra Franks (fiddle)
Jon Weinberg (HD & guitar)
Bill Fisher (guitar, mandolin, banjo)
Brian Rost (bass)
   We begin our regular monthly dance at the Berlin town hall
1996 Myra Franks (fiddle)
Jon Weinberg (HD & guitar)
Bill Fisher (guitar, mandolin, banjo)
Lyn Paul (bass)
 Lyn joins the band replacing Brian on bass
1998     Our monthly dance moves from Berlin to the First Parsih Unitarian Churcn in Northboro, its current home
2001 Lois Sommers (fiddle)
Jon Weinberg (HD & guitar)
Dick Hyland (guitar, mandolin)
Lyn Paul (bass)
 Lois and Dick join the group replacing Myra and Bill. Bill occassionally plays with the band at the Northboro dance (and still does!)
2004 Evy Dueck (and Becky Miller as sub) (fiddle)
Jon Weinberg (HD & guitar)
Dick Hyland (guitar, mandolin)
Lyn Paul (bass)
 Evy (and Becky) join the band replacing Lois.
2007 Jon Weinberg (HD & guitar)
Dick Hyland (guitar, mandolin)
Lyn Paul (bass)
   Evy leaves the band - we play the season as a three piece band with various friends joining us on occassion
2009     We turn over the job of running the Northboro dance to Gary and Lucy Phillips (and others), and continue to play there several times a season
2011 See Allemand North   Dick retires from the band. Jon and Lyn decide to retire the name and start a new band with Dave Coleman called Allemande North.

The page is maintained by Jon Weinberg.
Last updated: 4/29/2011