Mince Pye

Mince Pye was formed in 1995 when recorder player Scott Long, percussionist and hurdy gurdy player Paul Ash, and guitarist Joe Matzzie met at the New York Renaissance Festival. They began playing, for sometimes fun and sometimes profit, along with hammered dulcimer player Stephen Starensier. The name of the group was established shortly after at a rooftop party in Manhattan where they jokingly told the audience that there would be a prize for whoever could name the group. The only name they got was "Mince Pye".

In 1996, Paul met hammered dulcimer player Ken Paulson, and annexed him to Mince Pye. Their first performance together was the Arkivestry Costume Ball at the Angel Orensanz Foundation. Mince Pye has managed to sell hundreds of copies of their debut album, Renaissance Dance Music

Then in 1999 Mince Pye went through more personnel changes, when harpist, bodhran player Erika Lieberman met the group at the Woodstock Renaissance Festival, where she was performing as a solo act.

In August of 2000 they released their second full length album, Pye To Go, along with fiddle player, John Cordes. Featuring many of the songs that have become hits at their live performances, such as Medieval Drum Dance, Knocknagow, and Brian Boru's March.