Jason Vance

One-Man Band

Jason Vance grew up in the Appalachian mountains along the West Virginia/Virginia border, where music was part of everyday life. He carries that tradition forward as a solo one-man band, strapping on a banjo, harmonica, spoons, bass drum, tambourine, and stomp board all at once.

His shows are loud, joyful, and completely unpredictable. Kids sing along, stomp their feet, and become part of the performance. Adults find themselves clapping before they realize it. Every show is different because the audience makes it different.

He tours schools, libraries, bookstores, and concert halls across the Northeast, bringing Appalachian folk music to communities that might never hear it otherwise.

Interactive Theater

Beyond his solo work, Jason is an actor and deviser in New York's immersive and interactive theater scene. He has worked with Trusty Sidekick Theater Company, Live In Theater, and the Society for Misfit Puppets, creating performances where the boundary between audience and performer dissolves entirely.

His theater work has been featured at Lincoln Center, Park Avenue Armory, and the New-York Historical Society. These experiences shape everything about his solo shows — the audience participation, the improvisation, the sense that anything could happen.

Education

Jason develops arts curriculum for the New Victory Theater and Brooklyn Music Factory, and teaches music to kids at schools throughout New York's Hudson Valley.

He is a regular performer at Maverick Family Concerts, Woodstock Library, and Rough Draft Bar & Books, where he has built a loyal following of families who come back show after show.

His educational work is rooted in the same philosophy as his performances: music is participatory, not passive. Kids don't sit and watch — they play along, make noise, and discover that they are already musicians.