Jam Cruise Interview with Eric Brumberg of The Brummy Brothers

by Nick “Echo” Hobbs

Team Jamwich just returned from a tropical wonderland of musical talent that is called Jam Cruise and we brought someone back with us. While on the boat I had the pleasure of meeting and jamming with Eric Brumburg of The Brummy Brothers. His sweet sounding mandolin was perfect to hold the beat or take on a solo whether you found him at The Dead Pickin Party or outside on Deck 7 at “The Spot”. Now I want to introduce you to Eric because I think you may be seeing more of him and The Brummy  Brothers at a bar or festival near you soon.

 

 AJ- Hi there Eric glad to hear you made it home safe in one piece. It was great meeting you on the boat this year.

 EB- You too thanks.

 AJ- So tell our readers a little about The Brummy Brothers, Where are you from and how did you become a band?

 EB- My brother Dave, our bass player, and I started jamming bass and mando in late 2011. We live in an area where it is hard to find bluegrass musicians so I went onto craigslist. We found a banjo player through there that didn’t work out but he brought Andrew Morris along with him on guitar who then brought Russ (Russell Gottlieb) on banjo later. We’ve been together two years now writing music and playing as many shows as we can.

 AJ- Thats priceless I have a little diagram drawn down here to help me understand that.

So I got to check a lot of your stuff out for free on archive.org and I heard a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional songs, who are your musical influences?

 EB- We are all very influenced by The Dead as well as most classic rock. Andrew and Russ both have large jazz influences (both went to school for jazz guitar). All those together kind of make up our sound which we would say somewhat loosely bluegrass with many other flairs of inspiration in the sound.

 AJ- Ok tell me about your album “Down To Pluck”, did you guys write those songs together?

 EB- Down To Pluck was our first album that was just a few songs we recorded real quick. Andrew was the main songwriter on that one but 75% of the time someone just brings a song idea in and we all work on it, my brother and I do a lot of the harmonies and background vocals. We did a song on that album called “Cruisin” about Jam Cruise.

 AJ- Right on, you said “first” album?

 EB- Ya we are working on a new full length album right now that we hope to release in mid May. Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth) is gonna be producing it, we’re really excited for that.

 AJ- Us too! That sound like perfect timing to release an album just before the festival season gets fired up, you got any festie plans laid out yet?

 EB- We are still mapping out our route but so far I know we will be playing The Wilmington Winter Bluegrass Festival, The Smoked Country Jam in June and Fiddlers Picnic as well.

 AJ- You’re About to come through our area soon too right?

 EB- yes, we will start out at a new venue in DC called the City Tap House on Thursday January  16th show starts at 9. Then we are headed to Accident Maryland to play the Moonshadow Cafe on the 17th, that’s from 8pm to 11. After that it’s off to Dantes in Frostburg Maryland to play a show with Dangermuffin on Saturday the 18th.

 AJ- Wow I hope I can make it out to see one of these shows, I’m gonna try my hardest. Well thank you Eric for taking the time to talk with me and introducing yourself and The Brummy Brothers to our readers.

 EB- Oh yeah thank you too, see you soon.

 

Thursday 1/16 Harrington’s Pub and Kitchen DC

Friday 1/17 Moonshadow Cafe Accident Md

Saturday 1/18 Dantes Frostburg Md  w/ Dangermuffin