Brother Bean

Russ Neidhardt, who many locals know as the bass player for the lead band at the the Governor's Grill rock jams is now performing with his new band, Brother Bean.

Band Members are

Eric Flint~ guitar, vocals
James Almasi~ guitar
Russ Neidhardt~ bass, vocals
Pat Livezey~ drums

From a recent review: "Creating a blend of funk, blues, jazz and good old rock and roll, Brother Bean shows have become known for their mix of well written original material, soaring improvisational sections and fantastic covers."

The band is working on a new website, www.brotherbean.com with information added frequently, so visit often.

The enthusiasm for this new band is apparent in their last newletter:

"We have also been VERY busy writing. In the past 3 weeks we have nailed down about 7 brand new original tunes!! Practice has been great, but the shows have been better. As we had hoped, the new stuff really crackles with energy in the live environment."
Catch the band at The Hustler in Indialantic on Friday, November 25 and at the Governor's Grille Friday Fest on December 2 - Florida Musicians Registry

Brother Bean draws from many different influences. They manage the impact of each influence on their sound and blend them together to create a fresh original sound all their own. Their live shows are full of energy, fun songs and good old-fashioned psychedelia.

A recent concert review said, "Creating a blend of funk, blues, jazz and good old rock 'n' roll, Brother Bean shows have become known for their mix of well-written original material, soaring improvational sections and fantastic covers."

The band has played numerous shows on the East Coast and shared the stage with such bands as Perpetual Groove, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, the Jim Payne Band, Orlando's funkUs and the Burnin' Smyrnans of New Smyrna Beach. - Bamboo Room - Roomer Sheet

The singer bosts that his shows are high-energy, and filled with fun songs and old-fashioned psychedelia. Hear his blend of funk, blues, jazz, and rock at 9:30pm today at the Bamboo Room, 25 S. J St., Lake Worth. Tickets $12. - The Palm Beach Post

Happy Birthday Tobacco Road
It seems incredible that anything in Miami is 94 years old, let alone a live-music venue, but so it is. Tobacco Road celebrated its anniversary Friday with a packed crowd and excellent lineup of local musicians: the Spam Allstars, Johnny Dread, Shufly, etc. Brother Bean laid down some impressive jams in the patio. Then Suenalo Sound System on the main stage immediately got the crowd dancing, despite technical problems (and some annoying audience members who apparently thought 11 people on a stage wasn't enough and that people wanted to watch them dance). The conch solo was genius. Can't wait to see what the club has planned for 2012.

- Miami Herald

08.20.06

Brother Bean made it’s mark on Florida’s hottest city this past weekend playing 2 shows that will not soon be forgotten. Friday night found the band on the patio of Tobacco Road, Miami’s oldest bar. This legendary watering hole boasts 93 years of live music history, and this night provided another entry to it’s already fantastic story. Somewhere in the middle of skyscrapers and “Tim Burton trees”, Brother Bean turned out 3 sets to a jam packed audience. The show had many high moments, capped off by a monster 3rd set peppered with Famous Amos and which also saw the return of If I!

On Saturday, The boys moved the party over to the beach and took the stage at the newest live music hot spot, The Scrap Bar. According to locals, the biggest crowd the Scrap Bar has seen came out to see what so many people have bee talking about. The first set was marked by the incredible tempo dynamic presented in Fascination>Big Blue>Fascination, and the crowd seemed to enjoy the spirited cover of The Doobie Brother’s “Long Train Runnin”. But noone seemed ready for what was to come. The 2nd set started around 3am, and the boys didn’t walk off stage till near 4:30. Somewhere in the midst of Circle Round and Electric Ave the band sauntered off into uncharted territory, busting into Phish’s reggae classic “Makisupa Policeman” and ushering it right into Bob Marley’s “Lively Up Yourself”. Neither of these songs had been previously played or practiced by the band, which made them a treat for both spectator and performer. BeginAgain came next, and featured absolutely scorching guitar work by both Eric Flint and Tony Hume. This song is one of many new Bean originals that have had fans glowing with excitement for the future.

After the smoke cleared, Brother Bean had made it’s way back north, but if this weekend’s performances are any indication of their future, we should all prepare for Better Days.
- Miami Buzz

Brother Bean, a four-piece rock outfit, plays exploding, out-of-this-world jam and hippie funk. Former member of the now-defunct Orlando jam kings Kynda, Tony Hume is back with the perfect blend of friends and players in this up-and-coming traveling jam band. A mix of exploratory funk-rock infused music, Brother Bean blends seemlessly the psychedelic, the funk and the straight up rock 'n roll while seeking out the infinite possiblities of live improvisation.
Instruments/Equip:
Eric Flint - guitar & vocals, Tony Hume - guitar & vocals, Pat Livezy - drums, Russ Neidhardt - bass & vocals


- Orlando Weekly

October 2, 2008

The Melbourne-based group Brother Bean recently posted a new MySpace blog called "We Have You and You Have Us," accurately depicting the communal vibe so characteristic of its live shows. That encompassing description is fitting because Brother Bean's performances are more like collective jam sessions where the energy of the band merges with the audience to create one cohesive unit. The group, which consists of Eric Flint (guitar, vocals), Russ Neidhardt (bass, vocals), and Pat Livezey (drums), has a way of mesmerizing its audience with trippy, soulful music and genre-blurring fusion. Significant is the fact that there are only three members to get it all done, but that may be the key to their precise sound and unhindered musicality. Although all Brother Bean songs stand as uniquely solid tunes, together they represent a band chock-full of range and musical prowess. Captivating mellow stylings like those featured on "Auntie Em" show off the band's capricious nature, while the heavy instrumentals on "Von Boyage" give off Floydesque meanderings. The band has a wide array of techniques and a flair for eclectic arrangements, making its onstage improvisation a crowd-rousing experience.


http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2008-10-02/music/brother-bean/ - Broward Palm Beach New Times - by Taylor Divico

November 15, 2006

There was some confusion and mayhem at the door. A majority of those in line were peeking around the heads in front of them with fire in their eyes while clutching their online-purchased-printed-out-pre-paid tickets, irritated that it was taking so long to get inside. At that point, a festival worker told me that Peanut Butter Wolf had canceled at the last minute and no one would be onstage until a very tardy 11:30.

Truth be told, I gasped a sigh of relief because even though I did want to catch Saul Williams, I did not want to miss Brother Bean! Besides, this is the Anti-Pop Music Festival! It's not about standing in long lines and being frustrated that one of the "hottest" promoted acts of the night cancelled. It's about discovering new music … for instance, music that is layered, intricate, technical, flowing, whimsical, elating and euphoric like that of the Melbourne favorites (and now one of my favorites) Brother Bean. Never have I seen a band create such a mood in a venue where no one spoke and everyone just listened when guitarist Tony Hume trailed off into a Pink Floyd-esque solo. I am so happy that I walked away from the drama at The Social and back to AKA Lounge and didn't miss Brother Bean's their set, which was cut all too short -- in my opinion, they could've played all night.
- Alicia Lyman, Orlando City Beat

April 8, 2008

The term “jam band” is almost useless.

Simply sloughing off a band that likes to take a song out on a tangent and see where it goes as a “jam band” doesn’t begin to describe these bands’ sounds. A band such as Galactic may choose a jazzy or hip-hop route, while Sound Tribe Sector 9 may be more dance inclined. Even Phish, the landmark group of the ’90s, is progressively inclined.

Take the example of Brother Bean, a band from one of the U.S.’ jam-rich regions — the Southeast, specifically the east coast of Florida. Instead of going into a hard funk break or a countrified journey, the trio takes off on sparse but high-tempo excursions.

A recent show at the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth, Fla., Brother Bean showcased a very tight but open-minded set. Their music is of two minds working together — a focused rhythm section of bassist Russ Neidhardt and Pat Livezey on drums which allows guitarist Eric Flint to explore outside the normal confines of song.

The thing that ascends Brother Bean’s profile is the group’s ability to use long and short notes together, to sometimes allow a breath between notes. The result is a more relaxed, but still lively, sound. They even have fun with some covers — turning Huey Lewis & The News’ “I Want A New Drug” into an extended space jam while their take on Billy Joel’s “Still Rock ‘N’ Roll To Me” was honest and true to the original.

By Jon Tully - Skope Magazine Boston, MA - Jon Tully