DogTown Gris Gris

BY ADAM POCKROSS

(Created: Thursday, December 4, 2008 10:15 AM PST)
I'm the kind of guy who won't go into a mall after Thanksgiving for fear of being bombarded with stultifying holiday music. However, deep down, there are one or two carols which always seem to get me a little emotional. ("Little Drummer Boy," by Bing Crosby and David Bowie comes to mind.)

After speaking with Jon McBride, a founding member of the Venice-based New Orleans-style funk band, The Gumbo Brothers, I realized he felt similarly about holiday music.

"I don't particularly like Christmas music," says McBride. Which isn't so abnormal. However, I'm not the one who just poured my heart and soul into creating an outstanding holiday album.

So how does someone who's not inclined to a certain genre end up transcending that genre? For McBride, it was partly the product of necessity.

"Every year we get hired to play several holiday parties and we always found ourselves throwing together songs at the last minute," he says. "We would always regret leaving it to the last minute, because there is great potential to re-work holiday songs in a funky style."

McBride and family certainly live up to that potential on The Gumbo Family Holiday Album.

From the very first song on, it's readily apparent this is genre busting stuff. The "Sugar Plum Fairy" kicks off the album, which itself is a bit more than bold, as how many rockers really cover Tchaikovsky? But when they add that New Orleans Second Line of drumming, "like that New Orleans street beat marching parade," as McBride puts it, that's when it becomes the kind of carol I'd go shopping on Black Friday to hear.

Fortunately though, braving a mall won't be necessary, as the Brothers and Family are putting on a free show at the Santa Monica Pier at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 6th, to ring in the Christmas season with a proper amount of funk.

The whole Gumbo Family won't be performing, but there will be enough of them to have a darn good reunion. The show begins with a set by Sugarlick, including the Stevie Wonder tune "What Christmas Means To Me," which they recorded for the album.

After that, The Kristen Toedtman Band gets its groove on. Toedtman sings "Christmas In New Orleans" and "Children Go Where I Send Thee," and she also arranged "Silent Night" on the album.

Vinnie Caggiano and several other guests from the album (including some horn players from Critical Brass) will then join the headlining Gumbo Brothers to close out the show with a yuletide bang.

McBride will be playing with all three bands, "just to make sure I don't get complacent."

As the holidays are not just a time to get together with family and friends, but also a time to give back to those less fortunate, all the proceeds from the album go to the charity Students Run LA (SRLA, a nonprofit organization that challenges at-risk students to experience the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health by providng them with support to train for and complete the City of Los Angeles Marathon.)

The concert is a pep rally of sorts for the students who are running in the City of Angels Half Marathon the following day.

"The choice of Students Run LA as the charity we planned to benefit was easy," says McBride. "Eric Spears has been a dear friend of mine and a tremendous fan and supporter of The Gumbo Brothers since our very first days."

Spears, another Venetian, helped found Students Run LA almost 20 years ago and has watched the group grow from 17 runners at two schools to more than 4,700 students in 160 schools.

Asked about the connection between Students Run LA and The Gumbo Brothers, Spears says, "Its upbeat style, mixed with blues, quick rhythm, and strong electronic instrumentals is appealing to a broad base. The Gumbo's music is especially good for keeping a running pace."

Pacing was one thing McBride forgot about while recording the album. He arranged, recorded, edited, mixed and mastered the album in just six weeks. "Jon McBride was the backbone for the whole project. He ate, slept and breathed the album." Says Kimberly Romano, a member of The Family.

While there would be no album without the vision and tenacity of McBride, there is a reason it's called The Gumbo Family Album.

"We have been very fortunate to have met and worked with some tremendously talented musicians and singers in Los Angeles and I was anxious to have them involved. There are 25 different musicians and singers on this CD," says McBride, proudly.

The end result certainly sounds like one big, happy family. It even rocks a version of "Little Drummer Boy."
- The Argonaut (Santa Monica, CA)

This collection of swampy funk is deep in the pocket, right where it should be. The grooves are thick, the vocals are sparse and always add texture to the interplay between the musicians, and the vibes never get bogged down. For a four piece, they crank out a surprisingly full sound, complimenting the bass and drums with organ, electric piano, saxophone, and some slick percussion. The lyrics and vocals are pure party soul, designed to get you in tune with the vibe and flow of the music. Songs like "Booty Movin'" give you even more than what you might expect: A tight drum beat, accented with driving organ and guitar that sandwich the listener right in the middle of some wild vocals and a full on groove that splits open for a fantastic sax solo.
The Gumbo Brothers say they're "going to hit you with some ass-shakin' funk!" They got that right. Prepare yourself. - CDBaby.com

These guys are just a hoot. You don’t walk down the street so much as slip, slide, strut and saunter when The Gumbo Brothers pop up in the MP3 player. The grooves on this bands music are just deadly and there is a wonderful mix of jazz, funk, soul and reggae. When you hear these guys, you will immediately think New Orleans (well I do) but the reality is that they are from Venice Beach California. It’s not a real problem back in the Seventies my favourite reggae band was from Melbourne. Go figure.

You have to like a band that makes available MP3’s for you listening pleasure, “Funky Freedom” is today’s track of choice, sparse vocals, killer rhythm section understated keys and the staccato guitars (complete with a full on retro lead break very reminsicent of the Isley Brothers) is fabulous, but “Burning Up“ with it’s slow burn groove and Sly Stonesesque chorus should not be missed.

The Gumbo Brothers are Johann Stein on guitar and vocals, Greg Sonnier on bass and vocals, Jon McBride on electric piano, organ and saxophone, and Reggie Longware on drums, percussion and vocals.

This Venice-based quartet has made it their mission to spread bayou-influenced, psychedelic swamp-funk throughout the southland and beyond. Gotta tell you,I’m onboard. - By thatch • Apr 17th, 2008 • Category: Jazz, Music

The title says it all on this swampified stew of soul, jazz, reggae, and (of course) funk.

Don’t let the cover art fool you. Peter Max would have been proud, but there is nothing even remotely 60’s about the music inside. Well, maybe a throwback nod to Canned Heat, but that’s all. And a touch of Booker T., and a little Booty People. But other than that you can forget the 60’s references. And the horns are a touch reminiscent of BS&T. But seriously, I’m done comparing.

The Gumbo Brothers, who make their home in Venice Beach, California, sound like they were born in the bayou and raised on poke salit and alligator tale. You just don’t get more New Orleans than this foursome. From the opening groove of the title cut to the waning wail of “Lose Your Self” Funky Freedom is all about the funk in all of its incarnations.

“Dr. Kronic,” delivers a mid-tempo invitation to boogie. “Shakedown Street” is a six-minute monster track that is custom made for a sultry slow dance. On “Get Your Freak On” the Brothers venture dangerously close to rock ‘n’ roll, but never loose sight of the groove. The jazz is smooth, the vocals are gritty, the funk is thick and syrupy. If you can’t dance to this album, you just can’t dance. - www.buddyhollywood.com

One might expect that the deliciously retro soul/jazz/funk band, The Gumbo Brothers, would have Southern roots, but one would be wrong. Hailing from Venice Beach, the New Orleans-style quartet makes the kind of saxy, wah-wah, keyboard-driven funk that was popular before most of today’s music buyers were born, but it doesn’t sound outdated. It’s dance music, sho’ ‘nuff, and the band’s new album never slows down. It’s worth checking out the record, but I’m betting that the real event is their live shows. Here’s hoping they come through Virginia soon. - Berkeley Place