Nigel's Thornberry
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Nigel's Thornberry

Farmington, Maine, United States | SELF

Farmington, Maine, United States | SELF
Band Alternative Avant-garde

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Second Place, Battle of the Bands"

We were not able to to get a review published before the 4/20 deadline, however, we were able to get a review from one of the judges in a recent Battle of the Bands competition we participated in.

Second-place at WUMF's Battle of the Bands was Nigel's Thornberry, a six-piece jazz rock bunch who could fit nicely alongside the likes of Phish or the Dave Mathews Band. Sophisticated arrangements lent clarity to the group's blend of horns and guitars, while strong lead vocals place the group a cut above other jam bands of similar intent. Their cover of Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar" showed the band wasn't shy about putting their own stamp on a classic while their original material found a groove that kept the crowd (and the judges) wanting more. Word has it this band has only been playing together a few months: impressive for a group of musicians with such a strong identity. - N/A


Discography

We have not released any major albums officially but we have recorded several demo CDs for a variety of purposes. As of now, our main original songs are as follows: Some Place in Time, Trainwreck, Where We Go From Here, Blue Goddess and Funky Gunk. A few of these songs are provided for you through this website. A few of these songs are also available to be streamed through PureVolume at http://purevolume.com/nigelsthornberry.

Photos

Bio

Nigel’s Thornberry formed in 2009 when five friends at the University of Maine at Farmington all discovered that each of them had two vital traits in common: a desire to jam and a love of music. It was around the time that Fall was leading into Winter and the cold nights of northern Maine made enjoyment of the outside nearly impossible. The five friends; Brian, Tony, Danny, David, and Matt began to jam every night in a classroom behind the school’s main auditorium in a building called Merrill. Another student, DJ Taylor, already known on campus for playing at shows like Green Beaver Fest and a friend of Brian’s, was down with the sound of these five friends and began to jam with them on a regular basis; every night from nine till midnight they explored various genres of music, discovering a sound that ranged from psychedelic to blues, jazz to funk.
DJ plays the guitar; influenced by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Trey Anastasio, John Scofield, and Eric Clapton. DJ comes from the nearby town of Wilton, and he can also sing, which added a vital element of direction and focus during the band’s formation. Matt Towle, from Brunswick, Maine, is the bassist, a huge fan of Tool and Pink Floyd with an incredible capacity for memorization and tremendous skill, his song writing and playing skills led to the early development of songs they have now mastered such as “Trainwreck.” The drums are handled with intimate skill by David Carr, whose seemingly unlimited pool of energy and familiarity with his instrument gives the group the capacity for fast paced and heavy blues as well as steady and slow psychedelics. A lover of Led Zeppelin as well as The Mars Volta and Megapuss, David’s early years as a musician consisted of practicing on his kit unceasingly in his hometown of Northwood, New Hampshire. Danny Austin comes from the town of Farmingdale, Maine, where he played trumpet in the High School Jazz Band; his powerful riffs, marked by his large lung capacity, add a huge lead instrument role for the group. Tony Cerullo, from Gloucester, Massachusetts, with a love for funk and psychedelic sound layers, plays the keyboards, providing a steady foundation and a great potential for spacey tunes. Brian, a Portsmouth, New Hampshire, native, provides soulful riffs with his tenor sax, receiving inspiration from bands like Traffic and all the late great Jazz musicians.
The group continues to play every night, moving from free-improv jamming to practicing on songs and set lists. Beginning with covers of “Chameleon,” “Riders on the Storm,” and leading to originals like “Trainwreck,” “Blue Goddess” and “Funky Gunk,” which were inspired with life in the small town of Farmington, full as it is with chances for outdoor exploration and mental stimulation. As they began to play shows at local party houses and competitions such as UMF Open Mic Night (2nd Place) and Battle of The Bands (2nd Place), they began to publicly make use of their talents. Danny began to share singing responsibilities with DJ, adding a bluesy element to new creations such as “Where Do We Go From Here.” With victory in Open Mic nights and a general sense of popularity with those who heard them, the group, now officially called Nigel’s Thornberry, began recording and writing more of their music.
Their friendship, talent, and success are sure to keep them together as they work on reaching a more extensive fan base, not by playing the music that everyone wants to hear, but by playing their own music well enough to make people listen.