Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Below are chunk excerpts from the body of the article. Full text available upon request.
"I’m sitting here at Hero’s in Fort Smith, watching what is easily one of the most creative bands I’ve ever seen: The Crumbs, who portray themselves as a bluegrass band, but as off-the-wall as these folks are, I have to say they’re like Arkansas’ bluegrass answer to Frank Zappa. Indeed, they just went from a straight traditional backwoods standard into a bluegrass version of Pink Floyd’s “We Don’t Need No Education”. Earlier they pulled out a Prince tune, done with the same panache as this.
If you watch the band for any length of time, you will ve amazed and amused time and again.
Indeed, on any given night, The Crumbs will almost always surprise you…not only with their choice of material, but with the sheer world-class musicianship each player brings to the mix.
As guitarist Dave Holland likes to point out “if we’re not having fun up here it can’t be too much fun for the crowd, and that is what we sort of automatically aim for..."...
..."I have seen this band in Little Rock at Cajun’s Wharf and The Flying Saucer, in Fayetteville at George’s Majestic Lounge and The Smoke & Barrel, and at most Fort Smith clubs that are listed in our publication.
What’s interesting is that I’ve never seen them play the same show twice. Just guessing, between them they can probably perform thousands of tunes at the drop of a hat (or a $20 bill in the tip jar, especially.)
Now then, one of my personal favorite movies is the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show. Like many fans I have seen it countless times, not for the movie, of course, but for the antics the of fans of this flick during the show.
It happened that on the eve of last Halloween I came to Fort Smith to do my bar-hopping ‘job’ – you know…dropping into as many clubs as possible through the evening, snapping pictures and as my daughter loves to point out, “Schmoozing.” (It’s what I do for a living, you know..)
When I walked into Hero’s I was taken aback. The Crumbs were doing the dress rehearsal for the Halloween show they had planned for the next night. Entitled The Rocky Horror Pickin’ Show, they had learned the entire soundtrack fomr the movie, and were all in costume from that movie. They even had the lines down (“Where’s you neck?” “What, meatloaf again?” and my favorite “A toast!” and toasted bread literally went flying through the club, just as people reacted at the movie.)
They also do a Civil War bluegrass enactment every year, complete with period costumes, as Bob puts it, “just to get the real feel of it, you know…”
The Crumbs are Bob Lewis, on banjo, guitar, vocals, drums, mandolin (and probably anything he can pick up, really); Dave Holland, on guitar, vocals, and slide; Rachel Ammons, on fiddle, violin, vocals, slide and washtub bass; Jeff Scholtes, on guitar, vocals, mandolin, washboard and banjo; Brandon Patterson, who sings and plays bass – both electric and stand-up, and can handle the fiddle and violin; and Josh Brown, who handles mandolin, guitar, vocals and dulcimer.
In person each of these folks are just as zany as the shows they contrive: from straight-ahead bluegrass to music that can really only be classified as jazz.
(In my opinion, when any music comes to the improvisational level, it constitutes jazz…no matter what the flavor the music is: country, rock, pop, bluegrass…psychedelic and alternative included…)
"Tonight the Hero’s crowd is totally into it, and everyone in the room is keyed into the band. Some try to dance, but most are watching the carnival of the crowd and the antics happening onstage. They’ve seen The Crumbs for years and methinks will seek them out as long as they are a band.
And for good reasons – six of the to be exact: the musicians that make up this crazy band called The Crumbs."
- Peter Read
“As a Fort Smith venue who has seen literally hundreds and hundreds of bands, I must say the Crumbs are one of my very favorite bands. They are truly a unique collection of extremely talented musicians who bring bluegrass to an extreme new level. I and my crowd absolutely LOVE them. They have been a local favorite and staple for years now! When I want a lively, fun night with great music, I book them. Plain and simple.”
- Dori Colston
Landry’s New Orleans Café
- Dori Colston
“Another great show I caught recently was The Crumbs at R. Landry’s Seafood restaurant. The Crumbs are easily one of the best bands in Arkansas, playing and eclectic mixture of country, rock, blues and what can best be described as jazzed up space-age bluegrass (much like Bela Fleck & The Flecktones).”
(spring 2007)
“The musical composite of the synergy is definitely exploring a fresh, unconventional spin on conventional bluegrass in a traditional setting, but they present bluegrass renditions of decidedly unbluegrassy material (Rocky Horror, Ramones, Blondie and Talking Heads to name a few.)”
(fall 2009)
“I next headed down Garrison to drop in on my friends at Hero’s. Being that this was a Thursday, The Crumbs were playing their regular weekly gig, and the room was packed as usual.”
(fall 2009)
- Peter Read
Publisher/Editor
Nightflying Magazine
- Nightflying Magazine
Discography
The Crumbs are featured on 95.3 The Rebel out of Fort Smith and have recently released two studio albums.
Photos
Bio
Years ago the breakup of a rock band just before a scheduled gig forced two musicians to become a duo. On the fly, at a gig booked for the now nonexistent band, they masqueraded as country boys from the hills; The Crumbs, brothers Elijah and Ezra. The two prefaced their show with the assertion that they didnt have no T.V. where they were from, but they sure loved that radio and proceeded to play bluegrass covers of "decidedly unbluegrassy material." This idea developed organically between the two. The show was a hit and the backstory accepted by many at face value, to the delight of the two founders. Over the next 7 years The Crumbs (guitarist/lead singer Dave Holland and bassist Brandon Patterson) recruited the talented Smilin Bob (banjo, washboard, vocals), Jeff Scholtes (mandolin, vocals), Joshua Brown (mandolin, vocals), and Rachel Ammons (fiddle, vocals).
Now their set list, made up of both covers and original songs, spans the range of musical styles from 20's jazz to Seattle grunge, classic rock to bluegrass, Pink Floyd, ACDC, Talking Heads and Led Zep to traditional Irish drinking songs.
The strengths of The Crumbs set them apart from other bands in a number of ways. Firstly, the set list appeals in a novel way to a surprisingly varied demographic. Even individuals who dont like bluegrass come away smiling. Contributing to this widely diversified base of appeal is one of their uncommon strengths; The Crumbs are expert crowd readers and tailor the show spontaneously to suit the venue and the people in it. They recognize the imporantance not only of original songs, but of playing songs that people Know. The usual Crumbs show is 3 sets of 45 minutes, although with hundreds of songs at their disposal, they could very well play for more than 24 hours without repeating one.
It could almost go without saying that the musical execution is top-notch. Each of The Crumbs has outstanding musical skill and admirable mastery over his/her instrument, making complex and fast passages sound easy. It is no coincidence that 3 members are employed teaching music.
The icing on the cake is the rare kinship that the individuals in the band share. Years of playing, traveling, working (3 of the crumbs are employed by the same music store), camping and barbequing together have helped these professionals forge a close bond that the audience senses not only from the smooth and sophisticated sound of their back and forth improvisation, but also from the energy and dynamic between members where stage presence is concerned. The Crumbs are dedicated to the music, the crowds, and each other. It is obvious from watching the group that they are having a wonderful time, and that is part of what makes this close-knit band so attractive.
They have together or separately shared the stage or bill with Emmylou Harris, Dizzy Gillespie, Maynard Ferguson, Clark Terry, Louie Bellison, Jerry Garcia Band, Don Bailey, Gary Hutchison, Vince Neil, Victor Wooten, Los Lonely Boys, Chris Thomas King, Wanda Watson, Shadygruve, and New York City drummer John Panikkar. The Crumbs played every single Thursday at the Hamburger Barn in Fort Smith, AR for over two years, to capacity crowds now thats dependable. For the past year The Crumbs have done the same at Heros Food and Spirits. This year the same individuals will open Bluesfest for The Robert Cray Band.
The Crumbs unique approach to music can rock harder than much larger ensembles, without overpowering smaller venues. This band is part of a very small percentage of musicians that can unplug the instruments and play acoustic if the mood strikes. Any place, any time, any crowd; this band fits the bill.
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