Patriots Theater welcomes David Bromberg and friends for an evening of acoustic music.
By:Susan Van Dongen
Lovers of bluegrass, folk, Texas swing, Cajun fiddle, Delta and Chicago blues, rejoice. Trenton will host a rousing evening of American roots music, featuring some of the most influential musicians in the genre.
Patriots Theater at the War Memorial will welcome the David Bromberg Quartet, the Tony Rice and Peter Rowan Quartet and "newgrass" stars King Wilkie in An Evening of American Acoustic Music Jan. 20.
Mr. Bromberg says it’ll be like a reunion of old friends. Balancing performances with a violin repair and appraisal business, he says it’s also his ideal kind of gig, working on a weekend, then taking a few weeks off. Just past his 60th birthday, he can’t do the months-long, nationwide tours anymore and is thankful to be able to choose what and when he performs.
"I play whatever music I feel like playing," he says. "There’s a lot of everything (in the show). It kind of makes us sound like dilettantes, but we’re not we’re grounded in all of the music that’s being played."
Naming influences like Flatt and Scruggs, Blind Willie McTell and Doc Watson, Mr. Bromberg says he’s lukewarm about modern country music on the radio, preferring the "old school stuff." He praises Allison Krauss for single-handedly reviving bluegrass and making it more mainstream.
Co-performers Mr. Rice and Mr. Rowan cast long shadows in the history of roots music. In fact, Mr. Rowan came of age as rhythm guitarist and lead singer in the legendary Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. He remained with them through 1967, leaving to join mandolinist David Grisman in the folk-rock band Earth Opera, followed by the rock-fusion group Seatrain. Along with Mr. Grisman, Jerry Garcia and Vassar Clements, Mr. Rowan recorded the classic album Old & In the Way in 1973.
Mr. Rice also worked with Mr. Grisman as part of the David Grisman Quintet in the mid ’70s. Described as a combination of Miles Davis, Bill Monroe and Django Reinhardt, the group gave Mr. Rice room to roam, taking the flat-picked acoustic guitar to new regions of rhythm, harmony and texture. He later established himself as a solo artist and was recognized as a pioneer in a new kind of acoustic music he called "spacegrass."
"Tony is the most intimidating guitarist," Mr. Bromberg says. "He’s scary good."
Based in Charlottesville, Va., the sextet King Wilkie is known for its sartorial style as well as deft, dynamic musical interchange. Named after Bill Monroe’s favorite horse, they’ve managed to marry an old-timey sound with gospel and even a bit of goth.
"They definitely have their own twist on things," Mr. Bromberg says.
His own life took a sharp turn in 1980 when he dissolved his band and moved to Chicago. Four years later, Mr. Bromberg graduated from the Kenneth Warren & Son School of Violin Making, touring only occasionally as a solo artist. Preferring to spend time with his family and to buy and sell violins, he considers these occasional reunions as a way to see old friends and play great music again.
For various reasons including harsh winters Mr. Bromberg and his family left Chicago and came east to settle in Wilmington, Del., where he opened a retail violin shop in Wilmington’s downtown Market Street area. The shop specializes in sales and repair as well as bow and violin making.
"I didn’t think we could afford New York City and I didn’t really want to live in the South," Mr. Bromberg says. "Wilmington seemed like a good compromise. I have a good friend who works at the Grand Opera House. There’s a lot going on in Wilmington.
"I’m just fascinated by being able to identify violins, knowing who made it, when and where," he continues. "I work with a very good violin maker and repair (person), and I also do appraisals I have a pretty good idea of what’s what. We have people coming to us from all over."
Although the plan was to play only when he felt like it, now that he’s back on the East Coast, Mr. Bromberg finds himself making music fairly often.
"Nowhere near what I did 25 years ago, but I’m doing a lot of playing and enjoying it," he says. "Living in Wilmington, we started some jam sessions (at a small club) down the street from the shop and some spectacular musicians have shown up. We’ve been playing about two nights a weeks and sometimes more."
He mentions the O’Byrne family, who became regulars at the jam sessions, gelling so successfully they spun off into the critically praised Angel Band.
"It’s a husband, wife and daughter who showed up at the jams," Mr. Bromberg says. "I told my wife about it and she started singing with them. Unfortunately, that family is moving to Houston but we found a couple other singers, so the band is being reborn. It’s just been too much fun to let it go."
The David Bromberg Quartet, Tony Rice and Peter Rowan Quartet, and King Wilkie will perform an Evening of American Acoustic Music at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, West Lafayette and Barrack streets, Trenton, Jan. 20, 8 p.m. Tickets cost $22-$45. For information, call (609) 984-8400. On the Web: www.thewarmemorial.com. David Bromberg on the Web: www.davidbromberg.net