So you start with two brothers (Ben and Alex Morrison) who’ve been making music together since they were little, add a couple of friends from high school. First a mandolin player (Joe Pancini) to go with Ben’s guitar and Alex’s banjo and now you have a pretty good trio! What no bass hey there’s Gio Benedetti he plays bass and lives near by. Now there’s a good quartet that can go out and play in public around San Francisco! But alas you need that old-time fiddle player who’s really good so you add Philip Brezina and shazam you got The Brothers Comatose and yesterday I found them and their new album Songs from the Stoop (No 49 on the Roots Music Report Folk Chart) and a nice find it’s been! But hey the people in North Bay knew that when they gave them a NORBY award as the best Country/Americana band in the area!! The guys now have an impressive resume that includes opening for such acts as The Devil Makes Three, Justin Townes Earle, Hillstomp, Greensky Bluegrass, John Doe and the Sadies, and Yonder Mountain String Band and others!
From their website The Brothers state their aim as:
“converting the entire West Coast into their Living Room Music Party. Their shows exude foot-stomping, shout-along drink along ease….Their shows can’t help but remind folks that music is collective, is for dancing, is for sharing, and for whatever else you might do with friends and family in your living room”
I can only hope they eventually will try to convert the East Coast because the more I listen to the album the more I’m enjoying all the songs and the music, all of it the guitar, banjo, mandolin and Philip’s great fiddle! From the opening track “Trippin’ on Down” apropos for that West Coast, to Norman Blake’s “Church Street Blues”, The Stones “Dead Flowers” to other favorites like “Roots”, “Legacy” with a great fiddle intro, and “26 on the List” with a great banjo and harp intro. This album is just flat out filled with good, old time fun music!!
So check them out on Facebook, or Myspace or hey No Depression!!
Here’s “Legacy” from the album with that tasty fiddle!
