The Grand Rapids trio has ‘fun no matter what.’ The band plays SpeakEZ Lounge on Wednesday night as part of the Local Spins Wednesdays series. (Video)
Embracing the Rich History of American Music: The B-Side Growlers.
THE BAND: The B-Side Growlers
WHAT THEY PLAY: Vintage, acoustic American roots music
WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM: 8 p.m. Wednesday at SpeakEZ Lounge in Grand Rapids
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When it comes to playing obscure-but-influential American roots, folk, country and jazz artists, The B-Side Growlers may have the market cornered.
Musical Story-Tellers: From left, Pete and Mary Lewandoski, Matt Porter. (Photo/Local Spins)
The acoustic Grand Rapids trio deftly and passionately unearths gems by the likes of jump blues guitarist Sticks McGhee and jazz violinist Stuff Smith, and turns it all into audience-pleasing, dance-inspiring “hoedown music.”
“To create community, we keep things upbeat, engage the crowd, share open diaphragm mics for a more natural sound, and if we can, we slip in some info about the music itself and how it fits in with what we’re doing,” says guitarist, fiddler and banjo player Pete Lewandoski, a self-proclaimed “music-aholic” with an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage acoustic blues, jazz and country songs.
“And we have fun no matter what.”
Fun being the operative word at any B-Side Growlers’ performance, the trio – Lewandoski, his wife, Mary (lead vocals, percussion, guitar) and Matt Porter (bass, vocals) – uncork a wide variety of music, inspired by their own experience in playing everything from classic rock covers to jazz.
INSPIRED BY DOC WATSON AND MAKING AUDIENCES FEEL AT HOME
The trio is an outgrowth of the six-piece West Michigan swing jazz band, Java Jive, as well as three decades of playing music in “the living room” with friends and fellow musicians, they say.
“As far as the sound we’re going for, Doc Watson would be a good choice because of the variety of music he played and the way he made a crowd feel at home, both of which we strive toward. He’s just as comfortable with clawhammer banjo as he is the blues,” says Lewandoski, citing acts such as Devil in a Woodpile, Bob Wills, John Hurt, Hank Williams, Fats Waller, Rhiannon Giddens and Steve Earle as influential artists with a similar approach.
House Party Vibe: B-Side Growlers.
“For variety, we alternate between resonator guitar blues, country fiddle tunes, standard jazz pieces, clawhammer banjo.”
Porter says it’s music “you want to move around and dance to. … It speaks to a lot of people.”
That music also frequently features Mary Lewandoski’s engaging vocals. “Pete realized my main interest is my voice,” she says, “so a lot of the stuff that we do recently, he’s put around me singing.”
Much of it is also about story-telling, because there’s a rich history of American music that often doesn’t get acknowledged.
“I like to tell stories,” says Lewandoski, who considers it a successful night “if folks enjoy themselves and feel like they’ve been at a house party rather than a concert.”
The band has enjoyed its share of successful nights performing in the Grand Rapids area and across the state. They play the Local Spins Wednesdays series at SpeakEZ Lounge, 600 Monroe Ave. NW, at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Admission is free, and musical pals Rolly Smith and Tom DeVries will join the trio for a few tunes in what promises to be a charming exploration of inspiring American roots music.
“We do have folks who show up just to see us,” says Lewandoski, “but mostly we rely on a warm reception from whomever happens to be there, and we’re fortunate in that’s what we usually get.”
VIDEO: THE B-SIDE GROWLERS, LOCAL SPINS ON WYCE
Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC
