Blumer Haus is the project of Eric Blumer, a drummer and composer based in the Denver area. His debut album, Boy Meets Groove, features all original material, music that combines elements of jazz, pop and funk. In addition to drums, Eric Blumer plays guitar, keyboards and synthesizers on this release, and produced the album. He does get some help from other musicians on various tracks, including Lonnie Motley (whom you likely know from P-Funk) on bass, Jason Klobnak on trumpet and Elijah Samuels on saxophone. He recorded this album at his home, but unlike a lot of other recent releases that were likewise recorded away from the studio, this one was not due to the pandemic. In fact, Eric Blumer began recording this album a decade ago, long before anyone spoke of social distancing and lockdowns.
The album opens with “Imperspective,” which establishes a
good and catchy groove right away, and features some bright work from the brass
section. I love that stuff on trumpet. This is definitely a tune you can move
to. Toward the end, the horns get into this delicious interaction, and the bass becomes funkier, and the work on drums is even cooler. It’s a wonderful way to
get things going. Eric Blumer then changes directions at the beginning of
“Cindy Lou Who,” which has a strange landscape that is part natural, part
electronic. Soon a fun groove emerges. There is a sense of magic to this one,
and it has a wonderful, funky beat. I love his work on drums on this one. And
we get more good work by the horn players. Though the title comes from a
character in a Christmas story, How The
Grinch Stole Christmas, this isn’t really a holiday tune, so no worries
about only being able to play it in December. Ross Hoekman plays bass on this track.
Though currently based in Denver, Eric Blumer was born in North Dakota, and on this album he has two tracks that refer to that state, the first of which is “Mood Fargo,” which begins in an electronic realm, and then eases in on keys, in contrast to the electronic sound. As the title suggests, this piece is about mood. That of course doesn’t mean that it is without a special groove. In the second half, there is a great section dominated by the drums, with the trumpet playing over the rhythm. I was in Fargo only once, and wanted to buy a Fargo shot glass (I have a small collection of shot glasses from various places I’ve visited), but couldn’t find one, which still strikes me as odd. Collin Ingrahm plays bass on this track. That’s followed by the second of the North Dakota tracks, “North Dakota Sky Blues.” At the beginning there is the sound of a dog barking, and you get the sense of dusk. There is also an air of mystery, which is even more interesting considering that mandolin is one of the instruments heard here. I love the mandolin, but it is not an instrument I associate with the unknown. That’s Tyler Grant of Grant Farm on mandolin, by the way. The song then begins to build and soon takes on more of a pleasant folk sound, though of course with a strong groove. The barking dog returns near the end.
Eric Blumer takes us from North Dakota to Colorado with “Telluride,” which begins in an electronic landscape, sort of at odds with the photos I’ve seen of the place. I know most folks automatically think of skiing when they think of Telluride, but I think about a Grateful Dead recording I heard in my teens. I wanted to visit the place, based on that concert tape and the stories I heard of those two shows (somehow I still haven’t made my way there). But there is a good feel in the very name of the place, don’t you agree? And there is a good feel to this track as well, and it features some really nice work by Tyler Grant on mandolin. The cheer and warmth that I generally associate with that instrument are abundant here. Todd Edmunds plays bass on this track. You might know him from his work with Otis Taylor. There is a good deal of fun to “Friday Night.” At the beginning it feels like preparing to hit the town for a memorable time. It is a tune that calls to mind cruising, dancing and some harmless flirting. For most of last year Friday was just like any other day, as everything was closed and we were all stuck at home. But we’re starting to get hints that weekends might once again soon be a thing. Bob Songster plays bass on this track.
The first jazz album that I ever owned was Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, an album that I still love. With “Ode To Brubeck,” Eric Blumer pays homage to the pianist and composer. The track begins with some really nice work on trumpet, before the other instruments come in. That’s followed by “What Makes The World,” which begins with an electronic sound, and then soon contrasts that with a guitar part that might remind you just a bit of Kansas’ “Dust In The Wind.” The saxophone has a soothing and romantic feel, which is in large part responsible for the pleasing sound of this track. This one has a gentle and light spirit. The album then concludes with “It’s Time,” which has a 1970s flavor, finding some inspiration in disco. Yup, this disc began with a tune you could dance to, and it ends with a track that you’ll want to dance to. This is certainly a fun one, with a lot of joy pumping through it.
CD Track List
- Imperspective
- Cindy Lou Who
- Mood Fargo
- North Dakota Sky Blues
- Telluride
- Friday Night
- Ode To Brubeck
- What Makes The World
- It’s Time
Boy Meets Groove was released on April 24, 2021.
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