Brother Bagman

When Brother Bagman entered the 2010 International Blues Competition in Kansas City, Cliff Moore (bass), Landon Leist (lead guitar/vocals) and Cole Harvey (drums/vocals) mostly saw it as a good chance to reach a new audience. But the Kansas City jam band did more than just win over a bunch of new fans: They nearly won the thing, bringing home second place.

While the roots groove rockers recently put out a solid studio effort in “Rise Above,” Moore says Brother Bagman is a band best experienced live. He likens the emotional, dynamic experience the band tries to build at each show to a thrilling roller coaster ride, with peaks and valleys of sound and energy.

“If you can’t dance to something or you can’t feel it, then there’s not much use in playing the music,” Moore says.

For a band adept at finding the right groove when playing live, the time spent recording “Rise Above” also helped them find that groove in a larger sense as they plan to head back to the studio next spring, Moore says.

“Over the last year and a half, we’ve really found our common ground. And the next one we record ... will be all of our ideas solidified.” - News-PressNow.com

Brother Bag Man is a smooth groovin' band that has been jamming its way through Kansas City a lot lately, and their latest CD, Rise Above, is a great rendition of the jam-band grooves that give their shows such a party atmosphere. Those who have experienced their live shows already know that Brother Bagman has a laid back bluesy, rock feel and a stage presence reminiscent of an endless Greatful Dead tour. The songs groove along, wandering through the full spectrum of dynamics and variations of tone, squeezing every drop of easy-going out of each melodic jam.

Rise Above starts with the track “Ticket for a Ride,” a bluesy, funky rocker with a soulful break-down chorus. This really sets the mood for the album, since it shows flashes of all of the most characteristic Brother Bagman styles; be it funk, rock, or blues, Brother Bagman is always about the jam vibe. The title track, “Rise Above,” comes next, slowing down the beat and heaving the organ sound into the mix. The B3 style organ sound is a perfect metaphor for the band as a whole, in fact, with its edgy voice and smooth transitions. “My Time,” continues their late sixties, early seventies vibe. Where some bands require the flash of stark transitions in order to make an impact, Brother Bagman's strength is in its smoothness. They lay down the mellowness that should underlie any good time, creating a summertime-at-the-lake atmosphere that never stops. The words smooth, rock, and groove cannot be said enough times in describing them.

All of the songs on Rise Above share many of the same elements, which makes them flow smoothly into one another. This album has not a single goofy track to break the overall feel, which makes it a great album to put on when the party is never going to end. It's not a personal album; it's an album to be shared, a sound that is about a shared atmosphere and a shared experience.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Brother Bagman's new CD, Rise Above, lays down the party groove - Kansas City Blues & Jazz Music | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/blues-jazz-music-in-kansas-city/brother-bagman-s-new-cd-rise-above-lays-down-the-party-groove#ixzz1SbxlC33l
- Examiner

"With it's debut release, Notorious B.A.G., Brother Bagman borrows from the same 'unclassifiable' playbook as many of it's improv-oriented compatriots. But the tale of the tape tells a different story. The album has a number of overt, and covert influences, with obvious nods going to the southern-fried style of Widespread Panic and the North Mississippi Allstars. But the disc's most promising cuts,including the blistering bounce of 'Treading Water' and 'So mad' feel native to this foursome alone. The group manages to stretch itself without succumbing to an identity crisis on the bluesey shuffle 'you' and the expansive "I don't mind'. It's unusual to find a freshman group with this focus, especially when influences keep aspiring artists from spreading their own wings-- But these brothers apparently know their bag, man."

John Kriecbergs, The Pitch, K.C., Mo. - The Pitch K.C., Mo.