After releasing two contemplative folk EPs as a solo artist, Brian Just knew he needed to put together an eclectic band to reproduce the sounds for the new music he was hearing in his head. Enlisting some of the finest folk- and jazz-influenced talents in the Minneapolis music scene (including members of the Como Avenue Jug Band, The Mad Ripple, Tuesdays Robot and Beight), the six-piece Brian Just Band spent two years writing and recording their first full-length album If You Like To Be Alone Or If You Need
To Be With Someone, which was released in May 2011.
Produced by Jim O'Neill (Allison Scott), If You Like To Be Alone… radiates with gentle breezes of harmony and thoughtfully abstract touches of piano, flute, trumpet and banjo over a pastoral, folk-pop sound that is fresh yet deliberately evokes memories of summers long gone. Several songs have been on heavy rotation on 89.3 the Current, including "Electric" and "Washburn Square."
Minneapolis music scene (including members of the Como Avenue Jug Band, The Mad Ripple, Tuesdays Robot and Beight), the six-piece Brian Just Band spent two years writing and recording their first full-length album If You Like To Be Alone Or If You Need To Be With Someone, which was released in May 2011.
Produced by Jim O'Neill (Brad Senne, Allison Scott), If You Like To Be Alone… radiates with gentle breezes of harmony and thoughtfully abstract touches of piano, flute, trumpet and banjo over a pastoral, folk-pop sound that is fresh yet deliberately evokes memories of summers long gone. Several songs have been on heavy rotation on the Local Current, including "Electric" and "Washburn Square."
Like their namesake in one of the country's most talented lyricists. The Brian Just Band purr softly, gently and smoothly with the restrained ability to give out with a burst of power when a powerful performance is required.
Prior to recording this album, the Brian Just Band rose from the obscurity of being only six Minneapolis, Minn., college mates to the position of America's favorite young folk rock sixsome in just the time it took the nation's record buyers to snap up their first two records in copious quantities.
In recording this album, the Brian Just Band achieved a series of "firsts" that are noteworthy in several respects: It is their FIRST album; it is the FIRST time they have been able to show they can do justice to classic instruments such as the flute and banjo as well as to brand new ones like the keyboard; and it is the FIRST time they have been permitted to display their ability to project rollicking songs as well as to croon blues and ballads.
Their singing career started by accident- Brian and Josie intended to whip up a couples-duet act to perform at local watering holes. They invited Rick to play trumpet for them, but he sang the trumpet part instead!
It proved to be one of the happiest accidents that ever happened for the benefit of harmony lovers.
Working as a solo singer- songwriter in the coffee shops and bars of Minneapolis, Brian soon met like-minded musicians with a focus and training that allowed his musical ideas to come to fruition. Enlisting some of the finest folk and jazz influenced talents in the Minneapolis music scene; Brian Just Band is a six-piece group consisting of: Rick Widen and Andrew Bartelson (Tuesdays Robot, Como Avenue Jug Band), Jenny Hanson (Rufio, Como Avenue Jug Band), Josie Schmitt (Jim O'Neill, Tuesdays Robot) and Andre Leroux (Audrey, Beight). The Brian Just Band has been performing for three years and have released two albums Every Tree and Every Stone (2005) and Open Air (2008). The band will be releasing a new album in 2010 called If You Like To Be Alone Or If You Need To Be With Someone.
Me and You @ Stasiu's
