Mojo Roots will be performing once again at the Minnesota State Fair Thursday August 26th thru Monday September 6th from 6-11:30pm @ Cafe Caribe in the beer garden next to the DNR building.  And expect the unexpected local Musician’s guest spot light!

The Mojo Roots trio formulates an enticing aura of exuberance and boogie down jams by coagulating Blues, R & B, Reggae, Ska, Second Line, Funk, Soul and International Rhythms.

This dynamic trio were created to provide a musical alternative to the home grown, agriculturally provocative, party-down atmosphere of the Minnesota State Fair.

By Mick LaBriola, Camden Community News July 1, 2010

Emanating a gentle, sensitive and kind demeanor Jamie Carter has a dedicated career as both a guitarist and music educator (although his second love is baseball). Jamie also worked in the MBL league and played locally for many years as a second baseman. Jamie and his wife Bridgette (a percussionist) have owned a home in Camden for five years.

Originally from Martinsburg, West Virginia (one hour from D.C. and Baltimore) Jamie obtained his first guitar at age seven. He continued his music education throughout grammar school and high school. His ambitious efforts eventually led to a teaching position for his senior high school class. He also studied at Shenandoah Conservatory, currently known as Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia.

In 1990 Jamie pursued his advancement in music by studying in Minneapolis, attending Music Tech (known now as McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul) for two years. He had contemplated Berklee School of Music in Boston and Musicians Institute in Los Angles but decided Music Tech was more affordable. In 1994 he started teaching at Walker West Music Academy in St. Paul. Walker West became a confluence of opportunities for Jamie culminating in several performance ensembles emerging including Corporate Image with Lee Gatlin on bass, Box of Soul with Patrick Wilson on drums and Bob Manning on vocals, and the Beau Koo Jacks with Paul Lagos on drums and JD (John Sykes) on bass.

Similar to many guitarists, one of Jamie’s favorite guitar mentors was Jimi Hendrix. But after experiencing an inspirational concert of the great jazz guitar legend Charlie Byrd, Jamie acquired a new appreciation and perspective for the guitar. Jamie was overwhelmed by Byrd’s expertise and beautifully accomplished musicality all performed with the subtle tones of a nylon-stringed guitar (classical).

As an educator Jamie has worked with a number of after-school programs for kids such as the MusicApolis Education series sponsored by the Schubert Club and hosted by the Sebathany Center in South Minneapolis. This was a two-year program. Jamie also put guitar ensembles together from Walker West to perform at the University of Minnesota. Jamie insists, “Teaching promotes involvement and keeps me busy.”

Jamie currently performs solo guitar on the Northside every Thursday night 7-8 p.m. at the 42d Avenue Station Coffee House, 4171 Lyndale Ave. N. Jamie’s genres include jazz, classical, blues, Brasilian and Latin music.

Jamie loves music and teaching. Jamie expresses, “All answers are listening to music. Music is a reflection of life. Anything you can see, hear or say are reflected in music and even on a deep level.”

Camden Community News ©1997-2010

By Mick LaBriola, Camden Community News,  June 1, 2010

Confident, cordial and articulate, Bronco (Merlin Brunkow) is the embodiment of a vibrant and exciting historic Twin Cities musical legacy: the R&B, blues and funk music scene since the mid 1960s. Bronco is known for his talents on alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, as well as clarinet. In addition to his performance endeavors Bronco also provides our community with a horn repair shop (call 612-520-4078 for info). And he has resided on the Northside for about 15 years. (He noted that there are many musicians on the Northside due to their modest incomes and the Northside’s affordable housing.)

Originally from Ipswich, South Dakota, Bronco was transplanted here to the Twin Cities at the young age of five. Bronco’s mom was well known as a violinist and pianist and made it a point to have her four children study music from an early age. And two of Bronco’s brothers also shared his love for brass instruments, both playing trumpet.

Bronco experienced the pinnacle of the Minneapolis R&B scene in the ‘70s and ‘80s performing with a wide variety of powerful horn bands, shaking up the cities with a home-grown funky sound unique to our area.

An incredible list of bands includes Inside Straight, the legendary Willie and the Bumblebees with Willie Murphy, the Lamont Cranston Band with Pat Hayes, Paul Metsa, Down Right Tight with Big John Dickerson, Famous Dave’s Blues All Stars with Paul Mayasich, Mother Smuckers Jam and Funk Preservatives, Fat Soul City with Jeff Cryer, and The Butanes Soul Review with Maurice Jaycox. He also worked with the talented organist Billy Holloman at Arnella’s (the Club Apollo of MN) with Donald Thomas on vocals. And the list goes on and on.

Bronco also had the pleasure of working on a documentary film with Willie and the Bumblebees and the infamous singer/songwriter/pianist Dr. John from New Orleans. Currently, Bronco keeps busy in the summer time with in-town gigs like the Emperors of Jazz performing on riverboats for The Andiamo St. Croix Boat & Packet Company.

Telling tales of music and performance, Bronco illuminates with a brilliance of enthusiasm inspiring in the listener a craving for more details of his wonderful adventures. One of Bronco’s more daring escapades and/or unusual engagements was performing in Chicago at Buddy Guys Blues Club with Big John Dickerson decades ago. While traveling through the Windy City the band ended up in an unknown part of town hearing rapid gunfire. And if that wasn’t enough excitement the van was stopped later by the police, who only found music equipment instead of drugs or illegal substances.

His love and devotion for his music and art form are awe-inspiring. Bronco insists, “I will never quit music. And I’m always looking for new projects.” In conclusion, Bronco simply leaves his message, “Keep on Playing.”

Camden Community News ©1997-2010

By Mick LaBriola, Camden Community News, May 1, 2010

The very amiable and well-humored Scott Neiman is a musician, audio engineer, composer, former electrical engineer and computer analyst for the United Nations, and current computer integration architecture specialist. He has lived on the Northside since the mid ‘80s and continues to perform music and record music with a great amount of enthusiasm, integrity and excitement about his work. Scott was also a driving force in the mounting of the beautifully renovated Capri Theater on Broadway, donating a considerable amount of his own sound gear and innumerable hours of his creative energy and labor.

Scott was raised by a very musical family surrounded by German Polkas in Cumberland, Wisconsin and initiated his music career at the young age of six playing drums and later trombone. He eventually migrated to the Twin Cities via River Falls in pursuit of a larger and more diverse musical community.

While developing his musical interests he learned guitar and developed an interest in world music learning several intriguing stringed (mandolin-like) instruments such as the Cittern (medieval European 10-stringed), the Bouzouki (Greek), and the Yayli Tambur (Turkish with metal body). While traveling in Greece Scott heard Rebetiko music and was fascinated by this unique sound while sitting in with a local band. He also had an interest in blending cultural traditions such as Celtic and Reggae to produce a new combination of styles. As a result, Scott co-created several ensembles including the Holy Goats and the all-instrumental Seven Tribes here in the Twin Cities. His current project is Felonious Bosch producing a fusion of many cultural traditions.

In addition to his musical exploits Scott earned a BEE-Bachelors of Electrical Engineering degree from the U of W-River Falls. Scott became a pioneer in computer technology in the ‘80s working with EDI, serving in ANSI ASC X12 standards committees. He also served five solid years in a technology expert group at the United Nations to develop a “model driven architecture” to provide solutions for emerging nations and small businesses.

Another incredible accomplishment of this Northside artist was to get involved with the newly renovated Capri Theater. While attending a FLOW a few years ago (a summer event on Broadway), Scott walked into the Capri and was startled by the stunning architecture. He thought, “How can I get Involved?” and shortly thereafter became a member of the Northside Arts Collective and the Community Advisory Council in conjunction with PCYC to help develop the theater renovation. Scott became a powerful entity designing the acoustics, sound system installation and recording booth. He also implemented recycled materials, for example creating acoustic pads from cotton, Levi materials and pop bottles (for diffusion panels). After the Capri opened Scott produced 12 shows, creating an exciting, initial launch of this spectacular and revitalized theater.

I conclude with an inspiring quote from Scott Neiman: “There’s much to give back to the community, and music brings people together.”

Camden Community News, ©1997-2010

By Mick LaBriola, Supportive Care Coalition Article, Spring, 2008

It was early spring in 2003, snow and ice still melting along the road. I was driving back to Minneapolis after teaching a residency in Aitkin, Minn., just north of Lake Mille Lacs. I had taught my “Rhythm Roots Workshop Percussion Ensemble” to fourth-graders for a week. There is so much love present when you’re teaching children. The kids love you up in so many ways: learning, reflecting, mimicking, laughing and squirming about in such lovely and magical ways. I was still feeling that layer of love, like a soft, flowing garment slowly unraveling off my being and drifting away.

Suddenly, I felt the residual of my student’s love replaced with the torment of my son’s death. Just as quickly, I felt the intense love for my son Diego, who was killed the summer before at age 6, emerge fierce and defiant. The love from my students transformed to the love for my son, and I started profusely weeping and weeping and it was a panic attack! I could hardly breathe and thought I would try to drive to a hospital for relief. I was trembling in horror and re-realizing my son’s death again and again. How painful and fathomless, ever so deeply intense.

Then I heard music; it sounded like a pedal steel or bottleneck guitar accompanied by weeping, moaning angels. The lyrics unraveled out of my hand to the piece of paper I was holding on my dashboard while I seemed to somehow miraculously keep driving. “Come back to me, I really love you, come back to me” in 6/8 time, followed by more flooding of tears. Then “You didn’t have to leave me all alone, I know you didn’t wanna hurt me, leave your daddy on his own;” then more tears.

But now, in this new perspective of expressing my feelings, attempting to put my piercing torment into words, I felt a sprinkling of grace and strength enliven my soul. I could breathe normally now, but the tears were still flowing. God help me, I don’t know how much more I can take of this pain and no more little boy loving Daddy, no more little kisses holding me tight.

Music had always been a major part of my life. The experience of losing my son at such a young age was impossible to define. Others would attempt to reflect my situation with “Oh, that’s the worst thing that could happen” or “I couldn’t imagine” or “Oh my God, what if it happened to me? I could no longer go on” or “Why didn’t you teach him how to cross a street?” or “Aren’t you over that yet?” These reactions were at the least not helpful and at the worst unimaginable, coming from the mouths of so-called friends.

I believe these kinds of reactions stem from a fear-based society that makes death a monster hiding in the shadows of the night, like a vampire or zombie ready to kill its next victim. And along with fear come guilt, anger, judgment and denial. I just could not fully articulate the inextricable chaos that was inside me as I rode the death train over and over again back in time, to that horrible day my son died at Hennepin County Medical Center. What was going on in me was and still is beyond mere words.

But with music, I felt there was perhaps a glimmering moment of reflection that could more accurately create something more substantial, emotional, reflective and concise about this devastating death. My son’s death. I absolutely knew I was going to record songs that I would write and sing and play instruments on. Shortly after Diego passed, I knew I must create music to express this earth-shattering event. Yet because I felt such immense anger and fear, I wondered how I could possibly harness those feelings into something loving and creative, something that would be more powerful and magical, more transformative and empowering. Was it possible? I would continue to write songs and slowly move toward creating a CD.

Months later I was again driving, this time from my mom’s place in New Lisbon, Wis., back to Minneapolis. I often talk to Diego and it seemed that I could hear him respond to me or perhaps just say, “Dad, Dad,” as if he were looking for me wherever he is now. Then wow! I could hear his voice with my music. That’s it – I could copy Diego’s voice from videotapes that I have to CD, and then insert the voice in or along with the music that I am preparing for him.

Eventually, when I had readied enough songs, I merged Diego’s voice, along with recapitulating violin phrases, drumming accompaniment and other sound effects to create soundscapes of Diego – a culmination of multidimensional visions emerging back and forth from between Diego’s world and my three-dimensional existence here on Earth. This was working for me, and I felt the soundscapes were being guided by Diego himself. Two-and-a- half years later, since the drive to Minneapolis, and about another one-and-a-half years of recording, I released Songs for Diego, I’m Missing You.

When I was finished, I felt an emptiness inside. The project was completed. Now what would I do? I realized that I had re-embraced Diego, holding him close to me during the creating and recording process, and now it was over.

I had attended counseling at a grief center in St. Paul, meeting other parents who lost children. This was very helpful. I also attended a Grieving Retreat in Pavo, Ga., hosted by Karyl Beal, where I met more parents. Two years later when I finished the CD, many of the parents found the music help- ful and entered the music on Web sites for their children. Karyl has played some of this music at the retreat’s Peace Fire ceremony, where parents are invited to cast a letter written about their child or some other special remembrance as an offering and sense of closure.

I think the music is helpful because it reflects the passionate feelings of the parents. These are feelings that, for the most part, cannot be expressed in words. Words are limiting because the intense feelings go beyond words and semantics. There exists within each one of us a place where words and intellect are far too simple an interpretation of the deepness and connectiveness of certain experiences. No one truly knows what this experience is like except a parent who has lost a child to death. Music or art, however, can bring a deeper understanding of the death experience. Or at least bring in other elements that perhaps can better exemplify the subjective reality of the survivor.

African music quartet featuring two musicians from Africa. Siama Matuzungidi from Zaire and Yusuf Shalita from Uganda.

Music of the Arabic World. Featuring Tarik Ibrahim from Egypt and Khalil Lulu from Palistine.

All original work

Poetry & Jazz

Ancestor Energy’s mantra is the juxtaposition of the amorous, enigmatic Poetry of Louis Alemayehu and the prodigious, procuratorial, riveting jazz compositions of Carei Thomas.

These two elements, Poetry & Jazz, fuse in an amorphous conglomeration of often pointilistic melodies and provocative stories of the Human Compassion to survive amongst the Universal upheavals of Life & Death; Oppression & Survival, Loving beyond the desire of Ego and Power.

Ancestor Energy is an offering to Humanity and a reflection of our planet’s consciousness. The audience will experience the poetic beauty of Grandmother, Heartsong for my Father, Africans in the Snow, Seeds of War and We are the River; to name a few. The players include Carei Thomas-Keys, David Wright III-Reeds, Gary Schulte-Violin and Mick LaBriola-Percussion.

The experience of Ancestor Energy can transform and challenge the Human Spirit back home to it’s essence of Humanity and the feeling of the Universal Love of our true Nature; HEALING.

“The Creator Has a Master Plan” Mick LaBriola

“Ancestor Energy. Dynamics is the operative word here….Ancestor Energy offers a fairly unique amalgam of bristling post-Coltrane jazz, taut social commentary, potent poetics, striking melodies, and freewheeling yet insistent rhythms. Few groups have combined verse and jazz music with more art and less artificiality. Ancestor Energy joins a very short list of underground heroes, including the Last Poets, Jayne Cortez, Archie Shepp and the AACM’s Shadow Vignettes big band. Louis Alemayehu writes stirring, machete sharp poems, and he really can emote – Alemayehu is that rarity among men, a great reader. Carei Thomas and the rest of the accompanying musicians match the funky poet’s fire with scripted and spur-of-the-moment improvisation sparks of their own. And the whole is definitely greater that the sum of it’s parts. Ancestor Energy is truly an experience, a no-drugs-necessary head trip.” -Tom Surowicz, Twin Cities Jazz journalist

The Maroons are a musical trio that plays the popular music of the English-speaking Caribbean Islands, including calypso and reggae. The Maroons get their name from the African slaves who were “marooned” when the slave ships ran aground the Caribbean islands. They have earned lavish praise from schools throughout Minnesota for their colorful and informative presentations.

This dynamic trio were created to provide a musical alternative to the home grown, agriculturally provocative, party-down atmosphere of the Minnesota State Fair. By blending familiar musical genres of each player; Marcus-Guitar (Chicago/Muddy Waters/Ipso Facto), Art Haynes-Bass (Lincoln/Marvin Gaye) and Mick LaBriola-Percussion (Chicago/Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows/Maroons); MOJO ROOTS formulated a enticing aura of exuberance and boogie down jams.