A bit about The Brazillionaires
We're a San Francisco based band that plays truly original songs in a style we think is pretty unique. We call it Vintage Noir Pop, but that's not the half of it. We've been described as, "...A remarkable blend of Tin-Pan Alley meets hot club-esque jazz and pop sensibilities, featuring killer hooks, rich harmonies, and excellent songwriting." We love to play for audiences large and small. We've played massive festivals, house parties in basements, recreation centers, weddings, street fairs, bars and clubs, busking in the street, art galleries, major venues and everything in between. We've done it all because we love nothing more than sharing our wonderful music with fans of all ages. We have a unique sound that ranges from the sweetness of a summer's breeze to the dark edge of a sinister mystery. We play with the lushness of 60's Americana and a touch of gypsy magic. We perform with an unmistakable intensity and passion that radiates outwards into the hearts and minds of our audience, making friends and new fans wherever we play. The Brazillionaires are: Erin Brazill on Lead Vocals and Guitar; Dawn Mermer on Stand-Up Bass; Tony Corten on Drums and Back-up Vocals; Kelley Corten on Musical Saw, Glockenspiel, Melodica and Back up Vocals; and Johnny Tripod on CigarBox Slide Guitar, Clarinet, Washboard, Hand Percussion, and Back-up Vocals. And heck, there are a few other instruments floating around at any given time... you never know what you might find popping out of handbags and pockets. Whew!
A little note from Erin
I was born and raised in Mendocino, California and was fairly entrenched in music, community theatre, and writing poetry from a young age. There was always a fiddle or a banjo around the house for after-dinner family jams. I studied classical piano and voice as a child up through college, as well as literature and creative writing. After college I moved to San Francisco. I worked in jazz clubs in North Beach bartending, booking bands and immersing myself in jazz. I was writing constantly, feverishly, and glamorously with great beatnik flourish, filling little notebooks with florid lines flowing, sparkling prose, and treasuring those little journals stashed behind the bar.
In the past ten years I have been lucky enough to play with a group of very talented, creative and generous people who have blended their musical gifts and ideas into my music. We play original compositions that I have written, reflective of my time in San Francisco, my rural childhood, travels, and my experiences with friends and loved ones. We primarily focus on our original tunes, though we do throw in a few well-loved or unusual covers here and there.
I call our sound Vintage Swing Pop... often based on blues progressions with fairly involved lyrics, often eclectic arrangements, scratchy Tom-Waits-ish instrumentation, topped off with my cabaret-meets-jazz vocal stylings. We have a slide guitar here, a musical saw there, and clarinet for an Eastern European flair... Our flavor is a bit of old Americana, the Great American Songbook, all mixed and mingled into our very own unique sound and style.
We all love playing together, and love each other dearly. We have fun, work hard, and honestly appreciate and enjoy the sheer pleasure of making music with friends. Most often, this playful, sprightly spirit leaks out into the audience as well, there's a little dancing and romancing out there, and a bit of that ephemeral magic that only happens when live music spins and twists it's way through a crowd of energetic people transpires.
We are always so excited and honored to play music in different venues, in our native San Francisco & Bay Area, traveling up and down the West Coast, and even to parts of Europe in summers past. We love to meet new people; to mingle, learn, listen, perform; and to share our wonderful music and make new friends. That's what makes it all worthwhile. It's those moments of connection that keep us inspired. :-) So we send out a gigantic THANK YOU to everyone who supports us and appreciates our music, and we look forward to sharing our love with you again soon!
In the past ten years I have been lucky enough to play with a group of very talented, creative and generous people who have blended their musical gifts and ideas into my music. We play original compositions that I have written, reflective of my time in San Francisco, my rural childhood, travels, and my experiences with friends and loved ones. We primarily focus on our original tunes, though we do throw in a few well-loved or unusual covers here and there.
I call our sound Vintage Swing Pop... often based on blues progressions with fairly involved lyrics, often eclectic arrangements, scratchy Tom-Waits-ish instrumentation, topped off with my cabaret-meets-jazz vocal stylings. We have a slide guitar here, a musical saw there, and clarinet for an Eastern European flair... Our flavor is a bit of old Americana, the Great American Songbook, all mixed and mingled into our very own unique sound and style.
We all love playing together, and love each other dearly. We have fun, work hard, and honestly appreciate and enjoy the sheer pleasure of making music with friends. Most often, this playful, sprightly spirit leaks out into the audience as well, there's a little dancing and romancing out there, and a bit of that ephemeral magic that only happens when live music spins and twists it's way through a crowd of energetic people transpires.
We are always so excited and honored to play music in different venues, in our native San Francisco & Bay Area, traveling up and down the West Coast, and even to parts of Europe in summers past. We love to meet new people; to mingle, learn, listen, perform; and to share our wonderful music and make new friends. That's what makes it all worthwhile. It's those moments of connection that keep us inspired. :-) So we send out a gigantic THANK YOU to everyone who supports us and appreciates our music, and we look forward to sharing our love with you again soon!