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It is cool that the band came out of moments like that as opposed to being music students who had a specific plan or goal to start a particular kind of band. It is cool to think back and see how this all came out of us having a good time with each other. -Kenny Liner |
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Photo of Kenny Liner
Drums weren't the only position that saw turnover in the early days of the band. The band's saxophone player, who had been commuting to Baltimore from New York City for shows and practices, was unable to give the band the commitment they needed. So, they were soon on the lookout for a new horn man. The band looked to their many musician friends for suggestions and received a strong recommendation for a sax player who recently graduated from college and had played in a number of wide-ranging bands that might be a great fit for The Bridge.
 Patrick Rainey by Sam Friedman |
Patrick Rainey had recently graduated from Salisbury University where he'd been in a variety of bands playing everything from funk to jazz to reggae. This diverse background would eventually serve him well as he began to tackle The Bridge's extensive, genre-crossing songbook. Rainey was friends with a number of musicians from the Baltimore area, including Blake Mobley, who plays keyboards in another local Baltimore band, Basshound. Mobley first introduced Rainey to The Bridge's sound, taking him to a Thanksgiving show in 2005. Rainey recalls that despite having a bit much to drink and finding the rest of the night a blur, he does recall being impressed with the band. Introductions were eventually made, with the band deciding that Rainey was the man to fill their vacancy. Jacobs says, "Patrick was really the only serious candidate we considered." Rainey remembers, "They called me up on my birthday, and the next day I sat in with them at a show in Philadelphia, and I have been with them every gig since then."
It was a slow process to get Rainey up to speed. "I have been in [the band] over a year now, and there was a definite transition process. At first I would only sit in for a couple of songs a night. They had so much material that it has literally taken me up until now where I am comfortable" explains Rainey. "It is so much easier now that I can focus on just playing and actually devote time to writing some new music."
With the addition of Rainey solidifying of The Bridge's lineup, the band was able to focus on their music and immediately saw things explode for them. "It all goes back to the member change thing. To catch a breath or even find time to rehearse for a gig was difficult, let alone being able to sit-down for an extended period of time bouncing ideas off of each other," says Jacobs.
In the past year since Rainey joined, they have completed their first national tour (with a second starting at the end of September), played Wakarusa, moved from the side-stage to the main stage at All Good Music Festival, been added to the upcoming Jam Cruise – through a fan vote that saw them almost double the number of votes the second place band received - and signed with Hyena Records, who will be re-releasing their most recent album, The Bridge. Rainey feels that the whole dynamic of the group has grown, allowing the band to develop ideas and songs together, a newfound collaboration that's enabled them to expand musically.
 The Bridge by Kenny Pusey |
Liner likes how each person has brought not just important ingredients to the band but also to him personally. "When we first got Dave he was able to play way more intricate and complicated things and it added a lot to the music. Mike was able to use his deep knowledge of music and his overall funkiness to really give us the feeling we never found with other drummers. Because of his background in jazz, he has influenced me to listen to music in a different way now. I can hear different things," offers Liner. This, combined with Rainey's ability to meld his horn to any style and the already rock solid foundation of Liner's mandolin and Jacobs' sizzling guitar, gives the band a unique sound that lends itself to intense, adventurous live shows.
Jacobs, who had expressed much skepticism at first agrees. "I never thought I would be in a band with a mandolin and a sax. Who would have dreamt that? There was definite skepticism at first, 'Is this really what I want?' But, at the same time, out of all the people I had played with up to that point I knew when it felt right, when it felt good," Jacobs says. "Playing with Kenny felt right, it felt good. It was pretty unmistakable, same with the other guys."
On a hot, humid, August night this past summer in the midst of The Bridge's annual summer residency at the 8x10 Club, the stage was cleared and all that was left was Jacobs seated playing his dobro and Liner standing next to him. They broke into a soulful version of Son House's "Death Letter Blues," and if you closed your eyes and listened with just the right ears you could hear it. It was a bit faint with a hint of audible hiss, but you could definitely make it out - the slightly faded sound of the "Fire & Ice" tape - the sound of two young musicians searching for their musical path and finding their own unique sound.
Liner thinks back to that cold day and how it shaped The Bridge. "It is cool that the band came out of moments like that as opposed to being music students who had a specific plan or goal to start a particular kind of band. It is cool to think back and see how this all came out of us having a good time with each other."
"Just being friends," adds Jacobs.
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