Music and beer. Two things that go hand in hand. And if you ever wonder why the earth rotates in such a floaty and dance-like motion, it has nothing to do with momentum or velocity; it has everything to do with music. And beer. It was a drunken afternoon when four young Rodriguez brothers sat in their garage in Brownsville, Texas, and decided those two should stay together, forever. Or at least until the world wants them to part; nobody's spoken up at that notion for over thirty years.
Rudy, Michael, Mark and Joe, the Rodriguez brothers and not-so-beer-savvy brewers, were inebriated, hot and bored in the garage of theirs, staring blank and drunkenly at the flies sucking on what's left of their homemade brew. Nobody seemed to take notice of those little, buzzy flies zigzagging about in the room.
Suddenly, a tiny, microscopic nerve exploded in Rudy's brain. It was a quick burst of light that ran through his veins and peered out of his retina. At that very moment, with a slap of the knee and a snap at the fingers Rudy stood up, grabbed a dusty Gibson guitar sitting beside him, and began to play. His melodic rhythm made Joe smile, and he nodded his head to the beat and pulled out a harmonica from the back pocket of his sweaty jeans. Michael ran out of the garage and quickly slid back in with a guitar in one hand and a bass in the other. He threw the bass into the air while Mark, in slow motion, simultaneously jumped to catch it. His long, tangled hair wrapped around his face and into the air. Rudy, smiling and closing his eyes, sang into the microphone that also happened to come from Joe's back pocket. They jammed out to "Walking The Dog", which probably would've been the biggest cover hit of their time. Unfortunately Rolling Stones already had that covered. Damn you, Stones! After a magical few hours of jamming out, they decided to brew another batch of beer and name their band after the alcoholic substance that brought them together; Homebrew. Years later, they would change that name. The Rodriguez brothers weren't just a home garage band at that point. They were the real deal. They were, and still are, The Brew.
This amazing story is how I, the bassist's daughter, the retired part-time tambourine player at nine years old, and the Brew child, envisioned the beginning of The Brew. Although they had a similar start, I'm sure they didn't begin with such dramatic gusto. Or did they?
Within three decades and four albums, The Brew has morphed into a well respected and professional band. Covering classic country music from Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Commander Cody to rock music from Rolling Stones, The Doors and Steve Miller Band, Homebrew started out by jamming at parties around Brownsville. Thus, it was time to move out of the stagnant Valle and into the beating heart of Texas, and the heart of music. Young bassist, Mark Rodriguez, made the biggest move of his life in 1978 when he hitchhiked to Houston and met up with his brothers to be part of the blues and jazz nightclub scene. But hollow Houston was no place for a deserving and upcoming jazz band. They kicked off the 1980s decade by popping into Austin, flagging it home to The Brew and molding themselves into Austin's "Live Music Capital of the World" scene. Unfortunately, due to a tragic and sudden incident, Rudy Rodriguez never saw the up and coming band reach its peak. The brothers dedicated their first album, In The Beginning, to their late brother, The Brew's founder and inspiration.
Throughout the 80s and much of the 90s The Brew played their own originals while jamming to jazz fusion, R&B and funk. Cover songs from Anita Baker, Sade, Steely Dan, George Benson, Jay Guiles, and The Crusaders were heard from clubs up and down Austin's famous 6th Street by The Brew. They were immersed in the Austin local music scene, playing events at Auditorium Shores and Blues On The Green and at venues such as Top Of The Marc, Wylies, Jazz On 6th, and Elephan Room.
They've shared their passion for music by touring around Texas, popping around multiple states, and flying out to Cancun, Mexico. The Brew has always given fellow musicians an open invitation to sit in on songs and sets. Those who have come to watch and jam out with the band include local musicians, friends, and well known musicians such as Boz Scaggs, Stanley Jordan, Spyro Gyra and Gypsy King members, and Kirk Whalum.
In 1996 the band took on a different tune and tweaked their style. It was the year Michael Rodriguez picked up the Spanish guitar, and he hasn't set it down since. They moved out of 6th Street and into the Warehouse District, where the older crowd watched them play at Cedar Street, Miguel's La Bodega (currently named Maria Maria's), and Sullivan's. Devoted, adamant fans dance to The Brew's Latin styles of flamenco jazz, salsa, merengue, and cha-cha.
Today, The Brew is still playing in Austin and jamming around Texas. They pack bars to their full capacity, set the scene for a floor filled with twirling dancers, and awe their fans over and over again by Michael's guitar solos. Some venues to catch The Brew at include Oasis (every summer Sunday since 1998), Maria Maria's (Warehouse District), Gloria's (The Domain), Z-Tejas (6th St.), Elephant Room, San Antonio Jazz Fests, Sullivans (Houston, Texas) and Cobbleheads (Brownsville, Texas). The Rodriguez brothers don't plan on retiring from the band any time soon, and are brewing up their fifth album. Maybe I can pick up the tambourine after all these years and contribute to a song or two. If I'm still embarrassingly off beat, as I was as a child, I'll just sit in the audience and watch my dad and uncles play, something I've mastered since childhood. ^^
Information on The Brew can be found on their website: http://www.brewmusic.com
:) Thanks!
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