Bmr4

The BMR4 is a highly versitle group, that besides straight ahead jazz , can incorperate blues,funk,cajan,latin, soul-jazz, and R&B. The BMR4 knows how to play upbeat music that engages an audience, even if your looking for background music.

The members of the group have been on Letterman, Leno, etc... and have travelled all over the world playing music

We are excellent to playing for the room. Please note if price is out of your budget, we can do trios and duos.If you want to expand the group, or add a singer that is possible also.

Chicago is one of those unique cities that has always been on the pulse of vangard change in popular music. Although the city is known most for its blues , Chicago has also played a leading role in the performance, recording, and artistic evolution of jazz. The BMR4 (Bernhardt, Moynihan, Rodbard quartet), veterans of the Chicago music scene, have proved to be quite adaptable in creating noteworthy musical mixtures of all idioms. You can hear in their jazz sound, flourishes of the city's blues, rock and R&B scenes.
As legendary guitarist Robert Johnson put it, Chicago has been a "sweet home" for the blues. As the most recognizable cultural signature that the city has produced, its rich sense of origin and history still shapes music and social practice throughout the Windy City. Chris Bernhardt, Jay Moynihan, and Mike Rodbard had their musical baptism in the blues-roots rock band The Buzz. Although the group made two recordings, sold over 10,000 recordings, and toured the country, these musicians' chops developed significantly while playing as the house band at Buddy Guys Legends. It was there that they backed up legends such as Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, and Otis Rush. Through the many gigs and tours, the band found out they had a mutual affinity for jazz, and missed playing the music they grew up on. They formed BMR4, found a regular engagement, and began to develop their sound.
But The BMR4 needed a guitarist. Neal Alger had known Chris Bernhardt for years growing up together in the same south suburb neighborhood. Performing or recording with Lin Haliday, Howard Levy, Grazyna Augusich, and Ed Thigpen, Alger, due to his lyrical soloing and accompanying , had become one of Chicago's greatest and most in demand guitarists. The group soon recorded a standards demo and set out to get some work.
Success came fast for the BMR4, which was unusual for its groups member who had spent years "paying their dues". It helped that the bands' live show is an energetic,vigorous experience, in which the repertoire leaps around from 60's modal jazz,standards, modern R&B, 12 bar blues, to unique interpretations of pop classics. They soon began playing major venues in the Chicagoland (link hidden)ccess also came to the groups members with Alger, Moynihan, and Rodbard being picked up for the bands of Patrica Barber, Buddy Guy, and Lonnie Brooks respectively. In the spring of 2006 the band signed with Hallway Records.

Venues that we are playing that you might be familiar with include Andys, Green Mill, both Pops For Champagne, Issac Hayes,Navy Pier, and benefits for Mayor Daley. We are a extremly versitle group that can play many different styles and are excellent to playing for the room. Please note if price is out of your budget, we can do trios and duos.If you want to expand the group, or add a singer that is possible also.

THE MEMBERS OF THE BMR4

Recent national shows: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest; Birdland, Blue Note ( NYC), Chicago Blues Festival; Blues Festival, Monterey (CA); Boston Fleet Center; Yoshi's Jazz Club ( San Francisco, CA); Fox Theatre , CO; Mont de Tremblant Festival (Montreal, Canada)

Recent local shows: Buddy Guys Legends, Andys Jazz Club, Taste of Chicago, Park West, Green Mill, Pop's for Champagne, Green Dolphin Street, Navy Pier, Beverly Arts Center

Appeared with: Carlos Santana, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Al Green, Yellow Jackets, Medeski, martin, and Wood, Patrica Barber, Lonnie Brooks, John Mayall, Flaming Lips, Henry Johnson, Ramsey Lewis, Gregg Allman

National TV: The Jay Leno Show, The Late,Late show, Arts Station in Paris, France, WGN Morning News, Jenny Jones, ABC Prime Time with Peter Jennings

Recordings: Live: A Fortnight in France w/ Patrica Barber (2004), Alligator records' Genuine Houserocking Christmas (2003), Steve Arvey It's A Fine Line (2002), The Buzz, Live At Legends (2000), Highway (1998)

nothing special- ask for specs