Brendan Brisk Band sets EP release party for Feb. 10 at Jazz Cafe

WILKES-BARRE – Since their 2016 debut, “Astral Counterfeit,” the Brendan Brisk Band has continued to evolve with each subsequent release, bringing a sound that’s entirely their own.

Come Feb. 10 at the River Street Jazz Café, the quartet will debut their latest offering, the six-song EP entitled “Never Everywhere” as evidence of their cohesion as a group, chops as individual musicians and dedication to their roots, right here in “The Valley.”

And without divulging too much about the new release, the quartet – made up of guitarist/vocalist Brendan Brisk; drummer Justin Malinowski, trumpeter Miles Orfanella and bassist Bernie “Big Tobaccer” Gavlick – have cooked up something truly original, reminiscent of the area’s roots while simultaneously embracing its branches.

“I think this area has not only a lot of local talent and really good musicians but also there’s a lot of love for music,” Brisk noted from the band’s practice space. He reflected on growing up and seeing shows at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (though it had a different name then), the now-defunct Café Metro and the River Street Jazz Café.

Orfanella added, “I’ve had a couple of friends who aren’t from this area come to visit me, and every time we get to talking about all the bands here, they’re always like, ‘Why are there so many groups that kind of come up through here?’”

He continued to highlight the many modern and traditional acts and musicians who have roots here. Expanding on the thought, Gavlick said, “I think there’s a lot of deep-rooted hard work here. There are a lot of blue-collar communities and a lot of people working in warehousing. It gets boring and people want to not be bored. They want to find like-minded people and meaning.”

The EP itself is a departure from their debut and 2020’s ‘Relaxylvania’ in that it’s the first release from the group the virtuosic Brisk has not mostly produced. Instead, it was recorded in its entirety over the course of just a week with engineer Matt Molchany at Shards Studio in Bethlehem. It was mixed by Grammy Award-winning recording and mix engineer Phil Joly. Joly has worked with the likes of Common, Daft Punk and the Strokes, just to name a few.

On the recording process, Malinowski said, “We were stressed out because we care so much, not because of the whole process. It was a genuine treat to work with someone of that caliber and not feel intimidated but feel respected almost in a peer-like way. But the aspect of that being our first time recording with someone of that caliber felt stressful, but also eye-opening. … It affirmed the fact that we are progressing and the people that are surrounding us is changing in ways that I think show positive progression.”

Brisk added that the band, though bearing his name, is the sum of its parts. “ … if any one of these guys weren’t there, it wouldn’t be the same. It wouldn’t hold that much weight,” he said.

The result of that collaboration is a six-song journey through the tangible and ethereal, with each track waxing poetic on a different emotion. Though Brisk noted he doesn’t typically reflect on the area in his writing process, it’s inevitable for these uniquely NEPA experiences to permeate the psyche. It’s equal parts avant-garde jazz, feel-good funk and that old-time rock n’ roll.

The signees of indie label Astrology Days Records, founded by Pappy of local legends, Cabinet, and John Kimock, drummer for Oteil Burbridge, Mike Gordon and Steve Kimock can be followed on social media @brendanbriskband. Tickets for the album release party are $10 and can be purchased at riverstreetjazzcafe.com or through links on the band’s social media profiles. The evening’s lineup includes sets from Big Tobaccer, Jordan Ramirez of The Tribe performing an acoustic set, and DJ Sets by Newpy Hundo. Doors open at 8 p.m. 21 and older only.