Bridge City Hustle: Charismatic Chameleons
When the crowd in the lounge of Toshi’s Living Room and Bar settled in to their second or third drinks between set changes, a few musicians took the dimmed neon stage, looking to stand out in an already eccentric venue. Despite only being an acoustic set, the soul of Bridge City Hustle quickly flooded the room with sax riffs, bongo solos, and falsetto heavy harmonies. The supposed background music the crowd thought was in store soon became overwhelming in its tap-worthy beats and rhythmic enthralls. The infectious smile tattooed on lead singer Johnny Burgos’ face shined in the spotlight; this was a band that was hard to ignore.
Composed of four members on record (joined by a guitarist in their live set), Bridge City Hustle brings together the soulful sound and jazzy rhythms of a much earlier era with the contemporary pop of today, a combination that produces music and lyrics that linger in your mind for days on end and leaves any listener wondering why this crossbred genre is still missing from the top of the charts. The lively performance at Toshi’s made it tough to believe that it was only an acoustic display, missing both lead guitar and a full drum set. The band claims, they were really “just a complement to a classy evening [at Toshi’s].”
Putting Their Own Groove on It
Although their next gig at The Bowery Electric showcased the full spectrum of the band, with Burgos on leads and bongos, Pete O’Neill on bass, Dave Zerio on drums, Dan Cherouny on saxophone, and John Bendy on guitar, the first show is nothing to sell short. Along with the powerhouse number, “Rollercoaster,” which features a hypnotizing hook progression so catchy the band jokingly deemed it their “Adele joint,” and the easy listening (and singing along to) track, “Too Good for Me,” the band covered Drake’s “Just Hold On…We’re Going Home.” While the R&B/Hip-Hop choice seems to deviate slightly from their general repertoire, Burgos appreciates the song from a production level, recognizing that they could “put their own little groove on it,” making it undeniably their own.
This chameleonic style present throughout their music might be a testament to their roots in Brooklyn. While only Burgos originates from the lower east borough, and the band focused on expanding throughout the city, Zerio cites their musical stomping grounds as “an artistic Mecca. When you get off the J train, you see so much diversity. Even just within our own band. The people of Brooklyn really create a holistic scene with influence from everywhere.” In particular, Cherouny adds that compared to his hometown of Burlington, VT, “Brooklyn will have a scene of 30-40 musicians within five blocks…an endless number of people into endless types of music.”
‘You Really Have to Bring It’
The collaborative essence apparent throughout this artistic hub lends itself well to the dynamic of the band: charismatic on stage, no one musician overshadows another, each one bringing their A-game to the performance. Perhaps this is an ode to their heavyweight idols Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Curtis Mayfield, whose own success came as a result of constant collaboration. It comes as no surprise then that the band is eager to hear their contemporaries and fellow stylistic parallels D’Angelo, Jamie Lidell, and Jamiroquai cover their songs. Although the wide-eyed smiles and giddy reactions BCH displays when listing these artists seems more dream-like, the competition may not be far off, especially if they stick to the advice they give other rising Brooklyn acts: “You really have to bring it.”
As O’Neill puts it, “Because it’s New York, there’s an extra pressure to perform. The competition really drives you. You can’t be wasting your time; you always have to be on your game. It’s a hustle.” A Bridge City Hustle, indeed.