Rumgumption

The Band

Shawn • Chad • Jason • Adam

Shawn McBurnie heard early about the green fields of Canada and arranged to be born on "the shores of Columbia"—but since then has contrived to spend most of his time elsewhere. He can attest that the timber there still grows thick in places, but the salmon and sturgeon have fallen on hard times. He's never seen a buffalo up close, and is glad he's never been near a whole herd of moose—when you get between a cow and her calf (as he did once when young and foolish), a couple are plenty.

He made a gradual and circuitous transition between Pacific Northwest and Minneapolis Nordeast, picking up the occasional bit of Appalachian music along the way to season the Scotch broth (or Irish stew as the case may be).

Shawn prides himself on his prowess with the bodhrán, and contributes to the Twin Cities session scene by leaving it at home.

Inventory:

• Vocal equipmentbuilt using an old and idiosyncratic Scottish design with Irish amendments made in Canada
• Bodhránsomewhat crotchety and temperamental, of probable Middle Eastern descent courtesy of some old goat

return to top

 

Chad McAnally:
Whirling vortex of anecdote, contradiction and harmony,
Orthodox non conformist and cavalier detractor of the ephemeral,
Holistic rationalist, confessor of audible history and faithful cynic,
Playing and making trees of strings,
Born the year of the Bhola Cyclone and Devlin's arrest,
Herbivore, beholder of the absurd, militantly peaceful,
Counter of syllables, follower of streams, and chronic composer,
Avant traditionalist, Ann's adherent, patiently hopeful.

Inventory:

• Whistles by various people
• Gaelic Harp by Chad
• Hammer Dulcimer by Chad

return to top

 

Jason (Mac)Novak makes his dwelling near St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Largely due to his mother's early influence, he has had a deep and abiding bond with Irish and Scottish traditional music ever since he can remember. Born in, and indelibly to, Minneapolis, his brand of "Minnesota Nice" seems to have taken a peculiarly odd twist from the usual as he is seldom shy with an opinion - by local standards - and he has even been accused of really being from elsewhere. Like New York City. But, you know. Only another Minnesotan would say that.

Most grateful for the vibrancy of the local traditional community, Jason enjoys attending the local sessions when he can. Aside from gigging with the lads in the band and other local artists of far greater worth than notoriety, he has also had the pleasure of teaming up with visiting artists Larry Nugent, Michael Cooney, and Pat Cannady with his lovely wife and fiddler, Karen. Good times.

Inventory:

• Uilleann pipesa full flat set of Uillean pipes in C by Alan Ginsberg,
  masterfully refurbished by Dave Boisvert of St. Paul, Minnesota;
  chanter reed by Joseph E. Smith by Alan Ginsberg
• Timber flutean eight-key blackwood in D/Eb;
  an amalgam of Rudall Rose and Nicholson designs by Peter Noy
• Whistles by whomever'nuff said
• Citternno, it's not a bouzouki by Joe Foley
• Jasonappearing by permission of another obscure local band, Roisin Dubh by Gayle Whinnery and Bill Novak

return to top

Our newest member, Adam Modares: this guy has mad percussive skills, as evidenced by the fact that Jason doesn't object to him playing shaker eggs – unheard of! Not content to stop there, he also plays a mean Uilleann pipe, as seen here.

In addition to being the newest Rumgumptioneer (no, that's not a word), he's also the youngest and most photogenic, which fact is mentioned here solely to encourage him to write a proper short bio for himself. In the meantime: ladies, please try to restrain yourselves.

Inventory:

• Djembe
• Uilleann pipes
• Percussive miscellany: you name it

return to top