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Bill Bryant - guitar, vocals; Brian Gotwals - banjo, guitar, mandolin, vocals; Norbert Sarsfield - fiddle, guitar, banjo, vocals; Marc Janssen - mandolin, guitar, vocals; Chris Clark - washtub bass, vocals
Influences
West Virginia fiddlers (Edden Hammons, Burl Hammons, Melvin Wine, Ernie Carpenter, French Carpenter, Wilson Douglas, Lester McCumbers, Jimmy Triplett, Gerry Milnes, Scott Prouty); Edward Gorey; Holy Modal Rounders; Foghorn String Band; Rayna Gellert; Clyde Davenport; Cordelias Dad; Kerry Blech; Bruce Molsky; Rhythm Rats; John Salyer; Bruce Greene
The Gilded Bats are an Iowa City old-time string band. Some of the places we've played since forming in 2003 include: Hancher Auditorium (with Dan Zanes); The Mill (including opening for the Mammals); High Noon Saloon in Madison, Wisc. (opening for the Carolina Chocolate Drops); Uptown Bills; Muscatine Watermelon Jam; Musser Public Library; Carl Sandburg Birthplace in Galesburg, Illinois; Iowa Friends of Old Time Music Fiddlers Picnic; Brewed Awakenings in Cedar Rapids; Iowa City, Coralville, and Mt. Vernon Farmers Markets; Iowa City's Family Fun Night; West Branch Friday Night Concert Series; and the West Branch Fall Festival. We also love to play for dances, and have played for several in West Branch, Fairfield, and Rock Island. If you come out to see us play don't be afraid to move your feet, and be sure to stop by and say howdy!
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CD REVIEW
The Gilded Bats play old timey folk music. If you look on the back of the CD there's a logo for the Iowa Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. These guys wrote grants to pay for this CD - pretty nice trick I'd say. But The Gilded Bats aren't just clever, banjo-strumming slackers, there's some real meat on those bones/wings.
The Gilded Bats are a lot more polished and less punk rock than their fellow travelers Escape the Floodwater Jug Band, but they have what a lot of traditional music seems to be lacking these days: attitude.
There are a lot of talented musicians in Iowa City making music superficially similar to that of The Gilded Bats, but to my ears, most of it isn't nearly as interesting. I can't even put my finger on why that is, except that despite their accomplished musicianship they bring out the darkness, dirt and grit that keeps folk music from being safe and boring.
--Kent Williams, Little Village, November 2007
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CD REVIEW
The debut disc on artist/engineer/producer Patrick Brickel's new label, "The Gilded Bats" showcases a muscular, energetic old-time stringband that's steadily been expanding its profile in Eastern Iowa.
Comprised of Norbert Sarsfield (fiddle), Andrew Epstein (banjo, jaw harp), Billy Bryant (guitar) and Chris Clark (washtub bass), The Gilded Bats apply their kinetic pickin' to an endearing set of 16 evergreens culled from the hill-country canon -- and everybody sings with gusto.
Befitting a band whose moniker was cribbed from the title of a 1966 novel by eccentric Gothic marvel Edward Gorey, the songs' subjects tend to be at least a tad bit twisted, as in the Holy Modal Rounders' "Give the Fiddler a Dram" -- "Pretty little girl with a red dress on/She took it off/I put it on/In come Johnny with the big boots on ..."
Funded in part by a grant from the Iowa Arts Council, "The Gilded Bats" is crisply played and sung, and the disc is brilliantly recorded and mastered (kudos to Justin Kennedy and Brickel), resulting in a freshly-packed barn dance that's ready to go.
-- Jim Musser, Iowa City Press-Citizen, 11/08/2007
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"Ticklin' The Strings" by Sweet Hollywaiians
Amazing Japanese hot string band playing 1920's, 30's, 40's style hawaiian, swing, calypso, blues, italian music and originals,featuring vintage instruments.3 songs with Robert Armstrong and Tony Marcus(from Robert Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders)
"The Sweet Hollywaiians have probably the best feel for this 20's music of any string band working today. They manage the rare feat of sounding relaxed even when their playing is hot, are top notch musicians with tasteful arrangements and a full, rich, warm sound.Plus, they have a nice gamut of tunes, from King Nawahi to Giovanni Vicari to Bobby Leecan. See them live, if you can, for an unforgettable experience. If you can't, buy their Cds!" ~ Terry Zwigoff
Finally got round to downloading your CD yesterday. Why the heck didn't you tell us all it was so special? It's a PEACH! Have a crackerjack night with the "Chocolate Drops"! Cheers Dick
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