Meet the Snake Charmers

     The Snake Charmers, rockin’, swingin’, bluesy band from Houston, Texas, entrance audiences with the eclectic sounds that are the combination of Marie Angell’s smooth, soulful vocals, Will Blumentritt’s southern-rock inspired bass lines, Eric Blumentritt’s inventive drums, and Larry Meeker’s rock-n-roll-infused guitar skills.
     “Been Gone So Long,” The Snake Charmers' new CD, features 10 original contemporary blues tracks. The album is eclectic selection of blues capturing slices of life that everyone can relate to, from standard 12 bar blues to sophisticated blues ballads.
     After years in other music ventures, The Snake Charmers was born in 2002 when spouses Will Blumentritt and Marie Angell created a band to “play what they like, and like what they play.” Keeping it in the family, they added eldest son Eric Blumentritt and relative through the “Brotherhood of Man” Larry Meeker.
     Ain't nothin' but the blues ever since.

	Marie Angell (vocals, keyboards) has an incredible memory for events both real and imagined. Among her earliest memories are singing and dancing in grocery store aisles, standing on the pew singing hymns in a Missionary Baptist church and playing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on a toy piano. While all this happened before the age of three, they could just as easily be events from last week.		Will Blumentritt (bass) says his mother’s story is that he took up the bass because his brother played guitar and, driven by sibling rivalry, Will always did something “similar but different.” Will claims he was “more in tune with the fundamental tones” of the bass. Yeah, right. For further insight into Will’s psyche, note that his favorite TV show is The Beverly Hillbillies. Will is in awe of Jethro Bodine’s giant brain, Jed Clampett’s wisdom and sense of style, Granny’s grasp of the medicinal properties of liquor, and Elly May’s, um, way with animals.
	Eric Blumentritt (drums) was fascinated by the drums by age three. He so admired the balding drummer in children’s performer Raffi’s band that Eric intended to cut his own hair off in solidarity. Fortunately there was a parental intervention and, so far, Eric still has all his hair.		Larry Meeker (guitar) first ventured into music via the saxophone, then his soul was overtaken by that devil rock and roll. Many guitars later, he’s still possessed. (Perhaps the devil has a financial stake in a guitar store.) Larry also believes in better living through chemistry. It’s true that a lot of guitar players say that, but when Larry says it, he’s really talking about chemistry because, ta da, he’s actually a chemist.

Saturday Sept 26, 2009 at Coffee Groundz
The Snake Charmers give out a big thanks to Gail Bixler, Wayside Drive, Kenneth Scott, Doc & the Holidays, and Adam Martinez for their performances at the show, Photographers Rome Wilkerson (YouTube slideshow below) and Mitsy (posted here on Flickr) for the great photo memories, and all the people who came to the show.
We had a great time last night. Thanks So Much!!!

Or watch it direct on YouTube

The Snake Charmers ... and Friendz

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