Eric Sommer

ERIC SOMMER/Brooklyn Bolero: How do you call this sidekick to unique personalities ranging from Nick Lowe to John Koerner an underachiever?

This multi-instrumentalist bad boy could easily be a superstar in his own right but he seems to be under the spell of Holy Modal Rounders, Guy Clark and others that could have really made it but seemed to make a concerted effort not to. Mixing organic writing and playing skills with personality, he has what it takes to be a massive, under the radar treat.

Singer/songwriter? Rocker? Folkie? He's got all the bases covered and has back up in place to insure no errors are made. Killer stuff you really have to be a grinch to dislike, this cat is the real deal throughout. - CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher

Eric Sommer is an astounding guitar player, a virtuoso on acoustic and electric, and is a killer slide player and master of the finger-picking style. popularized by many of the Delta blues legends. His songwriting might best be described as “out of the box,” to say the least, and his deep well of musical experience is the thread that runs through his latest album, “Brooklyn Bolero.” These eight cuts are all-originals, and finds Eric on guitars, stomp box, and harp, with Jim Oakley on percussion, and Zach Smith on bass.

Eric has worked with everybody who is anybody–Dr. John, Mayall, David Bromberg, and even logged a stint in Europe with Nick Lowe. His resume’ reads like a musical encyclopedia, and this set finds him in a true comfort zone within the trio setting, and they just rare back and let the bon temps commence to roulet-ing.

His slide cuts a wide swath thru the Mississippi Hill Coun - Nashville Review

Eric Sommer - Brooklyn Bolero



Met het album ' Brooklyn Bolero ' brengt de uit Boston singer-songwriter Eric Sommer alweer zijn vierde album uit.

Op het acht nummers tellende album horen we een mix van semi-akoestische muziekje een blues inslag. Eric Sommer laat zich op het album begeleiden door Jim Oakley op percussie en Zach Smith op de basgitaar.

De acht nummers op het album zijn door Eric Sommer zelf geschreven. Hierdoor wordt het snel duidelijk dat Eric Sommer naast een begenadigd muzikant ook een uitstekende songwriter is. Het gemak waarmee Eric Sommer zijn muziek ten gehore brengt is goed te verklaren door het vele optreden in de loop der jaren. Zo speelde hij in de loop der jaren met artiesten als John Mayall , Dr. John and Nick Lowe. Kortom de muziek van Eric Sommer staat bol van muzikaal vakmanschap. - Rudolfs Music

Singer/songwriter Eric Sommer is an unbelievable intersection of improbable influences and experiences channeled into an amazingly diverse catalog and a résumé that reads more like a musical adventure novel than a series of career bullet points.

Sommer emerged from the Boston music scene in the ’80s with a vengeance, a Folk guitarist with a percussive, open-tuning style adapted from the likes of David Bromberg, Steve Howe, Townes Van Zandt and Brit Folk legend Davy Graham. But Boston was also a hotbed of New Wave, Power Pop and Punk at that point, and Sommer absorbed those influences as well, creating a Byrdsian jangle sound that earned him opening slots for national touring acts and regular bookings at the renowned Paradise Theatre.

Sommer eventually relocated to Europe where he scored tours with Bram Tchaikovsky, Wreckless Eric and Nick Lowe, calling Denmark and the Netherlands home for awhile. After honing his personal songwriting style and playing every conceivable club on the European circuit, Sommer returned to Boston homeless and broke.

Living on the streets and in abandoned squats, Sommer played every available open mic and picked up guitar tips from David Landau and Gary Burton/Steve Howe sideman Mick Goodrick, which led to the formation of a trio called The Atomics, which offered up an American version of Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson and Nick Lowe during its run. While The Atomics opened for the Dead Kennedys and Gang of Four and became one of Boston’s best local New Wave outfits, Sommer was finding constant inspiration in the works of Jeff Beck, Pat Martino, Joe Pass and Charlie Christian.

With The Atomics’ dissolution, Sommer’s wanderlust took him to New York, Atlanta and finally the suburbs of Washington, D.C., where he founded the Georgetown Film Festival and embarked on a phase of independent film scoring. Since then, Sommer has been a troubadour with no fixed address, playing well over 250 gigs a year and slowing down just long enough to record a handful of brilliant albums, including Rainy Day Karma with his band, Solar Flares, and his latest solo effort, Brooklyn Bolero.

If there’s any lingering doubt about Sommer’s supernatural versatility, consider that he’s opened for Old 97’s, Nickel Creek’s Sara Watkins, Bluegrass icon Jerry Douglas, Mates of State, Dr. John, Leon Redbone and Built to Spill. Whether in band or one-man form (which nakedly showcases his amazing acoustic Blues guitar stylings), Sommer is a living history of contemporary music and a musical force of nature. - Cincinnati City Paper

Singer-songwriter, vocalist en gitarist Eric Sommer startte zijn muzikale carrière in de Boston area, niet toevallig zijn thuisbasis. In Europa werkte hij zelfs twee jaar met Nick Lowe en met Bram Tcaikovsky en Wreckless Eric. Eens terug in Boston vormde hij de cult power-pop band The Atomics. Nu vond hij in de New Jersey gevestigde Jim Oakley (percussie, stomp box) en basgitarist Zach Smith de ideale muzikale compagnons. Wat is ons hier vooral meteen opvalt is de grote diversiteit die schuilgaat in zijn rijkelijke sound. Het album ‘Brooklyn Bolero’ is de vierde release voor Eric, en staat garant voor acht opwindende blues en Americana getinte nummers. Eric neemt ons mee op zijn muzikale reis die begint met de slidegitaar uit ‘Red Dress’. Oakley’s harptune komt in de spotlight in ‘Cereal Song’ en de akoestische luisterstukken ‘Best Food Forward’, ‘Cover My Soul’ en ‘Death Ray Cataclysm’ zijn contrasterende poëmen. De track ‘Doin’ Wrong’ is dan weer lekker en beukende Americana, net zoals het country geïnspireerde ‘What A Day I Had’. Het afsluitende ‘Hold Your Hand’ komt dan weer in de buurt van knappe bluesrock. Eric Sommer zet wel vaker een podium in vuur en vlam. En dat zal met de voorstelling van dit album wellicht niet anders zijn. Door zijn diversiteit is dit een killer van een album!

"Because of its diversity, Brooklyn Bolero is a Killer Album! - Keys and Chords

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Brooklyn Bolero from Eric Sommer. Opening with knee slapper, Red Dress, Eric Sommer (guitar, vocal and harmonica), Jim Oakley (percussion, vocal and stomp box) and Zach Smith (bass, vocals and groove accelerator) set a hefty pace for the release. On Cereal Song, Sommer creates something of a country rudimentary rap. With harmonica and rim shots, it's more of a chant. Warm ballad, Best Foot Forward, is nicely constructed with Elvis Costello style. Soothing vocals and clean electric soloing makes for a real nice track. Chord driven, Doin' Wrong, has a country punk style that I could most easily associate with Frank Black / Pixies. Short and sweet, possibly my favorite track on the release. Cover My Soul is an easy going rural style showing solid vocal blending, nice song writing, a cool bass line and interesting finger picking. Rural sounds, blended with contemporary presentation yields What A Day I Had, a cool pop track with a solid drum beat. Death Ray Cataclysm is straight ahead but reminds me of David Lindley just the same. A good melody and simple acoustic guitar work, another favorite on the set. Wrapping the release is rocker, Hold Your Hand. With a relentless swing, this track gives Sommer a chance to stretch a bit on electric guitar and Oakley's driving drum lines paired with Smith on bass makes this the perfect closer. - Blues Mans Blues Report

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Caroline Brody
202-255-1995
CIT Concert Promotions
January 16, 2020

NC POET AND TUMBLEWEED TROUBADOUR ERIC SOMMER IN RALEIGH, NC AT "THE BERKELEY CAFE" ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 AT 8:00 AND IN CHAPEL HILL, NC ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 31 AT THE "2nd WIND" AT 10PM

Eric Sommer, Winner of 2017 The Piedmont Blues Challenge in Greensboro NC and The 2018 IBC Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN - Will be Setting Up Shop At THE BERKELEY CAFE On Thursday, January 30th for an 8 pm start; and on Friday, January 31 appearing at "2nd Wind" in Carrboro, NC.

Eric Sommer - Pop Americana Artist - is coming back to North Carolina for two Triangle shows These venues are an ideal, intimate setting for fans and friends to experience this songwriter and legendary guitar slinger from Far West Texas. Eric Sommer will play selections from his current release "Turning Point", along with stories, readings from his "Red, Black & Blue" Series, wailing on Slide Guitar and Observations from his time on the Road with Little Feat, John Hammond, Jr., Nick Lowe & Dave Edmonds and so many others!

"Turning Point" was recorded at Hondo Creek Studios, a full-service studio in the middle of the Pittsboro woods, just outside of Pittsboro, NC.

From the acoustic coffeehouse circuits in Boston and Cambridge with Dave Van Ronk, John Hammond, JR. and David Bromberg to hard-core pop in new-wave crossover punk rooms with Nick Lowe, Dave Edmonds, Wreckless Eric and Bram Tschaikovsky in Bremen, Hamburg, London, Amsterdam and Denmark, and then with Misson of Burma, Gang of Four and The Dead Kennedys, Eric Sommer has just about covered it all.

Eric Sommer is "A living history of contemporary music and a musical force of nature, with a résumé that reads more like a musical adventure novel than a series of career bullet points" Cincy CityBeat, 2018

Eric's recent studio work with Scotty Marvelous and Tony Testa of The Falling Rain has produced a wonderful 32 song catalog of new-style "Roots Americana Music" which includes Keep you Hands on the Wheel, Panic in Passaic, Soldier Bob, Red Dress, and That Car Won't Drive...

This chronicler of the down-trodden, friend to deep desert hobos and singer of The Swanky Modes, has made a career of great playing, writing and touring, and in the process, Eric has recorded a remarkable catalog that remains fresh, vibrant and current due to his constantly evolving output of new material... and his constant touring schedule has shaped his style and message while perfectly tuning his caustic and catch-all artists' eye...

The Berkeley Cafe is located at 217 W Martin Street, Raleigh, NC and can be reached at: (919) 8289190 Doors at 5 pm, Show at 8 pm.

The 2nd Wind is located at 118 E Main St, Carrboro, NC 27510 and can be reached at: (919) 903-9023 Doors at noon, Show at 10 pm

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You can get Mr. Sommer's full schedule at www.ericsommer.com
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Turning Point, Rainy Day Karma, LIVE in AUSTIN, Brooklyn Bolero are all available on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby and wherever smart people buy smart music; and all t-shirts, posters and “Live in Austin”, “Rainy Day Karma” and “Live at The Willow Tree” CD’s are available at the live shows.

For music samples and additional schedules, please visit Eric Sommer online at www.ericsommer.com or contact CIT at caroline(at)clydeisthinking(dot)com or call 202-255-1995. Additionally, you can find Eric Sommer on Facebook @ ericsommermusic and twitter.com/ericsommer. RAINY DAY KARMA is also available on iTunes and CDBaby.

© Eric Sommer Music, Eric Sommer is the property of Eric Sommer Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PPIE of Hilton Head, Fender, and Valco & National are registered trademarks. Eric Sommer is represented by Clyde is Thinking, and PR programs are managed thru MTG/NY; For more information, promo/appearance requests or to set up an interview, please contact Caroline Brod 202-255-1995. - CIT/Clyde Is Thinking Media

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Caroline Brody
202-255-1995
CIT Concert Promotions
March 3, 2019

TEXAS POET AND TUMBLEWEED TROUBADOUR ERIC SOMMER IN JACKSONVILLE, FL AT JACK RABBITS ON MONDAY, MARCH 18 AT 9:00PM; TIX ARE $10.

Eric Sommer, Winner of 2017 The Piedmont Blues Challenge in Greensboro NC and The 2018 IBC Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN - Will be Setting Up Shop At Jack Rabbits On Monday, March 18th; Eric Sommer will Feature Selections From recent LONDON Recording Sessions as well as new material from Hondo Creek Recordings, along with Stories, Slide Guitar and Observations from his time on the Road with Little Feat, John Hammond, Jr., Nick Lowe & Dave Edmonds and so many others!

Eric Sommer - Pop Americana Artist - is coming back to Florida on March 18th and will be in Jacksonville, FL at the signature venue: JACK RABBITS on Monday, March 18th; Doors at 7pm, Show at 9:00pm. This classic rock room and music venue is one of the few "near perfect listening rooms" according to Mr. Sommer, and an ideal, intimate setting for fans and friends to experience this songwriter and legendary guitar slinger from Far West Texas.

From the acoustic coffeehouse circuits in Boston and Cambridge with Dave Van Ronk, John Hammond, JR. and David Bromberg to hard-core pop, new-wave crossover punk rooms with Nick Lowe, Dave Edmonds, Wreckless Eric and Bram Tschikovsky in Bremen, Hamburg, London, Amsterdam and Denmark, and with Misson of Burma, Gang of Four and The Dead Kennedys, when Eric was with The Atomics; Eric Sommer is "... a living history of contemporary music and a musical force of nature, with a résumé that reads more like a musical adventure novel than a series of career bullet points" Cincy CITYBeat, 2018

Eric's recent studio work with Scotty Marvelous and Tony Testa of The Falling Rain has produced a wonderful 32 song catalog of new-style "Roots Americana Music" which includes Keep you Hands on the Wheel, Panic in Passaic, Soldier Bob, Red Dress and That Car Won't Drive...

From East Coast rock rooms to London blues basements, this chronicler of the down-trodden, deep desert hobos and the singer of the swanky modes has a remarkable catalog that remains fresh, vibrant and current due to his constantly evolving output of new material... and his tours with everyone from Nick Lowe to The Dead Kennedy's have shaped his style and message while perfectly tuning his caustic and catch-all artists' eye...

JACK RABBITS is located at 1528 Hendricks Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32207 and can be reached at: (904) 398-7496 Doors at 7pm, Show at 7:30pm, TIX are $10 and may be purchased here.

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You can get Mr. Sommer's full schedule at www.ericsommer.com
____________________________________________________________________________

Rainy Day Karma, LIVE in AUSTIN, Brooklyn Bolero are all available on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby and wherever smart people buy smart music; and all t-shirts, posters and “Live in Austin”, “Rainy Day Karma” and “Live at The Willow Tree” CD’s are available at the live shows.

For music samples and additional schedules, please visit Eric Sommer online at www.ericsommer.com or contact CIT at caroline(at)clydeisthinking(dot)com or call 202-255-1995. Additionally, you can find Eric Sommer on Facebook @ ericsommermusic and twitter.com/ericsommer. RAINY DAY KARMA is also available on iTunes and CDBaby.

© Eric Sommer Music, Eric Sommer is the property of Eric Sommer Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PPIE of Hilton Head, Fender, and Valco & National are registered trademarks. Eric Sommer is represented by Clyde is Thinking, and PR programs are managed thru MTG/NY; For more information, promo/appearance requests or to set up an interview, please contact Caroline Brod 202-255-1995. - Jax Live

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Caroline Brody
202-255-1995
CIT Concert Promotions
December 20, 2019
info@clydeisthinking.com

Eric Sommer In Belmar, NJ at 10th Ave Burrito, Dec. 20, 9 pm with New Band, Local Players & New Record

Multi-instrumentalist and Americana King Eric Sommer is back in New Jersey for a December 20th show at 10th Avenue Burrito; Eric will be supporting his new record "Turning Point", his 5th Full-Length Studio Record.

Eric Sommer will be appearing at 10th Avenue Burrito In Belmar, NJ on Friday, December 20th at 9pm; This music venue is located at 801 Belmar Plaza, in Belmar, New Jersey. This show will encompass selections from Eric's last 4 records and will be featuring a new trio composed of Asbury Park players Victor Montanaro on percussion and Genevieve Nelson on bass guitar.

The show starts at 9:00 with no cover at the door. Set will include "Red Dress" from BROOKLYN BOLERO as well as "The Cereal Song" and a wide range of slide guitar, acoustic jams and harmonica: think Magic Dick meets Joey Ramone.

10th Avenue Burrito is located at 801 Belmar Plaza in Belmar, NJ and can be reached at (732) 280-1515. Seating is limited, and it's all part of Eric's approach to making music in small rooms where intimate close contact with the audience is possible.

Turning Point is Eric's 5th full-length record, and was recorded in Chapel Hill, NC in late March 2019 at Hondo Creek Recording; it was mastered by Hondo Creek Recording in Chapel Hill, NC; "Ray Gun Serenade" and "Boom Boom Titty" were mastered by Jessica Thompson in San Francisco at Coast Mastering who has done extensive work with the Rolling Stones Catalog. The 10" vinyl will be pressed in Nashville at United Pressing, a company owned in part by Jack White of The White Stripes and will be engineered in mono, as opposed to stereo.

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You can get Mr. Sommer's full schedule at Eric Sommer. For a list of book readings and signings, Red Chairs, Black Pancake and Blue Turtle can be read at Eric Sommer.

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Turning Point, Brooklyn Bolero and Rainy Day Karma are available on iTunes and CD Baby and all t-shirts, posters and “Live in Austin”, “Rainy Day Karma” and “Live at The Willow Tree” CD’s are available at the live shows.

For music samples and additional schedules, please visit Eric Sommer online or contact him at eric(at)eric sommer(dot)com or call 202-255-1995. Additionally, you can find Eric Sommer on Facebook @ ericsommermusic and twitter.com/ericsommer. RAINY DAY KARMA is also available on iTunes and CDBaby.

© Eric Sommer Music, Eric Sommer is the property of Eric Sommer Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PPIE of Hilton Head, Fender, and Valco & National are registered trademarks. Eric Sommer is represented by Clyde is Thinking, and PR programs are managed thru MTG/NY; For more information, promo/appearance requests or to set up an interview, please contact Caroline Brody 202-255-1995.
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Eric Sommer Urban Troubadour, Poet, Visualiser eric@ericsommer.com www.ericsommer.com twitter | instagram | Facebook cell: 202-255-1995 - Tri State News

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, November 30, 2018
Caroline Brody / Clyde Is Thinking
202-255-1995
Caroline@clydeisthinking.com

ERIC SOMMER BRINGS UNIQUE ROOTS AMERICANA SOUND TO DAWSON STREET; FROM LONDON, THIS ROOTS ROCKER & AMERICANA POET DECAMPS IN MANAYUNK ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1st

Eric Sommer Brings His Distinctive Guitar Style And Songwriting Catalog to Philadelphia's Dawson Street on Saturday, December 1st, 9 pm; Eric Sommer is the Winner of 2017 Piedmont Blues Society Guitar Challenge and International Blues Challenge in Memphis 2018, and New Babylon Poetry Competition Winner 2018.

(Knightsbridge, UK) On Saturday, December 1st, around 9 pm, Dawson Street hosts Eric Sommer in the main room for an evening of songs, spoken word, stompbox, harmonica, and slide guitar, which includes his range of open-tunings and drop formats. Tickets are $7 at the door, and Dawson Street is located at 100 Dawson Street in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. You can reach them at (215) 482-567.

Winner of the 2018 Piedmont Blues Challenge in Greensboro, NC and an outstanding showman at the 2018 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, this is an evening of songs drawn from an amazing catalog of original material mixed in with stories, observations and road poetry from years of touring, playing, writing...

Eric is one of the original road poets of Duluth, Minnesota, weened from the age of 14 on the legendary Road Men from Duluth, MN which included Bob and Steve Pokorney who celebrated Woody, Dylan, and Jack Kerouac's vision and legacy; Eric is the most prolific writer and musical force of this shadowy, but culturally influential, troupe.
Eric started out in the Cambridge, MA music scene while in High School in Lexington, MA and worked answering phones at WBCN, played the Charles Street folk scene, and worked for Don Law, and played the Paradise Theatre when touring acts failed to arrive. While working with Don Law, Eric toured with everyone from John Mayall to Gang of Four, Little Feat and Bonnie Raitt. Influenced by Steve Howe, Bert Jansch, David Bromberg, and Jeff Beck, Eric's acoustic style is a remarkable combination of all the above. He'll be back in London on October 3 and in the EU through Nov 20 - his 4th EU Tour.

"slowing down just long enough to record a handful of brilliant albums, including Rainy Day Karma with his band, Solar Flares, and his latest solo effort, Brooklyn Bolero; whether in-band or one-man form (which nakedly showcases his amazing acoustic Blues guitar stylings), Sommer is a living history of contemporary music and a musical force of nature." https://www.citybeat.com/music/live-music/article/20846063/sound-advice-eric-sommer-dec-8

With a tour schedule that would overwhelm most singer/songwriters and guitar players, Eric seems to draw more and more inspiration and commitment from this lifestyle; currently, in an NC studio in the woods of Pittsboro, NC, Eric is working on a three-disc collection of 28 songs, all original compositions. Recently mastered, these titles are made available for music journalists and reviewers: Panic in Passaic, Redneck Parking Lot and Keep Your Hands on The Wheel.

Eric Sommer: Saturday evening, December 1st, Dawson Street hosts Eric Sommer in the main room; Tickets are $7 at the door, and the Dawson Street Pub is located at 100 Dawson Street in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. You can reach them at (215) 482-567.


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