Sandcastle Sazerac

For those who want to come out and support two local Smusicians with a string to pick, meet David Brimer and Marcus Brixa: the eponymous artists behind The Brimer & Brixa Duet. Though the two had often run within the same circles, the first time they played together was in 2023 at a serendipitous jam session at The Guitar Parlor in the Ghost Light Lounge at Theatre Winter Haven. It was harmony at first strum, as David says, “we realized we had very sympathetic, yet thoroughly opposed styles. Our influences came from the same eras and genres, so we talked the same language. Once we started to write together, it was off to the races!” That original concert is out on Spotify and iTunes under “Recorded Live at the Ghost Light Lounge David Brimer and Marcus Brixa” for those curious cats who want to hear where the magic all started.

Photo by Chris Douglas

Six months later, in November 2023, their debut album “Clay Pigeons” was released through Long House Recordings and is available on iTunes and Spotify. New fans just hitching onto the bandwagon (pun absolutely intended) should be ready for “folkjazzclassicalbluesypop,” in Marcus’ words, while David elucidated by saying, “the most important thing to know is that it’s totally acoustic and instrumental. It’s just two guys with a large array of vintage acoustic guitars playing engrossing, thematic, beautiful music they agonized over and are improvising within.” With inspirations from artists like Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Al Di Meola, Tony Rice, and Julian Lage, you’re sure to be in for a treat with every listen.

The intricate melody and harmony lines throughout their songs are evidence of a great love of the instruments they play and technical knowledge with years of experience (multiple decades worth, in fact). When I asked the duo where their favorite performance venue was, the answer was a resounding “the Gram Parsons Derry Down!” With its open ceilings and wooden accents, this historic listening room has everything you need for an intimate concert experience. Brimer & Brixa will be returning there this month on May 2 to perform an album release concert for their second album, “Sandcastle Sazerac.” Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m., so make sure you get your tickets now before they sell out!

Having talked with David and Marcus about their new album, and streaming “Clay Pigeons” while I cut out about 150 paper popsicles for craft time at the library, I might be just as excited about “Sandcastle Sazerac” as they are. (Okay… probably not, I doubt I’ll ever measure up to how excited artists get about their work, especially at the caliber that these two perform at.) Recording and producing this new album along with “Clay Pigeons” at Bartow’s Omnipop Recording Studio with Josh Miller, a lot of trust and history were created between the artists and the production team. David commented on the album as a whole, stating, “[e]very song on this album stands together as the best of the best of what Marcus and I can do as composers, performers, and improvisers.” While Marcus singled out “Marietta” and “Sepia” for their unique blending of the two guitars and playing styles the men share, making “the two guitars really come together like one big guitar.”

It’s not all serious though. Marcus and David very clearly have fun together, and their ability to be silly and have a good time comes through clearly on “The Atlanta Suite,” a song inspired by the trip they took together to see one of their favorite artists. While recording, the second half of the song became more experimental, “very aggressive and bizarre, much like Atlanta traffic. We recorded the main part live together in one take and then started adding all kinds of weird noises to experiment a bit: scraping strings, bending notes, and such. While David was recording some weird sounds, he knocked on his guitar 3 times like it was a door and then whispered “Housekeeping” into the mic. I almost fell over laughing… we kept it, it’s on the track!” While recording and releasing “Clay Pigeons” only took about 6 months, “Sandcastle Sazerac” has been a longer labor of love. The more complex layering and bigger mix of ideas evident in the album is well worth the wait. Now that the music has been written, Brimer and Brixa are ready to take to the stage and tour around with the new tunes before focusing on recording or coming up with new music, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for venues near you!

In a county where local artists and the arts are such a vibrant part of the community, many citizens might wonder how they can support the arts personally! Marcus and David gave me their takes on the best ways to support the arts in the community:

(Marcus) “We have so many amazing musicians here in Polk County and it really is a privilege to be a part of such a vibrant music scene. We have great friends who make their living performing here in our county and their music is amazing. It needs to be heard so… get out there and hear it!”

(David) - “They’re surrounded by a vibrant arts scene that would be the envy of any city. They can support by listening to original music and attending concerts of original material. They can patronize the arts the old fashioned way by purchasing physical art. Most importantly, they push their homegrown talent to do more.”

Marcus had some words of advice for aspiring musicians, “practice a lot and try to find your voice.” David chimed in with a paradigm shifting, “there are MANY ways to make a good living in music that don’t involve being a rockstar. When one is totally open to opportunities, they are always busy.” So, come out to the Derry Down this month to celebrate what makes Polk County great, our artists and the vibrant community they inspire!

David Brimer & Marcus Brixa

Album Release Concert

May 2, 7 p.m.

Gram Parsons Derry Down 297 5th St NW, Winter Haven

gpderrydown.com