Bruce Hornsby might joke that he plays gigs for selfish reasons. But the pile of hand-written requests on his piano this past weekend at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis certainly suggested otherwise.
A three-time Grammy winner who’s pleased a wide range of music listeners with his dynamic and progressive body of work, and along the way partnered with so many highly regarded bands and solo artists, Hornsby is adored far and wide for his brilliant, lasting compositions as a songwriter. The 68-year-old pianist is also respected his ability complement and enhance any musical project better, having joined a long, impressive list of fellow musicians in his day.
The night of June 4, Hornsby and his longest-running operation — The Noise Makers — delighted a packed house of fans including some who’d driven from way out of town to take in a gorgeous set of music highlighted by some of Bruce’s essentials that have helped define popular music as we know it.
Attendees giddily placed their submissions in paper form at the foot of the stage, and upon strolling out and giving a wave, Bruce respectfully gathered them all and set them next to his synthesizer on top of the piano.
“BRUUUUUUUUCE!” calls bellowed from any corner of the room as Hornsby and his mates settled in. The group consisted of John “JT” Thomas (organ/keyboards), John Mailander (mandolin/ fiddle), J.V. Collier (bass), Gibb Droll (guitar), and Chad Wright (drums), all of whom added to the vocal mix.
Listen to Bruce Hornsby & The Noise Maker’s 2016 studio album, Rehab Reunion, via Spotify:
And none of Bruce’s recordings seemed out of question, as this was — like most of his shows — an open-ended night very much influenced by the stack of notes in front of him and what seemed to be his own pleasure in a visit to Annapolis.
The band quickly pulled from The Way It Is, the monumental starting point for Bruce’s career and an album he created with a band called The Range way back in 1986. He began with the track “The Red Plains,” written by Bruce and his brother John, who grew up together in Williamsburg, Virginia, just a few hours south down the Chesapeake Bay.
A prolific creator who’s managed movie soundtracks and numerous tribute projects, Bruce has released three solo albums since the latest Noise Makers recording. Pulling from 2019’s Absolute Zero, he shared “The Blinding Light of Dreams,” a blazing, jazzy composition that showed off the dazzling abilities of The Noise Makers, and Bruce himself seemed impressed throughout the presentation.
Thomas and Collier have been a part of The Noise Makers since the squad launched in the late 90s, with the aptly titled Here Come The Noise Makers serving as a live encapsulation of the group’s early shows just before the turn of the century.
The group has teamed up for a total of six studio albums, the most recent being 2016’s Rehab Reunion and on which Bruce plays only the Appalachian dulcimer.
Bruce’s musical interests and experiments have no bounds, and he’s even credited for helping rejuvenate the sound of the Grateful Dead as a frequent guest and even a touring member of the band from the late ’80s and into the mid 1990s, by which point he’d become a close friend of the late Jerry Garcia.
That adventurous spirit was on display, and Bruce brought his crew along with him as they delivered a colorful take on “Cyclone,” a piece written by the late Grateful Dead songwriter Robert Hunter.
Watch the official music video for “Sidelines,” a track by Bruce Hornsby and Ezra Koenig and featuring Blake Mills, via YouTube:
Fans, some of whom bragged about making the daunting drive to Jiffy Lube Live the night prior for Dead & Company, stood up and twirled in place despite it being a seated show.
The night in Naptown would include a beautiful take on “Mandolin Rain,” another of Bruce’s timeless hits and one that blends different traditional styles of music. He moved over to center stage, where he picked up one of the dulcimers and was joined by Wright on the washboard and Mailander as well for a segue Bruce called a “walk over to the porch.”
Those on hand heard an old-time take on a shouted request, “Green Green Rocky Road” by Dave Van Ronk, as well as a roots version of “The Valley Road,” a celebrated Grammy-winning piece by Bruce and The Range.
Hornsby’s warm glow and the apparent joy he draws from interacting and making music with these gentleman — he playfully called them “bad” men — were an incredible site to behold. He’d point to the players and excitedly call them out by name, clearly energized by their contributions.
Attendees were treated to a healthy slice of Bruce’s famous tunes and some more underappreciated ones, too. Bruce was tickled by some of the requests he received, and even though he said some couldn’t be performed as they’d not been rehearsed with The Noise Makers, he still made the night for many with the simple acknowledgement.
Listen to Bruce Hornsby’s latest solo album, 2022’s ‘Flicted, via Spotify:
As he’s known to do, Bruce teased the beginning of “Fractals,” a complex, accelerated piece from Absolute Zero. But while doing so, he flashed a glance at the band, and in remarkable fashion, the group collectively improvised Bruce’s piano solo into a cinematic, sparkling take on “The Way It Is,” a song with everlasting power that has been covered and sampled who-knows-how-many times.
Hornsby comfortably told stories as he went, throwing it back to his younger days when he and his pals thought they were it, hanging out in hotel lobbies, listening to disco and attempting to impress females.
Amusing, uplifting and especially humble for all he’s accomplished — poking fun at the middling chart status of a few “old ass songs” — he’s a man who’s devoted his life to creating music in an impressively varied fashion, successfully bringing a lot of different people together.
“We really play for ourselves,” he joshed in Annapolis. “I really play for me. … I think one of the reasons (The Noise Makers) like to come on stage and gig is that we don’t repeat songs.”
Bruce kindly moved through requests, taking on those suited for the lineup and of course sharing some tracks he’d planned for the occasion in what was a memorable night of music in the old high school turned venue.
Over the course of nearly 40 years, Bruce’s devoted listeners have developed a trust in him and all the sounds he’s interested in exploring — it’s a fruitful relationship. With flexibility, imagination, and his gentle charisma, Hornsby returns the favor to his longtime followers and even newer ones with not only wonderful music, but with genuine affection and deep gratitude.
Setlist
The Red Plains
The Blinding Light of Dreams
Cyclone (Robert Hunter song)
Walk in the Sun
Lost Soul
Swing Street
Mandolin Rain
Is This It
Green Green Rocky Road (David Van Ronk cover)
The Valley Road
Prairie Dog Town
The Way It Is
Hooray for Tom
Sunflower Cat (Some Dour Cat / Down With That)
The Show Goes On
Here are images of Bruce Hornsby & The Noise Makers performing at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis, Md., on June 4, 2023. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Vock.
