PAUL CEBAR AND THE MILWAUKEEANS: Such A Much

Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans

Such A Much

© 2001 groovesburg joys (666186257227)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

Funk, R& B and soul with dance heavy doses of Cuban and African rhythms

tracks

1 Dance Me to the End of Love
2 Build it On Up
3 She's Such a Much
4 You Make Me Feel So
5 Second That Emotion
6 One Step Up
7 Twice Little Sixteen
8 Knife and a Rose
9 That's No Big Thing
10 Check Your Bucket
11 Going Back to New Orleans
12 Lingering
13 Blood and Water
14 Please Don't Tell Me More
15 Jump in the Line
16 Romance in the Dark

notes

Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans
Biography

Paul Cebar cut his teeth musically in the coffeehouse folk scene of the mid-'70s in Milwaukee. First paying gigs took place in late '76 with an emphasis on solo recasting of small combo jump-blues and other early R&B. Upon graduation from New College in Sarasota, Florida, with a thesis addressing rhythm & blues varities featuring a hearty emphasis on Louis Jordan and Buddy Johnson, Cebar dedicated himself to trodding the boards in earnest and spent substantial amounts of time testing the waters out New York way while exploring band dynamics with a soul and New Orleans-minded crew called the R&B Cadets back home. The Cadets ranged about from 1980 to 1986 and featured the grand original tunes of John Sieger alongside the winning assortment of B sides and obscurities that were the fruits of Cebar's research. Concurrently, he kept alive the spark of his solo work with a small group which came to be known as The Milwaukeeans. Throughout the early 80s, this combo featured Rip Tenor on tenor sax, Alan Anderson on upright bass, Robyn Pluer on vocals and Paul on acoustic guitar and vocals, and drew most of its repertoire from '30s, '40s and '50s jazz and R&B.

With the demise of the Cadets in mid-1986, Cebar and Pluer, Tenor and Anderson welcomed drummer Randy Bayhen and early Cadet saxophonist/vocalist Juli Wood to a new dance-floor fortified verson of The Milwaukeeans which reflected Paul's ongoing and deepening fascination with African, Latin American and Carribean rhythm & blues analogues. Rambling about the Midwest for the remainder of the '80s with occasional forays east and south, The Milwaukeeans began to rely more and more upon the original material that began to emerge in the aftermath of years of interpolation and grappling with favorites.

The first studio album, "That Unhinged Thing," which was culled from a number of years of recording, finally saw the light of day in 1993. It sparked a wider itinerary in the touring department, with initial forays to the west coast and Canada, as well as returns to the east and south. Following the release of the record and six months of touring, founding member and estimable vocalist Robyn Pluer left the band to attend to le private life.

Rebuffing the command of the record label, Shanachie, that he add a female vocalist, Cebar and cohorts ventured forth into the storm without a label umbrella for what turned into two years of enthusastic touring with much attendant hand-wringing. Finally, they landed on the shores of a little label that could (for awhile), Don't Records, a Milwaukee-based, heart-driven indie. In the summer of '95, they set about making "Upstroke for the Downfolk," while upon its release in the fall of that year began to make inroads at adult album alternative radio outlets nationwide. The single "Didn't Leave Me No Ladder" ushered the fellows to a new level of visibility and the vans rolled on.

A six-song EP, "I Can't Dance For You," followed in the spring of '96 and was superceded by "The Get-Go," a full-length recording released in the fall of '97. Radio support was more sporadic, though the fan corps kept growing. But halfway through '98, Don't's distributor declared bankruptcy and its inventory was impounded. With its merchandise out of reach, Don't found it increasingly difficult and ultimately impossible to carry on.

In 2001, 15 1/2 years into the dance band incarnation of The Milwaukeeans, the fellows presented, "Suchamuch",a long-requested live album recorded at Martyr's in Chicago and continued to offer their multifarious wares to all and sundry. The present day incarnation of the Milwaukeeans took shape in early 2002 with the arrival of percussionist,Romero Beverly and bassist,Patrick Patterson to the fold joining 6 year veterans Reggie Bordeaux on drums and Bob Jennings on saxophones and keyboards.

The peripatetic pageant continues unabated with renewed focus on "THE SONG" in the context of the increasingly forceful rhythmic exploration that is at the heart of Cebar's quest. Stripping back to 5 pieces has opened up space for the understated command of Bob Jennings' keyboard and saxophonic thinking. Field Marshall Cebar's guitar musing comes to the fore. With an ever-deepening appreciation for the funk and the polyglot rhythmic conception that is their trademark, Paul Cebar and The Milwaukeeans say More! More! More! in 2004.

A new studio album is finished and will be released later this year...!!!

Stay Tuned!!!

reviews

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  • Such a Much
    author: Michael

    I've loved this band since first hearing them on a northern Wisconsin public radio station (WXPR - Rhinelander). Always prefering live over studio music, I found this album just great. Makes me want to go see them!

  • Paul Cebar & The Milwaukeeans are a genuine treat.
    author: Serapis-St. Louis

    Once in a while a friend says "give this a listen, I think you'll like it" Such was the case with Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans. And boy, was htis friend right on the money with this one. The band has a terrific instrumentation, with a great balance of rhythm, leads, and vocals. PC&TM have mastered the fine art of blending their sounds, and it is all held together by a great drum & conga/percussion duo. Covering a wide variety of musical genres, they move from old school R & B, to bouncy reggae,to swing with the gracefulness of seasoned professionals. Buy this CD, You'll love it. Support live music.

  • Yes! A LIVE Cebar CD!
    author: Jen

    If you close your eyes while listening (not if you're driving, duh!), it's almost like you're actual at the live concert! I've been waiting for a live Cebar CD for years, so I am loving this one now!

  • Suchamuch fulfills the pleasure of see Paul Cebar live.
    author: Mike

    We saw Paul Cebar at an outdoor roots festival in the fall of 2005, never having heard of him before. We danced and sang in pure pleasure at discovering Paul's pleasant onstage persona, and the tight, talented band around him. Suchamuch recaptures that pleasure, and remains in hot rotation on Ipod, Itunes, and CD player.

  • The all time best !
    author: Amy

    I have been dancing to them since they were the Cadets - from WI to MN and now in CO without and yes- life would be so much easier if the Milwaukeans were in CO!! And I am still missing Robyn and Julie doing "Calling All Boys"!! Publish everything you ever played! Wilepskis in SP must have tapes....

  • Most Excellent!
    author: Brad

    Such A Much is neither too much nor too little - it is just right! If only Cebar, the Milwakeeans & Cadets lived in Colorado, my weekend nights would be full dancing to their wonderful music!

  • cd a great example of their live show
    author: dave

    paul cebar continues to be a musical treasure. this cd is a great example of the bands live show. it's always a treat to see them perform-especially outdoors

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