By Kel Kawas
With an original lineup reunion, Jahman Brahman is poised to make their return home to Columbus at Skully’s Music-Diner! On December 29, fans will pack into Columbus’s best mid-size music venue for a night of music, dancing, smiles and love.
The original lineup, which consists of Justin Brown (guitar, vocals), Casey Chanatry (guitar, vocals), Nate “Brother” Brown (bass, vocals), and Rowdy Keelor (drums, vocals), draws inspiration from a variety of different influences – electronica,classic rock, punk, jazz, and everything in between. Self-described as “shred ‘n flow,” Jahman Brahman provides listeners with “rich, fluid, progressions of energy” that generate stratospheric jams and well-rounded compositions. Draped overfunky and rhythmic bass grooves are “transcendent key strokes and a myriad of effects,” accenting the cleverly-written lyrics of Justin Brown.
In anticipation for this monumental event, we caught up with Rowdy Keelor and Nate Brown to discuss all things Jahman. They gave us some interesting insight into what makes them so unique.
“Jahman Brahman is a band of perseverance that has always stayed true to its musical values. We never shy away from something that might sound different or weird because we aren’t sure how it will be received. If we have something to say musically, we will do it unapologetically. We have worked to stay as organic and grass roots as we possibly could throughout the years, and we thank a community of close knit fans and supporters for allowing us to have that freedom. As obvious as it may sound, what makes us different from other bands are the individuals that make up Jahman. You will not find another set of Brown Brothers out there, and the connection they share. There is not another Casey Chanatry out there, with his unique, diverse and thorough approach to his playing. And so on. Like all bands, we are a sum of our unique parts, and we believe that this is evident in the music.”
While Jahman currently resides in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina and tours around the country, their roots trace all the way back to Columbus. Forming in 2007, they have grown and developed an unmistakable sound over the past 11+ years. As Keelor explains, the city of Columbus was a major influence on the growth and success they have seen over the years.
“Sprouting out of Columbus when we did, was very educational. We moved to Columbus as wide-eyed music lovers and were taken aback by all of the terrific music happening in and around the city. We were glued to the scene and wanted to become a true part of it. It was extremely exciting that when we started making our own music, and playing around the city, we began to notice the same people that we saw in the crowds of our favorite bands were showing up to see us. It has also been extremely special for us to see bands that came up around the time we did, grow and become major parts of the Ohio/National scene… It is just a special sense of pride to see your friends in the business succeed and to have the feeling of belonging to a music scene in Ohio that is second to none.”
When asked about the reasons for hosting the reunion show in Columbus, Rowdy explains that it was an easy decision. “It just feels right,” he says. “We share such a deep bond with Columbus that there really was no other option for this show. Our musical and brotherly bond was built in this city,” Keelor continues. “We owe everything we have to this city. It will always hold an untouchable space in our hearts.”
The love Keelor and the rest of Jahman has for Columbus is not unlike the love they have for music in general. The way Rowdy and Nate Brown describe their feelings about music is cerebral, and enough to give any music-lover pause.
“What is so special about live music that can be so life changing is it’s a form of art that is here and gone. It is created for that exact moment and then it fades to the next. It is not a painting on the wall that you revisit. Even listening to recordings will not do justice to the feeling you had at that live show. It is so important to people because so many times in life people have schedules and they worry about what is coming up in the next week or there are concerns about decisions they made or did not make. It becomes challenging to live in the now. Live music forces you to be there at that exact time focusing on just that moment to truly feel it, otherwise that moment will be gone and there is no getting it back.”
On December 29th, fans in Columbus will have to wait no longer to live in the moment with the original lineup of Jahman Brahman. Joined by Electric Orange Peel and PronToh, attendees will enjoy hours of satisfying music that will keep them moving and grooving through the night. Be sure to grab your tickets now before they sell out!