Steeped in jazz, rock, blues, and jam, Mother Hubbard is a rising five-piece band hailing from New Jersey whose signature sound incorporates expressive horns, tasty guitar licks, and pulsing drum beats that will have listeners unable to keep themselves from nodding along.
Today, American Blues Scene is proud to premiere the quintet’s recording of Paul Simon’s “Have A Good Time” from their upcoming LP, Live at the Bitter End. The song captures the band’s energetic on-stage presence replete with a driving percussion filled with expressive, ringing cymbals, scorching guitar solos, and a deeply groovy bassline anchoring Mother Hubbard’s signature take on the 1975c Simon classic.
We sat down with guitarist and vocalist Nick Nella, drummer Liam Kerekes, and bassist Mike Bereski to discuss “Have A Good Time” and what’s next for Mother Hubbard.
Can you tell us a little about the origins of the band? You all met when you were jazz students at William Paterson University. How did the band come to be?
Mike Bereski, bass:
Nick, Liam and I met at William Paterson University studying jazz. As our friendship grew, the songwriting began. This is what sparked the creation of this group in 2017, known as Wishbone at the time. Once we gained some traction from friends and family, we decided to cut a record and book serious live dates. I brought in our horn players, my cousin Matt Tischio joined us on tenor sax, and we added his high school classmate Patrick Dudasik on trumpet. Both players took our sound to the next level in the studio and on stage. Two albums and many gigs later, Wishbone was cruising.
During the height of the pandemic in the fall of 2020, we put out a self-titled album but there was a lot of soul-searching about our next move in that environment. Where there’s a negative, there’s also a positive– around this time we were introduced to Joe Riccitelli, who, at the time, was Co-President of RCA Records. After he left RCA, we signed with Gold’n Retriever, his own label out of Montclair, NJ, in early 2023. As we negotiated the deal, we mutually decided to rename the band to something more distinctive and Mother Hubbard was born. Since then, we picked up another wonderful member along the way, Jerry Ulichny, on guitar.
How does your background in jazz inform the music of Mother Hubbard?
Mike Bereski, bass:
Our collective background in jazz gives us a rich vocabulary when writing parts for songs. For example, a lot of our songs use extended chord structures. Our jazz education allows us to collectively understand music theory, so it’s easier for us to express our ideas clearly and efficiently during the songwriting process, including physically charting out each song.
That being said, we’re not up on stage playing bebop. The jazz influence really comes out in a performative sense. The education and experience we have has given us an inherent feel and ability to improvise that sets us apart. It all comes down to melody, harmony, and feel at the end of the day.
It’s been said you’re a love child between the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Steely Dan — can you tell us how the sounds of those two wildly different groups fuse together?
Nick Nella, guitar, vocals:
We really only say that because the Chili Peppers were a huge influence on me throughout high school and Steely Dan has always been one of Mike’s favorite groups. Funny enough, I hadn’t really known much of Steely Dan’s catalog before meeting Mike in college and Mike, to this day, does not listen to the Chili Peppers. That being said, the two separate influences are strong when it comes to songwriting and being that Mike and I co-write most of the songs, both influences can be heard sometimes within the same song, both live and on record. It may seem like a strange union, but it works for us.
You recently sold out the Bitter End in New York City, and we understand you’re playing in Philadelphia and upstate NY this spring and summer. What can listeners expect from your live show?
Nick Nella, guitar, vocals:
We approach every live show differently than the last. As of late, we’ve been putting a lot of thought into our setlists and like to think that with each show lies an opportunity for a new experience. One show could be filled with funk tunes while the next we may decide to go more soul or experimental. What matters most to us is that people get on the ride with us at these shows and hopefully enjoy that ride.
Today, you’re premiering a live version of your rendition of Paul Simon’s “Have A Good Time.” The percussion and horn parts are similar, but then extended drum and percussion solos, an expressive guitar solo, and a faster tempo all make it a Mother Hubbard tune. How did you decide on this arrangement, and what is it about this version that made you want to include it on the live album?
Nick Nella, guitar, vocals:
Paul Simon’s record Still Crazy After All These Years is a big influence on all of us. “Have A Good Time” was a song that I always felt would be fun to do our own spin on. The structure of the song is similar to a blues form which makes it easier to manipulate. We decided to speed it up and funk it up a bit, and the rest happened naturally. The drum break is definitely coming from that James Brown perspective, and we were really excited to have our friend Mike Santa Cruz on percussion that night so it felt like the perfect spot for him and drummer Liam Kerekes to go off.
Mother Hubbard original song “Crack the Code,” released in 2023, has a Steely Dan feel to it. It opens with the horns. Did you write that part first, or did you come to the band with the guitar, lyrics, and melody first and then add in the other parts? Can you give us an idea of how MH collaborates on new material?
Nick Nella, guitar, vocals:
“Crack The Code” started with the chords and harmonic framework of the tune brought in by Mike. With this, yes, we already had Steely Dan in mind as a reference point. I then wrote the horn line and melody/lyrics. From that point, it becomes a matter of charting out the form and making decisions as a group regarding things like repeated sections and transitions.
Many Mother Hubbard songs start with me and/or Mike, then, as the song progresses, everybody else sort of chimes in and the final product can sometimes end up with ideas and parts written by each member of the group.
Mike, your bass playing is rhythmic and melodic. As a bassist, how do you like to handle your part as the bridge between drums and guitar, connecting it all and holding it down?
Mike Bereski, bass:
Holding it down is the master plan. I value the purpose and job the bass serves in a band. Make sure your root notes are clear and lay in the pocket. You’ll find your moments to help and serve the band. This mentality comes from studying the conscious playing of Gordon Edwards with the flair and attitude of James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, Chuck Rainey, Verdine White, Charles Mingus, Paul Jackson, Jaco Pastorius, Willie Weeks and Ron Carter.
As a listener, you should be able to be floored by the recording as a whole and by the way each player on the record plays their part. Each player should be able to take you on a journey as an individual. One should merit how the bass lines align and play a part with every other instrument. Most importantly, the relationship between bass, drums, and vocals or melody are crucial. The discipline and connection between these entities create superb performances and listening experiences.
When you get those moments as a bass player to stand out and share your knowledge of harmony and melody, that’s what the cherry on top is while doing your job. I send so much gratitude to those names I just mentioned. They have changed my life. Listening is key to getting physically and emotionally closer to your instrument. I cannot stress that enough.
Nick, tell us about some of your songwriting and guitar influences. How do they inform the sound of Mother Hubbard?
Nick Nella, guitar, vocals:
My top influences as a songwriter will always be Lennon and McCartney. The Beatles became my favorite band around the same time I started getting into songwriting around 10 years old and I’ve been hooked on them ever since. The Beatles really laid down the foundation for me and Lennon has become an even bigger influence ever since I started listening to his solo stuff. What I really love about Lennon’s songs are his melodies and the way he weaves in and out of words and phrases. I also love Paul Simon, Kevin Parker, MGMT, David Byrne, The Decemberists, Vampire Weekend, and plenty more.
My biggest guitar influence is John Frusciante. Growing up, the Chili Peppers were like Greek gods to me, and Frusciante was Zeus. I spent a lot of time through high school learning to play the way he does. When I got to college, a lot changed in terms of what I was listening to. I wasn’t really listening to the Chili Peppers anymore but really got into Vulfpeck (can’t escape the funk!). I also started listening to legends like Clifford Brown and Bill Evans. These days, my favorite guitarist is Julian Lage. The way he plays the guitar is always so exciting to experience. I’ve seen him like eight times now and can’t wait for the next.
Liam, as a drummer, how does your jazz training inspire your playing? We hear lots of cool fills and cymbals punctuating your playing. What kind of flavor do you like to add to the material?
Liam Kerekes, drums:
I find having a background in jazz has helped me learn the skill of listening and responding to the other musicians, as well as express the art of playing with dynamics to shape the music. I like to season the music with some syncopation and unique rhythms to make it sound like I’m playing in a new tempo from where the song started or placing the beat in a different spot. I find it keeps things fresh and a little unexpected feeling can tune the listener back into the song.
What’s on the horizon for Mother Hubbard? Can we expect a full-length studio album soon? Will you be touring?
MH:
“Have A Good Time” is taken from a full-length live album of the Bitter End Show which will be released on May 31, titled simply Live at the Bitter End. We’re excited to get it out there, and hope your readers check it out! We have material in the can for a full-length studio album, and we continue to work on it. It’ll hopefully be out sometime in the next 18 months.
In the interim, we expect to release another live album likely over the summer from one of our upcoming shows. Next up is a date supporting Pheedback at 118 North in Wayne, PA on May 30. This is our first true away from home gig outside of NJ and NYC in a while.
We’re working on building our audience in different cities so we can put together a regional tour soon. We want people to know where we come from and who we are as musicians, and that we enjoy creating and making music that’s genuine and speaks to those who enjoy it. Thanks for the opportunity to tell our story.
