“Should I smile?” she asks the photographer.
Brijean is wearing a green and blue floral blouse with track pants, platform sneakers, rose-tinted glasses — a fittingly unique outfit. She leans over her congas and looks at Doug. The camera clicks again, again.
“Is this your first interview?” I ask the Brijean Band, the musical duo of Oakland-based percussionist Brijean Murphy (Toro y Moi, Poolside, U.S. Girls) and her partner, producer and multi-instrumentalist Doug Stuart (Bells Atlas, Meernaa). They tell me that it is, and I tell them that I’m honored.
Their debut album, Walkie Talkie, is a rare and killer find. Out on Native Cat Recordings this June 28, it’s a shoulder-moving burst of happiness that makes it hard to sit still. It’s backroom disco, a touch of house, Latin jazz, and lots of cabana conga rat-a-tat-tats…
Michelle Kicherer 