On Blind Man’s Hill, The Bridge calls to mind bayou bluesman Tab Benoit backed by the Radiators during “Honey Bee,” and bluegrass fertilized with hot sauce on the wild “Dirtball Blues.” They also play urgent, funky, jazz-fired soul in “Heavy Water,” and use a Stevie Ray Vaughan-inspired guitar figure to drive the burly blues “Diggin’ In The Cold Ground.” And there’s so much more variety, most of it giving off some sort of pungent New Orleans aroma. Singer/guitarist Cris Jacobs and singer/mandolin player Kenny Liner are the two distinct songwriters that afford the Bridge such vast stylistic swings. But they, along with bassist Dave Markowitz, sax man Patrick Rainey, drummer Mike Gambone, and keyboardist Mark Brown, also have given Blind Man’s Hill a surprising cohesiveness born of a desire to make a compelling Americana roots-rock album in the classic sense. What they’ve done is record one of the best you’ll ever hear.

-HITTIN’ THE NOTE, Spring 2009

It’s a good week for blues-geared music in Boulder. Locals not only get to check out Hunter, but they can see the Bridge play the b.side lounge on Saturday. Wagatail Productions is hosting a double-bill night at the b.side, as the Bridge will be sharing the stage with Mike Dillon’s Go Go Jungle. In his spare time, Dillon plays percussion for Les Claypool and Ani DiFranco. The Bridge is a Baltimore, Md., band that takes elements of the blues, funk and folk — and mixes them up into its own musical brew. Last year, the group performed at the All Good music fest, Camp Bisco and the Gathering of the Vibes. “Baltimore is a good town for music,” vocalist/guitarist Cris Jacobs said. “The All Mighty Senators and Lake Trout all come from Baltimore.” However, Jacobs said his band has some elements that sets it apart from the rest of the Baltimore pack. “Our music is hard to categorize,” Jacobs said. “We have elements of Southern music, blues, jazz, funk and rock. Somehow, we pull all those sounds together in the Bridge.”

The band is currently touring behind its CD Blind Man’s Hill. The record shows off the band’s core line-up and live sound. Jacobs said the Bridge comes across as a very different band in its live mode. “Our songs really gel with our live shows,” Jacobs said. “We really dig into the essence of each song — we make every live show count.” Maybe that’s why the Bridge got an official stamp of approval from Phish bassist Mike Gordon. [Gordon] has sat in with the band, and the Bridge has opened several of Gordon’s shows.

-COLORADO DAILY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009

The ability to combine small sounds from a group to create one melodious, free-wheeling sound is hard if you don’t have all the right pieces–but the Bridge has them. Showing off their specially-brewed, northeastern bluegrass-Americana mixture on their third studio album, Blind Man’s Hill, the Bridge crafts songs that have individual moments that stand out, creating an album that shines on every track. The quintet, made up of keyboardist Mark Brown, saxophonist Patrick Rainey, drummer Mike Gambone, bassist/vocalist Dave Markowitz, guitarist/vocalist Cris Jacobs and mandolin-whiz Kenny Liner, invites listeners into the groove from the first track.

The album opens with “Honey Bee,” a signature track from Blind Man’s Hill, showing off some unbelievable old-school funk and soul, especially for a “bluegrass” band. Changing pace, “Let Me Off This Train,” a country tune tinged with funk and a rhythmic section rocking as loud as a train rolling down the tracks, explains the origin of the title of the album. If you only buy one single off this album, this would have to be it.

“Old White Lightning” begins with Mark Brown channeling Stevie Wonder-inspired lines on the keys, while Jacobs sings a heartfelt tune about the pleasures of moonshine. “Devil On Me” showcases Liner’s mandolin matching up precisely with the vocals, while the repetition of the minor progression to the darkness of the track, and adds some backbone to the album. “Bury Me in Baltimore,” an up-tempo folk song filled with vocal harmonies and piano, saxophone, country-guitar solos. “Poison Wine,” overflowing with toxic lap-steel guitar leads, matched with the heavy saxophone and undulating bass lines that take the listener deep into the realm of jazz-grass and rock and roll.

Slowing things down, “Born Ramblin’” provides an honest but amusing story about love, priorities and life, using a river to symbolize the importance of rolling along. “Digging in The Cold Ground” continues building the backbone of the album by providing distorted guitar solos and some rock flavor to the mix, using Rainey’s low blows to beef up Jacob’s guitar tone, while the band creates uniquely timed stop and go patterns that lead their way into a slow, jazzed-out blues mood, before jumping back into the rocking attitude shown at the beginning of the track.

“In Dreams” once again shows off Liner’s talented finger-blistering mandolin skills on top of Gambone’s snare before “Heavy Water” showers the listener in a world of soul-grass as Rainey gives his all and steals the show on the last solo, helped out by the ringing of Brown’s Hammond B3. Closing on an emotional tinge, “Lasting Hymn” features Liner and Jacobs harmonizing their instruments and Jacobs’s voice, bringing a peaceful end to a crazy ride.

Make room in your car and home CD players, because this album is sure to be in constant rotation after listening to this Baltimore-based Americana-Funk band tear their way through their work of art once.

Standout Tracks: “Honey Bee,” “Old White Lightning 95,” “Let Me Off This Train” MATTHEW RECCHIA

-Review of Blind Man’s Hill, MATTHEW RECCHIA, 01/16/2009

“Honey Bee,” the track that kicks off “Blind Man’s Hill,” the new CD by The Bridge, simply marinates in its catchiness. The tune sounds like a long lost Little Feat tune, and there is definitely a New Orleans rock-funk thing happening on many of the CD’s tunes. With that Crescent City beat though comes an earthy, jam band groove, and that combination really sets The Bridge apart from the pack. Check out great tunes such as “Old White Lightning 95,” “Bury My Bones in Baltimore,” and the rollicking “Dirtball Blues” for proof that this six-piece really cooks. If the notion of truly good Americana music tickles your fancy, then check out The Bridge live Friday night at the Pour House on James Island, and the band throws an album release party for “Blind Man’s Hill.” (A-)

Download These: “Honey Bee,” “Old White Lightning 95,” “Dirtball Blues.”

-Review of Blind Man’s Hill, CHARLESTON POST & COURIER, DECEMBER 3, 2008

“This Baltimore-based quintet is starting to make noise on the national radar with its second release on Hyena Records. More soulful and funky than many in its genre, the band writes gutsy yet melodic songs infused with a Southern, red-clay spirit that fills the slot between the grinding, blues-based North Mississippi All Stars, the New Orleans R&B tinge of the Radiators and Little Feat’s gruff, expressive groove. Mandolin adds a dollop of bluegrass roots to the steaming stew, and Cris Jacobs’ husky, drawling vocals top it off with a special sauce as tasty as it is pungent. -Creative Loafing, Atlanta GA, January 2008 “They’ve been creating a positive buzz throughout the mid-Atlantic region of the USA, and should pick up some steam with their inaugural release for this well-known record label. A multitasking unit, The Bridge is a quintet that fuses a wide sampling of styles into its impetus, where rock, funk, roots music and soul/pop bespeak an optimistic vibe that is irrefutably accessible and subsidized with solid musicianship. Featuring Chris Jacobs’ spirited vocals atop silvery organ parts, weeping slide guitar lines, and guest artists’ sax choruses, the band adds a bit of oomph with movements built on knotty time signatures as well. On “14 Days,” the musicians render a perky acoustic/electric New Orleans shuffle vamp, and generate a spunky and multilayered funk-rock vamp during “Bad Locomotive.” With breakout guitar solos and rocking rhythms, they acutely interweave brisk unison metrics into a format that combines a warmhearted depiction of Americana.”

-All About Jazz, January 2008

“The self-titled new disc from Baltimore’s The Bridge (Hyena Records) packs a wallop worthy of The Band. Drummer Mike Gambone and bassist Dave Markowitz are apt to insert second-line New Orleans rhythms almost anywhere, lending a Southern feel to the tunes, and songwriter-guitarist Cris Jacobs’ husky vocals warm up the proceedings. The Bridge’s stylistic preferences fall into two main camps, alternating well executed, mildly interesting jam-band funk (the jazzy “Further To Roam,” “Brother Don’t”) with expertly crafted blues-tinged country soul (the anthemic “Country Mile,” “Angelina,” “Get Back Up”) and including splashes of bluegrass and the altered sonics of “The Ballad of Clear Rock,” a Waitsian blues.

-Blues Review, April/May 2008

“Baltimore bred, The Bridge brings a fusion of funky rooted American music with its first nationally released self-titled album. Not that the band needed any help making a fabulous album, but it did have a few friends jump on board. On the opening track “Get Back Up” the band is joined by organ wizard John Ginty (of Robert Randolph and the Family Band, and, more recently, Citizen Cope) for a rolicking number with soulful vocals and a bouncing bass line. Mookie Segal’s piano and a gang of horns join in on “Angelina” and romp up a damn fine Dixieland sound, at times sounding very much like a young fiery Little Feat. “14 Days” finds the band sounding closer to the roots of country, but still swinging hard. Much like if Bourbon Street turned right into Music Row, combining New Orleans funk with Nashville grit.

Russell Batistse’s visit on “Shake ‘em Down” definitely adds some heat to the mixture. The special guest drummer from The Funky Meters, P.B.S, Vida Blue and countless others brings a syncopated ass-whipping to the track. “Country Mile” introduces sultry smooth country blues flavor and finds Cris Jacobs adding dobro to the laundry list of instruments he plays throughout the album. There is a little something for everyone on The Bridge. From the bluegrass influenced sound of “Chains,” Crescent City flavor of “Angelina,” or the stripped down beat-box accompaniment of “The Ballad of Clear Rock.” The Bridge offers up a great representation of musical prowess. I can only imagine where this band’s talents and influence will lead. Look out for future success from these grooving Baltimore boys.

-An Honest Tune, November 2007

“On the local scene, The Bridge could be voted most likely to headline Bonnaroo. With that in mind, it might be tempting to label the group as bunch of jamband upstarts. But this crisply produced, tightly arranged set of tunes suggests otherwise. It would seem the band worships at the altar of the late Lowell George, not Dave Matthews or some other group vying for jam band supremacy. As leader of Little Feat, George tapped a rich vein of Americana that blended New Orleans funk, jazz, country and rock music into a sophisticated whole. Though not as rhythmically complex as Little Feat’s best work, The Bridge echos that band’s legacy and adds some bluegrass to the mix on tunes such as “Chains.” Guest turns by the likes of Funky Meters’ drummer Russell Batiste Jr. and keyboardist Mookie Siegel add to the fun.

- Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore MD, Nov 2007

“I’ll admit, it feels a little strange writing this review as an introduction to The Bridge. Having survived the rigors of heavy Northeastern and festival touring these past few years, the band has come to situate itself smack-dab in the center of this crepuscular jam-scene. True to the Americana they espouse and the working-band ethos they embody, The Bridge has built themselves from the ground up. Their Hyena debut is certainly not an adolescent offering, rather, it is a varsity letter on their musical varsity jacket. This is roots music that deserves its place alongside most South-leaning acts of the day: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, My Morning Jacket, and the like. With help from Funky Meters drummer Russell Batiste, Jr., there is a healthy dollop of Nawlins soul food atop the band’s grits and granola. Add the beat-boxing tendencies of mandolin-player Kenny Liner to high school pal Cris Jacob’s songwriting, and the band’s roots blossom nicely into a mélange of contemporary idioms, full of saxophone, Dobro, harmonica, and Liner’s organ-affected electric mandolin. Steeped in the energy of live performance, the album remains tasteful and tactful about preserving the shape of Jacob’s compositions while allowing the band to do what they know best. Musical honesty paired with prodigious chops is nothing new, but is a time-tested recipe for success. If you don’t yet know them, on first listen it will feel like you do.

– Jambands.com, January 2008

As far as rock bands go, more than a handful has a mandolin player. Perhaps a few others have a vocal percussionist or beatboxer. Baltimore’s The Bridge may be the only band to have one dude doing both. At the same time. Kenny Liner’s bluesy mandolin riffs accentuated by pulsing spots of beatboxing make this eponymous album a rare listening experience. It may seem like a garish combination, but it finds a way to fit in perfectly with this band’s southern roots rock approach. Although the quintet draws heavily from a broad palette of tried-and-true Americana, they do a remarkable job of interspersing more contemporary tidbits. More than anything, The Bridge does an excellent job of upholding-and expanding upon-the freewheeling and adventurous spirit of legendary southern rock predecessors like Little Feat and The Black Crowes. (James Laber)

-Missoula Independent, Missoula MT, October 2007

“Hailed as a funky “roots” band in the tradition of The Subdudes, Little Feat and the Black Crowes, The Bridge will make its area debut at 8 p.m. tonight at Revolution Hall, 425 River St., Troy. Specializing in an infectious melange of New Orleans-styled rhythm and blues, the Baltimore-based quintet is touring in support of its self-titled debut, part of an extended stint tour that has criss-crossed the U.S. for the last two months. The fruit of the band’s labor is readily apparent on their third album (first for Brooklyn’s Hyena Records), simply titled ‘The Bridge’. They’ve found a total command of rhythmic structures, be it the lithe skatings of “Angelina” or the propulsive push of ‘Bad Locomotive’. Upon these firm foundations the band’s principal soloists are given free reign, like Jacobs’ glistening slide lines on “Easy Jane” and ‘Country Mile’ and Liner’s fleet pickings on ‘Chains’.”

-Glenn Falls Post-Star, Glenn Falls NY, January 2008

“For years, music fans have known that Baltimore’s The Bridge is one of the tightest and most talented ensembles in the area. Now, the band is getting an opportunity to let a much larger audience hear its music with the nationwide release of The Bridge on Hyena Records. Led by the outstanding guitarist/vocalist Cris Jacobs, The Bridge is a quintet of highly skilled and versatile musical technicians that are at their best when interacting with each other in a live setting. Although the group is known mainly for its jam-style live performances, the 12 tracks on this self-titled release show that the band is very adept at creating memorable songs that adhere to the standard length and structure of your typical rock song. Jam bands have always had a reputation for producing studio recordings that fall short of the memorable live performances that keep the genre thriving. The members of The Bridge avoid that criticism by putting together a top-notch collection of songs that incorporate many of the sounds found within Americana music like bluegrass, folk, roots rock and the blues, to name a few. From the laid-back acoustic funk of “Get Back Up,” to the harmony-driven stomp of “14 Days” and the bluesy classic rock shuffle of “Country Mile,” this album delivers from start to int. Although the entire album proves to be an enjoyable listen, the greatest single track is “Flats of the Old Avenue” – a quiet acoustic number that features beautiful group harmonies in the chorus, along with a lovely mandolin accents placed expertly throughout the song. While I’m sure The Bridge will still win many fans with its live performances, the band proves it is also a real force in the studio with this album – one of the best recordings from a local band I’ve heard this year.”

-Music Monthly, Baltimore MD, Dec 2007

“Naar een nieuwe plaat van het Hyena Records label kijk ik altijd uit. Dit label waar onlangs nieuwe albums waren van Dale Watson en Grayson Capps komen deze maand weer met twee sterke releases op de markt. Naast het nieuwe van Seth Walker is er ook het titelloze album van The Bridge, een plaat waarmee Hyena Records het bewijs wederom levert van hun constante kwaliteit releases. Deze band uit Baltimore, geformeerd rondom Cris Jacobs heeft één groot handelsmerk, nl. hun funky groove songs. Twaalf eigen composities zijn van een superkwaliteit en behoren zeker tot de beste composities van het superduo Cris Jacobs /Kenny Liner. D eze twee heren: Cris Jacobs (gitaar, vocals) en Kenny Liner (mandolin & beatbox) mixen samen met saxophonist Patrick Rainey, bassist Dave Markowitz en drummer Mike Gambone anders dan veel andere groepen opnieuw funk, blues, R&B en rock. In hun geschreven nummers versmelten ze die invloeden tot tegelijk rootsy en opvallend sterke, catchy melodieën, terwijl ze in een nummer als “Flats Of The Old Avenue” een intens bluegrass getint walsje neerzetten. Jacobs’s gitaar, Patrick Rainey’s sax bepalen door bas en percussie gespeelde ritmes, met als gastmuzikanten Russell Batiste (Funky Meters, PBS), Mookie Siegel (Phil Lesh & Friends, David Nelson Band), en John Ginty (Citizen Cope, Robert Randolph), het intieme en open geluid. Daaroverheen klinkt de kenmerkende stem van Jacobs uitbundig, maar haarzuiver, en soms zeer weemoedig. De nummers zijn allen opgenomen door Chris Bentley en dit in een vlekkeloze productie van Bentley zelf en ons duo Jacobs / Liner. Misschien deed Bentley niet meer dan opdracht geven de band te starten, maar hij schiep hoorbaar de atmosfeer waarin The Bridge zich op meer dan een manier klassiek konden uitleven. Maar de opnamen stralen een losheid en ongedwongenheid uit waardoor het spelplezier erg opvalt. Dat is ook te merken aan de ritmesectie die zeer strak speelt. Luister maar even naar het openende soulvolle “Get Back Up”, het radiovriendelijke “Country Mile”, het rockende “14 days”, het ruw donker rappende “The Ballad Of Clear Rock”, en het bluegrass getinte “Chains” waarin Liner éénmaal de hoofdrol voor zich opeist, niet enkel vocaal maar ook op de mandolin. Met songs als “Angelina”, “Further to Roam” en het afsluitende “Brother Don’t” bewegen dit vijftal zich duidelijk zich ergens tussen Little Feat, The Radiators en Los Lobos. Dit debuut is daarmee een hele fraaie en complete plaat geworden en daarom is best te geloven dat The Bridge dit jaar alleen al meer dan 200 optredens achter de rug heeft aan de Amerikaanse oostkust. Funky klasse!

-RootsTime Belgium, Brussels, Belgium, January 2008