Jeremy Chatzky,
bassist for the Little Band That Could, is no stranger to performing holiday music. Did you know he's played holiday shows with Ronnie Spector for the past 20 years? He was also a member of Bruce Springsteen's Seeger Sessions Band! Learn more about Jeremy in this week's #BandMemberMonday!
Q: What is your favorite track on Revvin' Up the Reindeer and why?
A: Probably "It's Christmas Time." Just a simple, beautiful song with a simple, beautiful sentiment. I also really like "Holiday Jam," it has a different groove from the rest of the record. Brady's always looking to try something a little different.
Q: What are your favorite holiday traditions?
A: Well for the past 20 some years I've spent a lot of time during the holiday season doing gigs with Ronnie Spector playing her songs from the Phil Spector Christmas record, which, like Brady's record, is a rare example of holiday music that not only isn't unbearable, but actually is fun. So there's that!
Listen to Ronnie and the Ronettes on the beloved holiday classic, "Frosty the Snowman" from the album A Christmas Gift For You.
Q: What do you do when you're not playing with the Little Band That Could?
A: Stay busy with gigs and hang out with our 6 year old.
Q: What's it like playing with Bruce Springsteen and being part OF the Seeger Sessions BAND?
A: Just a great experience to play with him and all the other amazing musicians he assembled. The shows were joyful and spontaneous, anything could happen!
Bruce and Jeremy onstage with the Seeger Sessions Band.
5. Who are your musical inspirations?
So many -- but i guess the music I most keep coming back to is southern soul music of the 60s, stuff that came out of Stax records and Muscle Shoals as well as stuff from New Orleans.
Check out the Stax inspired bass line on the Little Band's "Don't Knock It 'til You Try It."
Q: What is a surprising or interesting fact about you?
A: Sometimes people are surprised that I can juggle. Other than that I rarely surprise people!
Q: What is your best memory with the Little Band That Could?
A: When I started playing with Brady it was before I had a kid of my own. I couldn't believe how early in the morning the shows were!! Brady once turned to me when my eyes were a little bleary and said, "you did know this is a kids' band, didn't you?" Now those hours seem very normal! And the best part is playing the CD's we make for our daughter. After a listen or two she knows all the words!
