Boston's Hypnotic Clambake started a decade ago when its leader Maury Rosenberg (keyboard, accordian, vocalist) decided to create music that encompassed everything he had heard during his days at Berklee School of Music, various groups he participated in and influences from world music artists. Together the sounds have been described as a "bar mitzvah on acid." But, with its mix of bluegrass, folk, blues, zydeco, klezmer and jazz it is essentially nothing more than in a world of its own design, an entity unto itself that travels musical paths dictated by the contributions of its revolving door membership.

    Rosenberg has continually expanded the band's musical horizons. Over the past few years he's developed their performing ones as well. Besides, the annual O.U.R. Festival held in Sherman, New York (August 11-13), they've had a Pajama Party and Father's Day picnic with fans.      

    John Patrick Gatta: First of all, let's go into the history of Hypnotic Clambake.  You were doing what just before starting the band?

    Maury Rosenberg: I was playing piano for the Boston Ballet. Rehearsal pianist.  Also, I was playing in a klezmer band.  Basically, the clarinet player and I took some of my tunes and we performed out. It was called the Maury Rosenberg Band at first.  I didn't want to keep it as just my name. I came up with Hypnotic Clambake and it just started to sprout from that.  

    Prior to that I was in Border Patrol, which is a Celtic Rock Band. Me and the mandolin player, we got involved with a lot of different styles of music-- polkas, Bulgarian Music, a whole variety of music. It opened my ears to world music and I've incorporated that in Hypnotic Clambake.

    The other influence is I played in a group called Psycho-Tec with a guitarist named Dave Fiuczynski, who is a member of the Screaming Headless Torsos and this guy named Kerwin Kane from Cleveland.  It was what I would call an atonal experimental band.  It just opened my mind to that music [and the idea] that music didn't have to be one particular...it's just good experiences to be in before starting the Clambake because  it opened my mind to a variety of different sounds. 

JPG: When you started Hypnotic Clambake did you have an original vision of what you wanted to do and how has it changed?

Maury: I was interested in world music. In terms of the direction of the band,  I was just interested in playing the best music I could. My interest was to play with talented musicians and see what we could do together with all of our talents. In terms of direction, Hypnotic Clambake has always been a grassroots, eclectic, original music project. Which means if someone comes in and they play ...if their forte is grunge fiddle, we incorporate it.

JPG: Is that kinda the most exciting thing for you, that  it's ever-changing?

Maury: Yeah. Absolutely. 

JPG: Speaking of which, as far as something that always seems to be changing, the  lineup  in Hypnotic  Clambake...

Maury: I think it's very organic. People experience what they need to experience. I think The Clambake offers an experience to musicians. If they decide to experiment with other projects, it's an open door policy in this band. When you're here, you're bringing to the band your talent and if you are taken in a different direction, then the door's open and we take on someone else and steer the band in a different direction, which keeps it fluid.

The music's always changing and also these musicians that do have other interests, usually do come back. Basically, the family of musicians that we have are probably, we have five fiddle players that we work with from time-to-time. Right now, for the summer, we have two different fiddle players that we're working with all at the same time. One fiddle player has played with us in the past, Pete Polanski.  We have a new fiddle player that also plays harmonica, Nicky Sanders. So, it creates a real interesting dynamic having two fiddles.  There are always dynamic changes in the group. From the inside looking out, I see it as a dynamic change more than a personnel change.

    There are very few bands that have the courage to change. I'm doing this to satisfy my musical itch. My musical itch is very varied and eclectic. So, I'm always interested in seeing how things can change. Where I think part of the band's success is when we do find fans, they're very interested in the change because they get used to it. It's exciting saying, 'Who's going to be in Hypnotic Clambake this time?' 

JPG: Looking at it on a business level, I'm left wondering how it affects your status within the whole jam band genre...

Maury: I actually think that Hypnotic Clambake falls outside of that. That's where we are because we tour, but I don't think that's where we sit.  It's funny 'cause Bela Fleck is in the jambands thing as well. I would debate whether Bela Fleck should be in the jam band category or Tony Furtado or Hypnotic Clambake.    It's always interesting, no band likes to be pegged but you have to be pegged to be somewhere. You can be the most unique abstract thing, but no one will hear about you. In other words, if you're talking about business you have to be something. I always found that you let people figure out what we do. That's what we'll call ourselves. 

JPG: Well, I guess due to the fact that Hypnotic Clambake offers spirited jams throughout its concerts, being a part of the jam band scene seems to fit.

Maury:   With anything, the music stands the test of time, whether it's a band, whether it's a classical quartet.   It really comes down to whether the music can attract the interest.  I think the Clambake has done that.  I don't know what's going to happen in ten years. But for the moment, full speed ahead.

JPG: The reason I originally brought up about the change in personnel is I wondered if it has affected the success of Hypnotic Clambake. Some acts younger than yours have blossomed among the jam band scene yet, at the same time, your band hosts their own music festival and performing steadily throughout the country.

Maury: Again, we're not necessarily part of any one thing. The opportunities for Hypnotic Clambake are very different. One thing that I think has been a very interesting thing for the group, is for instance we're playing in Ohio a show with Buckwheat Zydeco. Those opportunities don't necessarily open themselves up to jam bands. In other words, there is a side of our music which is funk-oriented and jam-oriented, but there's another side of our music which is very eclectic and draws on a lot of roots which opens us up to folk festivals where most jam bands don't really fit into those. That's a back door for us. We have a huge fanbase which is across the board and all ages.

JPG: Since I mentioned your festival, let's talk about that. This is the fourth year for the O.U.R. Festival (Outrageous Universe Revival). Why did you start it and how do you feel about it?

Maury: The O.U.R. Fest was started basically to throw a party for our dedicated fans and friends.  Also, to bring in the people that we meet touring, bands, and invite them to our party. It is an open party for music lovers. It's just a fun time. Each year we just try and get the best music there.  The weekend runs itself. 

JPG: What about the meaning behind the name?

Maury: O.U.R. FEST? Outrageous Universe Revival. That's just a cool name for a party.

JPG: I also read on your website (www.hypnotic-clambake.com) about the pajama party you hosted last May. Tell me about that.

Maury: We recently had a pajama party in Ithaca, New York. It was fun. Fans in the kitchen cooking food. We supplied dinner for our guests. It was about 40-50 people. They came down all dressed up in pajamas. There were no pillow fights.  We hung out at the campfire.  We rented a cabin. It was unique. That's what I think Hypnotic Clambake's after, just doing unique, different things as opposed to being at an event which everyone has been to year-after-year. It's attractive to us to create new and unique things. A pajama party seemed like a real cool thing to do and it turned out real nice.

    We have another one coming up November 4 in Ithaca again. The location is a secret, but we're certainly interested in getting some people out there.

JPG: And those interested can go to your website to try to hook up with that one or is it a private party?

Maury: It's like a private party. We only sell 75 tickets, but it is open to the public.

JPG: Going back to an earlier subject, the songs of Hypnotic Clambake are always lighthearted lyrically, but they're complex musically.   Is that something that happened by accident or something done on purpose?

Maury: I have a pretty light sense of humor. I like to make my point through playing excellent music.  I don't necessarily want to make my point through saying to people look at me how good a musician I am. I'd much prefer people having fun. When I go see a band, I like to be entertained, not necessarily impressed.

    The other thing is when I look at a band, sometimes I see really good musicians up onstage who are caught up in their own act. And then, I see really bad musicians up onstage, who are really getting into it.  My preference is seeing those musicians who are playing with the right spirit. I don't care how talented you are. The bottom line is when you're playing for people, you're there to entertain. When you're in front of an audience, part of your mission is to let people have a good time as opposed to pushing people out saying, 'Look at me! I'm better. I'm the best at what I do.' I'm never as impressed with bands that do that."