Meet Johann Stein of The Gumbo Brothers in Hollywood and Downtown LA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Johann Stein.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I moved to Los Angeles a little over 20 years ago from New Orleans to pursue being a singer-songwriter. A few years later I started a band called The Gumbo Brothers. We put the band together to perform at a party for the first Venice Beach Mardi Gras Parade, a parade that my girlfriend, Jessica Long and I started which is now in its 16th year.

The band stays together and since that time has released two full-length albums of original music, performed relentlessly at local nightclubs, events, and concerts has been featured on TV shows and performed overseas. These days I have several versions of the band performing weekly shows around town. Most notably a show called “Biggie vs. The Big Easy” which is a unique fusion of traditional New Orleans Jazz band Hip Hop. This version of the band, which includes sousaphone, banjo, and a rapper, performs this show every Saturday night at Black Rabbit Rose in Hollywood. I also have another weekly show in Hollywood called “Cajun Prince”. This band features violin and accordion and specializes in zydeco versions of Prince songs, Michael Jackson songs, and contemporary R&B songs.

I am also one of the founding members of another band, The Mudbug Brass Band. This eight-piece New Orleans brass band is in its eighth year and performs mostly at private functions,concerts, and events such as The Wearable Art Gala. In addition to these bands, I also perform as a freelance guitar/banjo player and have worked with several groups and artists including Post Modern Jukebox and Snoop Dog.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve been very fortunate in so many ways throughout my life! To answer the question, I probably would not say it’s been a smooth road but to be quite honest it definitely has not been a treacherous one though it may often feel that way. As musicians, it’s easy to get caught up complaining about the struggles of being a musician but these days I try to remind myself and sometimes the cats around me to consider what some other people have to do to make a living. I’m actually living a pretty privileged lifestyle getting to play the guitar all day and night in sunny Southern California. I think it’s important to acknowledge that.

What else should we know?
Because of my Louisiana roots, most of the music I play has some connection to Louisiana music. So that would be our specialty. Most of the events we perform that have some connection to New Orleans or has a Mardi Gras or New Orleans theme.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One of my favorite memories from childhood is my parents taking us to the snowball stand on a hot summer day. My father would let us ride in the back of his pickup truck. It was a big treat!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Gumbobrothers
• Facebook: Johann Stein

Image Credit:
The pictures from the Mardi Gras parade photo credit Samuel Goldstein

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