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Brim Leal is as much fun to watch as he is to listen to...
... and he's had a pretty good view of rock'n'roll history, too!

By Mark D. Marquette

Brim Leal is as much fun to watch as he is to listen to. And if you haven't enjoyed this extraordinary singer and songwriter -- you will soon.

Brim plays at lots of the Tri-Cities' popular venues like Chops in Bristol, Hemingway's in Johnson City and Sonny's Marina on Boone Lake. When Brim Leal is in his element sitting on stage with a guitar, he'll close his eyes, rock back and forth, and sing beautifully while creating sounds out of his guitar that makes you think a full band is on stage. Brim seems to drift off in his own world while, mesmerized by the music he's making, he seems to be dreaming of playing in a huge arena before thousands of fans.

But that's no dream for Brim, as he has been the opening act for some of the hottest bands in history. His is an incredible list of bands he's performed on stage with. And he has some amazing stories to tell, or keep to himself! Brim and his various bands in the Miami, Florida area have opened for the likes of: Three Dog Night, The Doors, Temptations, Young Rascals, Vanilla Fudge, Mountain, Bob Seger, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Elvin Bishop, Jose Feliciano, the Miami Philharmonic and even Led Zeppelin.

"It's funny, but playing in front of 20,000 or 20, I feel the same," said Brim. I'm an entertainer, and that's always been my job. That's what I do, and I love it!"

Before we get to a few stories about his insider experiences with some of the world's top bands, you have to know something about Brim Leal. As a musical entertainer, Brim Leal is the real deal. Now in his 50s, he's been on stage since a teenager, signing with Atlantic Records out of New York City at age 17 as a writer and recording artist. Brim was born in Havana, Cuba, but was raised in America by parents with a music and medical background.

He studied and trained in Miami with great teacher/players like Vincent Bredice and Harry Volpe. He has mastered piano and guitar, and is well versed in all areas of musical theory, production and engineering. Little wonder that the music of Brim Leal is characterized as the fusion of classical, Latin, jazz, rock and rhythm & blues.

He's always dreamed about owning his own studio -- and that has become a reality in his home in Unicoi County.

"I've got enough original material to fill 10 CDs," Brim said of his home recording ambitions. He's copyrighted some 40 tunes, and has to his credit literally thousands of jingles and harmonies used for TV and radio commercials.

Brim relocated his family in the Erwin area some nine years ago, and was immediately struck by the natural beauty of the region. He's always writing about personal relationships, and his own life can be the background through a divorce and the raising of two boys and a girl. In their 20s are sons Ibrahim and Daniel, and daughter Nicole. Of course, they've inspired many songs.

The sensitivity of the man is apparent in the explanation for naming his home music factory Conch Music Company.

"I used to put conch shells up to the kids ears when on the beach in Miami, and they'd listen to the sound," explained Brim. "I told them the ocean was making music just for them."

Brim's new album, "Linear One," is his first contribution to the music world from his dream studio. It's filled with songs about the challenges facing men and women. Some of the titles are: "Good Time," "Someone is Kissing Me," Zero to One," "Love of the Night," and "Your Are My World."

"I love people, and its hard not to write about relationships," said Brim. "That's the most difficult thing to sing about, the human psyche."

A conscience mix of songs for all ages, "Linear One" has an uplifting sound. All the instruments, vocals and engineering are from Brims hands, mouth and mind.

Well, what about the great stories of being on stage with music icons? "They're all mostly real positive experiences, and most of the superstars are really down to earth in the dressing room," said Brim. His band, Fire and Brimstone, was one of his ensembles that opened for world class acts in Miami and New York.

Brim's early Atlantic record deals led him to contacts with agents who shared bands. That's how he got hooked up with some the music super groups of the time.

He got to be friends with Elvin Bishop in the 1970s, and also had a wild time playing a gig with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. "That's one night I can't talk about, but certainly one I'll always remember," Brim said, laughing.

He said Led Zeppelin was simply awesome to open for on two different nights. "I know there's always debate," he said, "but Jimmy Page is the greatest live guitarist I've seen. Maybe he's tied with Eric Clapton." That choice is a little surprising given that Brim's sound out of his Fender guitar is jazzier, like George Benson. But he can crank out a Rolling Stone's "Brown Sugar" or Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" with the best of them.

And who was the best band to open for and then watch musically? "Without a doubt, Three Dog Night," said Brim, not hesitating. "There harmonies were unbelievable, and their band was tight." But what about The Doors -- what was it like being around the great Jim Morrison?

Brim is connected to this rock trivia: he was subpoenaed to Miami court for witnessing the act of indecent exposure that Morrison was charged with during the historic Coconut Grove concert in 1969. "This guy was a millionaire, good looking and yet very unhappy that night," Brim said about Morrison. "He was the most miserable person backstage I've ever met."

Brim said Morrison didn't come to sound check that day, and he chatted with drummer John Densmore, guitarist Rob Kreiger and keyboardist Ray Mazerak back stage. Right before Brim and his band hit the stage, Jim appeared with two male bodyguards.

"He was polite, quiet and not at all screwed up," Brim said. "But he acted like he didn't want to be there, just so lonely in his own skin. I felt sorry for him."

Brim said that historic, 1970 Miami performance by The Doors was a great show, with Morrison's vocals perfect. A crowd of 20,000 fueled Jim's ego, and soon he was chastising the police and nearly inciting a riot. Morrison allegedly exposed himself on stage, and a 20-year-old Brim was watching from the backstage curtain, but says he didn't clearly see. The legal issue was resolved without need of Brim's testimony.

"I've seen it all over the years," said Brim, looking back over almost four decades of making music on stage. "But I'm comfortable and happy where I am now."

A conversation with Brim Leal

By Mark D. Marquette

The multi-talented Brim Leal is a Tri-Cities music treasure who gives his all, wherever he plays, with a passion. If you're in the audience at many of the area venues where Brim is a weekly attraction, you will leave feeling entertained. Brim's original music is self-described on his new album, Linear One, as the fusion of rock/jazz, along with rhythmic lyrical poetry. And the hundreds of cover songs in his repertoire take on a sound that makes you pay attention when sung and played by this intense music master. That's always been my job, said Brim, to make people happy. Brim has an infectious charisma, mostly in the form of a boyish charm that's in a man who has seen it all as a performer during four decades of being on stage with guitars and microphones. And Brim's overwhelming mental catalog of songs, sung his way and not necessarily the original way, always leaves his tip jar full at the end of the night, thanks to his graciousness to try and perform any request. A set list from Brim Leal is never the same from night to night.

Just check out a few selections played together recently: "Morning Has Broken," "Foxy Lady," "Moondance," "Proud Mary," "Chantilly Lace" - as well as some tunes by Steely Dan and Chuck Berry.

Last week, The Loafer looked at Brim's lifetime passion for music and his brush with music superstars of the 1970s as the front man for a popular opening act in Miami.

This week, Brim answers these questions put to him by The Loafer:

Loafer: Who have you shared the stage with as opening act or supporting musician?

Brim: Okay, take a deep breath: Three Dog Night, The Doors, Tommy James, Young Rascals, Vanilla Fudge, Mountain, Wayne Cochran, Bob Seger, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Temptations, Embers, Savoy Brown, Jose Feliciano and Led Zeppelin with my bands. I've played with Elvin Bishop, the great bass player Jocko Pastorius, and musical masters like Chuck Haines, San Webb, Richard Davis and even the Miami Philharmonic and Johnson City Symphony.

Loafer: Where have you recorded your thousands of commercials with music and voice?

Brim: CBS and A & R studios in New York City; Criteria Recording, and TK Studios in Miami, Fla.; Quad Studios and LSI studios in Nashville, TN and many more. Now I have my dream studio at home, called Conch Music Company.

Loafer: Explain your interesting name, Brim Leal.

Brim: I am about a 5th generation Cuban. My family came from Andalusia, Spain, and my given full name is Ibrahim Leal Jr. Ibrahim is Arabic for Abraham, and Leal means loyal in Spanish. So I am Loyal Abraham. Brim is a nickname that my friends gave me because they could never pronounce Ibrahim. My teachers at roll call pronounced it Ibrim, so everybody started calling me Brim. Along with Fish, and a few other creative names.

Loafer: What equipment do you play with?

Brim: I have eight instruments that I enjoy, and they each have individual qualities of guitar sound. They are a 1952 Gibson Les Paul; '72 Fender Stratocaster; '78 Martin D-28; '75 Ovation Classical Electric; '77 Miguel Cano (handmade) Concert Classical; Fender Telecaster with Gibson Humbucking pick up at the neck; Yamaha 5 string bass; and my latest, an Ibanez Artcore '73, semi-hollow jazz.

Loafer: Who has influenced you?

Brim: Great guitar players in general, but mainly Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, George Harrison, Andre Segovia, Earl Klugh, George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Larry Carlton and Johnny Winter. They are all musical phraseologists. They're telling an improvised story with their instrument, and not random notes just to see how wild, fast or loud they can get. And these players use very little effects, and sound great loud or soft.

Loafer: Over your years of playing, what ghosts are their lingering around that you'd love to conjure up, like a favorite place or people you'd love to turn back the clock and play with again?

Brim: Among my favorite musicians, well, there's a bunch. Like Terry Weiss on Hammond organ. He worked with me for many years, and then went with Mike Pinera from the Blues Image and Iron Butterfly. There's Jocko Pastorius on bass in Miami, Bernard Purdie on drums in the studio in New York City, and Stan Webb, a great sax man, arranger and composer. I enjoyed playing with Jose Feliciano and Duane Hitchings‹the organ player for Rod Stewart. I also had some good times with Randall Dallohan, who was the road guitar player for Edgar Winter. We did some wonderful dual guitar leads, and he was also the guitar teacher for Steve Morse of the Dixie Dregs. I met Steve when he was 19 years old, and he is an incredible fusion guitarist. It has been my privilege and pleasure to work with these musical giants, including the ones in our area. I learned much from their humility and their creative genius, and I owe them my devotion.

Loafer: What do you listen to on the radio?

Brim: I mainly listen for what is good and different, not to any specific genre. I like just about any kind of music. But I feel I learn more from National Public Radio, the classics, and of course fusion guitar players on NPR.

Loafer: Who do you play at home?

Brim: I mainly listen to new artists to see what makes the music production tick. But mainly I love the challenging modern music of the fusion guys like Foreplay, Pat Metheni, Sting, Joe Pass, Billie Holiday, Delbert McClinton and a potpourri of many other artists.

Loafer: Who are your favorite current musicians?

Brim: I love the lyrical compositions of Dave Mathews, he fascinates me. I love the soulful voice of young Joss Stone, who I can see will be an upcoming artist. The sultry voice and piano style of Dianna Krawl. The country licks of Brad Paisley. The genius on steroids music of Prince, and the beautiful, musical simplicity of Alison Kraus. It's all about the music.

Loafer: Name some of your favorite golden oldies artists and/or songs.

Brim: I still love all the Stevie Wonder, Chicago and Beatles stuff. I often meditate about what the songwriters were thinking when they were writing all those wonderful signature licks and melodies.

Loafer: Give us a statement about today's music - from country to rock to rap - where's it all headed?

Brim: I am not much of a fan of Hip-Hop or Rap, but I love all music as long as it is artistic, not vulgar or violent. Music is a very powerful medium, not vital to life itself, but vital to the human spirit. What we hear solely for our enjoyment should build up the human spirit, not destroy it.

Loafer: Here, you may patronize the music lovers who patronize you -- what do you say to them?

Brim: Simply put, without them, I am nothing. Without their hearts, ears and minds, I have no audience. They are my passion, and if I have touched them -- well, then it's all good.