NEIGHBORS

Corned Beef and Curry Makes Eclectic Electric

By Jill Cueni-Cohen
An Irishman, an Indian, and a German walk into a bar. The Irishman picks up a guitar, the Indian grabs a violin, and the German takes a seat behind a set of drums and they begin to jam. Pretty soon, everyone in the bar is clapping hands and singing along with the group, and the outcome is no joke. It’s just another day in the life of the eclectic band Corned Beef and Curry.

“What a great country this is that a fat, brown Indian fiddle player can play Irish music and classic rock at neighborhood pubs,” said violinist Bob Banerjee, grinning. “It’s hilarious. People come in and the first thing they do is take a look at the three of us, and then they look at me and wonder what the heck is this guy all about? Then we pull out a rendition of Led Zeppelin and they’re totally shocked. I think that’s what puts them at ease. They realize it’s not about us, it’s about them.”

Lead singer and guitarist, John McCann, had been a solo Irish and American folk-rock musician for years before he met up with violinist Bob Banerjee in the late 1990’s. Born in Calcutta, Banerjee’s family immigrated to Pittsburgh when he was three. At an early age, he was trained to play classical violin and began performing with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony while attending Mt. Lebanon High School. Banerjee added to his repertoire by playing different genres of music with a variety of Pittsburgh bands, including the ‘90s country group Silverado, rock and roller Norm Nardini, and the nationally-known Irish band Gaelic Storm.

Over the years, Banerjee would occasionally accompany McCann on gigs, delighting the singer’s regular audience with his rollicking, free-spirited violin and devil-may-care fiddle playing. After a while, fans dubbed the duo Corned Beef and Curry, in honor of their starkly different backgrounds, and a band was born.

Part of McCann’s act has traditionally included his encouraging audience members with musical talent to join him on-stage, and this was how he joined forces with percussionist Todd Hartman. A music teacher and band director for Ambridge Area School District and the University of Pittsburgh, Hartman first met McCann when he was playing solo in a Zelienople bar.

Equipped with a set of Celtic spoons, Hartman jumped into the act, impressing McCann with his time-keeping skills. After a few years of impromptu performances, Hartman became the third member of the band, prompting the audience to add Schnitzel to their musical menu in 2001.

Catering to audience requests, the group combines Irish folk tunes with American rock classics, making them a popular act in bars around Pittsburgh, including Finnigan’s Wake, Penn Brewery, Piper’s Pub, Mullaney’s Harp and Fiddle, Kelly’s Riverside Saloon, and the Getaway Cafe.

“We do a lot of good-time material,” explained McCann. “We try to make the audience happy. In addition to a few originals, we do songs that come from a lot of different artists, from acoustic rock to Irish traditional. We take very simple songs and jazz them up and give them a newer feel, so people can dance and participate.”

Unlike his classically-trained counterparts, becoming a musician was something that just sort of happened to McCann, who lives in the North Hills. After virtually teaching himself to play acoustic guitar at the age of 19, his love of performing led him to play at open-mike sessions and join forces with musically-minded friends.

Fans of Corned Beef and Curry (accompanied by Schnitzel on the drums, the spoons or the washboard) never know what to expect from the band or themselves. A hands-on entertainer, Bob often saunters into the audience with his violin, where he might end up playing on top of a table, serenading a child or a pretty girl.

For a while it looked like the release of their new Steeler fight song was keeping the football team on a winning streak. “The Steelers haven’t lost since we recorded the song,” joked Banerjee before the last game. The Steelers may have lost that game, but Corned Beef and Curry has won over a city of fans.

Schedules and information on Corned Beef and Curry can be found on-line at www.johnmccannlive.com. The group will be performing on St. Patrick’s Day and Parade Day at the Getaway Cafe.