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Rachel Blumberg

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Rachel Blumberg
Rachel Blumberg playing drums for Bright Eyes
Rachel Blumberg playing drums for Bright Eyes
Background information
Born (1969-02-10) February 10, 1969 (age 55)
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
GenresIndie pop, folk rock
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)drums, percussion, vocals, ukulele, banjo, accordion, piano

Rachel Chaiya Blumberg (born February 10, 1969)[1] is an American musician, artist, and filmmaker, best known for her tenure as the drummer for the indie rock band The Decemberists.

Early life

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Blumberg was born in Portland, Oregon in 1969. She is the daughter of Naomi Blumberg, a Portland cellist and President Emerita of the Oregon Cello Society, and Bernie Blumberg, a professional musician and a public school music teacher, supervisor and principal.

Music career

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In addition to drumming for The Decemberists, Blumberg was a member of many Portland-based indie bands, including Sissyface, Boycrazy, Norfolk & Western, The Minders (briefly) and M. Ward's backing band.[2]

She spent most of 2007 lending her drumming and singing talents to the touring Omaha indie band Bright Eyes on the Four Winds and Cassadaga tour.[2] In 2007 and early 2008, she recorded new records with Norfolk & Western, M. Ward, and Jolie Holland.[3]

Blumberg has recorded with Providence, RI band The Low Anthem and performed with Califone, Death Vessel, and Honeybunch. She has performed her own music under the monikers Manzanita and Arch Cape.[4]

In addition to drums and singing, she plays ukulele, banjo, accordion, piano, and other various stringed, electronic or percussion instruments.[2]

Blumberg has taught for many years at Portland, Oregon's Rock and Roll Camp For Girls and its Girls Rock! Rhode Island offshoot.[4]

Filmmaking and art

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Blumberg makes music videos using stop motion animation and a variety of other techniques including painting, collage, and puppetry. Notable videos she has directed include "Dry Town (Demo)" by Gillian Welch,[5] and "Jules and Jim" by Nada Surf; others include songs by Musee Mechanique, Dramady, and Tom Hagerman.[6][7] Blumberg says her animation style was influenced by the work of the Brothers Quay and Jan Svankmajer.[8]

As a visual artist, she has shown her work in Portland, Oregon and Omaha, Nebraska. Notable musicians who own her work include Gillian Welch, Jonathan Richman, Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Jenny Conlee of The Decemberists, and Laura Veirs.[citation needed]

Performing discography

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Norfolk & Western

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Otterpop a.k.a. Bunny Summer

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Sissyface

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Boycrazy

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The Decemberists

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M Ward

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Robert Deeble

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Douglas Shepherd

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Corrina Repp

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She and Him

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Jolie Holland

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (23 May 2014), Rachel Chaiya Blumberg, Residence, Portland, Oregon, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.
  2. ^ a b c McCullough, Amy (October 17, 2007). "Here Comes Your Fan: Dude, I'm In the Band!". Local Cut. Willamette Week. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
  3. ^ Jurek, Thom. "allmusic ((( The Living and the Dead > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
  4. ^ a b "Volunteer Spotlight: Rachel Blumberg". Girls Rock! RI. 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  5. ^ "See Gillian Welch's Quirky 'Dry Town' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  6. ^ "Animations/Film". rachelblumberg.com. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  7. ^ "Rachel Blumberg Sees And Hears More Than You". Take Magazine. 2016-08-03. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  8. ^ Blumberg, Rachel (2013-12-29), Jules and Jim - Nada Surf - Vimeo, retrieved 2018-03-16
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