Trumpeter-guitarist draws crowd with Bob Dylan covers in downtown Ann Arbor

Posted on Fri, Mar 5, 2010 : 8 a.m.

Trumpeter-guitarist draws crowd with Bob Dylan covers in downtown Ann Arbor

By Ryan J. Stanton

Brandon Weiner, an aspiring musician from Detroit, took advantage of Thursday's warm temperatures and made his way to downtown Ann Arbor where he set up a makeshift stage in the graffiti alley along Liberty Street.

Trumpeter-guitarist Brandon Weiner graced passersby with one-of-a-kind Bob Dylan covers on Thursday afternoon.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Weiner, who normally plays saxophone, mounted a trumpet to his guitar as a gimmick he's been practicing. He graced passersby with one-of-a-kind Bob Dylan covers — with flat-pitched trumpeting substituting for familiar harmonica wails.

"It's kind of a weird thing to do," he admitted to his audience. "As you can tell, I can't do any fingers with the trumpet, so it's kind of awkward to just play flat pitches."

Have a listen:

Comments

John Gannon

Sun, Mar 7, 2010 : 8:52 p.m.

Brandon just showed me this...I've known him in downtown Detroit for some time now...you have NO idea the creativity bubbling out of this fellow. He has played behind John Sinclair, but ever since he dropped into an open mic I used to run in Hamtramck...I knew he was the real deal. No credentials necessary. Thanks for this story, you captured his essence, humor, and insanity. Cheers

montyman

Fri, Mar 5, 2010 : 5:42 p.m.

Am I missing something? He plays and sings and lets out an occasional BLAT on his student trumpet.

Moose

Fri, Mar 5, 2010 : 1:26 p.m.

He looks a little like early Bob with that 'do. I think Zimmie would approve.

bananas

Fri, Mar 5, 2010 : 11:59 a.m.

This is great. He is obviously quite limited in what he can do with the trumpet, but he gets a million points for coming up with such an oddball idea and actually going for it. In public nonetheless. Kudos!

mm1001

Fri, Mar 5, 2010 : 11:20 a.m.

Dog, I didn't get it.

tommy_t

Fri, Mar 5, 2010 : 10:32 a.m.

The horn detracts from the performance. Sounds like an auto emerging from the blind alley. He should concentrate on the guitar, harp and singing. He and Jake would a made a good duo.