"Surfin' Christmas Carols" album - Review in pipeline Magazine UK

The Tourmaliners - Album & Live Show reviews / announcemets

Click image above to read the whole article

Click image above to read the whole article

“...the band (The Tourmaliners) also includes originals from their new album, Tourmaline Dream, in their set, with tunes such as “Point Break,” sounding as good as the classic tunes of their influences.” - Bart Mendoza, Local Umbrella News  

"Surf combo The Tourmaliners perform at Tio Leo’s on August 20. The band excels at surf favorites such as The Ven-tures “Walk Don’t Run,” but also includes plenty of other hits of the era as well, breathing new life in to songs such as “Money” and Gary U.S. Bonds “New Orleans,” with spirited performances. Led by guitarist Deven Berryhill, and featuring drummer Jake Najor, the band also includes originals from their new album, Tourmaline Dream, in their set, with tunes such as “Point Break,” sounding as good as the classic tunes of their influences."  Click Image above to read article on LocalUmbrella.com

Pipeline Magazine (UK) 2019 Issue 112 - Tourmaline Dream - Album Review by Editor Dave Burke 

"...this (Tourmaline Dream) has to be a top contender for Pipeline's album of the year. Simply superb"  

-Dave Burke, Editor Pipeline Magazine (UK)

THE TOURMALINERS             TOURMALINE DREAM                                                      CD 

The Tourmaliners no #; USA 2019; 45min 

Baja Norte! / Pumphouse / Green Pipe / Tourmaline Dream / Espania / Glasshouse / Adios Saladita / 

Leilani's / Stellular / Point Break / Fist Full Of Surf / LG / Amazing Grace (v) 

If you're looking for a top notch surf band then look no further. The Touramaliners are Deven Berryhill's San Diego based group, Deven of course being the son of Bob Berryhill and also a member of his dad's band The Surfaris. Deven plays guitar and has written all the songs on this album and he is ably supported by some seasoned and highly skilful musicians, namely: Joe Dameron (guitar), Matt Clowminzer (guitar), Rob Glickman (bass) and Jake Najor (drums). But what is truly exceptional about this CD is the quality of the material. It is not unusual for us to be astounded by the playing ability of many modern surf bands and the way in which they convincingly re-create the surf sound, but then to be disappointed by their inability to write a half decent tune. There's no such problem here because just about every track is richly melodic and all are presented within especially well-crafted arrangements. 

The CD opens with Baja Norte! which has a sinister-sounding surf riff at its heart, a sort of surfing Peter Gunn, topped with a tuff melody played on the low strings and skilfully embellished by additional harmony guitar lines. In fact that is a characteristic of many of the tracks: second or third guitar lines being added or woven into the melody to create extra interest. Pumphouse is similarly overflowing with ideas with one memorable sequence following on from another, guitars galore and they all having something special to say. Even Green Pipe, which starts out with a lazy reggae beat but ends up somewhere else altogether by virtue of its wonderful chorus which suddenly flows in and washes warmly over you. 

Tourmaline Dream is simply magnificent. It has an almost tropical feel with a solid snare beat set against a busy acoustic rhythm guitar, when in drifts a melody on electric guitar that is so full of yearning and tenderness that you are instantly captivated. And just when you think it cannot possible get any better guest acoustic guitarist Cesar Gervasi suddenly joins in, initially playing in harmony with the electric but then breaking away to solo in an almost jazzy way before again returning to harmonise with the electric. Fabulous! 

But really just about every track is great. There's the zippy Espania with its bright and breezy attack of guitars, the brooding Adios Saladita with its grand opening chords and moody lead, Leilani's chirpy sounding ukulele rhythm topped with an Eddy style twang, Point Break with its hectic drum intro, bustling guitars and Surf Beat style middle-eight, the dramatic Fist Full Of Surf with its majestic lead and shades of a spaghetti western theme – all just super! In fact it's easier just to mention the single disappointment on the whole CD, Amazing Grace. This is basically a casual blues featuring just harmonica and acoustic guitar with a longish spoken introduction and a rough vocal praising Jesus and the Lord. It's a rather incongruous inclusion, but just remember that the other twelve tracks are absolutely super and this has to be a top contender for Pipeline's album of the year. Simply superb.    Dave Burke 

(3584 Crown Pt Dr, San Diego, CA 92109, USA 

facebook.com/thetourmaliners)

http://www.pipelinemag.co.uk/

San Diego Legend, Bart Mendoza Interviews Deven Berryhill About His New Band The Tourmaliners 

Read Article On SDNews.com

It’s true that much great music has emerged from Southern California over the decades. However, if you were to pick a specific signature sound that the area is known for, it would most likely be surf music. 

The instrumental, twang and reverb guitar laden brand of rock ‘n’ roll was first popularized in the early 1960s by a wave of classic bands such as The Ventures. While surf music rarely shows up on the charts these days, it’s still popular live, with a thriving scene throughout the Southland. One of the newest groups, The Tourmaliners, performs at Tio Leo’s on Jan. 29. 

Though barely six months old, the band has quickly started to build a following. The group also comes with serious surf music pedigree. Frontman and guitarist Deven Berryhill is son of legendary guitarist Bob Berryhill, best known for his work with The Surfari’s and such hits as the immortal, “Wipe Out.” 

Berryhill grew up in Seal Beach, though he visited the area often for family holidays to visit his Aunt and Uncle who lived in Bay Ho. 

“The first time I moved to San Diego was in 1988,” he said. “My girlfriend and I moved down to go to Point Loma Nazarene University.” 

Early on he took inspiration to play the guitar from “My dad, Dick Dale, Stevie Ray Vaughn and The Edge from U2,” he said. Meanwhile, his life as a surf musician was assured at an early age. “I was born and raised in the surf genre,” he remarked. “My dad co-wrote the hit song ‘Wipe Out.’ So, growing up in constant exposure to that style, I fell in love with the energetic and melodic sound that surf music creates.” 

His love of playing live also hit early. “The principal at my school let my surf band, The Last Wave, play at our eighth grade graduation, complete with polyester tuxedos” he explained of his first gig. “We played a medley of ‘Point Panic’ and ‘Pipeline.’ We were a huge hit.” 

His current surf combo, The Tourmaliners, came together quickly. “I have a lot of friends who love surf music,” Berryhill said. “We had an opportunity to play at a local club so I called some buddies and put together a band. We thought we’d invite some friends who like surf music to come and have a good time.” 

The all star group of friends comprising The Tourmaliners consists of Matt Clowminzer, formerly of funk combo Hot Chicken Stew, guitarist Joe Dameron, keyboardist Ina Soliz, bassist Rob Glickman, a former member of acclaimed 1980s band, NE1, and drummer Jake Najor recently heard with The Redwoods Collective. 

He notes they do branch out a little in their set lists. “Instrumentals are the backbone of our set but we incorporate a number of vocals too,” he said. Since guitar is the focus of surf music, Berryhill has a number of instruments at his disposal, but currently favors a Seafoam Green Fender Stratocaster. 

“It gives me every grindy reverbed tone I need to really interpret the surf sound,” he said. 

Onstage the band mixes it up between classics such as “Misirlou,” “La Bamba,” and “Sleep Walk,” and originals penned by Berryhill. “I have a catalog of original surf songs that we are working into the set,” he explained. “We are done recording an album that we plan on releasing this summer, it will be titled “Adios Saladita!” 

More than six decades have passed since surf music was first heard across AM radios. Does Berryhill think surf music will continue to resonate with modern audiences? “Of course,” he said good naturedly. “It’s upbeat, fun music. Every generation can relate.” 

The Tourmaliners: Tuesday, Jan. 29 at Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St. 7 p.m. 21 and up. tioleos.com. 

Read more: San Diego Community News Group - The Tourmaliners keeping surf music rolling along