Brian Lee

The question of “why?” Humans do what we do can only bring us so far. Eventually, graveling over reason ceases to serve us—we must accept that we are the way we are by nature, nurture, or cosmic chance. For many, the intrinsic motivation to express oneself through creative outlets is just sort of there. It is a gift—and if you’re born with it, you can’t live without it. And according to Brian Lee, it’s the strongest channel to human connection.

Brian was exposed to the powers and pleasures of music from his earliest days. Memories of his saxophonist grandfather whistling tunes, playing records, and conjuring up songs out of the most mundane circumstances instilled in him that music can be both playful and meaningful. 

Singing in church throughout his youth familiarized Brian with performing in front of others and the importance of music uniting people. As time progressed, by his formative early teen years he got his hands on a six string and began to learn under the guidance of local music legend Gino White. “Gino was a wonderful teacher who taught a lot of theory…he was a great influence on me,” said Brian.

Enthralled by notorious electric guitar “shredders” like Roy Buchanan, as well as rock & roll pioneers like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, Brian set out to rip across the fretboard. And just as he was picking up speed, an injury would pump the brakes on his progress. 

“I broke my arm as a teenager, and it prevented me from playing guitar for a little while. I kept going [to Gino] while I couldn’t play, and we would just talk about music history and theory. I got really deep into jazz as a teenager,” said Brian.

The process of healing a limb did not prevent Brian’s moving forward with the instrument, but frustration accompanied the reunion as he had a lot of relearning to do. His hand couldn’t move at the same pace as his brain. But he reacquainted himself with the instrument with an entire new wealth of knowledge about guitar and new perspectives on where he could take his own works. 

His music taste and direction shifted to heavily align with an indie-folk style. Musicians like Regina Spektor, Elliot Smith, and Joni Mitchell encouraged his new stride in songwriting. The raw and emotional elements of the genre spoke truest to his mission, “That’s when I realized I really wanted to be vulnerable with songwriting,” shared Brian.

As his songwriting evolved, his musical experimentation expanded. Garage-band style endeavors gave Brian the space to freely explore different sounds in the company of friends. “I went through punk and hardcore phases in the local scene when it was thriving. It was camaraderie based, there’s such nostalgia in that music for me,” he reminisced. 

Losing time in jam sessions with friends, self-recording originals under the name “In Tent City”, and delving into the world of songwriting in solitude prepared Brian for the next phases of musical pursuits and arrangements. 

Clavicles 

Brian played guitar in a local duo known as Clavicles alongside extraordinary violinist Daisy Castro. They recorded a nautical themed album in The Chalfonte Hotel’s King Edward Bar and rooftop cupola. See You on the Other Side was an album particularly focused on the subject of whales. It was ethereal in vibe and sound, reflective of the salty abyss only a few blocks from their temporary DIY studio.

Clavicles was an adored local project that spent a lot of time performing at The Chalfonte, but they also frequented venues like the Washington Inn Wine Bar and wereplaying and touring between 2016 and 2021. “We’ve put out tracks since then, though.  One is in a film directed by Sara Werner that is premiering at film festivals this year,” Brian told us. 

Ambergris

“The waxy substance found floating in or on the shores of tropical waters, believed to originate in the intestines of the sperm whale, and used in perfumery as a fixative” is called ambergris; it is also the name of a local shoegaze-style band composed of Brian Lee on electric guitar, Hannah Stone on bass, and Andy Reeves on drums, with vocal harmonies all around. 

This current project formed roughly two years ago when Brian met Hannah at Out There Coffee. The group began to regularly play bi-weekly at the then newly opened Cricket Club, as they continue to do.

The mellow indie trio plays a blend of covers and originals written by Brian and Hannah, which they have plans to record in the near future. “We’re working on an EP of originals right now. It’ll be a raw, mostly live-tracked collection of original songs that Hannah and I have written. We should have it out by December,” said Brian.

Birddog, Batter, and Beyond

Brian has been playing alongside local musician Jimm Ross for 14 years, playing lead guitar and backup vocals. Andy Reeves is in this mix also; they call themselves Birddog.

“Jimm has been a dear friend for a decade and a half. We’ve seen each other through so many phases in life. That kind of mirror through time is irreplaceable. I cherish our friendship, and I feel grateful that we get to share music as a symbol of that friendship,” Brian continued, “Playing with the people you love is a sacrament to the connection that exists there; I don’t mean that lightly. Birddog is a real good time. I mean that lightly.”

Like many year-round Cape May musicians, this weekly musical event that Brian frequents epitomizes the freedom and fun in performing. “The Batter open mic has become such a wonderful gathering place for the local community. MQ is an amazing host with such an appreciation for music. If I’m doing a set there, I’m more likely to do obscure covers, or my originals that I don’t usually play when I’m trying to entertain at a bar. It’s an open mic; why not play exactly what’s in your heart?”

As the temperature drops in South Jersey, you can still see talents like Brian keep warm, strumming and singing around town. During the winter months he regularly plays solo, with Ambergris, or his duo with Andy Reeves called Weird Spirits at the Cricket Club and with Birddog at the Mad Batter. These projects offer a variety of sound and energy, demonstrating Brian’s versatility. 

Brian was born a musician and aims to fulfill the creative urges that come so naturally to him. As he said, “Playing music is catharsis for me. It’s therapy. It’s meditation. It’s an escape but it’s also an absolute presence. It’s connection with others, whether that is the musicians with whom I’m playing, or people who are listening.”