Roots musician to perform in Bloomington Gallery Walk

As part of Bloomington’s Gallery Walk, roots musician David Wierhake will perform original tunes from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 6 at Max’s Place.

Along with 10 other downtown galleries that participate in First Fridays, Max’s Place schedules special events showcasing local culture the first Friday of each month.

“It’s great for people to be able to stick their nose in the door and look at some local art and talent,” Wierhake said.

Missouri native Wierhake attended IU’s Jacobs School of Music to study piano but was drawn to the niche of musical improvisation after meeting jazz instructor Jamey Aebersold.

In the late 1980s, Wierhake came across his first accordion at an Indianapolis thrift shop and taught himself to play. 

He has since played accordion on John Mellencamp’s 2001 Grammy-nominated single, “Peaceful World,” and has backed on acoustic guitar for fiddlers Brad Leftwich and Hawk Hubbard, along with other independent recording projects in Bloomington, where he now resides as an adopted Hoosier, Wierhake said.

The songwriter said he classifies his music as Missouri Mad-Mule Roots Music, as indicated by its melodic feel, guitar style and finger picking influenced by Bob Dylan, John Prine and Steve Earle.

“It’s for all ages,” Wierhake said. “I love to interact with children through music. I’m a substitute teacher and like to bring my accordion to school. My songs are about life and death and love and quirky, off-beat sounds.”

Wierhake takes the stage as dwBrykalski to pay tribute to the life of his mother and his Polish heritage, to which he attributes much of his creativity for music.

“Any song I set out to write, it just comes to me. I don’t know how, but the melody and core just progresses,” Wierhake said.

In conjunction with live music, traveling gallery art from the International Art Project will be displayed for sale. 

The IAP collects original art from artists in developing countries and distributes it globally. Net profits are returned to the artist’s community for various necessities, including school supplies, food, clothes, medicine and housing. 

The canvas paintings range in color, size and style and are priced between $300 and $1,250.

The music is free, but donations are accepted and encouraged, Travers Marks, co-owner and performance coordinator at Max’s Place, said. 

“We’re just expecting some great, quality, original roots music and hopefully some great company,” Marks said.

Follow reporter Jillian Ranegar on Twitter @JillianRanegar.