On the patio at Noman’s on a recent Tuesday afternoon, local musician Mike Benjamin strolled in with his shades on, his steps assured, back and forth from a van full of instruments. A few minutes later, vocalist Jodie Treloar Sampson sauntered over to join him, a wide smile on her face as she prepared for their gig. It’s a meeting they’ve had many times over the years, and many days a week in the summers.
The pair were preparing to play with their band, Mike Benjamin and the Keepers. Other band members set up drum sets, amps, and a keyboard behind them, cracking jokes and talking about their set list.
“I feel really lucky that I get to play music a lot,” Benjamin, who sings lead vocals and plays the guitar, said as he unloaded his equipment. The show they played at Noman’s was one of five gigs that week. With the Keepers, Benjamin plays public and private gigs, and the group specializes in weddings, parties, and seasonal gatherings.
At Noman’s, the sun was glaring and the clock was ticking, with 30 minutes to go before their start, but Benjamin, Sampson, and their band members, as always, were cool. Their professionalism as musicians is backed by a grounded Vineyard charm; they enjoy the shows as much as the crowd does.
Their band is a joining of multiple longtime musicians: Steve Tully and Rob Loyot groove in the horn and percussion section, Wes Nagy rocks the keyboard, and the band features rotating drummers, including Hudson Bausman, Jeremy Driesen, Robbie Soltz, and Cam Igo. All of the members have their own histories, are featured in other bands, and boast decades of experience at their craft. And the onlookers on Tuesday were waiting to hear the familiar tunes; a toddler in the crowd was ready to go, his parents holding his small hands as he kicked his feet to the band’s sound check.
Benjamin said he learned at a young age that he could make a career out of his passion, and that it was “really intriguing.” Since then, he’s worked with all manner of musicians, and experimented with different genres. As a full-time musician, he keeps especially busy during the summer.
Sampson, on the other hand, has a career as an acupuncturist. “I have a private practice in my home, and I’ve been at it for, well, all together, on the Island treating patients probably for eight or nine years,” she said.
While formerly a marine biologist, Sampson was pulled toward holistic work, and often meets with clients at her practice during the day, then heads to a gig in the late afternoon. She plays with Benjamin and other groups, which include the band the Outskirts with lead Jessie Leaman, and the Uku-Ladies, a ukulele gathering with Kate Taylor, Jane Lancellotti, Eugenia Copeland, and Laurie David.
Sampson said she loves learning about metaphysical topics, and has found a way to incorporate her deep interest in the world around her with the art she pursues. “I was in biology and studying nature, and now I do five-element acupuncture, which is also super-close to nature, but it’s also close to that ethereal, esoteric part of being, and spirit and consciousness,” Sampson said.
On an average summer day, Sampson could be walking her dog, Klaus, in between acupuncture patients, as Benjamin tends to the bees he keeps near the flourishing garden at his home before meeting up at an event, such as Tuesday’s Noman’s show.
Benjamin’s ability to balance decades’ worth of fret work on a guitar with a laid-back vibe has kept him booked and busy over the years, and Sampson’s vocal ability and passionate pursuit of music has made them a formidable team. They met in 2016, and have been playing together ever since. As a result of their cohesion and symbiotic match, they’re in a few bands together besides the Keepers.
For instance, the pair are in Sampson’s band, called Jodie Treloar Sampson and Sneakytown, which features her original music — indie, singer-songwriter tunes with descriptive lyrics and catchy melodies. They also play as an acoustic duo at events like Porchfest in Edgartown. Benjamin leads multiple other groups, like Mike Benjamin and the Bend in the Road Band, which tours nationally with his own original songs. These include a blend of influences from bluegrass, folk, rock, and a full range of instruments.
A few of the other members in Mike Benjamin and the Keepers have been playing together for years, honing their sound. Rob Loyot, a multi-instrumentalist who moved full-time to the Island a few years ago and now owns the Oak Bluffs store Curio, had a career in tech and owned a recording studio in Scituate. He was also one of the founding members of Entrain, a local band he and Benjamin were known for in the 1990s and 2000s.
“We’ve been active together musically for more than 35 years,” Loyot said of his and Benjamin’s musical background.
The entire band said Wes Nagy was the most storied of them all in the music world. He has played with big names like Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones, produced film and television scores, and even performed in Broadway shows. Nagy is in multiple local bands, and sits in with even more, plus he plays the piano at Grace Church in Vineyard Haven on Sundays and at events like the Aquinnah Variety Show.
The drummer at Nomans, Igo, just graduated from Berklee College of Music, and plays with Benjamin in a few groups. And another drummer in the band, Hudson Bausman, started playing in gigs with Benjamin when he was just 13 years old. He learned the drums as a child (he’s the son of Rick Bausman, legendary local drummer), joined the school band, and became an astounding talent early on.
“After a number of years, I just kept doing more and more gigs with him and started playing with Jodie as well in the wedding and event band pretty consistently,” Bausman said. “It’s a great group of musicians to play with, and a really nimble band. Everyone in the band is very musically flexible … there’s a lot of room for improvisation and experimentation.”
While their schedules are packed to the brim, the band members flow with one another. Their comfort and love for the songs are almost palpable, and put their audience at ease as well.
Upcoming shows:
- Thursday, June 25 at 6pm at the Eisenhauer Gallery: Mike Benjamin Band
- Tuesday, June 30 at 6pm at Noman’s MV: Mike Benjamin and the Keepers
- Wednesday, July 1 at 5pm at the Grange Hall: Mike Benjamin and the Bend in the Road Band
- Thursday, July 2 at 7pm at the Ritz Cafe: Mike Benjamin and the Keepers
- Tuesday, July 7 at 6pm at the Yard: Mike Benjamin and the Keepers
- Friday, July 10 at 6pm at the Tabernacle: Mike Benjamin and the Bend in the Road Band
More dates here.