ShuBrew incorporates live jazz music into Sunday brunch
ZELIENOPLE — When walking into ShuBrew Brewery and Food on Sunday mornings, customers are treated to more than a standard brunch.
The small brewery on Zelienople’s Main Street offers the sounds of live jazz presented by Rich Zabinski and numerous other bandmates during the brunch.
Erika Shumaker, co-owner of ShuBrew, said Sunday, Aug. 2, she had the idea to bring in live music — specifically jazz — after a trip to New Orleans changed her perspective.
“I’d gone down to New Orleans with some friends for a girls’ trip. I just love the vibe down there,” she said. “Everywhere you go, there’s always live music. Typically, there’s jazz, and I just thought it was really fun and wanted to bring something like that here.”
She said she couldn’t find many restaurants around the region that host live music, and the ones who occasionally do it rarely offer jazz.
“(We wanted to) bring people in and give them something different,” Shumaker said. “I think since the pandemic, people don’t feel like they can go to (Pittsburgh) to get the same type of things. Stuff they’d normally go to the city for, they can now just get here.”
While there is the occasional complaint about the music being too loud, Shumaker said she feels that live music brings an entirely different energy to the space than recorded music could — even if it’s a bit louder.
“I don’t know if they were thinking like quiet jazz, but I wanted that New Orleans fun. It’s a lot of brass instruments and it’s drums,” she said.
She said the band has been great with engaging the community, creating a number of Sunday regulars. She said musicians, customers and employees alike have jumped in on a whim to perform with Zabinski.
“We have people who have asked if they can sing with the band,” Shumaker said. “Sometimes, musicians are wearing their instruments and jump up and play with them. We had a trombonist who worked here. She was able to play with them for a couple of sets.”
On Sunday, Zabinski was joined by trombonist Reggie Watkins and pianist Greg Lutz. The group performed songs and chatted with engaged customers in between.
Zabinski said he has performed almost every Sunday for the past two or more years, while others like Watkins and Lutz rotate in and out.
“(We like) the people, the owners, the food. The people working here and the people that come in are awesome. It’s a nice, relaxed gig,” Zabinski said.
He said the group has performed Sunday brunches alongside “special guests” such as Broadway performer Juliet Ewing.
“She was in town doing a show at the Strand (Theater) and she stopped by here and played a couple of songs,” he said.
ShuBrew’s jazz brunch runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. most Sundays.
