Rachel Blumberg

{{short description|American musician, artist, and filmmaker|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Rachel Blumberg

| image = Rachel Blumberg.jpg

| caption = Rachel Blumberg playing drums for Bright Eyes

| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist

| instrument = {{hlist|Drums|percussion|vocals|ukulele|banjo|accordion|piano}}

| genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|folk rock}}

| occupation = Musician

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|02|10}}

| birth_place = Portland, Oregon, U.S.

| years_active =

| label =

| associated_acts = Norfolk & Western, M Ward, The Decemberists, She & Him, Jolie Holland, Bright Eyes, Death Vessel, Califone, The Low Anthem

| website =

}}

Rachel Chaiya Blumberg (born February 10, 1969)"United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (23 May 2014), Rachel Chaiya Blumberg, Residence, Portland, Oregon, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information. is an American musician, artist, and filmmaker, best known for her tenure as the drummer for the indie rock band the Decemberists.

Early life

Blumberg was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1969. She is the daughter of Naomi Blumberg, a Portland cellist and President Emerita of the Oregon Cello Society, and Bernie Blumberg, a professional musician and a public school

music teacher, supervisor and principal.

Music career

In addition to drumming for the Decemberists, Blumberg was a member of many Portland-based indie bands, including Sissyface, Boycrazy, Norfolk & Western, the Minders (briefly) and M. Ward's backing band.{{cite web|url=http://localcut.wweek.com/2007/10/17/here-comes-your-fan-dude-im-in-the-band/|title=Here Comes Your Fan: Dude, I'm In the Band!|last=McCullough|first=Amy|date=October 17, 2007|work=Local Cut|publisher=Willamette Week|access-date=2008-12-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018102954/http://localcut.wweek.com/2007/10/17/here-comes-your-fan-dude-im-in-the-band/|archive-date=October 18, 2007|url-status=dead}}

She spent most of 2007 lending her drumming and singing talents to the touring Omaha indie band Bright Eyes on the Four Winds and Cassadaga tour. In 2007 and early 2008, she recorded new records with Norfolk & Western, M. Ward, and Jolie Holland.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1426416|pure_url=yes}}|title=The Living and the Dead – Review|last=Jurek|first=Thom|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=2008-12-11}}

Blumberg has recorded with Providence, Rhode Island, band the Low Anthem and performed with Califone, Death Vessel, and Honeybunch. She has performed her own music under the monikers Manzanita and Arch Cape.{{Cite news|url=http://girlsrockri.org/volunteer-spotlight/|title=Volunteer Spotlight: Rachel Blumberg|date=2013-07-29|work=Girls Rock! RI|access-date=2018-03-16}}

In addition to drums and singing, she plays ukulele, banjo, accordion, piano, and other various stringed, electronic and percussion instruments.

Blumberg has taught for many years at Portland, Oregon's Rock and Roll Camp for Girls and its Girls Rock! Rhode Island offshoot.

Filmmaking and art

Blumberg makes music videos using stop motion animation and a variety of other techniques including painting, collage, and puppetry. Notable videos she has directed include "Dry Town (Demo)" by Gillian Welch,{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/country/videos/see-gillian-welchs-quirky-dry-town-video-w464853|title=See Gillian Welch's Quirky 'Dry Town' Video|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2018-03-16}} and "Jules and Jim" by Nada Surf; others include songs by Musee Mechanique, Dramady, and Tom Hagerman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rachelblumberg.com/animation-film|title=Animations/Film|website=rachelblumberg.com|language=en|access-date=2018-03-16}}{{Cite news|url=https://thetakemagazine.com/rachel-blumberg/|title=Rachel Blumberg Sees And Hears More Than You|date=2016-08-03|work=Take Magazine|access-date=2018-03-16|language=en-US}} Blumberg says her animation style was influenced by the work of the Brothers Quay and Jan Svankmajer.{{Citation|last=Blumberg|first=Rachel|title=Jules and Jim - Nada Surf - Vimeo|date=2013-12-29|url=https://vimeo.com/82929441|access-date=2018-03-16}}

As a visual artist, she has shown her work in Portland, Oregon, and Omaha, Nebraska. Notable musicians who own her work include Gillian Welch, Jonathan Richman, Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists, and Laura Veirs.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}