About Bruiser

Mike Ingram, music columnist for Champaign/Urbana’s The Buzz, referred to Bruce “Bruiser” Rummenie as “Champaign rock royalty.”  Singer, guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader Rummenie has, indeed, been a stalwart of the music scene in C-U for over 20 years.  Rummenie, along with brother Scott Portzline, founded the Mudhens, one of C-U’s most popular blues bands from ‘85-’90.  They recorded two albums, Have Mercy and Waxing the Cat (both consisting primarily of original songs by Rummenie). The Mudhens regularly ruled the roost at Mabels and the Alley Cat with lead singer Kevin Deforrest holding court leading the shenanigans — much of it still recalled with fondness by many Mudhen fans today.

After the Mudhens disbanded, Rummenie was a part of the local acoustic trio The Freak Brothers, which featured Deforrest and ex-Otis and the Elevators singer/songwriter/guitarist/film producer Jay Rosenstein.  The Freak Brothers recorded a live CD — a compilation of mostly original tunes by Deforrest, Rosenstein, and Rummenie — at Channing Murray Chapel in ‘90.

Bruiser then spent 1991-2 in Austin, Texas, watching and learning from some of his Texas blues guitar idols, and playing in two blues bands – for tips – on Fourth Street.  Meeting and playing in a band with drummer and Austin socialite Ram Garza afforded him a unique perspective into the Austin scene.  Playing in Austin was also a lesson in art and economics.  While Bruiser’s passion for music remained strong, he realized the lifestyle of a full-time blues musician was not one he wished to pursue.

After returning to his teaching position in Urbana in ‘92, Rummenie formed the Impalas with Champaign bass legend Andre Mossotti, the area’s rhythmic shuffle master, Ricky Cummings, and a young female singer – Ginger Reynolds. The quartet performed regularly throughout the state for seven years, garnered a strong following, and recorded a CD, eponomously titled The Impalas.

The Impalas have gone through personnel changes, with the notable addition of irrepressible vocalist Dawna Nelson, top jazz-call drummer Jeff Magby, multi-instrumentalist Peter Roubal on guitar.  Kenna Mae fronted the band briefly, as well, after Dawna left the ensemble. The Impalas continue to be the premiere, rocking, Texas blues act in the C-U area.

In 1998, Bruiser met John “JT” Tubbs –  a recently relocated bassist from Madison, Wisconsin, who possesses an impressive musical resume most notably as a sideman for Paul Black and the Flip-Kings.  Bruiser and JT began forming Bruiser and the Virtues, an original jump blues combo that features Neal Robinson  – another highly respected C-U musical veteran -on piano, musical composition Ph.D., sax, and guitar man Peter Roubal, and sax man Bruce “Hollywood” Bethel.  The Virtues released the CD Bruiser and the Virtues:  From Vice to Virtue and Vice Versa. in 2001.

In 2004, The Virtues won the Illinois Central Blues Society Challenge  and went on to compete in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, performing at B. B King’s Nightclub on Beale St. in February, 2005.  Australian blues guitarist Jimi Hocking – 2005’s individual contest winner – termed the Virtues, “Pretty much my favorite band in the contest.”  The Virtues are recognized and lauded in C-U, too. The Virtues were a featured band at Java and Jet’s Atomic Frolic in ‘06, and they continue to play at both private and pubic shows to rave reviews.   While Tubbs and Bethel have moved on to other projects, the Virtues continue to dig into the jump blues of the 40’s as well as Rummenie’s originals. Local blues favorite Candy Foster- who is often seen at Virtues shows when he has the night off – recently said of the band’s 40’s styled jump blues: “I love the way you guys play  – it’s real old school….”

In 2004, Tubbs and Rummenie recorded an acoustic CD of Bruiser’s tunes: a folk, blues, country, and Western swing amalgam  under the moniker “The Javelinas.”  Guest artists included Dawna Nelson and Brandon Washington on harmony vocals, Neal Robinson on accordion, and Kent “Doc” LeCouris on harmonica.  The CD, entitled All I Know, received accolades from Hub music writer, James Walker:  “All I know about All I Know… is that it’s one of my top five picks for the year.”  While Tubbs has since left the band, Bruiser continues to gather alums from his other bands to form the current line up of The Javelinas.”

In 2011-2012 Bruiser collaborated on two projects. Local poet, Steve Davenport, approached Bruiser with a request: to record a podcast in which they discussed the songwriting process. This discussion sparked an ongoing creative dialogue which ultimately resulted in seven songs. The EP, “This Noise in My Blood,” features Davenport’s song lyrics set to Bruiser’s music. Soon after, Bruiser teamed with established keyboardist and producer Neal Robinson on another EP of original tunes – “Tip Top Tap” which melded Bruiser’s old school blues tastes with Neal’s World Beat sensibilities.

In 2022, Rummenie - with production, bass, and background vocals from Dan Henry - recorded “13”, a CD of 13 original songs. He also enlisted Neal Robinson, Peter Roubal, Jonny Beckett, and Kenna Mae on the project. His daughter, Sylvan, did the cover artwork.

Rummenie has since retired from teaching English at Urbana Middle School. After a bizarre wine glass/curtain rod accident that severed a nerve and a tendon in his right thumb, he has cut back on his playing schedule. Music, however, continues to be his passion, and Bruiser never lays his guitar down for long…Ex-Delta King’s guitarist and local entrepreneur Cody Sokolowski may have summed up Bruiser’s playing best, “Your playing is on fire.  When I listen to you, I think T-bone Walker is smiling down from heaven…”