We Banjo 3 will be brothers in harmony at Port Washington

When Shakespeare coined the term “band of brothers,” he certainly was not alluding to music-playing siblings. But the brothers — two sets of them — who make up the "Celt-grass" band somewhat misleadingly titled We Banjo 3 know well the comradeship and dedication conveyed by the playwright’s turn of phrase.

“I was drunk and didn’t count myself,” jokes frontman David Howley about the Irish group’s misnomer. “But it makes us mysterious and generates interest.” As harbingers of what Howley calls “the banjo revolution,” the virtuoso fingerpicking quartet has been generating interest aplenty on its ongoing North American tour.

“The banjo adds brightness. Its sound is really organic; you can feel it deep in your chest,” explains David, who, though a national banjo champion, will play guitar and sing lead vocals at the group's first Long Island gig at Landmark on Main Street in Port Washington on Sunday. The banjo’s trademark twang is instead the dominion of his bandmates — his sibling Martin Howley and Enda Scahill, whose brother Fergal Scahill impresses on multiple instruments, ranging from the fiddle to the mandolin.

While all four men hail from Galway, Ireland, both Howleys have relocated to Nashville. “What we do is pretty unique,” says David. “Because we write many of our songs on the road together, there is a lot of cross-pollination and adoption. French-Canadian music, American bluegrass, Japanese shamisen, they all infiltrate and meld with our native sound.”

Like most songwriters, their music is a reflection of their own stories. “We write about what we do in our normal lives,” David adds, noting the regular-guy pastimes the band members enjoy when not performing. “Martin is a brilliant cook and likes to surf, Enda is a fisherman, Fergal gardens and I brew beer.”

In addition to their playlist of original songs like fan favorite “Shine On” and other tracks from their recent “Haven” and “Roots to Rise Live” releases, We Banjo 3 also serves up the occasional cover. Their show offers a rare chance to hear popular hits like Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” reimagined with the banjo as well as traditional American folk songs like “The Prettiest Little Girl in the County,” which the band makes decidedly their own.

“But you don’t need to know who we are to enjoy our show,” assures David of anyone who may be new to their music. “It’s very interactive, lots of singing and stomping in the aisles. You definitely need to leave your inhibition at the door. It’s a mad Irish party session every night.”