DeKALB | To generalize, all bands have that one “jack of all trades”: the keyboardist who pulls trumpets, bells and bongos out of his bottomless bag of instruments.

Because they’re often the most fun to watch, the quirky multi-instrumental sidekick can easily upstage an uncharismatic lead man. Pearl and the Beard, the Brooklyn folk trio hitting the House Café, 362 E. Lincoln Highway, this Sunday is composed entirely of the archetype. The result is a high-energy three-piece that really captures the resourcefulness of the folk genre.

Peal and the Beard consists of Jocelyn Mackenzie on glockenspiel, melodica, percussion, and kazoo; Emily Hope Price on cello and accordion; and Jeremy Styles on guitar and miscellaneous percussion instruments. In addition, each member snaps, claps and stomps a la “STOMP.”

“I think the percussion is important because it’s something everyone can do with us,” Price said. “The whole idea behind what we want to communicate is that everyone in the audience is in our band. Everyone can sing. Everyone can stomp and clap…The instrument that gets people the most excited would probably be the kazoo. Jocelyn plays kazoo really well. Actually, she’s probably the best kazoo player I’ve ever met.”

Ironically, considering the cornucopia of instruments that collectively the band can play, Pearl and the Beard is a vocal band at heart. Alternating lead and background vocals, songs often result in oscillating voices, three part harmonies and, occasionally, three leads simultaneously. Despite being on the verge of a cappella at times, none of the band’s members have had extensive vocal training.

“The only vocal trained person would have to be Jeremy Styles and he doesn’t actually have that much,” Price said. “He probably has more training vocally and even that is very little. He has a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and a minor degree in music history—what a nerd. He studied the guitar in college and he is…good looking.”

What makes such an unconventional arrangement work so cohesively is that the band seems aware of the humorousness of their setup. On YouTube, you can catch the band playing a mash-up of the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “Men in Black” theme songs (a medley they promise to play at the House Café if enough people show up). Even more serious tunes like “Oh, Death!” are delivered with an audible smile.

“We take not taking ourselves too seriously very seriously” Price said. “You have to be able to laugh at yourself in a one moment while take yourself serious in a serious moment. We go straight into an intense song while making a really stupid joke on stage. It’s so weird, but I think that’s how you handle the really heavy stuff.