Happy 2021 to one and all !!
And 2020, don't let the door hit ya fat arse on the way out. Yeah, good riddance.
Things may be gloomy for awhile but I think things will change with the new administration, vaccines, and hopefully increasing acceptance of the reality that masks and social distancing are absolutely key in preventing infection of CoVid19.
As for me personally, 2020 started off great but then slid into the dumpster like most everybody else.
Way back in September of 2019, which seems like a century ago, Ross 'n' Rose competed as a duo in the South Florida Blues Challenge organized by the South Florida Blues Society. My partner Heidi "Heidi Ho" Rosenbaum on drums. Against some powerful Florida competition including Mark Telesca and Little Ed, Ross 'n' Rose won the right to go to Memphis in late January 2020 to compete in the Internation Blues Challenge (IBC). The IBC is organized by the Blues Foundation.
Our little duo did well. We competed twice in the quarterfinals and were selected to move on to the semi-finals. Unfortunately we weren't selected to move on to the finals. But, we did make the semi-finals!! And that ain't too shabby.
Upon coming home on February 2 we started to book gigs and found that clubs were willing to not only book us but for a little more money than we were getting before the competition. We were booking a lot of gigs.
Then we started hearing about the virus. By early March things were getting a little scary. The first cancelled gig I lost was on March 8. The last two gigs I actually did were with Piano Bob and Lou Abbott on March 7 and 13. Then the bottom literally dropped out. Everything got cancelled, 7 gigs in March alone, 6 more in April, and 5 more in May. I didn't have a gig for 8 weeks.
Finally in May I did get a few gigs but mostly for less money, in some cases a LOT less. One of those gigs was a virtual gig, the first of many, and I made $20 in tips.
I spent time learning covers that I always wanted to learn but never found the time to. Some 60s blues tunes, a few 40's hipster jazz tunes. I re-learned some long abandoned originals that I had either underestimated or nearly forgotten about.
And I started working with a professional writer pal of mine on doing my biography.
I'm also working on an invention. Are there any LUTHIERS out there who might be interested in working on this project with me?
With Biden and Harris in the White House the federal gov't will actually LEAD a national response to the pandemic. Here's to a better 2021 !!
LOVE & PEACE
Robert Ross |
PLEASE NOTE
It is always a good idea to call a venue to confirm that we will in fact be appearing, to check on admission or cover charges, and to find out whether it is necessary to make a reservation. Thank you.
HAVING A PRIVATE PARTY OR WEDDING? HIRE THE ROBERT ROSS BAND!
Having a birthday or anniversary bash? Maybe a small dinner party? A large corporate party? Whatever event you are planning consider The Robert Ross Band, Robert Ross & The Jazz-Manian Devils. Or maybe you want something a little more “showbizzy” like Jiggles Giggles & Blues. We can put a package together to suit your entertainment needs. Let's talk. Send us an email reply with “PARTY” in the subject line. We'll get back to you.
GUITAR / BASS / HARMONICA LESSONS
From award winning recording artist & seasoned educator Robert Ross
EMAIL: Bluesman@PROTECTED
I will be taking on a limited number of dedicated guitar, bass, and harmonica students regardless of age or current level of expertise.
Robert is a two time New York Music Award winner and a New York Blues Hall of Fame inductee. Robert is known for a wide variety of blues, jazz, soul, country, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, and other roots music. Robert worked and recorded with Big Joe Turner and also worked with Lightnin’ Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Otis Rush, Big Mama Thornton, Brownie McGhee, Memphis Slim, and other legends. One of Robert’s songs was recorded by Johnny Winter, and two other songs appeared on the soap opera “All My Children”. The Robert Ross Band has released 7 internationally distributed CDs and toured two continents. Robert has been teaching guitar for more then 25 years privately, and 13 years in NYC public schools. Robert’s work in the schools has been cited by the NY State Council of the Arts (NYSCA) for “best practices in arts in education programming”.
Lessons are $40 per half hour, and $60 per hour.
http://www.robertrossband.com/guitar-lessons
|
