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Last night I won the Treasure Coast Blues Challenge which earns me the right to compete again in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January. This will be the 3rd time I’ll be competing in the IBC as a solo or duo having won the South Florida Blues Challenge in 2019, and the SouthWest Florida Blues Challenge in 2022. Both times I made the semi-finals in Memphis. I hope to do better this time. Fingers crossed, nose to the grindstone. And my idea of what blues is, may be changing with the times.
Or, perhaps the world's concept of what blues is has changed and I'm slowly catching up.
Being a musician who has played with numerous blues legends both as a backing musician in Chicago, Europe, and New York or touring the USA, I know, or THOUGHT I knew, what blues is. I have recorded with Big Joe Turner and backed up Big Joe, Big Mama Thornton, Lightning Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Sunnyland Slim, Brownie McGhee, J.B. Hutto, Eddie Kirkland, Otis Rush, Floyd Jones, Homesick James, and many others. All these blues cats were different from each other and fell into different sub-categories, but they were all blues performers, folk blues, Chicago blues, acoustic blues. Some played with small combos at a low volume or as a solo or duo part of their careers. Others played in some large bands like Big Joe sometimes did. Some did all of it. Some played piano, others guitar, still others harmonica or bass in addition to singing. I have also opened up for many great blues legends too including James Cotton, Gatemouth Brown, Albert King, and Albert Collins just to name a few. I have jammed with more legendary blues musicians than I can name, and backed up others only once as part of a larger show (Honeyboy Edwards, Doctor John, Pinetop Perkins). I paid my dues and got me an education, a degree from Hard Knox University in Bluesology. I got a blue sheepskin.
I have played all kinds of blues with all kinds of musicians including those who were primarily jazz, rock, soul, folk, or country musicians. I have played jump, swing, Chicago, Texas, blues rock, jazzy blues, bluesy jazz, Cajun blues, bluesy gospel, Delta, Piedmont, and you name it. It was all blues.
Musicians define things musically because we know something about MUSIC. Traditionally, blues tunes have a certain chord structure along with certain types of variations as well as a certain tone both coming from the instruments as well as the vocals. Of course there are always exceptions. Not all blues is rough and gritty. For example, when B.B. King was young his voice was much higher, sorrowful and sweeter sounding than the the deeper and more urgent holler that he employed starting from about the mid 1960s. Listen to Three O'Clock Blues. There are exceptions to all things.
Blues tunes traditionally have used certain scales and certain types of chords. Even here there is the rare exception. Honky Tonk by Bill Doggett ended on a major 7th chord for example, all blues chords are flatted 7th chords, not major 7th chords. Some of these changes came from jazz musicians, and of course blues is essential to a jazz player's vocabulary so it is only natural that a good jazz player would stretch the boundaries of the blues to fit his more academic approach to the music.
Blues started to use chromatic scales and chords a half step up from the key. The music still sounded like blues with all these changes because these changes were used to expand the structure a little here or there, without losing the thread that could still be identified as blues.
However, I am hearing a lot of "blues bands" today playing tunes that I would categorize as rock or funk with little of the traditional underpinnings of blues structure.
Once the cat is out of the bag, there's no getting him back inside. The genie is out of the bottle.
I'm hearing rock song changes that are not blues changes. Don't get me wrong, the blues must evolve or it will die. And these bands all sound great and the songs are great too. The question is, is it reasonable to call ALL of this music blues or is it reasonable to call it something else?
I don't have the answers. There are no absolute answers. It's primarily a subjective thing.
When I first heard Chasing The Train by John Coltrane I did not recognize that it was a blues. This was in 1970 and I was turned on to blues by the sax player in my band, Firewater, named Jeff Sheloff. Jeff said, it's just a blues. I listened again more closely and was surprised that he was right, it WAS a blues. Damnedest blues I ever heard though. Not at ALL like B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Albert King, Freddie King, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, or Bessie Smith but the chord changes said in fact, this is a blues. Of course jazz players take a lot of liberties with the chords and scales and therefore have expanded the possiblities and parameters of what constitutes the blues. It was blues alright but played by really avant guard modern jazz quartet.
Anyway, I am re-thinking what I will play in Memphis. I may take a more expansive view of what "blues content" means.
And I will start taking donations to help pay for the 6 day stay in Memphis and the airflights soon.
Sunday I will play in Plantation Walk from 3pm to 7pm.
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OCTOBER 2024 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
Robert Ross @ Plantation Walk
When: Sunday, October 6, 2024
Time: 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Address: 333 N University Dr, Plantation, FL 33324
Venue Website: https://www.PlantationWalk.com
Robert's Website: https://www.RobertRossBand.com
The outdoor stage is located in the plaza area next to Kob’s Green Market and in front of the parking garage which is next to The Rise At Plantation Walk. The stage is rather large with a large green tent over it which is opened when needed to block the sun or rain. If the weather is real bad and you don’t find us at the outdoor stage, look for us at Ford’s Garage Restaurant or some other restaurant within a stone’s throw, just look around. Featuring two time NY Music Award winner & International Blues Challenge Semi-Finalist Robert Ross (vocals, guitar, slide guitar, harmonica, & percussion) from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Thank you Ray, Rebecca, and Howard!
Blues Over Easy Jam w/Robert Ross @ Kelly Brothers
When: Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time: 7:15pm to 11pm
Address: 3045 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
Phone: (954) 630-2856
Venue Website: http://www.kellybrothersirishpub.com/
Robert's Website: https://www.RobertRossBand.com
Wednesdays are a fun night over at Kelly’s. The Blues Over Easy Jam at Kelly’s will feature: Stephen Jeremia (drums); Doctor Mike Ancona (bass); Mike Mastaler (keys); and Robert Ross (vocals, guitar, slide guitar, & harmonica). We will perform together for the first set and then open it up to some of the finest jammers in the county from 7:15pm to 11pm. Thank you Mike & Stephen.
Robert Ross @ Rudy’s At Bamboo Lounge
When: Sunday, October 27, 2024
Time: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Address: 25 S. J St, Lake Worth, FL 33460
(561) 602-5307
Robert's Website: https://www.RobertRossBand.com
A tribute to Ron Johnson who recently passed away. Ron was a great music fan and was a very good friend of Rod MacDonald who decided to put together a tribute. Featuring singer songwriter Rod MacDonald (vocals, guitar, harmonica) and two time NY Music Award winner & International Blues Challenge Semi-Finalist Robert Ross (vocals, guitar, harmonica, & percussion) from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. More info to come including more acts performing. Thank you Rod MacDonald.
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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
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”.
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