Dynamic Pop/Rock album with great melodies, great playing, great vocals and harmonies.

9 MP3 Songs in this album (43:46) !
Related styles: Rock: Adult Contemporary, Easy Listening: Mature, Mood: Dreamy

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Details:
"Robbie's Redux" is many things. It's expression, love, completion, the past, present and future. It is about getting back to roots.

As a jazz guitarist, I really wanted to get back to roots. Jazz is more of an intellectual endeavor for me, where as rock'n'roll is an entirely emotional experience. Rock'n'roll is in my blood. After all, I did see the Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hendrix at the Fillmore East. I did sit for hours with my record player learning every Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, and Jimi Hendrix riff off their records as well as every Beatles and Monkees song, (yes, I loved the Monkees and still do).

There had been two bands I had played in when I was younger. Both these bands had a great influence on my present day artistry. When I was 17, I was in a wonderful band called Pandemonium Circus. A bunch of crazy, highly energetic idealistic youths playing original rock'n'roll from the heart. When I was 21, I had another band called Orpheus that was an original jazz-fusion band. Both these bands were the equivalence of the first loves one might have that sets the tone for future loves. "Robbie's Redux" takes the love and influences from both these groups.

About a year ago I reconnected with some of my former band mates and we started playing together again. Tom Wolfe says "You Can't Go Home Again". Well I don't entirely agree. Reconnecting with my past has been, and is, a wonderfully fulfilling experience. I love these guys and now as we play and eventually perform, the music we are producing is pure joy. We have been able to return home as "almost" mature adults.

Unfortunately, I started "Robbie's Redux" before we all reconnected. I had already recorded most of the songs. But, I was still able to incorporate the lead vocalists from that original band to finish the project. By bringing their considerable vocal abilities, both Dave Forman and Dave Wechsler have added a dimension to this project that previously was missing. I was even able to redo one of the songs, "Skyline Writer", replacing my drum and bass parts with Dave Forman's and Paul Avrutin's excellent drum and bass playing as well as adding Dave Wechsler's flute. I considered redoing all the songs with them playing their respective parts, but did not want to add another six months onto the project. I am sure that we will do another recording in the future with the new band playing.

My commitment to this project has been to be fully expressed. The lyrics are written as an adult looking back on one's life. Some of the stories are true, and some are what might have been, if circumstances had been a little different.

I am very fortunate to have great friends who tell me the truth when I request it. For this project, I did call upon my friends to tell me what they thought at various times during the life of the project. In particular, my music/artist consultant, Doron Ben-Ami was instrumental to the success of the project. He always told me the truth of what he heard, holding back nothing. He honored my request for complete honesty. After all, I would rather hear a critique at a point in time when I could do something about it, rather than after the project is completed and too late to make changes.

Lastly, I want to say a word about Michael Golub, the mixing engineer. His considerable abilities, talent and contribution were far superior to anything I could have achieved on my own. He truly brought out the best sonic qualities of the different instruments as well as changing some of the arrangements to better express the intent of each song.

This album has been a joy to make and produce. I hope that joy is translated in the listening.