Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Off to Europe, New CD Review

Hello Music Lovers,

Just a little note that I am off to Europe for a series of gigs with my comrade in arms, saxophonist Carl Clements, playing music from our Sundar Shor project.

"Sundar Shor" means "beautiful noise" in Hindi and represents Carl's and my interest in North Indian classical music combined with modern jazz. I am honored to work with Carl, as he has been studying the bansuri, which is the Indian seven-hole bamboo flute, for well over 20 years with his teacher in India and has become so proficient on this instrument that he can even play jazz on it!

We will be playing a series of concerts in and around Frankfurt, Germany and then off to Nuremberg for our last show. For more info on the gigs, please go to:

I'll be back in the US the beginning of October, gigging, teaching and starting as an instructor for the New York Jazz Academy (http://nyjazzacademy.com/).

The next RSJO gig at the Gershwin Hotel will be on Wednesday, October 14th. Set times as always will be 8 & 9:30pm.

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The RSJO just received another glowing review, this time by journalist Edward Blanco in All About Jazz. Here's the link:

Keep Swinging!
Russ


Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Just in - check out this interview at Ucombo.com

I was recently interviewed on Ucombo.com. Here's the interview:


Hope to see a bunch of you at the RSJO gig Thursday.

Keep swinging,
Russ

Thursday, September 3, 2009

New Gigs + RSJO Concert Thursday, Sept. 10th

As often happens in the life of us freelance musicians a couple of last-minute gigs just came in:

I'll be at my usual Friday gig: "O solo mio" - solo jazz guitar, that is - Friday, Sept. 4th, 7-10pm at Il Porto Restaurant (known for its wood burning brick oven pizza!). Located directly across from the entrance to Steiner Studios.
37 Washington Avenue at Flushing Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11205
(718) 624-2965
www.ilportobrooklyn.com

On Saturday, Sept. 5th I'll playing in duo with bassist Dan Loomis 9pm-midnight at the Campbell Apartment, located 15 Vanderbilt (inside Grand Central Station).
The Campbell Apartment - Jazz Age cocktails, music and atmosphere provide a calm before the station.
15 Vanderbilt Ave (at Between 42nd Street and 43rd Street)
New York, NY 10017

Monday, Sept. 7th The Russ Spiegel Trio will be hitting it 8-10pm at Vox Pop in Brooklyn.
Russ Spiegel: guitar
Dan Loomis: bass
Ross Pederson: drums
VoxPop
1022 Cortelyou Rd
Brooklyn, NY 11218-5302
(718) 940-2084

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The next RSJO concert will be at the Gershwin Hotel Thursday, September 10th at the usual times 8 and 9:30pm. This time around we will be featuring the fantastic trumpeter Jim Rotondi(http://www.jimrotondi.com/) plus the usual assortment of fantastic New York musicians that make this such an exciting band to listen to and work with.

Russ Spiegel: leader, composer, arranger, guitar
Special Guest - Jim Rotondi: trumpet & flugelhorn
Reeds: Alejandro Aviles, Justin Wood, Tim Armacost, Dan Pratt, Frank Basile
Trumpets: Colin Brigstocke, James Smith, Andy Gravish, Steve Smythe
Trombones: Andy Hunter, Dave Gibson, Alex Jeun, Brandon Moodie
Piano: Reiner Boehm; Bass: Kevin Thomas; Drums: Chris Benham

As always, showtimes are 8 and 9:30pm. Tickets are $15 (less than a buck a musician, only in New York!). Come for the first set, stay for the second. The Gershwin just opened up a restaurant but they are still trying to get their liquor license so it's BYOB.

7 E 27th St
New York, NY 10016-8700
(212) 545-8000




Tuesday, September 1, 2009

RSJO Concert, More News, etc...

I am happy to announce the Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra recording Transplants is garnering a lot of airplay and press coverage. The reviews have been universally positive and I have even started to get some requests from high schools & colleges around the country to provide them with copies of my arrangements.

The next RSJO concert will be at the Gershwin Hotel Thursday, September 10th at the usual times 8 and 9:30pm. This time around we will be featuring the fantastic trumpeter Jim Rotondi (http://www.jimrotondi.com/) plus the usual assortment of fantastic New York musicians that make this such an exciting band to listen to and work with.

Russ Spiegel: leader, composer, arranger, guitar
Special Guest - Jim Rotondi: trumpet & flugelhorn
Reeds: Alejandro Aviles, Justin Wood, Tim Armacost, Dan Pratt, Frank Basile
Trumpets: Colin Brigstocke, James Smith, Andy Gravish, Steve Smythe
Trombones: Andy Hunter, Dave Gibson, Alex Jeun, Brandon Moodie
Piano: Reiner Boehm; Bass: Kevin Thomas; Drums: Chris Benham

As always, showtimes are 8 and 9:30pm. Tickets are $15 (less than a buck a musician, only in New York!). Come for the first set, stay for the second. The Gershwin just opened up a restaurant but they are still trying to get their liquor license so it's BYOB.

7 E 27th St
New York, NY 10016-8700
(212) 545-8000

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I'll be at my usual Friday gig: "O solo mio" - solo jazz guitar, that is - Friday evenings 7-10pm at Il Porto Restaurant (known for its wood burning brick oven pizza!). Located directly across from the entrance to Steiner Studios.
37 Washington Avenue at Flushing Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11205
(718) 624-2965
www.ilportobrooklyn.com

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