Big News!

Hello Friends and Music Fans!

The Big News is: It's official! We have just launched our Kickstarter project, Russ Spiegel's "Uncommon Knowledge" plays the music of the Deep Brooklyn Suite. Whether you want to contribute or not, please take a look. Comments happily accepted!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/RuzzToneProductions/russ-spiegels-uncommon-knowledge-the-deep-brooklyn-0
We are planning on recording in March. Stay tuned.....

Also not-so-little news: I am now am somebody! See my new listing on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Spiegel

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Gigs this Month:

Wednesday, Feb. 29, 7-9pm (one set only) it's the Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra celebrating Leap Day back at the Zinc Bar. We'll be featuring the great Hendrik Meurkens on chromatic harmonica and the exceptionally talented Israeli singer Tammy Scheffer:
Zinc Bar
82 West 3rd Street (btw Thompson & Sullivan)
Greenwich Village New York NY 10012
tel. 212-477-ZINC (9462)
www.zincbar.com

The RSJO is:
Reeds: Rob Wilkerson, Alejandro Aviles, Tim Armacost, Dave Noland, Paul Nedzela
Trumpets: Colin Brigstocke, Steve Smythe, Miki Hirose, Andy Gravish
Trombones: Scott Reeves, Sara Jacovino, Chris Stover Brandon Moodie
Rhythm: Art Hirahara (piano); Yoshi Waki (bass); Scott Neumann (drums); Rogerio Boccato (perc)
Featuring Special Guests Hendrik Meurkens on chromatic harmonica and vocalist Tammy Scheffer .
Russ Spiegel is the composer, arranger, and guitarist.

Fridays & Saturdays, 7-10pm I am playing dinner jazz in duo with bassist Kevin Thomas at:
Il Porto Pizzeria Restaurant
37 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
(718) 624-2965
www.ilportobrooklyn.com/

Sundays 12-3pm it's solo jazz guitar at a wonderful new wine bar/creperie in Greenpoint:
Wyne a Bit Wine Bar & Creperie
200 Franklin St.
Greenpoint, Brooklyn, 11122
(718) 389-7171
www.brooklynwinebar.com/

Keep Swingin'
Russ

Happy New Ears - 2012!

Greetings Friends and Fans,

It's a new year and and I hope you all have great prospects and projects ahead of you for 2012. For me, there are lots of promising developments - just waiting for some things to come together. If you will indulge me, here is what is on the table (in no particular order):
- The publisher of Jazzwise http://jazzwise.com/ (Britain's largest jazz publisher) wants to make my original big band charts available for sale and distribution in Europe. I have also submitted a proposal for a guitar book to them. More on that later.
- Speaking of Europe: I am waiting to hear if I will be doing more big band and jazz guitar workshops in Germany. A tour there is also pending.
- My goal for this year is to record (and hopefully release) at least two original recordings: one of my quintet, "Uncommon Knowledge" (performing Jan. 18th at the Zinc bar - see below) the songs of my Deep Brooklyn Suite, and the Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra, with new songs and arrangements and featuring the great Hendrik Meurkens on chromatic harmonica as well as the fantastic vocalist Tammy Scheffer. Anyone interested in helping get either of these projects off the ground, I would love to hear from you.
- The documentary film which I did the music for, "Building Bridges" by filmmaker Anand Kamalakar, will be screening this month at the Beacon School in Manhattan. I am still waiting for the date and time. I am waiting to hear about more film scoring projects for this year, including at least one feature.
- My essay, "First Takes on a Musical Life" will be released as part of anthology by Dan Thompson. Expected release date is this fall. More on this when I have more information.
- I have cleared the first hurdle to begin my DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) in Jazz Studies at the Manhattan School of Music. The audition process continues in March. Depending on the results of my audition, I hope to get funding to get a further degree. And I'll need it - MSM costs $35,000 a year. No money, no study.
- Also at the same time I have sent out applications for music professorships to a number of universities across the country. Right now waiting to hear back with hopefully good news.

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Upcoming Gigs:

Wednesday, Jan. 18th, 7-9pm: I'll be performing with my fantastic quintet, Uncommon Knowledge, performing pieces from my Deep Brooklyn Suite, which is a series of musical impressions about Brooklyn. Stylistically, the music features elements of Jazz, Rock, and Brazilian music, and showcases some of New York’s finest musicians:
Russ Spiegel's "Uncommon Knowledge"
Russ Spiegel - guitar/ comp
Tim Amacost - reeds
Mike Eckroth - piano
Gary Wang - bass
Scott Neuman - drums
Zinc Bar
82 West 3rd Street (btw Thompson & Sullivan)
Greenwich Village New York NY 10012
tel. 212-477-ZINC (9462)
www.zincbar.com

Fridays & Saturdays, 7-10pm I am playing dinner jazz in duo with bassist Kevin Thomas at:
Il Porto Pizzeria Restaurant
37 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
(718) 624-2965
www.ilportobrooklyn.com/

Sundays 12-3pm it's solo jazz guitar at a wonderful new wine bar/creperie in Greenpoint:
Wyne a Bit Wine Bar & Creperie
200 Franklin St.
Greenpoint, Brooklyn, 11122
(718) 389-7171
www.brooklynwinebar.com/

Wishing all of you all the best for this new year,
Russ