Should you stay or should you go?

Recs, gigs and ramblings

Hi friends, 

Here’s something new from me. I started a newsletter. I promise it will be concise and be as much about the inspiring stuff as it is about my gigs and commercial stuff.

So many of you have asked me over the years about signing up for my email list and my go-to response is: “Why would you want that?” But as I’ve become fans of other folks’ newsletters (Hello Adam Levy, Ray Rizzo, Trevor Exter, Kate Schutt, Ruthie!), I’ve come to realize that these messages are a welcome break from my ordinary internet diet. And maybe you'll feel the same about what I come up with.

If you’re not into these kinds of things, please just hit unsubscribe. I don’t want your association with me to be that guy from the annoying emails. But if you enjoy keeping up via email, I hope that we’ll be able to make this a more regular thing.

So enough of that. Here’s some stuff that I’m digging right now:

Records

Cloud Nothings: Final Summer: This is what I hope rock music will continue to grow into. Thank you, Cleveland.

Adnata Ensemble: Oku: Four of New York’s busiest upright bass players improvising at the same time, expertly, musically, beautifully.

Celestine Ukwu: No Condition Is Permanent: Nigerian Highlife artist. A record reissued by Mississippi Records in Portland, OR…

Tour Finds

Portland, OR: Mississippi Records: is a record store and label specializing in rare-find reissues. Think Nigerian Highlife (Celestine Ukwu record above), Clara Rockmore and Michael Hurley. They have great merch too. I bought a sweet Alice Coltrane For President tee shirt while I was there.

Miscellaneous

Noise For Now logo hat: Noise For Now is a non-profit organization dedicated to Reproductive Justice, including abortion access. They call it a “Dad cap.” Say no more.

Coming Up

My next monthly residency of experimental and (often) improvised music called Nice Try, Kid! will be on July 8th at Troost in Greenpoint (1011 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn) with Jeremy Kay and Joe Ancowitz and maybe one more special guest. Risks welcome; falls forgiven.

The Andrea Longato Jazz Trio residency at BICF (14 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn) continues July 10th from 7-9:30.

And I’ll be on tour from July 19th until August 5th with Brett Dennen for his Golden State of Mind tour. We’ll be hitting a lot of cities in that window so please check out the dates here and say hello if you’re around! (For all of you in NYC, we’ll be at Brooklyn Bowl July 31st)

Brushing Up With Rob OR Ramblin’ With Rob?

Did you know that since 1979, in Milwaukee, WI, there has been a sovereign nation called The Kingdom of Talossa complete with it's own language, fictitious history and anthem? Read about it here. It’s fascinating.

With gratitude,

Rob