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Blues Underground Network |
Jimbo Ross "Steady Rollin' Man"
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To say that Jimbo Ross's newest release, "Steady Rollin' Man", is a fine Album, would simply be an absolute understatement. No, "Steady Rollin' Man" is not a fine Album, it is a mighty fine Album. Jimbo has been honing his craft for a long time and he has done so in a way that has not only garnered him the highest of respect, in his field of expertise, but he has also done it without the addition of conceit, that can plague so many artists once they reach the heights that Jimbo has. "Steady Rollin' Man", Jimbo's second release, pulls together all that is great about this artist, and masterfully offers up a wonderful smorgasbord of Blues, R'n'B, Funk, and Soul, that leaves you feeling full and satisfied, nowing all to well, that you have just experienced all the best that this master has to offer. With, "Steady Rollin' Man", Jimbo takes you back to the great old times with a brilliant offering of tracks which consist of 5 Originals and 5 Masterfully reproduced Covers. Jimbo starts out his Album with an Original called "Steady Rollin' Man" and ends this Album with a long version of another of his Originals, "Too Hip, Gotta Go". In between he lays down a thick frosting of fiddling that could easily take you back to Jefferson Starship times, with their hit "Git Fiddler" and he does so playing second fiddle to no one. "Steady Rollin' Man" is one great fun to listen to Album, and is a rarity in today's overly produced music scene. I enthusiastically give "Steady Rollin' Man" my highest 5***** Star Rating... Highly Recommended... One of the most thoroughly enjoyed releases, I have heard for 2010, so far. John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network) Other Info and Reviews Album Notes JIMBO ROSS is the real deal, and his
new CD "Steady Rollin' Man" shows why this highly respected and seasoned
session player has stepped to the forefront. Singing with committed
soulful passion, and playing a custom made electric 5 String Viola/Violin
(he calls it his Guit-Fiddle) the way most master guitarists play guitar,
Jimbo blazes through electrifying improvisational leaps that will make a
believer out of any skeptic. Tracklist 1. Steady Rollin' Man 4:16 Listen To Samples Here A Bodacious Interview with Jimbo Ross by Maureen Elizabeth To say that Jimbo Ross is an eclectic performer is an almost laughable understatement. When your bio includes being a session musician for Peter Townsend, , Bob Dylan, Johnny Mathis, the Moody Blues, Roy Orbison, Elton John and a tour with Led Zeppelin (to name just a few of the many artists listed) it becomes apparent that his knowledge and talent has earned him huge respect and demand in every genre. The electric viola is his instrument of choice and my interview with him revealed a deep respect and love of the blues that he has translated onto an instrument that, for most of us, doesn’t come to mind when thinking of the blues. Tell me about your musical roots. I left home at 16 so that I could pursue my music. I was supposed to be an insurance salesman. My dad was from Chicago and he would play piano by ear. He was just a great guy and he knew he needed to support his family. He wanted me to become an insurance salesman just like him. Did your love of music originate from him? I have always loved music, it was my world. It was the place I could go to - my escape. I was the youngest in the family and I was begging my folks to let me play the piano. My best friend was going to learn to play the viola so we signed up for lessons together but he quit a week later. With the viola I could go into my room and shut the door and be in my own world. I got my first guitar when I was 9. My whole hook up to music was listening to the Wolfman Jack show, listening to old soul, R&B and blues. The music just floated my boat – it was calling me, you know. XLRB was a radio station out of Tijuana and we could get it in LA. I heard James Brown, Sam and Dave - I was just drawn to the expression of the blues because it was just such honest soul wrenching music. It cast a spell on me.
That CD was done completely live. I did 10 tunes in one day. Was that the plan? That’s just the way it happened. I had ten tunes and my players were all great players and we just decided to do it. It was Aug of 1997 and I found out my guitarist was leaving and he was the one I wanted. You know there are unique guitar players that stir you in places that just floor you – he was one of them and I had to have him on my CD. It took the next year and a half to finish the record, adding vocals, producing and when I was done I got what I feel is a state of the art, top class record. When did you decide that this would be your life? I always knew music was going to be my life. I played music by ear, I was self taught, I played blues, just a natural blues -funk -rock –R&B- soul guitar. I listened to Lightning Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Freddie King and Johnny Winter. Winter was a big influence, his raw expression from his early years. Johnny just listened to blues records ‘cause he couldn’t work in the field -so he stayed inside and played guitar. He was a white guy doing the blues and I was a white guy doing the blues and he just showed me that I could do it. I listened to Eric Clapton when he was in the Blues Breakers, he was a little too clean but he did it well. Never really patterned myself after any violin players. I had listened to so many but I loved swing bands. I listened to swing music, 30’s swing stuff. I had a hot club type band in the 70’s and I would throw in the greasy notes. No matter what I was playing it would always pop out. If you have something to say - you have to say it. That’s what blues has taught me. It’s the expression of the blues. I don’t care how many notes you play, you put together a conversation. Most jazz greats have a love of blues influence. I had a jazz rock fusion band and we played all well crafted instrumental music. I love classical, but as far as self expression, I love the blues. All blues are happy blues. Willie Dixon says you find the silver lining inside the clouds. Does that ring true for you? You find the joy inside the sadness, inside all the feelings. Like the expression “tears of joy.” When I am in zone it is where I come from. People want to feel the move, want to feel what you are feeling. I want to see someone connected - I want to feel the connection, if you take someone on the journey with you it spellbinding. That’s the kind of performance I signed up for. I don’t want to go through the motions. Read Full Interview Here... http://www.ameriblues.com/2010/07/bodacious-interview-with-jimbo-ross-by.html About Jimbo Ross World-renowned Blues, Jazz, Rock Violist, and Singer, Jimbo Ross has been mesmerizing audences in a timeless fashion with his creative artistry for three decades. In the eloquence of Jazz and Blues critic Leonard Feather, "...Jimbo is the only first-rate jazz violist extant!" Jimbo Ross, performer/composer/arranger/producer, has become a highly acclaimed musician in the Hollywood Recording Industry and West Coast club scene. His virtuosity, versatility, and reputation have gained him the respect which puts him in demand to play on infinite recordings, television and feature film scores, live concerts, and world-wide music festivals. His Progressive/Classic Blues CD's entitled "Jimbo Ross - Steady Rollin Man" and "Jimbo Ross - Driven By The Blues" are self-arranged and self-produced. These unique recordings are deep-down in the Blues, with R&B and Soul overtones, to create a sound of it's own. Jimbo sings with committed, soulful blues passion, and plays Electric Viola with blazing virtuosic fire never heard before, transporting his listeners with him into blues bliss. Jimbo spent a lot of time playing guitar growing up, and it's in his unprecedented translation of guitar style blues to the viola that he has found a sound entirely his own. A virtuoso violist who has long been in great demand as a studio musician for his uncanny chameleonic ability to adapt the viola to any musical genre, he's played everything from blues to gospel, swing to salsa , Baroque to Bulgarian, be-bop to hip-hop, Turkish to techno, and everywhere in-between. He's played on classic albums such as The Band's The Last Waltz and with legendary artists ranging from Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Jimmy Scott to Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Rod Stewart, and Bob Dylan. He's played in orchestras and in rock, jazz, and fusion bands, and for years co-led the great band Swingstreet. Messin' With the Kid - JIMBO ROSS
http://www.bodaciousrecords.com/jimbo.html http://www.myspace.com/jimboross
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