The line up varies but depending upon the situation it's
either Ross Douglas solo or
Ross Douglas- piano, mandolin, guitar, banjo,ukulele//
Robbie Steineger- lead guitars//
Paul Blaney or Miles Hill -Bass//
Tom Neville-fiddle//
Ryan Stewart-drums and percussion//
Ross Taggert or Steve Hilliam - saxes
Influences
The Beatles,Steely Dan,Randy Newman,Steven Sondheim,Capercaille,Ry Cooder, Beausoleil,The Watersons,Martin Mull,Steve Martin and many many many more
Sounds Like
Himself usually - as well as a bunch of different people at different times.
Three albums worth of highly praised tunes have basically proven one thing.
Ross Douglas does not easily fit into just one category as a songwriter.
He fits into several.
His first album TWO DIRECTIONS was described as "Folk,Celtic,African,Cajun,Carribbean,Theatrical stuff filtered through the mind of a guy whose life was changed by the Beatles."
And he's proceeded from there to add strong jazz and blues influences to his palettte.-as heard on his second offering CARIBOU ECLECTIC and most recently on his new album THE ART OF YOU AND I.
So it is quite an adventure. You really don't know what style is coming at you next but they all work. And lo and behold he's smart! And Fun!
A strong theatrical background has no doubt helped. He toured much of the known world with Billy Bishop Goes to War, won a Jessie Award for his musical direction of Angry Housewives,and for 10 years was a songwriter performer,musician and musical director for The Theatre Royal in Barkerville. This fueled a songwriting approach where variety made perfect sense.
He writes songs of people places and events that are poignant-sly-silly-bombastic,quite often adopting characters to convey them.
And the songs have been praised for their humour,poetry and emotional power.
As one Toronto producer noted 'Mr. Douglas is a great songwriter- and yes -ECLECTIC is the word!"
To sample his other albums and learn more about his sordid past visit
www.rossdouglas.com
