Mose Allison, Bob Dylan, Brill Building, Tom Lehrer, Shel Silverstein, Peggy Lee, Billie Holiday, Fats Waller, Oscar Brown, Jr., Otis Redding, Dr. John, Oscar Peterson, Chopin (I mean it!), Paul Simon, Howlin' Wolf, Skip James, Willie Dixon, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye (WWMD), Otis Redding, Booker Ervin, Nina Simone, Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, John Hiatt, Elvis Costello, Adrian Belew, Richard Thompson, Randy Newman, Joe Henry, Dave Alvin and everybody in between.
Sounds Like
Mix some Van Morrison with Howlin' Wolf, then add a twist of Randy Newman and the vapors of Paul Simon, Fats Waller, Sammy Cahn, and Harold Arlen. Voila! Tis me.
The idea is to steal from sounds from the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s of the previous century and add contemporary lyrics. It's plain old American Mutt Music. Some swing. Some r&b. Some jazz. Some rock. Some country. Put it in a blender and see what happens. This isn't rocket science, you know. I've done rocket science. I know the difference. Rocket science is a lot harder, believe me. This is more fun. And that's the idea. Have some fun.
People like personal stuff in these bios. Nosey, huh? OK, here it is. I was born and raised in Milwaukee. Oprah went to my high school. So did Kato Kaelin. I grew up listening to and singing a lot of Yiddish, Russian and religious music. From the age of three until about twelve, I was obsessed with top 40 pop. Then I heard Muddy Waters, and that was that. I've sung a fair amount of classical music and opera. I've lived in the US, Israel, and Italy. I'm loved and cherish those that love me. I'm honest to a fault except when I'm lying. I can't dance worth a damn, but love it when people dance at my shows. I tend to hang with very funny, very neurotic, very smart, somewhat dysfunctional, but charming people. Southern charm works, too. In another life, I was a professor at a school well known for its basketball team. OK, enough about personal stuff!
I started out doing a lot of alt-country and put out two albums, one electric based - Accept No Imitations - and one acoustic - Hummingbirds in Flight. They raised some attention in the world of arty twang. There were some nice quotes from papers like the Real Detroit Weekly ("This guy has mega chops: a beguiling cross-breeding of blues, rock and bluegrass, cemented by lyrics that recall Cohen and Zevon and a voice that twangs like Willie Nelson.") and the Cincinnati CityBeat (Critic’s Pick, "It's like listening to Muddy Waters and Hank Williams 78s on a really great stereo."). The Village Voice gave me a "Choice Cut" in 2005. Americana-UK made Accept No Imitations one of their Best of 2004. Hummingbirds in Flight made Freight Train Boogie's Best of 2005.
But I'm out of my three chords and the truth phase, have dropped the faux Southern accent, am singing my butt off, and am exploring the sounds I loved as a music obsessed kid poring over the record collections of dads of friends. I put out a new album - American Vernacular - in 2007. The music blog Obscure Sounds said, "Simply put, American Vernacular is an unpredictable gem. You will not find many others this year that mix lyrical ingenuity with instrumental brilliance in such a passionate display." Listen and I think you'll agree with those spiffy remarks.
I just finished a new album focused on 40s and 50s jazz and blues styles with oh so funny and clever lyrics called Fundamental. We're going to sit on this album for a while before releasing it, probably until January 2009. But if you ask real nice, I'll send you a copy.
And if you want to hear most of my catalog of tunes, you can listen on iLike.
Hi Stuart Your site would seem to be teeming with folks who want to hear your music - bravo! Thanks so much for sending the new CD "Fundamental" - it sounds great. Best, Rick
How pleasant a surprise to have you visit my page! Just when we cheeseheads think we're thawing out, an Arctic blast freezes our butts. lol But yes, the Pack got so close to the big 'un. We'll see if Favre returns next year, hey? I see you'll be at the Bluebird on March 16. We'll just miss each other again, Stu! I'll be there 2/28-3/2 and for TPS, 4/1-4/7. Rock 'em out, my man! :-D
Stuuuuuart! Whasssup, my friend? So you'll be playin' da Bluebird on March 16th - too cool! Unfortunately, I won't be there until late March, just before Tin Pan South. Dang! One of these days, huh?? ;-) Hope life is rockin' great in your world, Stuart!
Hi Stuart! Hope you got your check and your copy of the CD - and I hope you dig it! If you ever come out to Detroit to perform, let us know - we'd love to see you live... cheers, - Dennis
Hi -- added the song to our profile! Nice! Kudos to the band. Didn't want to get old when I was young, but now that I am, it's great! Some things DO get better with age. All the best to ya!
Thanks very much for the add.I have another site in my top friends with different songs on if you fancy a listen.Thankyou very much and have a lovely week xxx
Well, well Mr. Rosh. How's life treatin' ya? Had to stop by and see what's goin' on. You know you're one of my favorite former-Wisconsin folks, right? If ya didn't know that, um....now you do. he he Take care, my friend... ;-)
Hey Stuart,
Great music and awesome voice ... I love it !
I'm very happy we met tonight, hope you'll like my music too, another style but ... music anyway ;)
ha! I am that guy, I'm amazed you remember...quite impressive. I found you because I was telling a friend about the class and got curious what you were up to. Pretty good sound, man! I'm quite impressed at the easy transition you made! You gonna be playing Atlanta any time soon?
Hi Stuart -- might you need to lighten up a tad?! Happy Purim and I know I would've enjoyed some of your havadavas...pastries. Did you make any apricot? Smile, K?!
Hi Stuart! Hope this finds you well. Your blogs lately make me both blush and smile. Yeah man, did you notice how Prince HEAVED his purple guitar to his tech at the end of his perfomance? I wondered if they'd actually have that thing plugged in --
Hello Stuart - thought I'd pop round to have another listen to your tunes - sadly myspace seems to be playing up so I'll come around another time. Just wanted to wish you all the very best for this now not completely New Year and to hope that all that is right for you will come to pass.
I have enjoyed reading your blogs a lot - you're a very engaging writer.
Lotsa love,
Carole xxx
