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Ustream is My New Concert Venue

For decades, I have enjoyed a comfortable career as a working musician. Playing gigs as both a leader and a sideman, recording albums and teaching.

A few months ago, a fellow guitarist and friend, Ruth Parry and I decided to play a series of gigs on Thursday afternoons just for fun. It was at a small local cafe a few blocks from Ruth’s house and near where I teach. Fun and convenient, why not!

The venue has wi-fi so on impulse, I showed-up to the first gig with my laptop and streamed the show to Ustream. I thought it was a neat idea and sure enough, the Ustream audience seemed very into what we were doing. We would play to the room and not really notice much what was gong-on with the laptop. I would read comments in the chat module later in the day when I finished teaching. Ruth and kept doing this weekly gig for a month or so before she secured a new teaching position that conflicted with our Thursday schedule.

When the next Thursday came, I decided to live-out a longtime joke/ fantasy of mine: I would play a gig from home. No loading gear into my car, setting-up, tearing-down… just play. Now the “room” was the Ustream audience. I could interact quite directly with them, and I know many of them from Twitter, Facebook and Friendfeed.

This is turning into my favorite gig. I like to let the audience in on what it’s like being a working musician. Let the whole experience be inclusive and invite them into my world (which for me, is a fantastic dream). A pleasant and unexpected side-effect of this is a fairly dramatic spike in CD sales for my main Jazz group, The Atmos Trio.

So, as I’ve said during nearly every show, “Gigging from home–I’m DOIN’ it!” You’ll find me on Ustream every Thursday afternoon at 1:30 pm (PST).

LIVE on Ustream.tv

Tip: Don’t Hear/ See anything? Press PLAY or REFRESH button

Live Concert Videos

Here are the latest two Atmos Trio Albums. FREE (low res)/ PAY WHAT YOU LIKE (High Res).

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Mixing Big Band Tracks

by Rob Michael

I have the privilege of playing with The Joe Henderson Memorial Big Band.

Trumpets: Warren Gale, John Christensen, Dave Fava

Trombones: Jules Rowles, Chuck Bennett

Saxes: Mel Martin, Pete Yellin, Tim Divine, Jean Fineberg, Dave Tidball, Jim Rothermel, Amelia Timbang Catalano

Rhythm Section: Rob Michael: Guitar, Dave Udolf: Piano, Paul Smith: Bass, Bob Belanski: Drums

Here’s a preview of what the group is sounding like on the tune Zolton.

Zolton by AtmosTrio

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Atmos Trio’s “Twitter” House Concert

by Rob Michael

This past Friday, April 10th 2009, we had the good fortune to follow through with a House Concert that was orchestrated, end-to-end on Twitter. With our new Twitter friends Steve Uccello and Gustaf Fjelstrom, we set about establishing a venue, organizing talent, inviting guests and in doing so, a magical event occurred.

Steve found a gracious and enthusiastic host in Juan Candelaria who has a gorgeous home in Capitlola CA. He was a wonderful host who helped set the magical tone for the evening.

The dialog for the planning stage of the evening were all conducted in the public time line on Twitter where anyone interested could ‘listen-in’ and contribute to the project/ conversation. Several good people did just that: Zach Parkes, bass player, blogger and overall positive guy took photos. This was all surprisingly effortless and crystalized very rapidly. No mainstream media (radio or print) promotional avenues were used. All planning and correspondence was done via Twitter. Advice and well-wishes came from all over the world, including from our good friend Steve Lawson, who, is my personal House Concert Guru (Thanks Steve!).

The eclectic mix of music presented (Categorized “Neo-Chamber Music” by Zach) was a blend of rootsy singing by Aaron Ford, looping magic by solo bassist Steve Uccello and magical soundscapes by Gustaf’s electric cello, preceded the Atmos Trio set. The Concert concluded with us inviting all the performers back for an impromptu musical exchange. Made-to-order Magic!

Thinking it might be fun to continue the theme of community that emerged on twitter, we encouraged guests to take photos and make audio and video recording of the concert. We supplied a URL where they could share their content–and share they did. Over the course of the next couple of days, over 3 gigabytes of data arrived on my desktop. Sure, I saw some cameras and microphones strategically placed around the room, but the extent to which this event was documented really surprised me!

This is one of the things that make House Concerts special: Everyone can participate. Everyone is involved.

If you prefer to participate as a spectator, you certainly have that option. If you want to be more involved–that is welcome as well. In this setting, the audience members are not merely “asses to fill seats.” The audience is a significant component to the event. They have stepped up to fill the valued roll as a collective collaborator.

In the coming days, I will post video and audio content and, if there is interest, make it available for you to edit remix and share any way you like.

Want to host a House Concert of your own? You can learn more about it and have the Atmos Trio play in your home.

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Olive & Vine w/ Cliff & Cynthia

by Rob Michael

Each month, Joe Shotwell & I play with bass player Cliff Hugo and his wife, vocalist Cynthia Tarr at the Olive & Vine in Glen Ellen. It’s a super fun gig. Here are some photos.

If you have attended one of these show and would like to share photos you’ve taken, please email them and be sure to put Cynthia Tarr as the subject.

See the entire Gallery here.

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Post Christmas gig

by Rob Michael

On the 4th Friday of each month, Joe and I play this super-great gig
with bass virtuoso Cliff Hugo and his wife, singer Cynthia Tarr.

Not only are they both great musicians but really great folks on the
human-level too.

This all happens at The Olive & Vine in Glen Ellen, CA.

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Hi, I’m Rob

by Rob Michael

For the past couple of decades I have been “Living the Dream” of an active professional musician and I enjoy a very successful private teaching practice in the San Francisco Bay area.

I lead the Atmos Trio, an instrumental guitar trio which features myself, Joe Shotwell and Cliff Hugo. We gig frequently in the region and hire ourselves out as sidemen for recording and performance purposes.

You can find our music on our store to and download as much music as you like. All I ask is that you pay what you think it’s worth.

I do music and music technology related clinics. Also a fair amount of consulting with audio pros who find themselves cussing and fussing with their gear too much. Apparently, I can string a sentence or two together as I occasionally do work as a freelance writer for music magazines. If I can be of service, give me a call.

Contact: Rob Michael

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Gigs in odd places

by Rob Michael

We’ve all been there. The gig in the most unlikely of places. Airport terminals, bus stops, driveways, wheel-chair ramps… Screwy places.

I was going through some photos and found one that I had forgotten about. Not because it was bad, it was actually quite posh. Located in the beautiful Napa Valley Wine country, the Pine Ridge Winery holds a secret that belies the greenery of it’s exterior.

300 feet into the hillside is a subterranean dinning room you almost can’t believe: It’s a cave.

When informed that I would play in a cave, I immediately pictured bats, water running down walls, stalactites & stalagmites.

Yes–it’ a cave, but an upscale one. Stucco walls, tiles floors, electrical fixtures. The tunnels were filled with barrels of wine that opened-up to the chamber we see here.

Now the acoustic qualities are another story: they we quite strange… but man– funky cave.

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