Rob Michael: Guitarist

New album “LIVE STREAM JAZZ” w/ Steve Uccello

// March 8th, 2010 // Comments // Jazz, Rob Michael, twitter, ustream

On February 5th, 2010, Steve Uccello & I performed an impromptu concert to an internet audience on my ongoing Ustream Concert Series. This collection of tunes documents that performance. This album is available exclusively here, at AtmosMusic.com and at our Bandcamp store.

Album artwork by Linda Palmer (www.ponor.info)

Steve and I met on twitter last spring. We organized and performed together at the Atmos Trio “Twitter House Concert.” Once he expressed interest in playing on my Ustream show, I didn’t waste any time arranging to make it happen.

The Ustream gigs have been the surprise of the year for me. From my home studio, I performed several solo guitar shows, and played host to special guests Damian Erskine, Todd Johnson and even broadcast some gigs from my group, The Atmos Trio.

Due to the regularity of the show, an audience from all over the world routinely returned, show-after-show. Among them is artist extraordinaire Linda Palmer. I had seen here wonderful artwork and I was thrilled when she agreed to contribute the album cover. She actually contributed many pieces, all of which are great. Please take in some of her fine work while you listen.

Here is a brief song-by-song reflection for those who were not present during the broadcast.

Song for Stasia: Originally recorded by Anna Maria Jopek and Pat Metheny, this Marcin Kydryński composition served as a beautiful vehicle for our musical simpatico. I put this chart in front of Steve and he’s sight-reading here.

Minor Matter: A completely improvised tune based on a minor blues form.

Alright Right Now: One of Steve Uccello’s composition. This is what I sounded like sight-reading Steve’s tune on this day.

Travels: A classic country jazz ballad by Pat Metheny. We tried to make this sound like we’ve been playing together for a long time–even though this session marked only the second time Steve and I had played together.

Autumn Leaves: A “Jazz 101″ type tune. All jazzers know this song. We called a tune and counted it off…

Tenor Madness: Contemplating Sonny Rollins on his blues classic.

Ustream Concert with Todd Johnson

// February 19th, 2010 // Comments // Jazz, Rob Michael, twitter, ustream, video

Yesterday marked the latest of what is becoming a series of great internet jazz performances. One of my most valued online connections is with world-class bassist Todd Johnson. He and his lovely wife Gay came to my studio to hang-out and play some music to an enthusiastic international audience on Ustream.

Here is a brief peak into what we played. There will be higher quality video on my YouTube channel in the next day or two.

Why in the world would I give my music away for FREE?

// December 16th, 2009 // Comments // Atmos Trio, Jazz, Rob Michael, widget

A couple of weeks ago I conducted an experiment with the Atmos Trio bandcamp site.

It was toward the beginning of the holiday season and I was in a giving mood, so I priced all of Atmos Trio’s albums (which include sheet music along with music files.) at a “Pay what You Want (even nothing)” price. I’m accustomed and happy to giving music away for free. I’ve always offered individual song downloads for free and had a low minimum price set for albums. But I offered everything for free to anyone who was interested.

Over the course of the 3 Day Special, many more people than normal downloaded the 2 albums “Atmos Trio” and “Atmos Plays Waters.” They helped spread the word about the opportunity for “Free Atmos Trio tunes”on Twitter and Facebook. It was nice to get such a favorable response from people who seemed genuinely appreciative of the music.

But something else rather interesting occurred as well: More than 50% of those that downloaded opted to pay for the music. Some paid far more than any price I would consider setting. Was this merely the result of a period of actively promoting the music? Maybe. Should I price my music at the  ”Pay what You Want (even nothing)” price all the time? Maybe.

Why in the world would I give my music away for FREE? I would much prefer people hear the music and form some opinion on it rather than have it be locked away behind a price tag somewhere.

That’s why.

Posted via email from AtmosMusic

Atmos Trio 3-Day Holiday Music Special

// December 7th, 2009 // Comments // Rob Michael

Purchase securely here:

Happy Holidays

We have new online store: the Atmos Trio Bandcamp site. Here you can listen to tunes for FREE, embed players on your web sites and/or purchase downloads.

We so appreciate the support that we’ve received all year that we’re offering a special gift for you. Next week, starting December 7th through the 9th, both of our albums “Atmos Trio” and ”Atmos Plays Waters” are available to you for a “Pay What You Want (even nothing)” price.

If you would like the music for yourself or for a gift for someone else, you may have them FREE or you can pay a price of your choosing. The albums include High-Quality (DRM-free) Digital downloads AND sheet music for select tunes. Enjoy!

If these newsletter aren’t enough Atmos Trio contact for you, please connect with us on Twitter or Facebook. You’ll surely get your fix there.

That’s about it for now. See you on the “other side.”

Rob

AtmosMusic.com Facebook Fan Page YouTube @AtmosTrio on Twitter Atmos Trio Blog http://fburls.com/61-RLZ6rDH4 Update your information

Purchase securely here:

Posted via email from AtmosMusic

Pay What You Want (even nothing…) for “Atmos Plays Waters” for the next 24 hours.

// November 30th, 2009 // Comments // Rob Michael

Enjoy the latest album by the Atmos Trio “Atmos Plays Waters.” This album features the amazing compositions of Drew Waters and includes sheet music for two of the tunes.

You are invited to download the entire recording, FREE of charge, or you can exercise your option to pay ANY price you like.

Happy Holidays!!

Posted via email from atmosmusic’s posterous

Ustream is My New Concert Venue

// October 14th, 2009 // Comments // Atmos Trio, Rob Michael, video

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).