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"Catchy Modern Rock/Pop with Americana flavor" - Gonzalez describing his music Boston-based singer-songwriter Rob Gonzalez is the real thing - a multi-talented writer, musician, and performer with a sound all his own and serious "star" potential. An independent recording artist of the self-made variety, Gonzalez has the rare ability to effectively write, perform and self-produce his music. He is also a bona fide performer, having fully supported himself performing music (without a day job) for the past ten years. It is his masterful performing skills which distinguish him from the vast sea of talented singer-songwriters proliferating today. A performer at heart, Gonzalez effortlessly delivers a witty, honest "you get what you see" approach - exemplifying the often used, but rarely seen phrase, "he is most comfortable on the stage. To date, Gonzalez's biggest break took place this past year after being a last minute fill-in to showcase for fifty NACA college talent buyers. One twenty minute showcase later, Gonzalez had twenty-five of the fifty offering to book him on the spot. Gonzalez's talents and his background as a professional musician have recently caught the attention of major label producers Anthony J. Resta (Collective Soul's "Blender" and Shawn Mullins' "Beneath the Velvet Sun") and Scott Riebling (former bassist for Letters to Cleo). Both producers contributed to Gonzalez's latest album, "Somehow." The album is a retrospective tribute to his Midwest upbringing and features a diverse array of memorable, well-written, hook-filled songs. Gonzalez embraces his musical roots, featuring an instrumentation heavy on various keyboard instruments including piano, and Hammond B3 organ.Gonzalez's acoustic guitar playing is also prominent. The resulting sound is a kind of modern folk rock. Artists like David Gray, The Wallflowers, and Sheryl Crow are near examples of the sound of his music. Influences include artists that resonated on early 70's FM radio - the Beatles, Van Morrison, and Jackson Browne. Raised in a small suburb outside of Milwaukee, WI, Gonzalez displayed a gifted ear for music by the age of five. He impressed early piano teachers with his ability to play with heart at a young age. By his late teen years, he was performing as a guest jazz pianist in nearby college faculty concerts. A year after high school, Gonzalez got his first full-time musician job, winning an audition to join a traveling hotel resort act. In 1991, he left the group to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. Inspired by the impressive list of famous alumni, his piano playing flourished. But, the thriving Boston rock scene was an even greater inspiration and soon his love of jazz piano was taken over by an even greater love - songwriting In 1996, Gonzalez's band Darling Picassos flirted with a major label deal and seemed destined to receive national attention. Darling Picassos had quickly achieved notoriety in Boston as an energetic band with memorable songs and an appealing stage show. The night of its first CD release party, the band packed a 400 person room. Darling Picassos was later featured on bills with the likes of Tracy Bonham and Letters to Cleo. Rapidly changing trends in the music world contributed to a frustration among band members, everntually leading to a disbandment in 1997. After the breakup of Darling Picassos, Gonzalez decided to temporarily leave the Boston original music scene. He opted instead to go back to college and finish his degree. While studying philosophy at Stonehill College, Gonzalez matured as a songwriter. Gonzalez states, "studying philosophy was a way for me to get back to basics. It helped me put my life in perspective, and I realized I was better off writing for myself rather than trying to fit in to the local 'garage band' sound." Today, Rob Gonzalez is preparing for a U.S. college tour backed by an excellent band of musicians - Spencer Hargis on bass, Dan Mylotte on guitar and Paul Giovine on drums. With "Somehow," he is poised to catapult himself, his band, and his songs to the national spotlight. Check out the artist's website: http://www.robgonzalez.com Track List: 1. I'll Get To You (Somehow) 2. A Long Long Night 3. Caroline 4. Lush Life 5. Worst Thing About Suzanne 6. California Rising 7. Missing Wisconsin 8. Hemingway's Ghost 9. My Only Friend 10. Angeline Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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