MusicClick below to download some tracks from Joe Roberts, 10 songs with all songs and instrumentation by Joe.
To all who shall see these presents, greetings!The year is 2010. I started this recording project in January 2010 at the behest of a friend who lived nearby with contemporary, digital recording software. He wanted a project with which to hone his skills with his computer-based program. I needed just such a thing to make a contemporary recording of my music. I was not willing to do as I had in the past with a cassette, 4-track machine, writing all, arranging all, playing all instruments AND engineering all alone. I have continued to write, play and polish my music-kraft since my most recent band died and wanted to record the now. Symbiotic relationship borne! Early one evening in January I walked out my door into the silent night. Snow fell softly in big clumps and the only sound was the crunch of my sneekers in the crystalline water ice. Up the street with a guitar, a mandolin and a fresh handful of songs I trudged through the Kansas City night, alone, determined to best my last effort. This recording has a name - the first time I ever named a recording. It's always been ok with me to just date it and leave it at that. Joe Salvato, the engineer friend suggested it and I listened. Listening with one's ears - just one of the benefits of age. Of course Joe suggested the name Cabin Fever but I changed that to Soft Power - a more prescient and invoking name in which to view today's world. I often don't know who's listening, if anybody to my art and so I've had a tendency in the past to be reckless, ill-prepared, impertinent. I've always downplayed my art and sold myself cheap. Factually I felt that approach was necessary for years as I could see my craft was not yet mature and I needed a gig just to improve and gain experience - where and to whom shall I submit my apologies? A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Prudence seemed the most sincere approach. I've been at this music thing, 'with intent', for just 20 years now. I'm not bragging or complaining - but I ain't lost. As if the flower were more important than the seed we hide ourselves as we are. Today is the new dark ages. Bob Dylan said it and I believe it's true. Then again strife and struggle is nature's way - change is constant. For me today is a new day. There's no hurry. I'm in the now. As for popular notoriety I admit I want to be a 'known' artist but that is only for the sake of the art itself. I have a day job and I have my mind - I'll be ok. Still humble but I have something to say, it's worth saying and I say it well. The medium has limitations indeed - it's just folk music after all. Let a poor boy ride your midnight special...it's not polished up like the big boys do but therein lies the integrity. Music played by humans in real time. I love it. I believe it is sincere and right - unto spirituality. Currently I'm putting the duty of fathering first and everything else that I can humanly handle second - no brainer? - look around, you tell me. I have a plan, it's a circuitous route but in this day and age it makes sense to me and I believe with a little luck and persistence I'll be ok. I hope and pray, really pray to make it back to fulltime music but in the meantime I'll just continue to improve, study and polish. I can truly say I'm really enjoying the ride. I don't need to be the quarterback - I just want to be on the team, but let's make the mission worthwhile. Let's make the mission fun and even as honest as possible. I think I've now said what I wanted to, briefly, to introduce this, my new, latest, honest work. I hope you'll listen and I hope you'll like it or even respect the effort. Stanley Joe Roberts NEW!!
|
Home | Gallery | Calendar | Email
Copyright © 2012 yossarianslament.com. All rights reserved.
