Music
Press
Fun, fresh, original, Canadian and danceable! In fact people were so engaged in the unique songs that many found themselves caught up in a whirling dance. Great show. - Robyn McViker - Canada Place Vancouver
The title track is particularly effective. Opening with a mournful harmonica riff like a distant train’s whistle, gathering steam with Russ’s percussive guitar, and building into one of Kathleen’s wild dizzying Irish reels breaking free like a runaway caboose, the song is at once both wistful and brimful of promise. By the end, you feel like you’re running headlong to catch that train, the wind with you. The Russ Rosen Band manages to combine sounds at once festive and combative, a dancer’s jig, a warrior’s cry. This is music for a party or a battle. Or both. - Mark Buchanan - Author
The title track is particularly effective. Opening with a mournful harmonica riff like a distant train’s whistle, gathering steam with Russ’s percussive guitar, and building into one of Kathleen’s wild dizzying Irish reels breaking free like a runaway caboose, the song is at once both wistful and brimful of promise. By the end, you feel like you’re running headlong to catch that train, the wind with you. The Russ Rosen Band manages to combine sounds at once festive and combative, a dancer’s jig, a warrior’s cry. This is music for a party or a battle. Or both. - Mark Buchanan - Author
This music is decidedly intense.... innovative and vivacious... If you’re seeking more variety... I can guarantee you’ll find something very fresh here! - Gold Records USA
"This Canadian band condenses many influences into a unique and vital stew!" Shawn McLaughlin - CMM
"This Canadian band condenses many influences into a unique and vital stew!" Shawn McLaughlin - CMM
“Whatever the particulars of this sonic combination are, the result is a joyous celebration” The Phantom Tollbooth By Alex Klages - The Phantom Tollbooth By Alex Klages
“Whatever the particulars of this sonic combination are, the result is a joyous celebration” The Phantom Tollbooth By Alex Klages - The Phantom Tollbooth By Alex Klages
We have had the pleasure to work closely with Russ Rosen to provide the end of parade entertainment and polished performances that have helped propel these events to premier status attracting over 300 thousand people to the streets of downtown Vancouver.
- Ken Heit, Vancouver Santa Claus and Canada Day Parade producer
We have had the pleasure to work closely with Russ Rosen to provide the end of parade entertainment and polished performances that have helped propel these events to premier status attracting over 300 thousand people to the streets of downtown Vancouver.
- Ken Heit, Vancouver Santa Claus and Canada Day Parade producer
Discography
CBC Radio likes "Lovely", "Red Sky Morning" and "Ploughman"
US Airways picked up the song "Sit Down" for the in flight audio channel.
2012 Waiting For Abraham
2010 Audio Memories - Compilation
2002 Huile de paix - French version of "Oil"
2002 Oil - Produced by Alan Shacklock
Photos
Bio
Russ Rosen, a veteran singer-songwriter who is no stranger to music venues of literally every sort - from African stadiums, to Canadian eastcoast pubs, to Olympic stages, Parisien cafés, to North American festivals and concerts. Over the last 27 years he has played in nations as far-flung as Greece, France, Rwanda, southeast Asia, Israel, Germany, the US and in every corner of Canada. His is music with mission whether it is to bring hope to the survivors of the Rwandan genocide, or to inspire a crowd of young people, or to sing peace over the warring landscape of the Middle East, or to erupt celebration on the streets of his own city for hundreds of thousands of onlookers.
Russ’s soulful music is a unique sort - at one moment drawing an audience to a compelling story of history or faith, in the next stirring a crowd into a partying frenzy. His seasoned song-crafting is an eclectic force that seems to rise spontaneously from his native soil extracting flavours like fellow Canadian artists Feist, Arcade Fire, Stan Rogers, Joni Mitchell and Bruce Cockburn and adding a fiery vocal performance akin to Americans Dave Matthews or Bruce Springsteen. His passionate lyrics and driving rhythms make for a fascinating musical odyssey - melodies and narrative journeying through a broad landscape that most audiences are inexplicably drawn to.
Russ’s newest recording “Waiting for Abraham” a more acoustic take on his music than his previous “Oil” album, still has some of the same folky-celtic-rock energy now spiced with the idiosyncratic keyboard innovations of Brett Ziegler. The collection of ten story driven songs continues the adventure to explore the season between our dreams and their fulfillment.
Russ and Band have dates booked across the country until the end of June when they come back to Vancouver to play at the Canada Day Celebrations.
About The Band: Along with his lead vocals, Russ plays acoustic and electric guitars and a mean harmonica. Brett Ziegler is a musical prodigy (and producer) playing a humble 30+ instruments. Versatile and seasoned Drummer, Chad Bjorgan and veteran bassist Jonathan Perkins complete the soundscape.
Factoid: Russ' first band; "Walrus" with the Back to the Future guitarist, Michael J. Fox. They were 12.
Tidbit: in the 90s Russ was the lead singer/songwriter for "Rise Up", an inspirational youth band.
Snippet: Russ and his family lived in a motorhome for 5 years on a cross-Canada adventure with "Upstream".
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