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Robert Castelli

About Me

3rd generation drummer, but a musician who happens to play drums. Also play guitar & compose. Started playing drums at 8, guitar at 14. Studied theory, piano, guitar and orxhestra percussion as well. Kicked around NYC & surroundig area for 20 odd yrs. playing everything. Gigs as diverse as the Original Chiffons, to Funk, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Musical Theater & anything else (NY!) Debut as a leader “Boom Qrt” 2008. Good reviews in numerous mags & websites in 6 countries. 2nd cd “Live at Porgy & Bess Vienna” also received good reviews, even 1 or 2 with 4 & 5 stars! (Thank you UK Jazz Radio) Playing & promoting “BOOM!” throughout Austria, the UK and now Spain and the EU playing clubs, festivals & giving workshops. Hoping to get to other countries in 2022. New music recorded “Live at Jamboree” 29 Jan 2020 soon to be released. New release “Party at One World Plaza” out now at www.robertcastelli.com and https://robertcastelliboom.bandcamp.com/releases. https://robertcastelliboom.bandcamp.com/releases ”you feel carried away into the world of Afro-Cuban music, West African rhythms, jazz rock of the 70s and 80s with rhythm par excellence. It is your own fault if you do not move with such a rhythmic design!” Ferdinand Dupius-Panther, Jazz Halo, Dec 2020 Shows in Spain at Jamboree in Barcelona 15 Sept and in England at the Vortex, 11 Nov, Palace Drumming Club, Reddich 14 Nov[performance & workshop}, Oliver's Jazz Bar 20 Nov and more in the works. Thankful.

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because it's adventurous. It's always changing, adding new elements and even subtracting some. But "jazz" is creating ART, SPontaneously! I was first exposed to jazz through my father as a child as my dad was a pro drummer. I met so many musicians. Gary Chester, John McLaughlin, Joe Zawinul, and so many more. The best show I ever attended was Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter & Tony Williams at the Village Vanguard. I sat 10-15 feet from Tony Williams! Talk about spontaneously creating Art! The first jazz record I bought was In a Silent Way. My advice to new listeners is to listen to as much music as you can. When people ask me what kind of music I play, my response is always "is there more than one kind?"