Album Review
For
Robert Schindler
“Dogs and Halos”
Composed, Performed,
And Recorded by
Robert Schindler
Review written by Kerry Barnes
Introduction
The very first thing I have to say is that Robert has the fastest fingers I’ve ever
seen play a keyboard or piano!! (he’s probably fed up with hearing that!)
....but it’s true, Mr. Flying Fingers as I affectionately call him is a musical
wizard! This North Carolina man has a soft and caring heart and he and his
wife foster dogs and it’s their absolute passion and love. (up to 70 dogs so
far!) ........my dog is a ‘psycho’ and I can definitely only cope with 1.
Also, very interesting to note that Mozart and Bach have both been a
source of influence in Robert’s musical life, along with Deep Purple and I sense
that maybe Keith Emerson would fit into this lovely list too.
OK, on with the show!
Track 1.
“Don’t Ever Stop Your Heart”
I’m instantly in love with the inspiration behind this first track,
‘Don’t ever give up on your Dreams’, something I think we should all hold in
our hearts and minds. Rob, (may I call you that from here on in?) sets the
scene with a somewhat sexy and laid back percussion, persistent and leading
and reminds me of my old ‘clubbing days’ ......you know, the slow dance
with a romantic stranger! Very soulfully played and with the now expected
dexterity in the keyboard and piano parts. The quadruple metre is
mesmerizing and with a dream of moving forward and never giving up.
This is the spell it casts. I have seen on social media Rob’s studio, and this
track sounds to me like everything is being used for this fab production.
The percussion seems to be always growing in complexity and I’m having
trouble keeping up with it!! So many layers for my ears to take in, complete
electro-wizardry!! .......I’ll never give up on my dream of being able to play like
this, but I don’t think it will ever happen. Alas.
I’m assuming that Rob gets all of these sounds out of the many different
keyboards he has at hand, and I’m listening to the virtuoso electric guitar
work thinking how the hell does he do this!! There’s wah-wah, portamente,
microtones, bending, vibrato and a whole load more that I can’t explain!
It’s all beautifully chaotic with a touch of madness thrown in for good measure.
Now I’m getting a ‘tubular-bells’ vibe in the stunning mid register
area, like a demented engine proclaiming it’s territory. I can hear so
many different musical genres at work,rock, blues, jazz and new-age, but with
a definite Rob hallmark. The drums are back, wait a minute......I didn’t know
they had gone, that shows to me my ears are being constantly treated to
content that matters all the way through. The instrumental piano
sounds really beautiful, with amazing passage-work going on, how on earth
does Rob play such fast and even repeated notes on the spot like that??
(a memory interjects...John Lill the brilliant British pianist years ago, once
showed me a trick to get repeated notes off the ground......on one
stationary key with it’s 2 centimetre (roughly) width you play this fingering
pattern as fast as you can: 123454321, start slowly then build up speed. I bet
Rob could do this with his eyes shut!!) From sparkling to calmer texture, Rob
gently allows my feet to touch the ground, slowly and softly. Ahhhh.
Track 2.
“Morning Rush”
The title for this track was named by Rob’s wife as it reminded her of driving
back-and-forth to work at the hospital everyday!! (she has been a nurse for 46
years, and what a heroine, caring for the sick in this time of global pandemic,
my hat goes off to you sweet lady xx)
This excellent track has a lot going on, very busy indeed. We start with a
‘panoramic-fargo’ just getting the engines warmed up in a stationary
position, and all those in pole position jostling for space. The minor-tonality
fits great here. Everyone’s grumbling! Now we’re getting on down with some
drum-and-bass, yeah! All the fireworkskick off and I have to admit that it’s
soooooo virtuosic, clever,
improvisational, and mind bending that it’s beyond my explanation and
musicality, I couldn’t play like this in my wildest dreams, well it would be nice to
dream it!!! It contains every note that has ever been invented, I don’t know
what’s going on!
We are speeding down the highway right now, and if you listen to this piece
with headphones on it will play tricks with your mind, the sound comes out
left, right, left, right and you have to sway to keep up. I hear some familiar
drawbar-organ playing which reminds me of Jools Holland on a very good
night. Now I have ripples and bubbles shooting up and down my spine, ooh,
chills!
But, there is a rumble-in-the-jungle from the biggest truck in the world,
gruff and deep it moans, Rob you have really pulled this theme off, Bravo!!
Track 3.
“Yesterday Again”
Here we are looking back with Rob, to earlier years and simpler times, well
there’s nothing ‘simple’ about this track!!.......off the chart skills galore!!
Rob plays repeated notes like an alien, not human-like at all. I have witnessed
Virginia Black (best Harpsichordist in the world) playing a Scarlatti Sonata
built on repeated notes, watching her fingers play 321-321-321-321-321 on
one key etc looking like she’s stirring a cup of tea, and STILL Rob’s are faster!!
There are tons of short and virtuosic bursts on all different instruments,
even a trumpet I hear, sounds gorgeous Rob, what ‘embouchure’ you
must have at this level of control. I really do sense a vibe of nostalgia
within these lovely phrases however complex they are.
The wonderful ‘high- harmonics’ will give you pleasurable tinnitus, as will the patted-down
chordal right hand in irregular time, you know......like 3 against 2 etc.
The ‘coda’ however is much calmer and relaxed and lets me down gently with a
gorgeous remnant of sound. Thanks for taking me back Rob, and sharing
memories with you.
Track 4.
“Turn off your brain Part 2”
For the most part, Rob is in a different mood here, apart from much later on,
we’ll come to that. This track kinda travels round your head, trying to
meditate you, and is a follow on from “Turn off your brain Part 1.” I sense a withdrawal from ‘craziness’
and a deep need to surround himself with his four-legged friends and I know
what that feels like.......whenever I am stressed, my Lottie is there with infinite
love and wet kisses!! (she is part Husky and part Rottweiler).
Rob is more zoned-out here, there’s less pyrotechnics, (for a while) a
gentler terrain exists, a deeper sea is felt, a welcome calm.........but THEN...a
pianistic ‘cadenza’ with unlimited fireworks descends upon us!! At first
the mood is more ‘piano lounge’ or ‘piano bar’ but gradually we realise
something else is going on!! Rob wizzes around the keyboard like
nothing else on this PLANET!! It’s so physical that I am a bit worried about
the long term future of Rob’s hands.
Keith Emerson, another great keyboard player (who has sadly passed away)
contracted crippling ‘focal dystonia’ of the hands, probably from overuse or
misuse. I’m not saying that Rob will get this, but honestly I have never heard
such speed and articulation on an instrument of any kind, please don’t
practice for too long!!!
Nice to hear a gentle flute and echo- guitar, and some bendy wheels too.
A long track, a lot of thought, but a simple end. Nice.
Track 5.
“Clusters”
I sense a ‘gentle giant’ juggling clusters of soundbites in both mighty hands
aloft and having the greatest of fun to boot!! .......and he is reminding us all to
remember to take time-out for ourselves in our processes.
One of these ‘clusters’ opens like a flower of sound, revealing it’s layers
and so grumbly at the bottom, love it!! Oooh, vocal inclusions.......da-da and
do-do, quite surprising fun, and I imagine Rob just playing around in his
monumental studio, full of magic keyboards and sound effects!! He really is having fun!
Ooh, an insert of ‘marimba’ an instrument that I love to hear. (I once
shared a concert with a marimba player, she was fantastic and she later
went on to be runner up in the BBC’s show ‘Young Musician of the Year’
(many moons ago)
As usual, Rob presents us with more astonishing ascending scale passage
work, and yes, with every note that has ever been invented!! .......and then
down again! Loving what I think is an Indian percussion, nice bit of flavour
there. I also love the sweeping long cello bows and the more shrill violin scrapes.
Then a real change of time and energy takes me by surprise, mmmmmm,
exhale please. This really is a piece in Binary-Form, not ABA, just AB and it
really works. Rob can take us anywhere and at any time, with his cock-pit of the
world’s most complex of NASA creations. Cosmic.
Track 6.
“Halos”
This final track is absolutely beautiful. Rob’s opening piano work is sending
me into the world of George Winston, so tender, warm and completely loving.
Rob has introduced more instruments to this symphonic work and it feels so
all embracing. More New-Age thinking is at play here than all the other tracks
and it really suits the dedication and honour completely bestowed upon the
love for our four-legged friends who of course will always be so much more
than just friends. Even the vowel that Rob has chosen for some lovely vocal
dabs is an ‘Ah’ which is the first thing that we all say when we see a lovely
doggy.......Ahhhh – loooook!
This ‘fostering’ love tells me so much about Rob and his lovely wife, I can’t
put it into words as it is too deep, the feeling, words fail me, but the music
tells me.
Two people who deserve the wearing of ‘Halos’, right here!!
For
Robert Schindler
“Dogs and Halos”
Composed, Performed,
And Recorded by
Robert Schindler
Review written by Kerry Barnes
Introduction
The very first thing I have to say is that Robert has the fastest fingers I’ve ever
seen play a keyboard or piano!! (he’s probably fed up with hearing that!)
....but it’s true, Mr. Flying Fingers as I affectionately call him is a musical
wizard! This North Carolina man has a soft and caring heart and he and his
wife foster dogs and it’s their absolute passion and love. (up to 70 dogs so
far!) ........my dog is a ‘psycho’ and I can definitely only cope with 1.
Also, very interesting to note that Mozart and Bach have both been a
source of influence in Robert’s musical life, along with Deep Purple and I sense
that maybe Keith Emerson would fit into this lovely list too.
OK, on with the show!
Track 1.
“Don’t Ever Stop Your Heart”
I’m instantly in love with the inspiration behind this first track,
‘Don’t ever give up on your Dreams’, something I think we should all hold in
our hearts and minds. Rob, (may I call you that from here on in?) sets the
scene with a somewhat sexy and laid back percussion, persistent and leading
and reminds me of my old ‘clubbing days’ ......you know, the slow dance
with a romantic stranger! Very soulfully played and with the now expected
dexterity in the keyboard and piano parts. The quadruple metre is
mesmerizing and with a dream of moving forward and never giving up.
This is the spell it casts. I have seen on social media Rob’s studio, and this
track sounds to me like everything is being used for this fab production.
The percussion seems to be always growing in complexity and I’m having
trouble keeping up with it!! So many layers for my ears to take in, complete
electro-wizardry!! .......I’ll never give up on my dream of being able to play like
this, but I don’t think it will ever happen. Alas.
I’m assuming that Rob gets all of these sounds out of the many different
keyboards he has at hand, and I’m listening to the virtuoso electric guitar
work thinking how the hell does he do this!! There’s wah-wah, portamente,
microtones, bending, vibrato and a whole load more that I can’t explain!
It’s all beautifully chaotic with a touch of madness thrown in for good measure.
Now I’m getting a ‘tubular-bells’ vibe in the stunning mid register
area, like a demented engine proclaiming it’s territory. I can hear so
many different musical genres at work,rock, blues, jazz and new-age, but with
a definite Rob hallmark. The drums are back, wait a minute......I didn’t know
they had gone, that shows to me my ears are being constantly treated to
content that matters all the way through. The instrumental piano
sounds really beautiful, with amazing passage-work going on, how on earth
does Rob play such fast and even repeated notes on the spot like that??
(a memory interjects...John Lill the brilliant British pianist years ago, once
showed me a trick to get repeated notes off the ground......on one
stationary key with it’s 2 centimetre (roughly) width you play this fingering
pattern as fast as you can: 123454321, start slowly then build up speed. I bet
Rob could do this with his eyes shut!!) From sparkling to calmer texture, Rob
gently allows my feet to touch the ground, slowly and softly. Ahhhh.
Track 2.
“Morning Rush”
The title for this track was named by Rob’s wife as it reminded her of driving
back-and-forth to work at the hospital everyday!! (she has been a nurse for 46
years, and what a heroine, caring for the sick in this time of global pandemic,
my hat goes off to you sweet lady xx)
This excellent track has a lot going on, very busy indeed. We start with a
‘panoramic-fargo’ just getting the engines warmed up in a stationary
position, and all those in pole position jostling for space. The minor-tonality
fits great here. Everyone’s grumbling! Now we’re getting on down with some
drum-and-bass, yeah! All the fireworkskick off and I have to admit that it’s
soooooo virtuosic, clever,
improvisational, and mind bending that it’s beyond my explanation and
musicality, I couldn’t play like this in my wildest dreams, well it would be nice to
dream it!!! It contains every note that has ever been invented, I don’t know
what’s going on!
We are speeding down the highway right now, and if you listen to this piece
with headphones on it will play tricks with your mind, the sound comes out
left, right, left, right and you have to sway to keep up. I hear some familiar
drawbar-organ playing which reminds me of Jools Holland on a very good
night. Now I have ripples and bubbles shooting up and down my spine, ooh,
chills!
But, there is a rumble-in-the-jungle from the biggest truck in the world,
gruff and deep it moans, Rob you have really pulled this theme off, Bravo!!
Track 3.
“Yesterday Again”
Here we are looking back with Rob, to earlier years and simpler times, well
there’s nothing ‘simple’ about this track!!.......off the chart skills galore!!
Rob plays repeated notes like an alien, not human-like at all. I have witnessed
Virginia Black (best Harpsichordist in the world) playing a Scarlatti Sonata
built on repeated notes, watching her fingers play 321-321-321-321-321 on
one key etc looking like she’s stirring a cup of tea, and STILL Rob’s are faster!!
There are tons of short and virtuosic bursts on all different instruments,
even a trumpet I hear, sounds gorgeous Rob, what ‘embouchure’ you
must have at this level of control. I really do sense a vibe of nostalgia
within these lovely phrases however complex they are.
The wonderful ‘high- harmonics’ will give you pleasurable tinnitus, as will the patted-down
chordal right hand in irregular time, you know......like 3 against 2 etc.
The ‘coda’ however is much calmer and relaxed and lets me down gently with a
gorgeous remnant of sound. Thanks for taking me back Rob, and sharing
memories with you.
Track 4.
“Turn off your brain Part 2”
For the most part, Rob is in a different mood here, apart from much later on,
we’ll come to that. This track kinda travels round your head, trying to
meditate you, and is a follow on from “Turn off your brain Part 1.” I sense a withdrawal from ‘craziness’
and a deep need to surround himself with his four-legged friends and I know
what that feels like.......whenever I am stressed, my Lottie is there with infinite
love and wet kisses!! (she is part Husky and part Rottweiler).
Rob is more zoned-out here, there’s less pyrotechnics, (for a while) a
gentler terrain exists, a deeper sea is felt, a welcome calm.........but THEN...a
pianistic ‘cadenza’ with unlimited fireworks descends upon us!! At first
the mood is more ‘piano lounge’ or ‘piano bar’ but gradually we realise
something else is going on!! Rob wizzes around the keyboard like
nothing else on this PLANET!! It’s so physical that I am a bit worried about
the long term future of Rob’s hands.
Keith Emerson, another great keyboard player (who has sadly passed away)
contracted crippling ‘focal dystonia’ of the hands, probably from overuse or
misuse. I’m not saying that Rob will get this, but honestly I have never heard
such speed and articulation on an instrument of any kind, please don’t
practice for too long!!!
Nice to hear a gentle flute and echo- guitar, and some bendy wheels too.
A long track, a lot of thought, but a simple end. Nice.
Track 5.
“Clusters”
I sense a ‘gentle giant’ juggling clusters of soundbites in both mighty hands
aloft and having the greatest of fun to boot!! .......and he is reminding us all to
remember to take time-out for ourselves in our processes.
One of these ‘clusters’ opens like a flower of sound, revealing it’s layers
and so grumbly at the bottom, love it!! Oooh, vocal inclusions.......da-da and
do-do, quite surprising fun, and I imagine Rob just playing around in his
monumental studio, full of magic keyboards and sound effects!! He really is having fun!
Ooh, an insert of ‘marimba’ an instrument that I love to hear. (I once
shared a concert with a marimba player, she was fantastic and she later
went on to be runner up in the BBC’s show ‘Young Musician of the Year’
(many moons ago)
As usual, Rob presents us with more astonishing ascending scale passage
work, and yes, with every note that has ever been invented!! .......and then
down again! Loving what I think is an Indian percussion, nice bit of flavour
there. I also love the sweeping long cello bows and the more shrill violin scrapes.
Then a real change of time and energy takes me by surprise, mmmmmm,
exhale please. This really is a piece in Binary-Form, not ABA, just AB and it
really works. Rob can take us anywhere and at any time, with his cock-pit of the
world’s most complex of NASA creations. Cosmic.
Track 6.
“Halos”
This final track is absolutely beautiful. Rob’s opening piano work is sending
me into the world of George Winston, so tender, warm and completely loving.
Rob has introduced more instruments to this symphonic work and it feels so
all embracing. More New-Age thinking is at play here than all the other tracks
and it really suits the dedication and honour completely bestowed upon the
love for our four-legged friends who of course will always be so much more
than just friends. Even the vowel that Rob has chosen for some lovely vocal
dabs is an ‘Ah’ which is the first thing that we all say when we see a lovely
doggy.......Ahhhh – loooook!
This ‘fostering’ love tells me so much about Rob and his lovely wife, I can’t
put it into words as it is too deep, the feeling, words fail me, but the music
tells me.
Two people who deserve the wearing of ‘Halos’, right here!!