Waste Time? Be Ordinary?

 

My readings have been pointing me lately in an interesting direction. Lin-chi: "There is no place for using effort. Just be ordinary and nothing special. Eat your food, move your bowels, pass water, and when you're tired go and lie down. The ignorant will laugh at me but the wise will understand"  Alan Watts: "Our attempt to master the world from outside is a vicious circle in which we shall be condemned to the perpetual insomnia of controlling controls and supervising supervision ad infinitum." Mary Ruefle: "Wasted time cannot be filled, it is a necessary void for fermentation." Gertrude Stein: "It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing." Heidegger: "Boredom is very closely allied with that of awe in which one's mind begins to reach beyond. And that is a poetic moment." Charles Lamb: "Man, I verily believe, is out of his element as long as he is operative"

Of course a characteristic of mine is putting in an overabundance of effort, which stands in direct contrast to this. What do you think?

Last Chance for Tickets (Before Hiatus) // Rock n Soul Sendoff Thursday 8pm!

Achem.

Danny Ross Rock n Soul Sendoff !!
@ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2, 196 Allen St at Houston, NYC
Thursday January 19, 8pm Sharp
**ADVANCED TICKETS ONLY. BUY NOW! (Ahh)**

We're taking hiatus to record 20 new rock n' soul songs for our indie label debut, catch us for the last time in a long time. And I can't thank you enough for the social media love, you're seriously killing it. But seriously, you're wanted for murder. If you haven't done so yet, please take 30 seconds to join the rest of society in 1) Reposting the FB event and tagging me, Danny Ross (::blush::) 2) Liking the FB Official Danny Ross Page 3)Twittering me @dannyrossmusic

Hugs and smoochies America,
Danny Ross (+ Max the cat)

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Danny Ross
DR Facebook // DR Pandora // DR iTunes // Twitter @dannyrossmusic

"Ross employs a horn section to deliver a blast of good-time, R. & B.-tinged rock and roll." - The New Yorker

Stream the entire album One Way and 100+ Reviews now at http://www.dannyrossmusic.com

***Last show before Hiatus*** Rock n Soul Sendoff Jan 19 @ Rockwood 2

Well, I don't want to give too much away (yet), but this Spring we'll be signing with an independent record label and tracking 20 new songs for our first nationally distributed album. So if you haven't seen us in the last 6 months, you should know that 1) we've crafted a completely new live show with a booming Rock n Soul sound; and 2) next Thursday will be the very last time to catch the band & horns for a very long time. Headlining Rockwood Stage 2 is a huge break in the music scene and I sincerely need your help to sell this baby out and send me off in style...

Danny Ross Rock n Soul Sendoff !!
@ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2, 196 Allen St at Houston, NYC
Thursday January 19, 8pm Sharp
**ADVANCED TICKETS ONLY. BUY NOW! (Ahh)**

The handsome, newly-formed DR Street Team -- you know who you are-- asks that you take 30 seconds to: 1) Repost the FB event and tag me, Danny Ross (wink!) 2) Like the FB Official Danny Ross Page 3)Twitter-love me @dannyrossmusic 4) Invite a few semi-attractive friends, seriously. A sincere thanks folks for letting me ride on your shoulders from NYC to Boston, Philly and DC. Here's to the next step and a new year.

All the best,
D

--

Danny Ross
DR Facebook // DR Pandora // DR iTunes // Twitter @dannyrossmusic

"Ross employs a horn section to deliver a blast of good-time, R. & B.-tinged rock and roll." - The New Yorker

Stream the entire album One Way and 100+ Reviews now at http://www.dannyrossmusic.com

NBC // *20 New Songs Live* Thurs Jan 19 @ Rockwood // Tickets On Sale Now

Hey folks,

How are you? Ah, the refreshing thought of a new year. It feels good. Let's just vibe in that for a minute...

So let me explain exactly what's going on here in case we haven't shared an Old Fashioned lately. I've been nestled up in my brownstone apartment over the last six months crafting exactly 20 new hip-shakin songs for our indie label debut on Ammal Records (Details to come on how you can personally play recorder on the album). But before we track these 60s soul & rock n roll jams live in the studio next month with the full band and horns, we need your input to road-test these suckas. Catch "the best emerging live act in NYC" two weeks from today for an exclusive preview of our anticipated new record:

Danny Ross and the Millenials present... 20 New Songs Live*
@ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2, 196 Allen St at Houston
Thursday January 19, 8pm Sharp
Share the Facebook Page (do it!) // *This show will sell out, please get Advanced Tickets now

As featured in NBC Nonstop Sound, many of you were unfortunately shut out at the door for last month's sold-out Mercury Lounge gig. Sounds like my love life in high school. BOOM. If you're even musing about the big night, you'll need to please buy tickets now.

Happy new year friends and all the best,
D

--

Danny Ross

"Danny Ross employs a horn section to deliver a blast of good-time, R. & B.-tinged rock and roll." - The New Yorker

"One Way showcases ambitious arrangements, eclectic songwriting and overall technical mastery" - American Songwriter

Stream the entire album One Way now at http://www.dannyrossmusic.com

DR Facebook (Like it!) // DR Pandora // DR iTunes // Tweet Tweet: @dannyrossmusic

The New Yorker // Saturday 8pm @ Mercury Lounge

Hey folks,

How are you? Hope you weren't maliciously trampled on Black Friday... though I'll proudly admit to owning a Tickle Me Elmo. SO FUN!

Whenever we get a mention in the New Yorker, it's a big deal so today's a happy day (unlike Yom Kippur). I know how busy things get in the holiday season, so I really appreciate you coming out to see the huge rock n roll show Saturday night at Mercury Lounge with the full band and horns. It's an important gig for us and it personally means a lot to have you there and spreading the word to a few friends by forwarding this email or sharing the FB event. And please let me know if you want to help our Street Team prep for the show. We'll have a Santacon Afterparty, an onstage life-size Nativity Scene, and beats dropping like Pokeman references at a Herman Cain speech. BOOM.

#Dannyrossandhorns Occupy The Holidays, Live at Mercury Lounge
Saturday December 10, 8pm Sharp (Followed by The Shake)
@ Mercury Lounge, 217 E Houston St at Essex St - NYC
Facebook Event Page // *This show will sell out, please get advanced tickets

Hm what else... Surprisingly loved the movie Hugo though itching to get some Muppets action, caught docs on Frank Lloyd Wright and Lewis & Clark, vibing on "Reckoner" & "Bells of Rhymney". And later on this month we'll be playing a Holiday Jamboree to benefit NY CARES. Hope you're doing well friends and stay warm this holiday season.

All the best,
D

--

Danny Ross
DR Pandora Station // DR iTunes Store
"One Way showcases ambitious arrangements, eclectic songwriting and overall technical mastery" - American Songwriter
Have you heard One Way? Stream the entire album free at http://www.dannyrossmusic.com

#Press // Harrison Ford // Saturday Dec 10, 8pm @ Mercury Lounge

Hey folks,

As I roll out of bed at noon, plop on the couch next to Maxwell Silver Hammer and bury my arm in an old box of Cheddar Chex Mix watching season two of Arrested Development, I can't help but contemplate the beauty and terror of complete freedom. I also wonder if there's any spicy hummus left in the fridge.

You should know I've been working soundly, composing new Beatlesque ditties for our indie label debut this Spring. And of course looking for new work since getting sacked by the US House of Representatives after five years. But I think in different ways we're all feeling sacked by the establishment we're inheriting. As Bobby Dylan says "Oh ev’ry foe that ever I faced/ The cause was there before we came/ And ev’ry cause that ever I fought/ I fought it full without regret or shame." The good news is that we're the most educated, innovative, optimistic, peaceful generation to ever emerge on the planet (watch some TED talks), and we sincerely understand humanistic moral values and its role in the marketplace, even if we're too obsessed with 80s culture.

I believe this issue is resonating so deeply because it's utterly non-partisan, and we see how quickly things can actually change - Mubarak in Egypt was overthrown in 18 days. So there's good reason to ignore the nonsense in Washington and the tabloid media, artificially creating divisions within us to increase readership and campaign contributions. None of it is real, but we are. So I marched across the Brooklyn Bridge (check out Image 4), and we had a hugely successful Laid Off Tour across the northeast. Now as a capstone to 2011, I invite you to join the full band and horns for a wild night of solidarity and 60s-influenced R&B, folk and old-school rock n roll...

#Dannyrossandhorns Occupy The Holidays, Live at Mercury Lounge
Saturday December 10, 8pm Sharp (Followed by The Shake)
@ Mercury Lounge, 217 E Houston St at Essex St
Facebook Event Page

*This show will sell out, please get advanced tickets

Happy Thanksgiving everybody, I <3 pecan pie. Take it easy, but take it.

All the best,
D

--

Danny Ross
"One Way showcases ambitious arrangements, eclectic songwriting and overall technical mastery" - American Songwriter
Have you heard One Way? Stream the entire album free at http://www.dannyrossmusic.com

DR iTunes Store

The Laid Off Tour Finale: Tonight in Washington

Hey folks,

Over the past three weeks, from New York to Boston and now on my way to our nation's capital, I've been listening to people's stories, singing songs like this, and sharing my opinions with Washington's TBD, ASCAP Playback Magazine, Harvard Chronicle, DC Rocks, Cloture Club and more to come.

As it turns out, participating in a dialogue with you about losing my job and our broken system has opened a thousand doors that started with a closed one. And after we wrap up the Laid Off Tour tonight, there's nothing to do but find a new job (I'm not a bum) and keep on keepin on. After five years in the workplace, I understood the struggle to find meaning and humanity in the daily grind, subway rides and long days. To see light in the future while trying to pay rent and live up to the education we're all still paying for. To zoom out and take the long perspective about our short time on this place and what really matters through today's 24-hour culture.

The good news is that every day we can choose to inch our way toward the idealistic vision of ourselves and the world we walk in. We can choose to live without succumbing to an industrial complex that maximizes profit at the cost of our humanity by stressing self-reflection and communal understanding. That's the message I'll be pounding home in Washington tonight with our nine-piece band and horns, and I encourage everyone to do the same moving forward in our own unique way. If you got a sec, would love your help forwarding or posting the show today to friends in Washington...

#Dannyrossandhorns Occupy DC: The Laid Off Tour Finale
Friday November 4, 9pm Sharp
@ IOTA, 2832 Wilson Boulevard - Arlington VA
Orange Line to Clarendon // With BFF Justin Trawick
Facebook Event Page

I've also been nerding out to Ken Burns' Civil War series, hanging at Conan's gay wedding, and stuck in a snowstorm at Salem, MA for Halloween. Thanks again folks for all your support through this ordeal, and as Pete Seeger says, "Take it easy, but take it."

All the best,
D

--

Danny Ross
"One Way showcases ambitious arrangements, eclectic songwriting and overall technical mastery" - American Songwriter
Have you heard One Way? Stream the entire album free at http://www.dannyrossmusic.com

DR iTunes Store