TubaNews.com Reviews

CD Reviews from the Outside - "Roger Bobo: The Man With the Golden Tuba"

Last Updated (Sunday, 11 May 2008 18:52)
Written by Grace Adele Spruiell
Tuesday, 22 April 2008 15:36

Reviews - CD/Recording Reviews

A trumpet player, when asked what he thought of the sound of a tuba ensemble, once said: "It sounds like a 45 rpm record of a trumpet ensemble played at 33 rpm."

In an effort to better understand how our tuba culture is doing, it is important to hear how we are received by those outside the tuba/euphonium world. How is a tuba or euphonium recording heard by a music-savvy outsider? That's the angle we like to get here at Tubanews.com.

With that in mind, we present our first review from the outside.

-Tubanews.com

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“Rainbo-Bo The Man With The Golden Tuba” by: Roger Bobo

Have I died and gone to heaven? Have I reached Nirvana? What did I do to deserve this amazing listening pleasure? J. S. Bach’s “Air from Suite No. 3” or as we know it as “Air for the G String” is simply beyond delicious and it’s fat free! Roger Bobo’s sound is perfection, mellow, lovely, caressing as if he’s making love to you. The music comes out of him as well as the instrument. The Baroque ornamentation, the messe de voce , the nuances the roundness of the tone - he is da’ man! I would purchase this for my collection and I would purchase this as a gift for any music lover, I would also purchase this for someone who was not familiar with the sound of the tuba and they would be shocked the tuba could sound so wonderfully golden.

His Schubert is as easy as if he were singing, ornaments easy as breathing, Zita Carno accompanies with the support and comfort of a dear friend. These two are of one mind. This is a must have CD.

“Saturnalis” is bold, testosterone laden, in your face wonderful, gotta have more, man how does he do it? “First Dream of Light” is totally out there, something you wished you knew intimately, but not to worry you will in due time. I love the use of the instruments as percussion, very Stravinsky-esque. “Encore: Boz” Fun with unusual uses of silence (rests) extreme use of the tessitura and even a young child would enjoy listening to this piece. I would recommend this piece as an introductory piece to modern music along with the incredible playing that goes along with it. Fun, fun, fun man!

by Grace Adele Spruiell