Friday, June 29

A Conversation with Danny Ross

Like so many musicians before him Danny Ross was just an avid music fan before being exposed to the later work of The Beatles. After hearing the bands third anthology album he went from being somebody who enjoyed music, to being somebody who loved music.

Growing up with parents who played the music of the 60's in the house, he admits "I knew The Beatles from 'She Loves You', and not 'Happiness is a Warm Gun'."

The self professed do-it-yourselfer, rediscovered a previously discarded piano in his parents basement and began teaching himself how to play.

"When I started out, I could only play songs that I'd written, because I didn't know anything else" he admits. Ross has come to learn a lot about his craft since those early days at the piano, he went on to study music at Cornell University and graduated in May of 2006.

Before graduating, he perfomed a piece which was written for seven instruments in front of an audience of 300 as his senior thesis. The ambitious composeur was rewarded with Sum Cum Laude distinction at graduation.


Ross' thesis, which he describes as "A rock concept album", influenced his EP, the aptly titled "Introducing Danny Ross." While none of the thesis material made it onto the album, Ross will be performing certain selections from that work as well as his EP this Saturday, June 30Tht at The Bitter End as part of his album release party.

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