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Barry Romberg

Barry has been a major fixture on the Canadian jazz scene for over 25 years and has been featured on over 70 recordings including 12 as leader/co- leader,with groups such as The MRC Trio, Inside Out & Random Access. Over the years Barry has worked with Gil Evans, Joe Henderson, Ritchie Bierach, Don Pullen, Don Byron & Sam Rivers to name a few. Barry has also been a featured performer on numerous Canadian tours as well as the US, Europe & India. Barry is also a Juno winner & 8 time Juno nominee.
Barry Romberg's Random Access Group was nominated at the National Jazz Awards for Best Electric Group in 2005/2006/2007/2008/2009 and Barry was also nominated for drummer of the year at the NJA in 2006/2007/2008/2009.
Barry's Romhog Records has been picking up speed since its inception in 2002 and now has 10 titles in its catalogue,and has been recieving some great exposure in Canada, Europe & the US.
Barry is also on faculty in the music programs at York University & Humber College in Toronto.
Barry's most recent project; RALE, The Random Access Large Ensemble is an extension of the Random Access group expanding the 7 piece band bringing the full compliment to 14, and features some of the finest musicians in the country. The new group has been workshoping some exciting new material at The Rex in Toronto over the last few years; and was featured in a Final Gala performance at the IAJE/Toronto in 2008. The Random Access Large Ensemble (2008/09 National Jazz Awards Nominee for Best Big Band) released the new recording "Existential Detective in April 2008. The CD was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Recording in 2009.

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4
Album Review

Lorne Lofsky: This Song Is New

Read "This Song Is New" reviewed by Friedrich Kunzmann


The liner notes to This Song is New explain how the term “old school" suits guitarist Lorne Lofsky just fine. Not in its pejorative sense, but rather in the spirit of a master of an old art, now considered to be quaint. It is indeed a fitting description for the compositions and performances that constitute the guitarist's first recording of original material in over 20 years. More a player than a composer, the former Oscar Peterson collaborator presents a strong ...

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Album Review

Lorne Lofsky: This Song Is New

Read "This Song Is New" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Over the years the guitar has earned a unique position in the annals of jazz. At times strident, ear-splitting and generally distasteful, at others one of the loveliest, most amiable and pleasing instruments in any circumstance, especially when placed in the capable hands of a master such as Canada's Lorne Lofsky. This is the guitar as it should be played, smooth and mellow but never without due diligence or an emphatic purpose in mind. The quartet date This Song Is ...

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Album Review

Barry Romberg's Random Access: The Gods Must Be Smiling

Read "The Gods Must Be Smiling" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Over the last 10 years, Random Access has seen changes in its lineup. The concept of the band came from drummer Barry Romberg, who began with home experiments in 2001. His object was to play music spontaneously and, with that idea in mind, the first incarnation of the band came into being. The seven-piece unit consisted of two guitars, trumpet, saxophone, bass, drums and percussion, though the guitars and percussion were eliminated when the group pared down to a quartet. ...

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Album Review

Random Access: was, shall, why, because

Read "was, shall, why, because" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Multi-instrumentalist Barry Romberg brings his band of fellow adventurers, Random Access, on another musical journey that is filled with generous dollops of invention, surprise and just plain old darn good music. Romberg retains his trademark sense of humor, a trait that washes into his fellow cohorts. The underlining feature, however, is the way in which they can spin ideas into compelling tales of adventure on was, shall, why, because.

Romberg uses a sextet for “Suite for the Wolfman," ...

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Album Review

Random Access Large Ensemble: Existential Detective

Read "Existential Detective" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Barry Romberg (drums, percussion, electric percussion, synthesizer) is constantly looking for the new and unusual. The music that he evokes, and finds a voice with through his bands, has firm construction and heady improvisation. These two attributes are integral components, as is his sense of fun which adds immeasurably to the music. The Romberg catalogue includes four CDs with Random Access, the count beginning with Random Access 3 (Romhog Records, 2004). Where his band once consisted of three members, there ...

112
Album Review

Barry Romberg's Random Access: Big Giant Head

Read "Big Giant Head" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Barry Romberg's Random Access marches on to part six of its musical journey, called Big Giant Head. With all the accolades that have greeted earlier efforts, the size of the head is not surprising.

Romberg says that this recording and the previous one, Accidental Beef, (Romhog Records, 2006), involve the most structure the band has had while keeping to the concept of an open harmonic format. This works well as each player opens up the composition to invention and brings ...

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Album Review

Barry Romberg's Random Access: Accidental Beef

Read "Accidental Beef" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Barry Romberg's Random access continues its musical adventures with some Accidental Beef that was put together at the Rex Hotel in Toronto. It was a good night: the band exudes a raw, intense urgency that has been captured in all its glory. The music balances improvisation with a basic structure, providing a perfect base for the musicians to take off on a trajectory or play in consonance. As they have done on past recordings, they do so once again, with ...

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Award / Grant

Random Access Large Ensemble Nominated for Juno Award

Random Access Large Ensemble Nominated for Juno Award

Source: All About Jazz

Barry Romberg's Random Access Large Ensemble's latest CD “Existential Detective" has been nominated in the category of Best Contemporary Jazz Recording at the 2009 Juno Awards. The awards will be held in Vancouver the weekend of March 29th. The National Jazz Awards were just announced and Barry and cohorts are up for three; Electric Band Of The Year (Random Access) Big Band Of The Year (Random Access Large Ensemble) Drummer ...

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Award / Grant

Drummer Barry Romberg Nominated at National Jazz Awards

Drummer Barry Romberg Nominated at National Jazz Awards

Source: All About Jazz


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Performance / Tour

Barry Romberg's Random Access Large Ensemble Live in 2008

Barry Romberg's Random Access Large Ensemble Live in 2008

Source: All About Jazz

Barry Romberg's Random Access Large Ensemble live in January 2008 in Toronto, Canada. Saturday January 12th, 10pm IAJE Final Gala Concert (1 set) Contitution Hall MTCC Thursday January 17th 7:30pm York University Recital Hall (2 sets) RALE is: Barry Romberg-drums Rich Brown-bass Geoff Young-gutars David Occhipinti-guitars Blair Mackay-percussion Kirk Macdonald-tenor sax

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Recording

CD Release Party April 29 For Barry Romberg's Random Access in Toronto

CD Release Party April 29 For Barry Romberg's Random Access in Toronto

Source: All About Jazz

Romhog Records PRESENTS National Jazz Award Nominee (2005/06/07) FOR BEST ELECTRIC GROUP Barry Romberg's Random Access IN CONCERT At The Rex Hotel In Toronto Sunday April 29TH AT 9'30 PM IN SUPPORT OF THEIR NEW CD Big Giant Head The 10th And Latest Romhog Release The Band Features: Barry Romberg, Drums Rich Brown, Bass Kevin Turcotte, ...

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Event

Barry Romberg's Random Access CD Release Party at the The Rex Hotel

Barry Romberg's Random Access CD Release Party at the The Rex Hotel

Source: All About Jazz

Romhog Records & The Rex Hotel presents Barry Romberg's Random Access at The Rex Sunday September 17th at 9:30 pm to celebrate the release of their new live CD Accidental Beef. Two time national jazz award nominee for best electric group, Random Access features some of Canada's finest musicians: Kevin Turcotte (trp), Kelly Jefferson (sax), Geoff Young (gtr), Rich Brown (bass), Blair Mackay (perc), David Occhipinti (gtr), and Barry Romberg (drums).

Not to be missed!

The Rex Hotel Jazz & ...

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Event

Barry Romberg's Random Access July 9 in Toronto

Barry Romberg's Random Access July 9 in Toronto

Source: All About Jazz


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Award / Grant

Barry Romberg Up For Two National Jazz Awards

Barry Romberg Up For Two National Jazz Awards

Source: All About Jazz


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Recording

New CD Release "No Soap Radio" from Barry Romberg's Random Access

New CD Release "No Soap Radio" from Barry Romberg's Random Access

Source: All About Jazz

Romhog Records is proud to bring you its 8th release, “NO SOAP RADIO", Barry Romberg's Random Access, Part 4. This is the latest installment & fourth in the Random Access series from the man who brought you The MRC Trio & Inside Out. The Random Access project 2005 National Jazz Award Nominee for Best Electric Group has evolved from a studio experiment into a killer live band. This latest cd features some of Canada's finest musicians: Hugh Marsh (violin), Kevin ...

Romberg resisted the urge to put the jams (MRC Trio) through the same cut and paste process as the Random Access materials, and it was a wise call, for these long evolutions are the most effective way of hearing his own highly individual work. He may owe a sentimental debt to Elvin (Jones), but in his intense musicality and prodigious output he is closer in spirit to Jack Dejohnette. Random Access Part 3 and Tribal Dance are both jawdroppingly good.
Brian Morton, Wire Magazine

Drummer-composer-bandleader Barry Romberg is playfully subversive. The Latest installment¦ (RA 3) is full of suprises and good humour, along with a multitude of good grooves¦..Romberg displays quick hands, keen instincts and coloristic tendencies behind the kit.
Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times Magazine

Barry Romberg's sound hasn't fully filtered down across that long border separating his native Canada from the US, and it's a shame

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Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

Toronto

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

This Song Is New

Modica Music
2021

buy

Crab People

Romhog Records
2013

buy

was, shall, why,...

Romhog Records
2010

buy

The Gods Must Be...

Romhog Records
2010

buy

Existential Detective

Romhog Records
2008

buy

Random Access, Part...

Maya Recordings
2007

buy

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