Bman's Blues Report Review!

As Estonia seems to be heading into another lockdown, Arizona's Bman's Blues Report reviews "Tartu Lockdown": "A cool batch of instrumental blues... reminding me just a bit of early Jeff Beck." Read the whole thing HERE!

"Tartu Lockdown" Goes to Rapla

Andres Roots will be appearing at the Rapla Blues Club at BAAS on September 24th, performing material from this spring's "Mississippi to Loch Lomond" CD as well as the upcoming "Tartu Lockdown" album. Click HERE for the Facebook event!

 

Album Launch from the Balcony!

"Tartu Lockdown" is released on September 4th, and the launch show will be played that same Friday 6 p.m. from the balcony of Tartu Public Library downtown: a free show with ample social distancing :) Click HERE for the Facebook event!

Pre-order "Tartu Lockdown" now!

On September 4th, the home recordings made by Andres Roots during this year's COVID spring will be issued as a CD album titled "Tartu Lockdown". You can order your signed copy for just 15.90 - shipping included! - if you place your order in August by e-mailing roots.art.oy(at)gmail.com with your shipping address and preferred method of payment - Roots Art Records accepts both bank transfers and PayPal.

The liner notes for the CD were written by the international blues journalist Norman Darwen, who currently contributes to magazines such as Blues & Rhythm, Blues in Britain, Blues Matters, RnR and Blues in the South in the UK, Bluesnews in Norway and Twoj Blues in Poland. Since the 1980's, he has provided sleevenotes for a long list of blues releases from Elmore James and Howlin' Wolf to Otis Grand and Buddy Guy.

"One positive of the whole COVID-19 pandemic is the music on this CD," writes Darwen. "Like some of the best blues, these are responses to a specific situation that also transcend it. This is totally enjoyable, thoughtful and thought-provoking music, however and whenever you’re listening to it."

For more details, click HERE!

Reviews & More in Muusika Magazine

The June issue of Muusika magazine includes Andres Roots' piece on the music he experienced in Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee last October, as well as Meelis Hainsoo's review of the "House Arrest" EP and the "Mississippi to Loch Lomond" album, of which he writes: "You hear virtuosic musicianship pickled with warm humour and the emotional response of the audience: everything a concert needs to have."

"House Arrest" in Blues in Britain!

In the June issue of Blues in Britain, Norman Darwen writes: "The four solo instrumentals – all his own compositions – range from the gutsy, raw boogie of the opening ‘Lindberg Boogie’ to the Blind Willie Johnson-ish ‘Fretless Wonder’ via the more reflective ‘Soup City Blues’, with hints of Elmore James, and the closing ‘Black River Blues’ which reminds me a little of early R.L.Burnside. Andres is a master of this kind of music and this is a fine release. Buy it and support one of the best instrumental blues players around."

You can hear and purchase the "House Arrest" EP HERE and order your copy of the magazine HERE!

"House Arrest 3" Available Now!

The third and most probably the last installment in the lockdown home recordings series, "House Arrest 3", is now available on Bandcamp: to listen and/or purchase, just click HERE!

New Track!

The "House Arrest 3" EP arrives next week with more home recordings - here's one track from it, played on a 3-string fretless Hobo 63 cigar-box guitar, with the signal split between ZT Lunchbox & Ampeg BA-112 amps and mastered by Asko-Romé Altsoo at White Room.

Klassikaraadio Interview

Andres Roots was interviewed by Joosep Sang on today's Delta programme on national broadcasting's classical music station Klassikaraadio. Click HERE to hear them discuss the "House Arrest" EP's and the "Mississippi to Loch Lomond" live album, as well as the freshly recorded soundtrack for the 1914 silent film "The Bear Hunt in Pärnu County". 

Genklubi Livestream!

Genialistide Klubi in Tartu will launch their official livestream series on Friday, May 8 at 6 p.m. (GMT +2). The first long distance concert will feature live performances by Arno Tamm, Roomet Jakapi, Macajey and Andres Roots, and you can join the official Facebook event HERE!  

"Bear Hunt" Music Now Online!

Originally performed at the 20/20 Film Festival in Tartu, Estonia in November 2019, Andres Roots' musical accompaniment for Johannes Pääsuke's 1914 silent film "The Bear Hunt in Pärnu County" is now online, thanks to the Estonian Embassy in London.



The initiative came as part of the Embassy's #time4estonia Facebook series where you can discover Estonian artists, writers, musicians, architecture, cities, museums, galleries, nature etc. Due to the lockdown, Andres Roots recorded the acoustic music at home - the same way he's cut his recent "House Arrest" EP's.  

Bandcamp Special on May 1st!

Bandcamp is again waving their fees on Friday, May 1st to help artists impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic - that means all the money you spend on Bandcamp tomorrow will go directly to the musicians. With all gigs cancelled from March through June, Andres Roots is one of those musicians - his Bandcamp page is HERE. You can download his entire Bandcamp catalogue of three EP's, one compilation and nine albums for 50 euros - that's a 40% discount! Just click on an album and choose "Buy Digital Discography" - or go with any one track or title ;) Thank you!

New EP Online!

"House Arrest 2" is now available via Bandcamp - 5 previously unreleased instrumental tracks recorded at home over the Easter weekend!

Don't go bananas - buy the EP!

Lockdown Interview!

The Tartu 2024 photo & video project "Spring 2020" features interviews with cultural figures of Tartu & Southern Estonia on how the global pandemic has influenced their life. With video by Hendrik Kuusk (Televant) & photos by Kiur Kaasik, the opening episode presents yours truly in his bedroom window, with his Hobo 63 cigar box guitar & ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox amp.

"Fretless Wonder" on YouTube

The "House Arrest" EP version of "Fretless Wonder" is now also available on YouTube:

House Arrest EP!

A new EP of home recordings released today - download HERE! "House Arrest" features four tunes recorded last week and played on a 3-string fretless Hobo 63 cigar-box guitar, with the signal split between ZT Lunchbox & Ampeg BA-112 amps. Mastered by Asko-Romé Altsoo, cover photo & design by Siret Roots.