Sol Ruiz

Feels like a long time

solishere — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:56:47 +0000

Feels like a long time since I last wrote in my blog. There has been so much that has gone on in my mind and out of my mind also. But as I say “I’d rather be out of my mind, than in it”. I dreamt of writing a song that would be sung by a woman that looked more like a man, but even in my dream I wasnt really sure. Then there was the recording in Miami, I had to leave the completion date open for now. Since mid february, I have been focusing on focusing. I have decided to put on hold projects to focus on things closer to home. Projects that are in Torino. Even though playing in Madrid once a month was great for experience, and I shared some of the greatest times with the greatest players, it wasnt reaching a level of satisfaction that I thought would have been achieved over sometime. And thats a big reason for my moving on, even though I thought a lot more could have gotten done. Right now, I am writing an emense amount of music, and doing many collaborations with people in Torino, where support is strong and the weather now is sunny and motivating. Ive been playing with the band, Bad Raggazzz, also with Gaia Mobilij, the accordion players and a fiddle player, Marco Getzo, also with Matteo Castellano, collaborating on theatre shows and a Pianist name Juan Carlos, that plays a great cuban style piano. With all this and plenty of gigs coming up, I would say, there is enough on my plate right now. Keep in touch and speak soon! Leave comments if you’d like … — SOL

Recording in Miami

solishere — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:23:21 +0000

Ciao a tutti!

Tomorrow I will be on my way to Miami to start recording with Bobby MacIntyre. Very Excited!!

I have put together this kickstarter program to raise funds.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/262320811/sol-ruizs-second-studio-album

Here is a bit what it is about:

I got it all ready, the studio, the producer, the musicians, the ideas, the songs, now, all I need is your help! I’m putting the hat out. For the past three years I have been on a musical odyssey that has brought me across the Atlantic, finally, to the old country of Europe. Enjoying the cobble-stoned streets, the traditional music , and the wonderful people I have met both in performances and picturesque plazas. I’ve thrown away all my belongings, except my guitar, to fit everything into a duffle bag to be here.

After sleeping in train compartments, living in communes and joining gypsy caravans, I’m now ready to tell my stories of wanderlust and the rollercoaster vertigo of life on the road. Inspired by the encouragement of Bobby MacIntyre, the producer from my last record Outlander, which will share his creative juices to make a great sounding record, using technology that incorporates analog and digital recording. Together we’ve come up with a cohesive set of ten songs that represent me in these past 3 years. The process will take one month and a half and will include a handful of extremely gifted musicians and studio engineers that have already offered their talents for the record.

With your pledge I will be able to complete my second studio album. I know that it seems like a lot of money, but consider that now adays we dont have that big label to do everything for us, we gotta do everything on our own, paying the studio, musicians, mixing the tracks on the CD, and mastering, CD Art and the list goes on. This is just the basic amount to get the CD into motion and into YOUR hands. Here’s a way that you can be a big help to the creative process and give something back to the music you believe in. I am asking you to donate, with whatever means possible, so we can get this record into motion and out into the wide world!

Germany this week, and gibber jabber

solishere — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:06:06 +0000

Me estoy preparando para irme a Alemania a tocar con el grupo. Que por ahora vamos a decir que se llama Gibber Jabber. Estoy muy feliz de tocar allí por primera vez. Toco en un festival de calle. Y seguro que va ser una buena aventura. Vamos en el VW que, bueno, no esta en las mejores condiciones para viajar pero seguro que lleguemos. Esperamos en un pedazo. Las cosas van bien . Todo este verano hemos tocado, yo y la banda por mucha de Europa. Empezando con Italia, mi nueva querida base. También, tocando con Los Picadillos, un grupo de música fusión de Madrid. Empecé a tocar con ellos hace dos anos y ahora están caminando mas las cosas, estamos haciendo un disco juntos, que esta muy rico para basilar. Quiero también tocan en Miami, y puede ser que hacemos unas cosas por allí. Toque en London, Switzerland y Sardenia, isla bella bella. Ahora en Alemania. Y me da mucho placer conocer todos que eh conocido por el camino. También eh compartido el escenario con músicos bravisimis. Ahora, espero el otoño que, bueno, se pone frió, y toco en Barcelona, que por lo menos no hace tanto frió. Hasta las quince y las dieciséis.

Mad Mad Madrid

solishere — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 12:21:15 +0000

Im now in Madrid, where I am working on a record with some really great

and talented people. The record is a mix of Cuban music and New Orleans vibe.

The group is called Picadillo. Which is a typical Cuban dish, basically groud beaf,

with tomato sauce, and what ever else you got. Say raisins,eggs, olives and potatoe.

That would go in. So basically the group is like this. We’ve grabbed a little from here

and from there to make a really special album. I play some gigs here for now

and then I back off to Italy for reheasal for the shows in Switzerland and Chieti.

solishere — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:45:25 +0000

Playing at The Cuban Bar in Camden, London … The first Cuban to play at this bar … t’was an honor …

solishere — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 08:12:36 +0000

Its raining today in Torino. Its the kind of strange rain that I like. Sitting by the window, drinking tea. and resting up for the show tomorrow.

Last week I was playing in the South of Italy.
How fantastic! The people, the food. I felt good playing down there.
I felt the music. A big ole happiness filled my soul like a warm puddin’ pie.

I’m From the South, so I can relate to certain things that are common, when you get closer to the equator, Dancing dosey-do.

Aaaahhhh yeah …. the road again. Sweet sweet There are angels on the road, at home and everywhere you roam

Tonight Last Show in Miami

solishere — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:16:49 +0000

It saddens me to say that tonight is my last show in the US, until, well, I’m not too sure. I start my voyage across the pond and looking forward to a great summer.

Ciao Ragazzi

admin — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:05:49 +0000

Ciao Ragazzi,
Italian life has been treating me nicely. Im staying in Tuscany now, as my Italian Base. Not so shabby. Great tomatoes, beautiful green landscapes, and well, its getting a little cold here for my taste, but today the weather is crisp and clear with the sun shinin’ bright. If you had to imagine where I am, just think of the Mona Lisa, that background you see there is Tuscany. And well, so many of the great Italian painters drew inspiration from this place. I can see why. Truly divine.

I’ve been playing with a new accordion player, her name is Gaia. We made a new band together called La Reina Desnuda. We’re jammin’ and making Gypsy Soul music. I’ve been writing a-plenty lately also, hoping to gather enough material for my next album, which I should be recording in Miami, when I get back. In the meanwhile, Im playing around Italy and covering some unknown territory. Things I like to do. Exploring new sounds, new instrumentation and language barriers. Testing my limits and seeing how far I can take this musical adventure. I thought I would be here for a couple months, but Im staying productive and creatively stimulated to continue here until my sandals start freezing over.

Luv
SOL

Video for “Free Love”

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:30:29 +0000

What says Free Love better than a floating bed full of crazies traveling around different neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County? Featuring cameos by several stellar Miami local artists. All that might be missing from this video is a homeless guy with an “I need a beer” sign and maybe a kitchen sink.

Warning: not for viewers with fear of clown porn.

Kizmet Media International

Bombastic Entertainment

Directed and Edited by: Jonathan David Kane

Director of Photography: Daniel Fernandez

Produced by: Sol Ruiz

Art Director: Jessica Gross

Special Thanks: Lucas Leyva, Andrew Hevia, Romain Gateau, Jamil Joaquin Gonzalez

Sol is here, in Cuneo, Italy

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:34:06 +0000

Sol is here, in Cuneo, Italy, going to play a show with The Chieftains. A traditional Irish band that is really well known here, and in America too. I’m opening the show for them and singing a couple songs with them, Cule. The ride over here was beautiful, full of rivers, going through mountains, sleeping… I took the train. And tomorrow I head back on the train again, back to Bussana Vecchia, were I will play some more in the towns around there. I play on the 17th, opening for the Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa’z old band, in a town over by Rome. My favorite thing about Italy is probably the cheap wine and the pizza. Interesting enough, Italian’s eat pizza for breakfast, amongst other things, but I think its a good custom, Mozarella and tomato…yummmzzz. I always think of my pizza lover friends while I’m here. Im looking forward to a lot of great journeys and shows this month of July. Elba, Corsica, Venice, Udine, San Remo, Nice, and La Spezia. Gotta get a move on. Keepin you posted…