The Guitar Player's Resource
Guitarist/singer/songwriter Robert Hill's self-titled CD is a dynamite listening experience that's an amalgam of rockin' blues, southern-fried slide work and roots rock. Featuring his subtly brilliant slide guitar work, the CD offers two excellent instrumentals, "Ozark Passage", with its live-in-the-room-sounding acoustic slide, bowed bass (courtesy of Matt Gruenberg and driving groove, and "Slide On Rye", a four minute plus, sinuous electric slide charged rave in which Hill gets to play over Keith Cotton's rousing piano accompaniment. A third instrumental, "Crater Of Diamonds", closes the CD, and is no less entertaining, with its moody, lyrical, and sometimes snaky, electric slide leads dominating the piece. Of course, Hill is also a strong and impassioned vocalist, delivering his lyrics with the conviction of someone who walks the walk. Among the standout vocal tracks is the almost eight minute "Workingman's Curse", with its funk-meets-blues solo passage and poignant message. If you've enjoyed music from bands such as Little Feat or artists such as John Hiatt, you'll delight in discovering Hill - who should not remain 'Undiscovered' for long.
Robert is a native of North Little Rock, Arkansas, and currently resides and works in the New York area. He performs acoustically with percussionist Jerry Krenach (Chris Whitley, Lou Reed) and upright bassist Mark Murphy (Levon Helm, Guy Davis). Robert's song, "Long Rain", ran in a Smirnoff ice commercial which aired during the 2002 Super Bowl. He came in second place in the 1st Annual National Slide Guitar Festival, Acoustic Competition, held in Brevard, NC, in August 1997. Robert's song "Slide On Rye" is the theme song for Blue Country, a weekly radio show broadcasted live on 101 FM, Logan City, Queensland, Australia. He composed the soundtrack for the award winning PBS Film Documentary "Burley".
Hill's personal goal is to become a better songwriter and guitar player, and to always write with the song foremost in mind. He plans to start work on a second CD later this year.
Robert Hill
United States