Artist description Mixing traditional flamenco and classical guitar with a hint of blues, Robby Longley deliversa style that is uniquely his own. From his self-taught roots in New Orleans, Louisiana, Robby has artfully crafted a type of playing he calls Gypsy Guitar. Along with his natural gift for orchestration, Robby romances the guitar with unparalleled finesse. Voted West L.A. Music's 1990 "Guitarist of the year", Robby was recognized bya panel of judges that included John Entwhistle of The Who and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter of the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. Since then he has placed first in eight guitar competitions in Los Angeles, continuing to captivate audiences wherever he plays. Robby learned the language of guitar watching performances by such greats as Chet Atkins, Carlos Montoya, and Paco de Lucia. At an early age, he was captured by the great symphonic works of the past which remains an integral part of his expressive guitar compositions today.

Music Style Nouveau Flamenco

Musical Influences Carlos Montoya, Paco DeLucia, Paco Pena

Group Members Robby Longley

Instruments Flamenco Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion

Albums Theatre d' Orleans, Danza Mora, Sanctuary, Baraka

Press Reviews An amazing player- never heard anyone play like him before. -Steve Lukather (Toto) I seem to be getting a lot of tapes from solo guitar artists lately, which I hope indicates a resurgence of that genre. It's great to listen to someone whose focus is on the music rather than an image or attitude. Longley's style evolved from the school of flamenco, courtesy of his early exposure to the great guitarists like Carlos Montoya. Building on that foundation, he has integrated the influences of other contemporary masters, to create a collection of songs that are intoxicating and heavy with exotic atmosphere. In many ways, this might be considered easy listening . . . or even "new age" (to be honest, I don't really know that title means any more, other than mellow music). Now, before you jump to conclusions, I have no prejudice against easy listening, especially when it is as complex and evocative as Longley's work is here. His acoustic virtuosity is undeniable, and this guy can strum up astorm! The element that really puts him over the top, however, is his song writing; the tunes never wonder aimlessly, which is a common pitfall in this genre. The compositions are almost like short stories without words, taking you through peaceful landscapes and leaving you with a smile. -Bart Mann BAM Music Focus Los Angeles, California Robby Longley ventures down a musical avenue too seldom explored on the streets of Los Angeles: the synthesis of traditional classical guitar and contemporary arrangements. Inspired by the work of Carlos Montoya, Robby's music uses classical, Spanish and flamenco styles as its cornerstone, then adds lush keyboard arrangements and thundering drums. The results is music that has a traditional feel and evokes some wild mental imagery. Musicianship: Robby uses ten fingers, six strings and every fret on his classical guitar to get his point across, and each note he plays for keeps. While his technical style is excellent, his personal intensity focuses not on getting the notes right, rather on getting the feeling right. Big difference, and one that more rock musicians should take to heart. My mind was conjuring up the wild images of Spaghetti Westerns and flamenco dancers that Robby's music naturally lends itself to. Summary: Robby Longley has a brilliant talent and a long future in music, most likely in the field of film scoring and the like. He's anaffable, unaffected fellow who deserves some recognition for having a skill not many guitarists in this city can boast to have. Of course, Robby Longley will not boast, just quietly and completely excel. -James Tuverson Music Connection Magazine

Location Saugus, CA - USA

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