Perky, quirky, upbeat, moving fast, salsa meets grunge guitar.
Electric piano, guitar, conga, drums, bass, string synth, breath.

Jen L Theme

Perky and wacky mix of Latin styles--Afro Cuban tumbau bass with cuica from Brazil.

Outlander Cantina

Cassette 2020

Dr Groove

Milk Cow Blues

Acoustic swampy, slide guitar blues from my mostly solo, mostly acoustic CD "Slippery Like A Watermelon Seed." Awarded "Best Blues CD" at the San Diego Music Awards 2018.

Slippery Like A Watermelon Seed

Slippery

Acoustic uptempo, perky bit of American rootsy folk music.  Released on my 2018 CD Robin Henkel Slippery Like A Watermelon Seed.

Bongoman Camping Adventure

Bongo Man Camping Adventure

Medium tempo passionate Spanish dance performed on a 1929 National Tricone lap steel guitar. Going after that 1920ish period when steel guitarists played Latin rhythms. Featured track on my CD Robin Henkel, Slippery Like A Watermelon Seed and awarded "Best Blues CD" at the San Diego Music Awards 2018.

Argentina

Acoustic bluesy Americana 3/4 time, easygoing yet rhythmic.  Track 13 from my CD "Slippery Like A Watermelon Seed" which was awarded "Best Blues CD" at the San Diego Music Awards 2018.

Blues Waltz

Perky Acoustic Americana instrumental: Acoustic lap slide guitar has it's own unique vibe...especially when played on a 1929 National Tricone. The story behind "Buskers Bounce" is that around 2002, I was playing with an acoustic folk group The Seventh Day Buskers.  We did a couple of tours--Washington, Oregan, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico--but played mostly at a the Hillcrest farmers market in San Diego, CA.  Most of my original tunes were too slow for the upbeat repertoire we liked to present so I wrote this piece.  Buskers Bounce is track 10 on my CD "Slippery Like A Watermelon Seed" which was awarded "Best Blues CD at the San Diego Music Awards 2018.  
Here are some performances of Buskers Bounce on YouTube, 
1) Salvation Alley Stage at the House of Blues in San Diego 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUMVqRux9cY
2)Adams Ave Roots Fest 2003  with The Seventh Day Buskers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Rp7m2-TAo
It's also featured on the Seventh Day Buskers CD "Born To Pick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaNXk_0MhRg

Buskers Bounce

A tribute to the style and influence of Elmore James on blues and rock music.  Sometimes the influence of a musician from an earlier time can be quite pervasive yet still forgotten in the current scene and state of music.  Among the people who know blues, Elmore James is not forgotten.  This track was played on a 1937 National Duolian resophonic guitar and is track 10 on my CD "Slippery Like A Watermelon Seed" which was awarded "Best Blues CD" at the San Diego Music Awards 2018.

Elmore

This perky upbeat, rhythmic and melodic Latin groove could be a theme song for something.  I love the brush work on snare drum by my friend and exceptional musician Kevin Koch who, over thirty years ago, showed me some Brazilian and Cuban rhythms.  Yes I loved it, ran with it and enjoy composing in these styles today.

Latin Groove

Upbeat, melodic and rhythmic "Bobita" is the favorite tune of some of the jazz musicians I perform with.  The sound of Tom Jobim has been a strong influence on my musical upbringing.  His depth and grace have left an appreciated and compelling impact on my music.

Robin Henkel Band with Horns

Bobita

Slippery 102918

Steel Guitar Lounge

American Theme

Gritty 40-50s vintage almost acoustic slide guitar bluesy medium tempo Americana instrumental performed using a 1937 National resonator guitar with bass and light drum accompaniment.  Forward moving, strong stepping walk, about 110 bpm.  Roadhouse, highway, traveling the grand back country, gutsy American roots blues evolves beyond standard I, IV, V blues chord changes.  A A B A song structure.

In 1999 when I composed this song the inspiration was to express my love for the music of Duke Ellington but do it in the rustic sound of slide guitar.  In the legacy of vintage Americana, playing jazz with a slide guitar is somewhat rare.

There is another version of “Highway” with a small horn section and is the title track on my 1999 CD release “Highway” which was awarded Best Blues CD at the San Diego Music Awards 2000.

Robin Henkel

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