I'm a songwriter. Please visit www.markwest.in or my Bandcamp page for more about what I do.

I’ve been writing and producing music since the early 1970's.  Fist as a young viola player, then a cellist, the round musician disobeyed his mothers and snuck off to plays guitar and drums. In fact, any instrument in the vicinity.  After jobs doing graphic design, I began a career in full service advertising, with clients ranging from food, to travel but with a specialty in the music business with offices on Long Island and New York City.  I write, produce and place spots for radio and TV.  

Erin Hobson and I met in 2008, forming The Compact a busy and highly respected local band in the Hudson Valley, a region of New York that encompasses the vibrant music scenes from Woodstock to the surrounding areas.  The Hudson Valley is Hobson's home, but only a short train ride from my hometown, Brooklyn and New York City— So the flavor of each album and single is decidedly urban and self-aware. It’s a deep study in sophisticated grooves, funky counterpoint, intertwining guitars and adventurous songwriting.

The Compact released three albums and several singles from the indy record company and label Choking Chicken Music. 

These contain a collection of playful, spontaneous, and live-feeling originals (plus three covers) that draw their character from the unlikely partnership. The Compact’s signature is intuitive musical interplay and the striking personality contrasts between long-time collaborators Hobson on guitar and vocals, and multi-instrumentalist Ross whose primary instrument is the bass.

With pop hooks abound, the record also features spoken-word in three pieces, street poetry and surreal stream of consciousness narratives over deep grooves, drawn from multiple chapters of the American songbook. It’s a work of risk-taking, unfettered creativity that fuses pop values with earthy rhythms.

The record-opening single “It’s a Wash” evokes the push-pull groove of “Dancing In the Streets” as it obliquely relates the experience of living through Hurricane Irene. The duet’s voices harmonize, then split into call-and-response dialog (a recurrent theme on this record) before uniting for the hooky chorus. “Dirty Minds” is a relaxed and spacious R&B style riff-rocker with driving bass lines and honky-tonk piano comping.

While Steven W. Ross has always been integral to the Compact’s writing, arranging, and performances, on 1@AX (one at a time) he steps to the mic in front of the group for the first time. Bringing a smart, thorny personality to songs like “Rest My Soul” and “The 24th Of May,” and serving throughout as gritty foil and friction for Hobson—bristling against her smooth tunefulness.

“Each collection encompasses colors, feels, and textures giving each track its own atmosphere. "We drew from grooves that evolved in jam sections at our live shows,” says Ross, who was mentored by legendary producer Paul Rothchild (the Doors, Janis Joplin), and in addition to producing 1@AX contributes guitars, keyboards, drums, and percussion. “Other songs were created from the ground up in the studio. We wanted this album to capture the freedom we feel when we gig.” Hobson adds, “One at a Time’s process has been liberating for us both, and kind of a joy.”

This material herein is written by Steven W Ross (many with Erin Hobson).  All songs © Steven W Ross, Erin Hobson and / or including and / or including © Choking Chicken Music, LLC.  All songs (music and lyrics property of, and protected by, US Copyright and all other applicable laws.  Reproduction, distribution or broadcast without permission is strictly forbidden. 

All music is recorded and mixed at The Electric Blanket Studio, Quasi Productions by Steven W Ross. Some recordings are rough mixes.  Mastering of music released by Alan Douches at WWSM, New Windsor, NY. 

This text was collected from reviews written by John Barry  (music editor, PoughKeepsie Journal), John Burdick ( Almanac), Peter Aaron (Chronogram).

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