Donald Rubinstein

“Sitting behind the piano, playing his beautiful tunes, he reaches a sort of serenity...Standout songs, devoid of transitory trendiness.”
Los Angeles Times
LATEST NEWS:
Raymond Kurshals, who formerly danced with Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, and Merce Cunningham, is in the process of writing a modern ballet based on Donald's character drawings and music. The work is anticipated to premiere summer, 2009.
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers grants Donald an Ascaplus Award for jazz/popular composition.
MARTIN:New Release "One of the top 100 coolest soundtracks of all time...Elevates the horror score into high art.”
Mojo
Donald's score for George A. Romero's "Martin" and "The Unused Score For Pollock," featuring John Densmore, Vinny Golia, Emil Richards, Steve Gorn and Hank Roberts, available now on Perseverance Records
"Martin and Pollock both represent the striking musical vision of composer Donald Rubinstein, a man to whom conformity is as much an anathema as a crucifix is to a vampire, or an art critic is to a painter. Preferring to color his own work with relatively smaller ensembles, experimental jazz, exotic instruments, haunting voices and instantly memorable themes, Rubinstein’s novel cinematic approach has been dictated as much by creativity as budgetary restraints...all are distinguished by a singular “indie” voice-a cool, rebellious vibe developed long before that term was fashionable, a hypnotic sound that joins the outcast characters of Martin and Pollock almost 25 years apart.”
"Donald Rubinstein’s Works of Art" by Daniel Schweiger
Donald’s orchestral score for George A. Romero’s feature film, "Knightriders," will be released on Perseverance Records in spring, 2008. Featuring soloists Bill Frisell, Eddie Daniels, Gordon Gottlieb and John Faddis, the score has previously been available only on bootlegs, selling for as much as $300 per cdr on Ebay.
"The Donald Rubinstein score has been (in my circle of soundtrack collectors at least) the "lost ark" so to speak. This cd is an instant classic! I have over 50 rare soundtracks in my collection and this is the big daddy of them all." Anonymous Collector (Knightriders bootleg)
"If I could work with 'D' (Donald) on every film I ever made, I'd do it. I have never worked with a person in the filmmaking process like him. He comes into the room, wants to know what the film's about, and then works with you to completely realize the film for what it's meant to be. He's the purest guy I've ever worked with. He's there to do the work, and you've got to respect that. He's amazing that way...He can see and hear your heart. He says things you've been wanting to say. And he makes you feel less of an asshole for wanting to say them. Because when he says them, they suddenly make sense. Validation, man....'D' rules!"
George A. Romero, Director.
Donald composing main title theme for the "Lance Van de Kamp Show, Starring Maggie Duval." The pilot episode for the "Austin-centric" talk and variety show will feature an interview with "Flatlander," Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
Donald and Steve Deutsch complete their second "Painted Stranger" CD, "Take the Dark Away" (check out "After All" above), mixed by Tchad Blake: coming out on Spacebar in February, 2008.
"Donald Rubinstein fascinates and captivates our attention. His songs are haunting in text and blend jazz, blues, folk and soul in their rendering. His sad, sultry, slightly raspy voice has the quality of a man worn down. The sounds and images linger long after."
Dramalogue
Donald begins recording his seventeenth release, a new CD of original songs, "Angels With Pistols."
“Songwriting genius...his music really amazes me.”
Derek Sivers, Founder, CD Baby
“Rubinstein’s singing voice reminds me of a tired, more world-weary Bruce Springsteen…in the singer/songwriter vein, I’d much rather hear Rubinstein than any of the other, more popular artists.”
Cadance
"For sheer variety and entertainment, Donald Rubinstein's novel, unpredictable one-man show is hard to match. Rubinstein incorporates piano, guitar pieces, theatrics, storytelling and poetry to comb the light and dark stands of his life as an artist, telling of broken relationships, sad parting and bumming it on the road. A raw, heartfelt spirit permeates the evening and contributes to Rubinstein's unpretentious appeal..."People always ask me if my stories are true," he quips during one quiet interlude. Then, whispering in a sad voice, he answers, "They are." Yet Rubinstein knows how to sucker-punch his audience with unexpected humor. From one rueful segment he suddenly breaks into a stunning, house-shaking harmonica solo, an outrageous guitar solo about breast implants, and a hauntingly beautiful lullaby.”
LA Weekly
“Donald Rubinstein may have the strangest muse in the world, but also one of the best. He’s got enough weird poetic/musical genius in his brain to rival Jim Morrison...An extraordinary life and an equally extraordinary body of work.”
Santa Fe Reporter
Visit: WWW.DONALDRUBINSTEIN.COM
All Drawings by Donald Rubinstein
All rights reserved
Donald Rubinstein— Composer, singer/songwriter and multimedia artist—made his musical debut at age 25, by scoring George A. Romero’s cult classic film "Martin" which Mojo in 2002 named “One of the Top 100 Coolest Soundtracks of All Time.” Since then he has released 17 CDs, ranging from jazz, to Americana to classical/experimental; scored several feature films and main titles for two television series; been commissioned by dance companies, celebrated jazz artists, and musicians from the Boston Symphony and New York Philharmonic Orchestras.
Jazziz magazine included a Donald Rubinstein-Bill Frisell duet, “Fingers” on their 20th anniversary limited edition CD, "Celebration of the Modern Era", with Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Cassandra Wilson, Charlie Haden, and others. He received an ASCAP Special Award for Theater Arts in 1998 and an Ascaplus Award for jazz/popular composition in 2007.
His multimedia and visual work have premiered in both New York City and Los Angeles and been exhibited at: The Museum of Modern Art and The Whitney Museum of American Art (in collaboration with Kiki Smith); Gallery 68, Austin; Linda Durham Contemporary Art, and The Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, amongst others.
In addition to film, television scores and visual art, Donald has written over 200 songs; numerous concert works; 4 multi-media performance pieces; and seven books of poetry and drawing. An avid collaborator, Rubinstein has worked with Bill Frisell, George Romero, Ed Harris, Terry Allen, John Densmore, Kiki Smith, Hank Roberts, Tanya Taylor Rubinstein, Erica Lindsay, Emil Richards, Wayne Horvitz, Brother Blue, Anna Halprin, and many others.
During 2007 The Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, presented a ‘thus far’ large-scale celebration of Don’s work, including a screening of films he scored, art exhibit and a concert performance with special guests Terry Allen and John Densmore. It also included Don’s directing premiere, “Tales From the Edge,” a short animated film based on his drawings.
Also in 2007 Rhombus Records released "Acceptance," featuring Bill Frisell and “Tangled Up in Bob,” the soundtrack for the feature documentary based on Bob Dylan’s early life. Perseverance Records released a third pressing of Don's score for "Martin" as well as his "Unused Score for Pollock." (Written for the Ed Harris feature, Pollock, though never used in the film). Black Starlight Records released Don's synth and piano excursion, "Circus Boy."
The year 2008 promises to be an exciting one for Don. Spacebar Recording is releasing a new CD of avante rock tunes entitled “Take the Dark Away.” The CD is by Painted Stranger, comprised of Don and co-writer/producer Steve Deutsch, and features mixes by Tchad Blake (Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Peter Gabriel). Don has also penned a new main title theme for the upcoming “Austin-centric” talk and variety show, “The Lance Van De Kamp Show, Starring Maggie Duval.” The pilot show features an interview with Flatlander Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
Don has begun recording a new CD of original songs, "Angels With Pistols." He is currently writing, and will premiere, a new one-man multi-media performance work in July, 2008.
“His tunes have an instantly iconic quality.”
Seattle Weekly
“A cure for normalcy.”
Jazziz Magazine
“Donald Rubinstein is a composer and songwriter of stellar proportions. His compositions are beyond John Williams, more like in the realm of Aaron Copland and his songs, Elton John wished he wrote.”
John Densmore (The Doors)
“Singer/songwriter, pianist, jazz experimentalist, soundtrack composer, beat-style poet -- Donald Rubinstein has somehow juggled all those hats over the lengthy span of his creative career.”
Steve Huey, All Music Guide
"They deferred to Donald Rubinstein, who strummed his guitar and sang melodiously."
New York Times
"A terrific collection of 13 wildly diverse tunes by the multi-talented Donald Rubinstein and friends, performed on instruments ranging from harmonica to computer, from tenor sax to baroque violin. Each song heads off in a different, and usually unexpected, direction, but they're all held together somehow by a subtly dark and sometimes eerie vibe...It's a rich and satisfying piece of work."
Splendid-e-zine (Maya)
""With only the quiet power of Bill Frisell's guitar providing a backdrop for the most part, Donald Rubinstein has created an awesome display of the hold that music can have....I've had this playing over and over for many months and it changes with me, like the best expressions do. “Time Again” is able to be majestic and deeply personal, displaying a solitary reflection that embraces humanity. It speaks so beautifully. Frisell's guitar is the perfect companion throughout, in fact your never quite sure if it's the guitar or the vocalist who's guiding you here; the match is that solid. A treasure.”
Bryant Baker, Gajoob Magazine
"The music was composed and played by pianist Donald Rubinstein...minimal, sad, lovely, melancholy and touching. Perfect for a moody flick."
New York Downtown Music Gallery
"Circus Boy" is basically a solo set of piano and electronic antics by Donald Rubinstein...Mixed into all this are short, evocative piano solos and bits of two processed females voices repeating the words, “lies” and suck.” The meaning of all this is obscure but on sheer sonic evidence Rubinstein’s concoction is pretty, sad, and moving.” Cadence
"A wistful slice of melancholia...pieces play out like scenes from an unmade David Lynch movie."
Jazzreviews.com (Circus Boy)
“This is the soundtrack to every solitary late-night drive you've ever taken. Rubinstein’s rather like a less talkative Leonard Cohen, or maybe a less-animated Warren Zevon, with moments of John Hiatt and David White thrown in. A veteran of movie soundtracks, Rubinstein is accustomed to creating evocative works; when he's set free to score the movies in his mind, the results are often picture perfect.”
George Zahora, Splendidezine (A Man Without Love)
“What really knocked me out is the music for [the film] Martin, a showcase for Donald Rubinstein’s jazz chops.”
Gary Giddins, Author and Jazz Critic
"Sigmeund Freud on music...emotionally demonstrative, pain-stakingly recorded material for the soul.
MRO (Maya)
"Thank you so much for this. I just listened to all the songs...all in a row. Donald I can't tell you how much your music moves me. NO wait, I'm going to give it a shot. Listening I feel like my soul is a man dancing in a dusty road with the dirt kicking up all around him, getting dirty with lifes blissful sorrow, lifes harrowing happiness, the mad beauty of being human. Oh Lord, God Bless you Donald Rubinstein, your music helps me to fall into myself."
Sarah (Fan and one of my faves)
“This isn't background music. It's cool. It's night. It's looking for an audience in a theatre of alleys...I find it freeing and relaxing. Beautiful pieces which defy labeling. A ghost in a sometimes dead world of music baying at the moon and ass cheeks. Worth relishing."
Music Dish(Maya)
"Donald Rubinstein's haunting score, with its somber female operatic chorus and stark piano strings, has a timelessness that Morricone at his best is able to capture."
DVD Empire
"Rubinstein opened with a haunting, original ballad - his voice was raw and he played piano beautifully...real eccentric things you wouldn't ordinarily think of. It inspires you to do something that stirs within."
KYPA, Los Angeles
Create your own custom MySpace Layouts