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Robert Sarazin Blake
Listen to Robert Sarazin Blake on
Spotify - YouTube Music - Apple Music
In 1997, Robert Sarazin Blake dropped out of college and hit the road. The folk music of his father’s house had combined with the DIY punk ethos of the day and produced his first album, ‘Another Irrelevant Year.’ For three decades, he’s been a fixture of the Pacific NW music scene and consistently toured the US and abroad. New York, Ireland, the midwest, The Kerrville Folk Festival and Bremen, Germany have all been second homes to him as he’s made his way performing concerts to small groups of people in small rooms.
Robert’s latest release and thirteenth full length album, Let the Longing Run Wild & Free, is an investigation and celebration of the human condition. It evokes nostalgia and longing, a sense of remembering where one has been, where one might have gone and the relentless onward thrust. Robert has a gift for expressing complex emotions and ideas in simple terms, quickly drawing listeners in with his evocative storytelling and poetic lyrics. Throughout the album, Robert’s rich baritone shifts from the haunting vibrato of Edith Piaf to the gravelly intensity of Chris Cornell. At times, his tender delivery echoes the quiet depth of early Leonard Cohen while in other moments he finds the resonant power of a young Johnny Cash.
Let the Longing Run Wild & Free features Robert’s longtime collaborators Lee Falco, Brandon Morrison, Will Bryant, and Connor Kennedy (familiar names to Hudson Valley music fans), along with Cindy Cashdollar (featured on Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind). Their textured contributions give the songs depth and dimension. A careful listener might hear echoes of Joni Mitchell's Hejira, Lou Reed’s New York, Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, and Greg Brown’s Poet Game woven throughout.
Robert’s influence in the Pacific Northwest music scene goes far beyond his own performances. His warmth and openness have earned him lasting friendships and strong connections, allowing him to become a true community organizer. His festival, the Subdued Stringband Jamboree, is beloved by Bellingham locals and consistently charms new artists who come to perform. As a musician himself, Robert takes great care to ensure the festival is as enjoyable for the performers as it is for the audience.
In 2020, when the great plague hit, Robert refused to let a hard knock keep him down. Instead, he launched From the Kitchen Table, a livestream series where he hosted a new musical guest each week, featuring notable artists Sierra Ferrell, Aoife O’Donovan, Jolie Holland and others. Over its two-year run, Robert filmed 100+ episodes and attracted thousands of listeners. With his trademark creativity and resourcefulness, he turned a time of uncertainty into an opportunity, creating a ray of light for himself, fellow musicians, and his fans.
Robert is a true entertainer, deeply invested in storytelling as part of his craft. Like Arlo Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, the songs and the stories blend. Every moment he shares with the crowd underscores the importance of narrative. It’s in the way he lets the silence linger between songs, inviting the audience into the space with him. It’s in the personal anecdotes and vivid imagery he weaves into his performances, making each song feel like a chapter in a larger story. His connection with the crowd goes beyond music; he makes them a part of the tale, creating a shared experience in which every note feels intentional and every word carries weight. As Sunset in the Rearview put it, "His ability to turn a moment into a story, one that every audience member is a part of, is one of the best forms of... entertainment.”
Saturday, December 6th
Doors 7:00, Show 7:30
Tickets: $20
Listen to Robert Sarazin Blake on
Spotify - YouTube Music - Apple Music
In 1997, Robert Sarazin Blake dropped out of college and hit the road. The folk music of his father’s house had combined with the DIY punk ethos of the day and produced his first album, ‘Another Irrelevant Year.’ For three decades, he’s been a fixture of the Pacific NW music scene and consistently toured the US and abroad. New York, Ireland, the midwest, The Kerrville Folk Festival and Bremen, Germany have all been second homes to him as he’s made his way performing concerts to small groups of people in small rooms.
Robert’s latest release and thirteenth full length album, Let the Longing Run Wild & Free, is an investigation and celebration of the human condition. It evokes nostalgia and longing, a sense of remembering where one has been, where one might have gone and the relentless onward thrust. Robert has a gift for expressing complex emotions and ideas in simple terms, quickly drawing listeners in with his evocative storytelling and poetic lyrics. Throughout the album, Robert’s rich baritone shifts from the haunting vibrato of Edith Piaf to the gravelly intensity of Chris Cornell. At times, his tender delivery echoes the quiet depth of early Leonard Cohen while in other moments he finds the resonant power of a young Johnny Cash.
Let the Longing Run Wild & Free features Robert’s longtime collaborators Lee Falco, Brandon Morrison, Will Bryant, and Connor Kennedy (familiar names to Hudson Valley music fans), along with Cindy Cashdollar (featured on Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind). Their textured contributions give the songs depth and dimension. A careful listener might hear echoes of Joni Mitchell's Hejira, Lou Reed’s New York, Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, and Greg Brown’s Poet Game woven throughout.
Robert’s influence in the Pacific Northwest music scene goes far beyond his own performances. His warmth and openness have earned him lasting friendships and strong connections, allowing him to become a true community organizer. His festival, the Subdued Stringband Jamboree, is beloved by Bellingham locals and consistently charms new artists who come to perform. As a musician himself, Robert takes great care to ensure the festival is as enjoyable for the performers as it is for the audience.
In 2020, when the great plague hit, Robert refused to let a hard knock keep him down. Instead, he launched From the Kitchen Table, a livestream series where he hosted a new musical guest each week, featuring notable artists Sierra Ferrell, Aoife O’Donovan, Jolie Holland and others. Over its two-year run, Robert filmed 100+ episodes and attracted thousands of listeners. With his trademark creativity and resourcefulness, he turned a time of uncertainty into an opportunity, creating a ray of light for himself, fellow musicians, and his fans.
Robert is a true entertainer, deeply invested in storytelling as part of his craft. Like Arlo Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, the songs and the stories blend. Every moment he shares with the crowd underscores the importance of narrative. It’s in the way he lets the silence linger between songs, inviting the audience into the space with him. It’s in the personal anecdotes and vivid imagery he weaves into his performances, making each song feel like a chapter in a larger story. His connection with the crowd goes beyond music; he makes them a part of the tale, creating a shared experience in which every note feels intentional and every word carries weight. As Sunset in the Rearview put it, "His ability to turn a moment into a story, one that every audience member is a part of, is one of the best forms of... entertainment.”
Saturday, December 6th
Doors 7:00, Show 7:30
Tickets: $20