“DISCOVER THE GENIUS LANDSCAPE”

“IF I WERE A SMARTER HUMAN BEING I WOULD NOW INVENT A WORD THAT WOULD EXPLAIN EXACTLY HOW FREAKIN’ COOL AND ORIGINAL IN THOUGHT AND EXECUTION, DONALD RUBINSTEIN IS WITH HIS MUSIC. THIS NEW WORD WOULD HAVE TO EMBODY THE TALENT THAT YOU HEAR WITHIN THE FIRST 30 SECONDS OF YOUR FIRST DONALD RUBINSTEIN SONG, THAT PUTS YOUR BRAIN ON SOME NEW RAILS YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW EXISTED BETWEEN YOUR EARS. HIS MUSIC IS INSPIRATIONAL, AND AT THE SAME TIME MELANCHOLY. HE WIELDS HIS ORIGINAL TONAL CREATIONS LIKE A TRUE MASTER, HITTING YOU WHERE YOU WEREN’T LOOKING. FOLK, JAZZ, ROCK, CLASSICAL, THIS DUDE CAN DO IT ALL. HIS MUSIC IS THREE DIMENSIONAL. YOU CAN TOUCH IT AND IT WILL TOUCH YOU BACK.

DONALD RUBINSTEIN’S CAREER SPANS MANY GENRE-SHAPING LANDMARKS. HE HAS WORKED WITH MANY NOTABLE MUSICIANS…HIS PROLIFIC DISCOGRAPHY IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLORE, TO DISCOVER THE GENIUS LANDSCAPE THAT DONALD RUBINSTEIN HAS SCULPTED OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES.

HE HAS COLLABORATED WITH THE SLICE OF AWESOME THAT IS KIKI SMITH, FOR EXHIBITS AT BOTH THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART AND THE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART IN NEW YORK CITY. ON TOP OF ALL THAT, MR. RUBINSTEIN IS A WORLD CLASS FILM SCORER AND HAS WORKED WITH ED HARRIS, AND WITH ONE OF MY ALL TIME HEROES, GEORGE ROMERO. IN 2002 MOJO MAGAZINE LISTED DONALD RUBINSTEIN’S SOUNDTRACK FOR THE ROMERO FILM MARTIN AS “ONE OF THE TOP 100 COOLEST SOUNDTRACKS OF ALL TIME”...(THIS IS) THE KIND OF STUFF FOR FUTURE HISTORY BOOKS…“WHEN SHE KISSES THE SHIP ON HIS ARM” IS A COLLECTION OF 13 VERY IMPORTANT SONGS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I EVER USED THE WORD “IMPORTANT” TO DESCRIBE AN ALBUM. YOU NEED TO HEAR THESE SONGS. MY PERSONAL FAVE IS: I CRACKED UP FROM LONELINESS…THERE ARE SAMPLES OF THE NEW ALBUM ALL OVER THE PLACE. GIVE IT A LISTEN AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK…IF ANY OF YOU INVENT A NEW WORD IN THE PROCESS LET ME KNOW. CUZ IT MIGHT COME IN HANDY SOMEDAY.” GROOVEY (Douglas Patrick Newville)_ADOBE AIRSTREAM, THE MAGAZINE FOR CITIZENS OF CULTURE

JAZZIZ MAGAZINE 20TH ANNIVERSARY CD

A CELEBRATION OF THE MODERN ERA, WITH MILES DAVIS, CHARLIE PARKER, CASSANDRA WILSON, BILL FRISELL, DONALD RUBINSTEIN, TONY BENNET, K.D.LAING, NATALIE COLE, AND CHARLIE HADEN. “DONALD RUBINSTEIN PROVIDES A WILD RIDE…A CURE FOR NORMALCY.” —JAZZIZ Editorial Staff

“WHAT’S THE SOURCE OF DONALD RUBINSTEIN’S STRANGE, JAZZY, UNIQUE SONGS? JUDGING FROM HIS WELL CONCOCTED BUT OFTEN TWISTED WORK, HE MUST HAVE THE ODDEST MUSE IN THE WORLD, AND ALSO ONE OF THE BEST. HE’S GOT ENOUGH WEIRD, POETIC/MUSICAL GENIUS IN HIS BRAIN TO RIVAL JIM MORRISON” —SANTA FE REPORTER                  

“A POET IN A DYLANESQUE VEIN, RUBINSTEIN'S 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 MAGAZINE

“DONALD RUBINSTEIN WORKS IN THE HIGHER ARTS. HE COMPOSES SOUNDTRACKS WITH MUSIC RANGING FROM CONTEMPORARY EXPERIMENTAL CLASSICAL, TO JAZZ, ROCK AND AMERICANA. HE IS ACTIVE AS A VISUAL ARTIST AS WELL…HOW DOES ONE COME TO TERMS WITH THIS WORK? AFTER AN INTRODUCTION OF SPOKEN WORD THE FIRST SONG TAKES ADVANTAGE OF LLOYD MAINE’S SPLITTING STEEL GUITAR. HE SOUNDS AS IF HE HAS RETURNED WITH JOE ELY AND THE CLASH TO THE VENUE IN LONDON. EXPERIMENTAL AMERICANA IS ALL…THIS IS NOT AN EASY ALBUM, BUT ONE WHICH IMPRESSES DEEPLY.” _ALTERNATIVE COUNTRY MAGAZINE, NETHERLANDS (Too Late To Die)

WITH ONLY THE QUIET POWER OF BILL FRISELL’S GUITAR PROVIDING A BACKDROP, 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…A TREASURE.” _BRYAN BAKER, GAJOOB MAGAZINE (Time Again) 

“HIS (DONALD RUBINSTEIN’S) ART RANGES FROM SOPHISTICATED MUSIC COMPOSITIONS TO PRINTS REMINISCENT OF THE CHARACTERS IN SOUTH PARK. HE IS ARTICULATE, ACCOMPLISHED, AND DRIVEN, AND HE HAS NEVER STUCK TO JUST ONE THING AT A TIME. ALMOST EVERYTHING HE PRODUCES IS AN AMALGAM OF FORMS AND DISCIPLINES, AND THEY ALL HAVE A SPARK. HIS WORKS HAVE A TENSION; A SENSE OF QUESTIONS ASKED AND SELDOM ANSWERED, THAT HINT OF THE POSSIBILITIES JUST OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WE UNDERSTAND.”  DESTINY ALISON, SANTA FE.COM

“SITTING BEHIND THE PIANO, PLAYING HIS BEAUTIFUL TUNES, HE ACHIEVES A SORT OF SERENITY…DEVOID OF TRANSITORY TRENDINESS.” —LOS ANGELES TIMES

“DONALD RUBINSTEIN: A MAN ON A JOURNEY TO ORBIT THE OUTER EDGES OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND DIVE RIGHT TO THE HEART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION. HIS MUSIC AND ART DEFY CATEGORIZATION-COMPLEX SCORES OF MOVING SOUND POETRY, FOLK TUNES THAT BOP AND ROCK, STORYTELLING WITH A DEEP FUNKY SOUL. HE IS A MAN WHO CREATES IN A HERMITAGE OF THOUGHT AND FEELINGS FILLED WITH CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE AND FORM, BURIED TREASURES, ANCIENT MEMORIES-ULTIMATELY AN INCREDIBLE ARCHEOLOGY AND ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MUSICAL FORMS THAT INVITE US INTO HIS OWN EMERALD CITY.” —RIC LUM,TREND MAGAZINE

“THEY DEFERRED TO DONALD RUBINSTEIN, WHO STRUMMED HIS GUITAR AND SANG MELODIOUSLY.” —NEW YORK TIMES

“FOR SHEER VARIETY AND ENTERTAINMENT DONALD RUBINSTEIN’S NOVEL, UNPREDICTABLE, ONE-MAN SHOW IS HARD TO MATCH…STUNNING, HOUSE-SHAKING…HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL.” —LA WEEKLY

“A WILDLY DIVERSE AND EXCEPTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL ALBUM. RUBINSTEIN’S MUSICAL PALLET IS VIVID AND VARIED AS HE’S JOINED BY A VARIETY OF MUSICAL EXPLORERS SUCH AS GUITARIST BILL FRISELL. FROM MIDNIGHT BLUES TO EXQUISITE ORCHESTRAL PIECES THAT DANCE BETWEEN LIGHT AND SHADOW…THIS IS DREAM MUSIC WHERE TENDER SONGS DRIFT INTO DARK MUSICAL LANDSCAPES AND THEN BACK INTO MORNING LIGHT.” GAJOOB MAGAZINE

”THE MUSIC WAS COMPOSED AND PLAYED BY PIANIST AND POET, DONALD RUBINSTEIN…MINIMAL, SAD, LOVELY, MELANCHOLY AND TOUCHING. PERFECT FOR A MOODY FLICK.” —NEW YORK DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY

“DONALD RUBINSTEIN IS AN UNEQUIVOCAL CARD-CARRYING VISIONARY, A SONIC GARDENER WHOSE TECHNICOLOR ORCHARD BEARS FRUIT OF STRANGE SHADES AND UNEXPECTED TONES.” —JOHN KRUTH “DAWN IMAGINED”

DONALD RUBINSTEIN works in multiple mediums including music, visual art, film, theater, poetry, and intersections therein. His musical debut came at age 25, composing the score to George A. Romero's cult classic film, Martin. It was named one of “The Top 100 Coolest Soundtracks of All Time” by Mojo in 2002. Since then Mr. Rubinstein has scored several feature films; released over 30 albums of original music; scored the title themes for two television series; written, directed, and produced, three theatrical/musical works ,premiering in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles to critical acclaim. The main title theme for the television series Tales From the Darkside, written by Erica Lindsay and Donald Rubinstein (performed and produced by Donald Rubinstein), was named The Second Scariest TV Show Intro Of All Time by Screen Rant (2017).

Donald Rubinstein has been exhibited at The Museum of Modern Art and The Whitney Museum of American Art, both in collaboration with Kiki Smith. He was awarded, via nomination, a residency from The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation in 2014. Donald Rubinstein’s work resides in a number of collections and museums around the world. Mr. Rubinstein has written five books of stories, poems, and drawings. He has created over thirty short, experimental, films. Rubinstein is the recipient of The Ascap Special Award in Theater Arts, amongst others.

Donald Rubinstein has collaborated with numerous, and varied artists, including: George A. Romero, Bill Frisell, Kiki Smith, The Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Brother Blue, Robin Holcomb, Ed Harris, Steve Gorn, Terry Allen, Anna Halprin, John Densmore, and many more. In 2007, The Center For Contemporary Arts, Santa Fe presented a ‘thus far retrospective.’ entitled Donald Rubinstein: Cool-Aberrations in Art, Music, and Film. The three-day celebration of Rubinstein’s work included a concert, two art exhibitions, and selected films.

Fingers, from, Donald Rubinstein’s duo CD with Bill Frisell, Time Again (produced by Wayne Horvitz & Bill Frisell), was included in Jazziz Magazine’s Special Edition CD, A Celebration of the Modern Era (2003). Ruby Star, written by Mr. Rubinstein, and recorded in duet with Robin Holcomb with a cover by Kiki Smith, was sold exclusively by The Museum of Modern of Modern Art in 2003/2004.

In 2022 Donald Rubinstein released Demos From the World Storm on his own Hijo Record label. In 2023, Donald Rubinstein’s soundtrack for George A. Romero’s Martin, was re-released for a fifth time by Second Sight Films. In 2023, Donald Rubinstein’s soundtrack for Romero’s Knightriders was also re-released in a deluxe, third edition, 2 LP set, on Scare Flair Records. Mr. Rubinstein is currently composing, and recording, his first in a series of three projected masterworks. CLOUDS OF THE VISIONARY (for pre-recorded music, narrator, orchestra, and improvising soloists), will be released in 2025.

”RUBINSTEIN’S NOVEL CINEMATIC APPROACH IS DISTINGUISHED BY A SINGULAR ‘INDIE’ VOICE- A COOL, REBELLIOUS VIBE, DEVELOPED LONG BEFORE THAT TERM WAS FASHIONABLE. MARTIN AND POLLOCK BOTH REPRESENT THE STRIKING MUSICAL VISION OF COMPOSER DONALD RUBINSTEIN.”  —“DONALD RUBINSTEIN’S WORKS OF ART” BY DANIEL SCHWEIGER

“‘D’ DOESN’T DO SHIT FOR THE FUCK OF IT. HE DOES SHIT FROM THE HEART. HIS HEART, YOUR HEART. THE AMAZING THING IS THAT 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. I’M NOT THE ONLY SUCKER ON THIS PLANET. THERE’S THIS OTHER GUY, D, WHO’S BEEN SUCKERED IN TOO. AND HE’S HERE TO EXPLAIN HOW, WHY AND WHAT HAPPENED TO US ALL. D RULES!” —GEORGE A. ROMERO

“SONGWRITING GENIUS DONALD RUBINSTEIN…INCREDIBLY CREATIVE STUFF- HIS MUSIC AMAZES ME." —DEREK SIVERS, FOUNDER CD BABY

TINY LEGS COMICS

CREATED BY DONALD RUBINSTEIN and NINE-YEAR-OLD FB RUBINSTEIN

ALL DRAWINGS BY FB RUBINSTEIN _AVAILABLE DECEMBER 2022.

All content on this website: music, art, videos, text©2024 Donald Rubinstein & FB Rubinstein Published by Zigyiam Press