Serving the San Francisco Bay Area New Music Community

                    
Rent Romus
Saxophonist, instrumentalist and composer, producer, curator
Rent Romus is a saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, music producer, and community leader hailed by Downbeat as having "...a bold sound, unmistakable sincerity and conviction". A third generation Finnish American born in the great north of upper Michigan and growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Romus' work on the saxophone beginning in 1988 has been dubbed “ferocious” by the San Francisco Weekly and “central to the creative music world of the West Coast” by writer jazz critic Frank Rubolino. From his very beginnings as a student of jazz while being exposed to the twilight tutelage of Stan Getz he found himself drawn to the outer realms of Sun Ra and Albert Ayler, as well as Arthur Blythe, Derek Bailey and the far reaches of Merzbow. He currently leads the Lords of Outland a free improvisation unit since 1994, the Life’s Blood Ensemble a compositional contemporary ensemble, and the Finnish/American group Otherworld Ensemble. He has recorded over 40 albums exploring improvisation and composition in a wide variety of musical settings both as a leader and sideman which have included Chico Freeman, John Tchicai, Vinny Golia, Teppo Hauta-aho, Heikki Koskinen, Thollem McDonas, Stefan Pasborg, James Zitro, Marcos Fernandez, and Ernesto Diaz-Infante to name a few. He is the founder of Edgetone Records with over 30 years of independent music production, and performance experience as well as the founder and Executive Director of Outsound Presents under which curates the bi-weekly music series known as SIMM at the Musicians Union Hall, the weekly Luggage Store Gallery Creative Music Series, as well as annual Outsound New Music Summit, the Bay Area's creative music festival held every summer in San Francisco.

"He plays as the dignified giant when blowing a melody with a bright and glossy sound, but when the solo comes the screw turns flying in multiple directions."
- Takeshi Goda, A Challenge to Fate, Japan

"Romus turned out to be, besides a very adept improviser, also a high quality composer. His songs were full of abundant ideas avoiding the easy clichéd “theme/solos/theme” formats." - Jussi Niemi, Tampere Aamulehti, Finland

"Alto saxophonist, one of the more consistently interesting figures of recent years..." - Tom Hull, USA

"Romus has a bold sound, unmistakable sincerity and conviction."
- Downbeat, USA

Other Web links
Outsound Presents
Edgetone Records
All Music Guide
Wikipedia
Contact information:
Email: rentromus (AT) gmail (DOT) com
Upcoming Events:

Sunday, June 11 2023 9:30 PM
SIMM Series @ The Musicians Union Hall [116 9th St @ Mission SF]
Outsound Presents
David Leikam solo piano, Itkuja Chamber Ensemble

Small ensemble arrangement of their large group suite of music inspired by Finnish lament and Jazz will feature the Finnish and Karelian vocals of San Francisco based multi-instrumental musician Kat Eliot  More...
Photo Albums (click to view photos):
Videos
Life's Blood plays "Infinistism" by Rent Romus Kim Cass - double bass Timothy Orr - drums/percussion Markus Hunt - double bass Darren Johnston - trumpet Rent Romus - alto saxophone Livea the 6th Annual In the Flow Festival Luna's Cafe Sacramento, CA video by Charles Smith
The Otherworld Cycle is the culmination of over fourteen years of research of the Finno-Ugric traditions and music. The Cycle consists of a series of new compositions and improvisations inspired by the poems of the Finnish National Epic known as the Kalavela, as well as Karelian regional folk songs, and Sami Joik song elements of the native peoples of the north. The Other World thematic abstractly reference the Uralic “Body of Memory” embedded in Romus’ musical psyche refracted through the multi-faceted lens of improvisation and postmodern jazz. Ron Heglin•Voice Heikki Koskinen•Recorder, E-trumpet, Kantele, poetry reading Bob Marsh•Voice Suki O'Kane•Percussion Joshua Marshall•Tenor Saxophone Bill Noertker•Bass Timothy Orr•Drums Mark Pino•Percussion Mika Pontecorvo•Flutes Rent Romus•Alto Saxophone, Kantele, Flutes, Bells Shanna Sordahl•Cello http://romus.net/otherworld.html Film by Charles Smith, Recorded live at Gold Lion Arts January 18th 2015 Sacramento, California All compositions
Live at the 9th Annual Davis Jazz Festival, John Natsoulas Gallery Sacramento California October 8, 2016 Rent Romus - alto saxophone, flute Joshua Marshall - tenor saxophone Heikki "Mike" Kosikinen - e-trumpet/tenor recorder Mark Clifford - vibes Safa Shokrai - double bass Max Judelson - double bass Timothy Orr - drums
Cicatrix - A Fantasie in Four Movements (by Joshua Marshall) I. Mes Cheveux Roux II. Cicatrix III. I'll Carve You A Mind Out Of Marble IV. My Oneiric Ambition Performed by Rent Romus' Life's Blood Ensemble at the Red Poppy Art House in San Francisco. Video by Charles Smith. "Cicatrix" appears on "Rising Colossus" by Rent Romus' Life's Blood Ensemble, released through Edgetone Records. This album can be purchased as digital download, CD, or limited edition LP at: https://edgetonerecords.bandcamp.com/... Rent Romus - alto saxophone, flute; Joshua Marshall - tenor saxophone; Heikki "Mike" Kosikinen - e-trumpet/tenor recorder; Mark Clifford - vibes; Safa Shokrai - double bass; Max Judelson - double bass; Timothy Orr - drums
From left, Heikki "Mike" Koskinen digital trumpet, Tane Kannisto saxophone, Teppo Hauta-aho double bass, Ville Rauhala double bass, Rent Romus saxophone and Simo Laihonen drums at Telakka, Tampere, Finland 31.5.2017.
CDs on which Rent Romus appears:
ArtistTitleLabelNumber
Otherworld Ensemble Return from Manala
Artist: Otherworld Ensemble
Title: Return from Manala
Label: Edgetone Records
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records
Life's Blood Ensemble Manala
Artist: Life's Blood Ensemble
Title: Manala
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4212
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4212
Rent Romus' Life's Blood Ensemble The Otherworld Cycle
Artist: Rent Romus' Life's Blood Ensemble
Title: The Otherworld Cycle
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4161
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4161
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland Lords O Leaping
Artist: Rent Romus' Lords of Outland
Title: Lords O Leaping
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4153
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4153
Rent Romus' Life's Blood Ensemble Cimmerian Crossroads
Artist: Rent Romus' Life's Blood Ensemble
Title: Cimmerian Crossroads
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4146
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4146
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland The Proceedings of Dr. Ké
Artist: Rent Romus' Lords of Outland
Title: The Proceedings of Dr. Ké
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4143
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4143
Rent Romus' life's Blood Quartet Truth Teller
Artist: Rent Romus' life's Blood Quartet
Title: Truth Teller
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4135
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4135
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland Thee Unhip
Artist: Rent Romus' Lords of Outland
Title: Thee Unhip
Label: Nine Winds EDT4129/NW0298
Label page on this site: Nine Winds
Nine Winds EDT4129/NW0298
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland Cloudknitter Suite Live
Artist: Rent Romus' Lords of Outland
Title: Cloudknitter Suite Live
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4128
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4128
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland w/Vinny Golia Edge of Dark
Artist: Rent Romus' Lords of Outland w/Vinny Golia
Title: Edge of Dark
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4112
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4112
The Emergency String (X)tet meet Rent Romus Emergency Rental
Artist: The Emergency String (X)tet meet Rent Romus
Title: Emergency Rental
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4100
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4100
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland XV (The First Fifteen Years 1994-2009)
Artist: Rent Romus' Lords of Outland
Title: XV (The First Fifteen Years 1994-2009)
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4094
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4094
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland The Pit
Artist: Rent Romus' Lords of Outland
Title: The Pit
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4084
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4084
Thollem McDonas, Rent Romus - Bloom Project Sudden Aurora
Artist: Thollem McDonas, Rent Romus - Bloom Project
Title: Sudden Aurora
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4083
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4083
Ministry of Rites, Rent Romus & Tobias Fischer GRID
Artist: Ministry of Rites, Rent Romus & Tobias Fischer
Title: GRID
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4079
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4079
Reverberations From Spring Past Diaz-Infante/Fernandes/Montoya/Romus
Artist: Reverberations From Spring Past
Title: Diaz-Infante/Fernandes/Montoya/Romus
Label: Pax Recordings PR90281
Label page on this site: Pax Recordings
Pax Recordings PR90281
The Abstractions Novo Navigatio
Artist: The Abstractions
Title: Novo Navigatio
Label: Edgetone Records PR90275/EDT4027
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records PR90275/EDT4027
The Abstractions Ars Vivende
Artist: The Abstractions
Title: Ars Vivende
Label: Pax Recordings PR90260/EDT4019
Label page on this site: Pax Recordings
Pax Recordings PR90260/EDT4019
Moe! Staiano's MOE!KESTRA! Two Forms of Multitudes: Conducted Improvisations
Artist: Moe! Staiano's MOE!KESTRA!
Title: Two Forms of Multitudes: Conducted Improvisations
Label: Pax Recordings PR90261
Label page on this site: Pax Recordings
Pax Recordings PR90261
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland Avatar in the Field
Artist: Rent Romus' Lords of Outland
Title: Avatar in the Field
Label: Edgetone Records EDT 4001
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT 4001
Guinea Pig/Out of Town Live at the Hotel Utah
Artist: Guinea Pig/Out of Town
Title: Live at the Hotel Utah
Label: Edgetone Records EDT 4002
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT 4002
PKD Vortex Project Music Inspired by Phil K. Dick
Artist: PKD Vortex Project
Title: Music Inspired by Phil K. Dick
Label: Edgetone Records EDT 4003
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT 4003
The Abstractions Sonic Conspiracy
Artist: The Abstractions
Title: Sonic Conspiracy
Label: Edgetone Records EDT4012
Label page on this site: Edgetone Records
Edgetone Records EDT4012
Interviews/Articles:
Review: STATIC ILLUSION MUSIC SERIES
Audio Samples: