from project413.net - october, 2007

yes, there is some good music coming from them there (berkshire) hills
by andy poncherello

saturday november 3rd finds berkshire county resident robert oakes appearing at the dreamaway lodge in becket to perform his self-described combination of folk, indie and progressive music. after listening to oakes on my space, one can hear influences ranging from artists as unique and diverse as jeff buckley, billy bragg, dead can dance, pink floyd and many more. robert oakes is such a unique talent that it's a crime to throw him into the oft-misused "singer-songwriter" category. most musicians lumped under than moniker are usually thought to be some aging hippy with a guitar singing out of the joni mitchell or simon & garfunkel songbook. while oakes would probably cite them as influences, he's simply not rearranging classic songs and performing them as something interesting. he's utilized the influences from his vast personal musical library to create something quite special.

oakes generally performs most of his material alone, but has had other musicians guest on some of his tracks. his my space profile boasts five tracks showcasing the many directions robert will move in with his music. oakes has spent most of 2007 working on his most recent album and if you're able to make it to the dreamaway lodge this weekend, his performance is sure to be a highlight of the evening.

from the berkshire eagle, pittsfield, ma by dave madeloni - 2006

a couple years ago, new york city singer-songwriter robert oakes began looking to relocate to a place where he could recharge his creative batteries and soak up some inspiration. "i felt very strongly that i needed to change my environment," explained oakes. "i needed to withdraw from the frenzy a bit, to find some solitude, where i could begin to work on a new album. i wanted to be in a place that was quieter, with more natural beauty, but i also wanted this place to have a fertile arts and cultural scene."

oakes found the ideal match.

"the berkshires are a perfect combination of these two things," he said. "i was excited to find that there was already a lot going on, and i felt i could do something to contribute."

tomorrow night, his contribution begins at mixed company, 37 rossetter street in great barrington with a new monthly songwriters-in-the-round series organized by oakes ...

... oakes began his love affair with song as a kid, sitting in the dark with headphones on straining to make out the words of a well-written song, searching for a thread of universal connection.

"i knew this writer was trying to say something, to get something across that might mean something to me, and really i wanted to know what it was." he reminisced. "i guess i wanted to be affected. and i also wanted to know if this person felt or thought the way i did. i wanted to feel like i wasn't alone inside myself."

as oakes grew, his wish to reciprocate evolved through his own compositions. "music, for me, was a way to connect. as i began to feel these connections through other people's songs, i started to feel drawn to reply, to somehow send a return message, and that's when i started to write about what i was thinking and feeling."