Rob and his guitar have been treading the stages worldwide for the past 35 years. He has opened for the greats - Roy Buchanan, Stevie Ray Vaughan's mentor Lonnie Mack, Joe Walsh from the Eagles, shared stages with Peter Green, Sting, ZZ Top, Bo Diddley. He has represented Australia at the Royal Wedding celebrations of Prince Frederik & Princess Mary of Denmark, performed for FIFA World Cup Football in Kaiserslautern, played from maximum security prisons in Australia to Mozart's House in Vienna plus countless other experiences that have honed his skills. Rob is originally from Tasmania, Australia and goes under the pseudonym of "The Tasmanian Devil". His style is fiery, energetic, inventive and explosive.
Australian born Rob Tognoni is one of the most exhilarating electric guitar players around today. His repertoire is a blend of Classic Rock and Blues which he plays with invigorating zeal and incomparable attack. With influences ranging from the legendary Blues masters like BB King to hard rockers AC/DC, by way of Jimi Hendrix, Tognoni's fancy fretwork of catchy riffs, crushing chords, and explosive solos posses something that only few guitarists have; character and a very own, instantly recognizable unique sound and style. Born in Tasmania, Rob Tognoni (a.k.a. The Tasmanian Devil) first made his name with the multi award-winning Australian band The Outlaws before being discovered by fellow Australian slide guitar master Dave Hole, who brought him to Europe and to the attention of Provogue Records, where Rob released 4 albums between 1996 and 2002.
This charming collection of duets features the bass of Rob Wasserman in a variety of different roles, from supportive to lead to orchestral. With the exception of Stephane Grappelli's violin, Lou Reed's guitar and Rickie Lee Jones' guitar and bells/percussion, every sound on this album is bass and voice, demonstrating that these two musical forces can be everything by themselves.
Originally privately pressed in tiny numbers in Canberra in the mid- 70s, Yaraandoo & Hara have become sought after examples of the best in progressive jazz/rock. "Taking in impressionistic hazy instrumental jazz … muscular fusion moves, solo Mellotron pieces as heavenly as anything Beethoven or Handel ever concocted, extremely loose-limbed ethno-fusion soundscapes of the Don Cherry/Pharoah Sanders variety, film soundtracks … and electronic experimentalism … hair-raising, soul-searching beauty with an overall dreamy, hazy quality that perhaps could only be written by an Australian fully conversant with the Dreamtime cultural feel for the myths and legends of the Outback." (from Julian Cope's "Head Heritage.")
From Tasmania, Australia & introduced to Europe by blues master Dave Hole in 1994, Rob Tognoni delivers a 100% powerfully charged experience with every performance. There is simply no compromise, which is strongly evident in his music. After 40 years his explosive guitar playing and unique songs are now being compared with the greats of his genre and have firmly established him in the European venues & festivals as well as gaining many fans of hard blues rock worldwide.
One of true virtuoso blues-rock guitar heroes of the 21st century, Rob Tognoni returns with Casino Placebo. Besides his trademark rock-crunching guitar sound, killer licks and searing solos, Tognoni revisits the Beatles and adds a pinch of psychedelia with a classic James Bond feel.