Rob Shinno, center, and Hemisphere band members (Courtesy photo)
Music | Hillcrest
Rob Shinno Gives Us ‘American Dreams’ Through Sound, Visuals, and Activism
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
After taking a 17-year sabbatical from a successful run in the music industry, Rob Shinno is on a roll.
The Hillcrest resident has reignited his musical career as a composer, guitarist, concert performer, and band leader of Hemisphere, which he formed in the mid-90s to showcase a smooth, instrumental style of contemporary jazz. He has also become socially active by volunteering as director for the San Diego chapter of the Japanese-American Cultural League to support its anti-hate campaigns for the Asian community.
Music lovers came to know Shinno through two acclaimed albums (Blue Planet Dreams and Destinations) as well as from live performances at the former 4th and B downtown, San Diego LGBT Pride festivals in Balboa Park, and the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival.
He returns with a mash-up of musical influences heard on a freshly released album titled American Dreams. It’s the first in a trilogy of albums that remain in the works.
In addition, he’s on the books to perform at Humphrey’s Backstage Live on Oct. 2, and at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas this March.
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We caught up with Shinno between rehearsals to welcome him back to the scene.
Downtown Condo Guys: Where have you been for the last two decades?
Shinno: I had left performing because the industry was changing, and live music wasn’t as popular. So I spent much of that time traveling around the world gaining other experiences to draw upon for this latest incarnation of Hemisphere. I learned a lot about the world, and I’m writing about it now.
Downtown Condo Guys: Where did those travels take you?
Shinno: I spent quite a bit of time in Stockholm and Helsinki and other parts of Europe, specifically Paris. Also Japan and China.
Downtown Condo Guys: What prompted you to re-enter the music business?
Shinno: I did a small performance for my birthday in 2018, and realized that I had a fair amount of ideas for new material that I wanted to put out in public. There is a theme I wanted behind the reincarnation of Hemisphere, which is a message of unity, diversity and equality within the framework of music and visual arts. On the visual side, we’ve produced five YouTube videos for American Dreams. To date we’ve received close to a half-million views.
Downtown Condo Guys: How does the musical direction of American Dreams and the upcoming remainder of the trilogy differ from your past recordings?
Shinno: We’ve moved into being a very vocal-forward band. We tend to do mash-ups of different styles for each song by taking different influences and putting them together in unique ways for each composition. You’ll hear influences of the Pat Metheny Group, Queen, David Bowie, the Pet Shop Boys and more.
Downtown Condo Guys: What instruments do you play?
Shinno: Primarily guitar when performing live. But I compose on guitar and keyboards.
Downtown Condo Guys: How many band members comprise Hemisphere?
Shinno: Five including me. But we started out with just me and Don Bowman, who was a full-time working musician on sax and vocals when we met. He’s our lead vocalist and sax player.
Downtown Condo Guys: As a creator of songs, what is your ideal place or environment for writing them?
Shinno: It’s been my experience that when I have an idea in my head, I need to write it down or pick up my guitar or record it into my phone, so that I don’t lose the inspiration. That could be anywhere—driving in my car, drinking wine at home, or walking through Balboa Park.
Downtown Condo Guys: What role does your husband, Richard, play in your musical career? And what is your day job?
Shinno: Richard doesn’t have anything specific to do with the band, but like any spouse, he’s supportive of all the time and effort I put into producing. My day job is selling software to the high-tech industry.
Downtown Condo Guys: What are some of your highest honors received within the music industry?
Shinno: I’ve received three nominations over the years from the San Diego Music Awards, as well as dozens of positive press reviews from national and international press and music blogs.
Downtown Condo Guys: For your comeback show at Humphrey’s next month, what can the audience expect?
Shinno: We’ll be performing the entire American Dreams album, and we’ll pull four or five songs from the Blue Planet Dreams and Destinations albums. We’ll also play our first-ever cover song, which will be on our next album, Unity. It will be our version of David Bowie’s Rebel Rebel for which I obtained the license. The concert will require proof of vaccination. Photos of vaccine cards are acceptable.
