Tori Roze and The Hot Mess

Soul/Jazz...Tori Roze is a multi-instrumentalist and soul-singer to the core. Currently living in San Diego, Tori has been writing music since the age of sixteen, utilizing the medium to primarily channel those things that cannot be understood merely by the act of saying the words themselves. The Hot Mess, comprised of five extremely exceptional musicians that literally bring the house down, is sure to leave you reeling with toe-tapping excitement. "If you combined the music of Erykah Badu, Ella Fitzgerald, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Pink, and Adele, you would acquire what our sound is. We like to put some stank on it, bottom line." Seeking nothing more than to shed light on the human experience, Roze is a key artist in conveying the emotional intent behind a song. Her edge being that of a heart-driven soul mixed with the nitty gritty truth, she is sure to leave audiences with the sense of relative human connection and a vocal style that is absolutely unforgettable.

By Jay Allen Sanford | Published Wednesday, June 17, 2009
“My parents maintained a very musical household,” says singer-trumpeter Tori Roze. “My mom played with Randy Holden, the lead guitarist in Blue Cheer, and she opened for groups like Canned Heat and Three Dog Night. She used to hold Janis Joplin’s Southern Comfort bottle for her offstage.
Roze’s parents were also involved with the San Diego Repertory Theatre and with Indian Magique, a theatrical troupe that won the Canadian Emmy for Best Comedy Show in 1977. In high school Roze fronted the band Carne Askata before departing to attend Boston Conservatory for a year. After doing a semester in London with music and theater classes at the Old Globe, she eventually graduated with a degree in theater from UC Santa Cruz. She currently fronts the six-piece rock ’n’ soul combo Tori Roze and the Hot Mess. “If Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, Ella Fitzgerald, Pink, and Adele were all to get together,” she says, “you’d get the essence of our sound. Bottom line: we like to put some stank on it.”

WHAT’S IN YOUR CD PLAYER?
1. Michael Jackson, Off the Wall. “Can we just talk about how incredible this record is? Fully orchestrated, the man sings his heart out, and it makes your booty wanna move.”
2. Erykah Badu, Mama’s Gun. I could listen to this forever and be happy.”
3. Björk, Family Tree. I love how this woman sings from her soul, and you feel it viscerally. I have to see her perform before I die.”
4. Grand Ole Party, Humanimals. “A local band doing something way different — this is what I listen to before I go out to amp me up.”

MOST-VISITED WEBSITES?
1. Myspace.com“I’m always checking up on my music page and updating things, and I’m constantly looking for female-fronted bands that rock.”
2. Sonicbids.com“Always updating my EPK [electronic press kit] and looking for exciting gigs.”
3. Astrology.com“I gots to know my horoscope, shoot!”
4. Google.com“I get extreme usage of the image finder, for flyer-making and whatnot.”
5. Facebook.com“Man, this is the most un-user-friendly site ever, but all my friends are addicted to its crappy layout, so I use it to check in with friends who are too cool to use Myspace anymore. What the heck are they thinking?”
MAC OR PC?
“PC, because I can right-click.”
DO YOU PLAY VIDEO GAMES?
“Eww.”
BEST ADVICE YOU EVER GOT?
“Perseverance, kid — it’s the only thing that’s going to save you.”
FINISH THIS SENTENCE: “I LIVE IN SAN DIEGO BECAUSE.…”
“…I can. Jealous?”
CARE TO RATE THE NEW PREZ?
“He’s pretty snazzy, but he’s got his work cut out for him. Thank goodness he’s eloquent, though. Sheesh!”
SOMETHING ABOUT YOU FEW WOULD KNOW OR GUESS?
“I worked at Hot Dog on a Stick for ten years...ha!"

"San Diego's Funky Songstress: Tori Roze"
Tim Pyles - FM 94.9 On Air

"Tori Roze's voice gives me fierce goose bumps. She grooves with soul, style and just enough rock to let you know she's serious."
Cathryn Beeks - Listen Local SD

"“My parents maintained a very musical household,” says singer-trumpeter Tori Roze. “My mom played with Randy Holden, the lead guitarist in Blue Cheer, and she opened for groups like Canned Heat and Three Dog Night. She used to hold Janis Joplin’s Southern Comfort bottle for her offstage.” Roze’s parents were also involved with the San Diego Repertory Theatre and with Indian Magique, a theatrical troupe that won the Canadian Emmy for Best Comedy Show in 1977. In high school Roze fronted the band Carne Askata before departing to attend Boston Conservatory for a year. After doing a semester in London with music and theater classes at the Old Globe, she eventually graduated with a degree in theater from UC Santa Cruz. She currently fronts the six-piece rock ’n’ soul combo Tori Roze and the Hot Mess. “If Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, Ella Fitzgerald, Pink, and Adele were all to get together,you’d get the essence of our sound. Bottom line: we like to put some stank on it." Jay Allen Sanford - San Diego Reader

"Ranging from the Joss Stone-ish "Sweet Drank" to the 1990s Taylor Dane dance-anthem style of "Like a Rockstar," Tori Roze is both gritty and soulful. Apparently she subscribes to the MC Hammer school of break-ups, as she sings in "Bet's Off": "You're just trying to make me jealous/Better try harder 'cause nobody can touch this." Her tortured yet self-confident style makes this songstress too legit, too legit to quit. Enrique Limon" - San Diego City Beat