Strumming roots: from Romania to Winnipeg blues
He came from far away but found a home in the chords and notes of Canadian blues. For Robert Andreas the journey has been international, deep, and full of rhythm, travelling from early influences in Romania to a warm welcome in Manitoba’s music community. What began as a youthful fascination has become a calling that blends blues, Afrobeat, soul, and the unmistakable guitar tones of a seasoned performer.
Early music roots abroad
Robert Andreas remembers discovering blues through radio broadcasts in Romania. He says he received his first real electric guitar after immigrating to Italy with his mother when he was seven. That guitar was the tool that opened doors.
He notes that he soon met musicians and industry contacts who helped him travel, learn, and develop as a performer, and from there his sense of musical identity began to take shape.
Finding a home in Canada
Andreas explains that moving to Canada about 15 years ago was a personal and artistic turning point. With friends already here, he says he found support, connection, and opportunity that helped him grow.
He adds that Winnipeg, especially, welcomed him quickly. He continues that in any bar he performed at, musicians were eager to join, improvise, and raise the energy together. The amount of skill he sees in the city sometimes leaves him wondering why some of those musicians are not playing stadiums.
A night at The Basement Theatre
Andreas performed in Portage la Prairie this past Thursday at The Basement Theatre, where he continued to weave together his mix of soulful blues, rhythm-driven grooves, and improvisational guitar work for a close listening audience. He was a part of a group of local and Winnipeg musicians known as Bob’s Basement Blues Band founded this year by Bob Russell. Andreas says the venue’s intimacy and warmth suited his style, and that he hopes to return. Russell was proud to be able to bring out younger talent to perform. He says that it helps invigorate the music community and give opportunities for seasoned performers to collaborate together.
A mix of styles, rooted in blues
When speaking about his next record, Andreas says blues remains his foundation, even while he explores new influences.
He says he is a fan of Jamaican music and Afrobeat, and that he also enjoys R&B and soul. He notes that the upcoming project blends these influences, creating something modern while keeping blues at its core.
He adds that while audiences in Europe enjoy blues deeply, he believes the music has unique resonance in North America because of its history and roots in African-American culture.
Gratitude and what comes next
Andreas says he feels grateful for how Winnipeg has embraced him, both socially and musically. He describes the city as a place where collaboration happens easily and where musicians lift each other up. He adds that he intends to keep playing, recording, and returning to Manitoba stages whenever invited.
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