Tears And Laughter, released to folk radio Sept. 1, 2016, is Robin's first CD of original material in over a decade.
Track listing: (all songs by Robin Greenstein unless otherwise noted):

1. I Heard The Road Call Me
2. Tears and Laughter
3. Hole In The Ground (about 9/11)
4. Here I Am (Hineni)
5. A Tale Of Two Cities
6. Where There's A Will There's A Way (R. Greentsein / Wendy Becken)
7. Tears In Heaven (Eric Clapton/ Will Jennings)- Duet with Frank Rendo
8. I'm Flying Home Tonight
9. The Secret Of Your Love (R. Greenstein/ Janice Payson)
10. West Coast Swingin'
11. I'm Down
12. Buddha Watches Silently
13. Happy New Year

“Serious instrumental chops, lovely voice, rare melodic sense, great taste, sensitivity and, dare I say it, understanding of the human spirit, you’ll understand why, even though I’ve loved the albums of traditional and/or holiday songs she’d done, I've been waiting for a new album of Robin’s own compositions. Well, my friends the wait is, thankfully, over. Trust me when I say, it was worth the wait.”     Dave Palmater, WUMB-FM, Boston MA

#1 album, #1 song ("Hole In The Ground") and #1 artist on the Folk-DJ Chart, Sept. 2016

After her previous original music CD Acousticness came out, Robin then turned her attention to other musical projects: Images of Women, Vols 1 and 2, and a multi-cultural holiday CD, Songs of The Season (recorded with Cecilia Kirtland). Now, with great pride and delight, she offers Tears And Laughter, a return to her first love - songwriting. It is a diverse collection of material; a contemplation of the events and relationships that shape our lives. The songs traverse the emotions of hope, love, sadness, optimism and joy; and so do the musical styles, reflecting Robin’s love of acoustic folk, blues and pop music.

Tears and Laughter includes two songs that have took top honors in the 2015 South Florida Singer-Songwriter comptition (“Where There’s A Will There’s A Way” and “A Tale Of Two Cities”. There are two re-recorded songs (previously released as singles) about life-changing events in NYC where she resides (9/11 and Hurricane Sandy) and a beautiful acoustic cover of Eric Clapton's "Tears In Heaven" (a duet with Frank Rendo).

After an Americana mid-tempo kickoff tune (“I Heard The Road Call Me”) about the restlessness of modern life), the songs then quiet down, to address some serious topics:  9/11 (“Hole In The Ground”), Superstorm Sandy (“A Tale of Two Cities”) and faith (“Here I Am” (Hineni)”). The title track, “Tears and Laughter” (taken from a lyric in an old Sephardic folksong) is an upbeat meditation on how to live in a world where bad news is always around the corner. It’s performed with only a guitar, egg shaker, string bass & soprano sax, and has a peaceful call–and-response chorus with soaring harmonies.

"Hole In The Ground", which legendary Philly Folk DJ Gene Shay has called "One of the best songs I've heard about 9/11", has been re-worked from its single release for the 15th anniversary of the attack on America.

The second half of the CD picks up energy with a series of uptempo songs about relationships: working on them (“Where There’s A Will There’s A Way, celebrating them (“The Secret Of Your Love”) and ruing them (“I’m Down”). The Eric Clapton classic “Tears In Heaven” is done as an acoustic duet with singer Frank Rendo, focusing on the vocals. Meditations on faraway travel, flying and family are found in the pop-jazz “I’m Flying Home Tonight.”  There is a rollicking bluesy dance tune about a swing dance style (“West Coast Swingin’ ", a sequel to Robin’s most downloaded song on iTunes). The CD winds down with a dreamy contemplation of detachment  (“Buddha Watches Silently”) and a searing song (based on a family experience) of a couple’s loss of a child over the holiday season (“Happy New Year”).

"Your voice is as lovely as ever."
(Rich Warren, WFMT-FM, "Midnight Special" syndicated show, Chicago, IL)

“It’s a beautiful album”  (Michael Stock DJ, WLRN, Miami, FL)

“Your best work yet----not to be missed for all the music and variety.” Bill Hahn WFDU

back cover of CD

Robin’s CDs all have in common impeccable production and sounds, and an acoustic base from which she explores various musical styles. Recorded in Pittsburgh, PA and NYC, the musicians include special guests Sony Music Denmark recording artist Aske Jacoby and New Orleans keyboardist Joe Krown (Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown, Krown, Batiste & Washington, Allen Toussaint band). 

The NYC tracks feature musicians who have worked with Robin previously;  Tony Conniff (Phoebe Snow), Michael Visceglia (Suzanne Vega), Doug Yowell (Joe Jackson, Suzanne Vega, Duncan Sheik), Rob Friedman (hit songwriter, producer, Dan Zanes, Bang On A Can All-Stars and some of Pittsburgh’s finest players.

Produced by Robin with Christopher Mark Jones
Recorded in Pittsburgh and State College, PA, and New York, NY.
Rob Friedman produced tracks #8 and 12, Frank Rendo produced track #7

 


"What an album!!!!!! A real gem! It shows the prowess of Robin as a fantastic songwriter, as well as singer. This CD is a MUST!" (Jon Stein " The Hootenanny Cafe" WTBQ, Warwick, NY)

"Congratulations on a superb album!" (Menachem Vinegrad, Upper Gallilee-FM, Israel, Director Jacob's Ladder Festival)