Raw trio Ruby Otis performs at the Cinema Bar this week, so singer Sabrina Judge told the News about what they have in store for Culver City…
When did you start playing and performing? When did the band form?
Ruby Otis is a music project I started during COVID. Because of lockdown, I had time to record music again. I released an album called Ruby Otis in 2023. A little over a year and a half ago I started playing open mics at Kulaks Woodshed by myself. At the open mics, I would see John Palmer play drums with other musicians and thought he was the coolest. One day John said, “If you ever need a drummer let me know.” I did and we have been playing together ever since. A few months after John and I started playing together a friend introduced me to Ben Getting, who plays upright bass (also the coolest!). The three of us have been playing together for over a year.
I have been writing songs since my early 20s. I started writing and playing music with a guitar player in the late ‘80s. We played the vibrant Los Angeles coffee shop music scene for years. My second band, Wheel, played around Los Angeles a lot in the early ‘90s. After Wheel disbanded around 1995, I reset and started playing music that was different from my first two bands. In 2002, I released a self titled album – Sabrina Judge. We played around town a bit, it was fun to do something so different from my first two bands. When that band stopped playing around, I kept on writing songs but stopped playing out.
Describe your sound…
Ruby Otis is a trio: piano (or keyboard when the venue does not have a piano), upright bass, and drums. It’s a world where Carol King meets Pattis Smith, sung as if I am fighting for my life. It has a rawness, a truth. I love simple, soulful songs.
What are your career highlights so far?
Playing The Cinema Bar on July 9th at 8 p.m.
What recorded music is available?
We just released a new single “Weather Systems,” on June 26. It’s available on most streaming platforms. Here’s a link to my Subvert page: https://www.subvert.fm/ruby-otis/tracks/weather-systems
My husband, Aaron Glascock produced and mixed it. Aaron is a sound designer and drummer. I love that he is working on the Ruby Otis recordings. He is the fourth member of the band. Ruby Otis’ 2023 album is also available on most streaming platforms.
Have you performed at Cinema Bar before?
This will be our fifth time playing Cinema Bar. We love playing there. The people are friendly and supportive and appreciate live music. My favorite memory is of a very enthusiastic young lady dancing while we were playing and when the song ended she yelled that she loved me. Who doesn’t love being loved?! It was very sweet.
What can we expect from the set this time?
We are playing a stripped down version of our new single “Weather Systems”. Because we are a trio our live set is more intimate and stripped down than our recordings.
What else do you have coming up?
More shows coming up, please check https://rubyotis.com/ or Instagram @rubyotismusic for updates. We are very happy to be working on new recordings right now, and will be releasing a new EP this Winter.
Ruby Otis performs at 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 9 at the Cinema Bar. Go to thecinemabar.com for more information about the venue.
Elsewhere this week
The next concert at Boulevard Music is on Saturday, July 11, with Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys. Go to boulevardmusic.com for more info.