Musical Services

Rob has performed in over 20 countries to jubilant crowds, large jazz festivals, and some of the top jazz clubs with some of the world’s finest musicians. Safe to say, no matter what your booking needs are from ‘classy’ concerts to ‘party vibes’, Rob’s diverse repertoire makes his bands a top call.

‍ ‍As a sideman, Rob has been called to join groups such as the Mark Gross Quartet, the Jon Davis Trio, The Chip White Group, Tuure Kilpelainen Band, and myriad musical giants in New York City, Paris, Rome, Mexico City, Helsinki, and more.

As a bandleader, perhaps his favorite concerts were the ones outside of the classic jazz club or festival settings. On one occasion, SONGEVITY Trio featuring tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton and drummer Chris Brown travelled to Yellowknife, North West Territories for a series of concerts and masterclasses. Bringing such creative and powerful music to people in distant locales reminded Rob that sharing his music is a gift that can also have deep impacts in diverse communities. A writer documented part of the group’s Canadian travels in this article in “The Yellowknifer”

Rob takes joy in sharing his knowledge with students of ALL ages. From the 5 year old children of Yellowknife, Canada to the continuing education students in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, Rob has taught masterclasses in nearly 10 countries including Italy, Mexico, and Lithuania. Believe it or not, Rob has also taught classes in both French and Spanish!

Rob was the artistic director of About the Swing— an organization that brought 100 concerts to public schools over 10 years. The program was dedicated to uplifting school children, most of whom did not have a music program in their school. Rob had the opportunity to book prolific artists like Steve Wilson, Wycliffe Gordon, Matt Wilson, and Clarence Penn but it wasn’t just a ‘concert’. ATS would liaise with the school’s English and Art departments and ask them to create an immersive experience into the Harlem Renaissance or a jazz record of their choosing. The students displayed their art and poetry, and in some cases impressively designed entire sets a la Broadway to prepare for the musician’s visit. During his tenure with ATS, Rob worked for several years in conjunction with Steel Pan virtuoso Andre White and Ms. Nyasha Rhoden teaching improvisation, arranging, and bandleading skills to junior high students in Brooklyn. The ensemble, entirely made up of steel pan drums, was impressive to say the least!

In an effort to expose even more people to high quality arts, Rob created “Music Explorers” in conjunction with Dada, a multi disciplinary arts space in his neighborhood Ridgewood, Queens. The event runs weekly on Sunday mornings and is a way for family members of all ages to enjoy music. The belief is that no music is too complex for young people to enjoy. The event took off with packed houses, smiles, and dancing youth from the outset.

Most recently, Rob joined the faculty at the University of Vermont as instructor of bass. Returning to his alma mater twenty years later (nearly to the date!) was a surreal experience for him. Surrounding himself with some of his former professors has certainly given Rob a boost and also a reminder that his work in education is only beginning.

Rob has booked private and public events from Finland to Mexico City, and from Nottingham to Cape Town. From private events such as weddings and corporate events to public hangouts in NYC like the Standard Hotel Highline and the Turnmill, Rob’s musical acts are always EXACTLY what the night calls for…Get in touch no matter where you live and let’s start the party!

Rob is the COO of Jazz Generation, a nonprofit organization based in NYC that has given $3M to jazz and blues musicians since 2015. The programs are vital not just for musicians, but for inner city youth, small business owners, and the general public. The simple premise, to keep musicians working for a more equitable rate, has grown into myriad benefits to NYC including expanding access to high quality arts in diverse locales, rescuing and maintaining pianos, exposing youth to the wonders of music, and increasing the ‘bottom line’ for more than 100 family owned mom-and-pop style venues. Please donate to this extraordinary cause here

Rob worked for 7 years in the hospitality business for Danny Meyer’s Jazz Standard, perhaps in the world’s top five jazz clubs. Through this experience, Rob gained an exceptional knowledge of the industry and the dos and don’ts of front of house management. Rob’s background as both a musician and a student of International Business position him perfectly to help open jazz clubs around the world. Because of this, he has been involved in preliminary discussions for club openings in Tbilisi, Georgia; Tokyo, Japan; Dallas, Texas; Malta; and New York City.