BIO
Rob's musical background began when, at the age of four, he was given a 4-hole, miniature harmonica by his great uncle Sammy. Rob learned recorder in 3rd and 4th grades at Elm Street school in Laconia, NH. In 5th grade, at a demonstration of band instruments, Rob chose clarinet because he "would be able to see his fingers". Rob took private clarinet lessons, first from Ray Ladieu, an instructor on Morrill St. in Laconia, then later from Professor Vincent Marinelli, at Plymouth State College. When Rob tried out for the Laconia Sachem's marching band in 10th grade, he was surprised when he was selected by band director Bob Cole to play First Clarinet, First Chair.
Around this time, Rob also became reacquainted with the harmonica, at first playing folk tunes, and then later the blues, on his 10-hole Hohner "Marine Band" harmonica. Rob spent the next few summers serenading passers-by on the Boardwalk with his "blues harp", and studied with blues harpist Pierre Beauregard.
Rob transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy for his junior and senior years of high school. While at Exeter, Rob commuted to Boston on the weekends, where he studied classical clarinet at the Boston Conservatory, and jazz clarinet with Perry Robinson.
Shortly before Rob was to start his freshman year at Tufts University, Rob was at a private jazz jam session in Gilford, when he was blown away by the creativity and soulfulness of the great NH seacoast saxophonist Charlie Jennison. Rob was inspired to take up the saxophone, began studies with Jennison, and chose to begin on the soprano saxophone, as its smaller size was most similar to the clarinet.
Soon after starting on the sax, Rob also started to learn piano. In the late 1970's, Rob's family had purchased Locke's Manor, the former Hotel Samoset, on Centenary Avenue in Weirs Beach. Spying a beautiful old upright piano in the parlor of the former Hotel, Rob claimed it, had it refurbished back to playing condition, and began teaching himself the chords and scales. This was vital to Rob's later development as a composer, as the piano is the composer's fundamental tool of the trade.
Rob's major at Tufts was Economics, but he continued to develop his soprano sax playing, and took up the tenor sax. While at Tufts, Rob was able to take a couple of courses at the New England Conservatory, with which Tufts had an exchange agreement. Rob took an ear training course with Ran Blake, and an arranging course with Jaki Byard. Also while at Tufts, Rob took a course from famed jazz historian and piano/sax player Lewis Porter, who was teaching at Tuft's "Experimental College" at the time.
After Tufts, Rob continued studying music, even as he obtained his graduate MBA degree at the University of California, Berkeley. He was in the U.C. Berkeley Jazz Ensembles, headed by jazz pianist Susan Muscarella, and took private lessons from Bay Area sax great Mel Martin.
After Berkeley, Rob re-entered the family business - the Half Moon Enterprises in Weirs Beach, NH. In fact, Rob had never really left the family business, working there every summer since a young child. He had only missed working there the two summers that he had spent in California.
In September of 1981, Rob started college all over again at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. There, he studied saxophone with Joe Viola, piano with Mike Marra, and arranging with Greg Hopkins. Rob has the distinction of attending two different educational institutions that are homophones: Berklee and Berkeley.
After three semesters at Berklee, Rob transferred to the New England Conservatory, where he studied two semesters. This was the second time around at NEC for Rob, where he had been a part-time student while at Tufts. Now a full-time student at NEC, Rob studied saxophone with master sax teacher Joe Allard, Third Stream with Ran Blake, and arranging with George Russell.
Rob then spent three years, from 1984-1986, as a partner in a recording studio business called Syntone, located at 1108 Boylston St in Boston, near Berklee. Syntone was the Boston distributor of the Synclavier Digital Music System - the world's first integrated computer music system, which featured polyphonic sampling, FM synthesis, music sequencing, music printing and digital recording. At the time, the cost for the system, which was manufactured by New England Digital of White River Junction, VT, started at a staggering $50,000. With the advance of technology, a similar system can now be bought today for less than $2000.
In 1991, Rob's family business in NH expanded with the purchase of the Winnipesaukee Marketplace in Weirs Beach. The Patio Garden Restaurant was soon opened on the property, and for the next 30 years, Rob was involved in booking and presenting live music several times a week at the restaurant, in addition to his own band's appearances on Sunday nights. Rob also booked 4 bands a day to play on two stages during Laconia Motorcycle Week, the busiest week of the year at the restaurant.
In 1998, Rob was gifted a Musser M-75, a top-of-the-line vibraphone, when Rob's brother-in-law, a vibes enthusiast, passed away. Rob then took private lessons on the vibes from Ed Saindon at Berklee. Later, Rob would feature the instrument during his live performances, switching back and forth from sax to vibes.
From 2014-2020, Rob booked the Weirs Beach Jazz Series at the restaurant. The series ran on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays on weekends in July and August. Almost all of the professional jazz musicians from New Hampshire were booked there at least once during this time span.
Rob took advantage of this Who's-Who of NH jazz musicians by customarily sitting in with the jazz artist of the night for a portion of their middle or final set. This contributed greatly to Rob's growth and confidence as a jazz musician.
Unfortunately, because of the Covid-19 pandemic and other reasons, the Winnipesaukee Marketplace property was sold in October, 2020. Rob still performs at the new restaurant located there, Bar Salida.
Rob's latest project is as producer of the NH Jazz Festival, scheduled for August 21st, 2022, at the Colonial Theatre in Laconia, NH. More details on the festival will be forthcoming.
Over the years, Rob has featured many, many NH musicians in his group, the Boardwalk Jazz Quartet. These include:
Drums - Craig Bryan, Dave Ellis, Jared Steer, Mike Walsh, Les Harris Jr., Neil Shilansky, Carol Chapin
Bass - Al Hospers, Rob Gerry, Mike Gruen, Rob Gourlay, Scott Kiefner, Joey Pirog, Don Saviano
Keys - Alex Minasian, Tom Robinson, Steve Warnick, Alan Rowe
Guitar - Jarrod Taylor, Paul Bourgelais, Dave Tonkin
Miami Connection: Rob has been a regular winter traveler to the Miami, Florida area his entire life. His parents were snowbirds. They at first rented a house for the winter, then bought a condo, which remains in the family, now shared with Rob's brothers. The condo is located in Coral Gables, midway between Coconut Grove and South Miami. When in Miami, Rob has enjoyed playing at the jam sessions at a variety of Miami jazz hotspots: Churchill's, the Fish House, Le Chat Noir, and many other Miami-area clubs over the years.