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Rob was obsessed with music, spending hours in front of his brother's stereo absorbing everything he could about music even from the early ages of 4 and 5. By 8, Rob started playing the guitar at the encouragement of his audiophile brothers. After getting a "handle" on things on his own, he started taking lessons after a couple of years of self teaching, learning to read music, understand theory, and developing his ear. In eighth grade he auditioned for the senior jazz band at White Rock Junior under the direction of famed music teacher, Dave Proznick. White Rock Junior then almagamated with the Senior high and eventually became Semiahmoo Secondary. Semiahmoo became one of the most talked about and celebrated high school music programs in the country. At this same time Rob began studying with Canadian jazz guitar legend Oliver Gannon from age 12 becoming one of the youngest students to ever study with the guitar master. Rob took home countless honours, scholarships, and prizes at music festivals nationally and internationally including the Lionel Hampton Music Festival and Musicfest Canada. By the time of graduation, Rob had aquired a full tuition scholarship to the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and was even awarded the coveted BEST (Berklee Entering Student Talent) scholarship for his playing. Rob went to Boston and studied and played with some of the world's best (Hal Crook, Reuben Rodgers, Aaron Goldberg, Jerry Bergonzi, Al DeFino, Garrison Fewell, Teodross Avery, Jim Oblon, Steve Rochinsky). Rob then returned to Canada and completed his post secondary education at Capilano College studying with such local giants as Bill Coon, Ihor Kukuruhdza, Brad Turner, Stan Karp, and Rejean Marois.
Now Rob plays guitar and tours regularly with such high profile international artists the likes of Moka Only, Soul Decision, Lee Aaron, Kayle, and Kia Kadiri as well as local Vancouver favorites Chad Makela’s Quartet, Chris Gestrin's Green Eggs and Hammond, and party band Famous Players who can be seen every Halloween and New Years as the resident house band at Vancouver's famed Commodore. Rob is also a full time member and frequently leader of the legendary Soulstream, who began their reign almost 11 years ago at Bar None, bringing the funk every Monday and Tuesday. Soulstream won the "best house band" in the Georgia Straight newspaper and that a recommendation to stop at Bar None to see them be on the top ten "must dos" while in Vancouver. Soulstream mounts Rob alongside such Canadian heavyweight musicians as Randall Stoll, Brad Turner, Chris Gestrin, Pepe Danza, Karen Graves, Vince Mai, Bill Runge, Darren Parris, Tim Fuller, and Rebecca Shoichet each having credentials way too long to list. Rob has extensive studio, composing, and performing experience and his playing is featured on video games such as “The Simpson’s Hit and Run” in which he served not only as session guitarist, but bandleader as well. His composing is featured on television shows such as “The L-Word” and "The Dead Zone" with his hip-hop tune "True Soul" co-written by Kia Kadiri and Scott Sanft. Known as one of the busiest and most in demand guitarists in Vancouver, it’s not unheard of for Rob to play up to 250 gigs a year! Although he considers himself a “jazz” guitarist, Rob is heavily influenced and involved in many styles of music including rock, funk, hip hop, classical, reggae, metal, world, and country.
As a music fan first and foremost, Rob has a deep affinity for the music of Wes Montgomery, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Pat Metheny, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ahmad Jamal, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Barney Kessel, John Scofield, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Mingus, Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass, Pat Martino, John McLaughlin, George Benson, Jim Hall, Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Beastie Boys, Keith Jarrett, Otis Redding, Cake, Interpol, Bill Evans, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, Paul Motian, Led Zeppelin, NERD, Clipse, Dexter Gordon, Steve Reich, Rush, Bob Marley, Jeff Buckley, Mos Def, Leonard Cohen, The Band, Jaco Pastorius, The Tragically Hip, The Funk Brothers, Parliament, Earth Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang, Curtis Mayfield, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Peter Gabriel, The Meters, Genesis, Chris Cornell, Soundgarden, Rage against the Machine, The Clash, David Bowie, Nile Rogers, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Michael Jackson, Franz Ferdinand, Steve Cropper, Dwight Yoakum, Moka Only, Tribe Called Quest, Hank Williams III, Kenny Wheeler, Johnny Cash, Lenny Breau, Willie Nelson, Chet Atkins, Earl Scruggs, Ornette Coleman, Paul Chambers Wynton Kelly and Jimmy Cobb/Philly Joe Jones, AC/DC, The Roots, Kinnie Starr, Chris Gestrin, Jon Bentley, Brad Turner, Metalwood, Seamus Blake, Chad Makela, Oliver Gannon, Bill Coon, Ihor Kukuruhdza, Coco Love Alcorn, Ben Monder, The Front, Sweatshop Union, TyC and JC Subliminal, Sloan, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, NWA, Snoop, Glenn Gould, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Messhugah, Megadeth, Art Blakey, Van Halen, Yes, Kia Kadiri, K-os, James Brown, The Police, Shakti, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Bach, Aaron Copeland, Bartok, Tragically Hip, U2, Mark Turner, The Bad Plus, Radiohead, Elliot Smith, Aimee Mann, Joni Mitchell, Elvin Jones, Steve Grossman, Prince, and anyone else that makes music from both sides of their brain.
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