Rob was raised in Chicago and, after graduating from the University of Illinois in 1974 (which, by the way, had an incredible jazz program), returned home. The music scene in Chicago was very active and diverse at that time, affording Rob the opportunity to work and play with many of the area’s leading musicians. Over a 20 year period, he played/jammed/worked and/or had some musical association with such musicians as drummer Paul Wertico (Pat Metheny Band), Michael and Randy Brecker, Joel Spencer, keyboardists’ Judy Roberts, Al Blatter, Peter Saxe, John Campbell, bassists Kelly Sill, Billy Dickens, Richard Patterson, Daryl Jones, Wayne Nelson (Little River band), saxophonists’ Joe Daley, Ron Dewar, Ed Peterson, Carl Cohn, and Rich Corpolongo, multi-instrumentalist Howard Levy (Bela Fleck), and vocalists’ Laurel Masse (Manhattan Transfer) and Linda Eder, as well as recording and performing with trumpeter Bob Perna. During this time, he began a musical relationship with jazz/fusion guitarist Robert Baglione, which continues to this day. They recorded an album in 1983 as the group “Continuum”, which is still available thru either Rob or Bob Baglione. Rob has also played with the Buddy Rich band, as well as drummers Louis Bellson and Roy Burns.
The early 80’s found Rob on the cruise ship SS Norway, where he played with an extremely eclectic and talented group of musicians, which included keyboardist/producer Jim Beard. After leaving the Norway, he toured Canada with Petula Clark, whose band included trumpeter Guy Barker and jazz guitarist Rodney Jones. Immediately after Petula’s tour, he joined the vocal group the Lettermen as a full-time member, playing 200+ dates a year for four years. The Lettermen headlined in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Hawaii, the Philippines, and played subscription series concerts with the Rochester Philharmonic and Cincinnati Pops. Rob played on two of their albums: “Why I love her”, and “Then…and now”.
After leaving the Lettermen, Rob went back to Chicago, and received his Master’s degree in Mechanical/Aerospace engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He currently resides in Cleveland, where he works for the NASA Glenn Research Center as a structural analyst on the Space Shuttle replacement, Orion (Service module). He was also lead analyst for the Combustion Integrated Rack, flying on the International Space Station as part of the FCF facility in the Destiny Lab module. He continues to play jazz and contemporary gigs with local musicians while working on his upcoming CD