Bob Szajner (12 September 1938 – 9 November 2019) was an American jazz pianist.[1]
Early lifeedit
Born on September 12, 1938, Bob Szajner grew up listening to talented relatives playing various instruments. His mother taught him the basics of music and how to play piano at a very early age.
In 1948, he won first prize in the "Frankie Carle Piano Contest". This entitled him to one weeks performance at the Fox Theater in Detroit. He was one of the opening acts on the bill (a vaudeville theme) for Billie Holiday along with a comedian and an acrobatic duo. He enjoyed listening to Billie Holiday's style of music and accompaniment for her. This was the beginning of his quest for his own personal style.
Ten years later, for at least ten years, he started writing and performing "Modern Jazz" later known as "Bebop" and then later as "Hard Bop". He performed with many musicians from the "Detroit jazz" scene at various sessions, venues and jazz clubs throughout the Detroit metropolitan area. He often worked with Donald Byrd, Charlie McPherson, Lonnie Hillyer, Roy Brooks, Yusef Lateef, Pepper Adams, Frank Isola, and others as a back-up piano player.
Later careeredit
For the next ten years, he wrote some tunes, but really became quite dismayed and disappointed with the business of music, especially, the lack of audience. Then on October 8, 1978 (his 18th wedding anniversary), he recorded material for an album with his old school friend, drummer Roy Brooks and Roy's bass man Ray McKinney. "The Bob Szajner Triad" was a three record set of his original compositions. A twenty-seven tune recording session performing original music never played before or rehearsed and without second takes. This was the "Triad" concept. This led to performances at "The Cafe Detroit", "The Detroit Jazz Center", and the "Montreux Detroit Jazz Festival 1981".
Later albums featuring Ed Pickens on bass and Frank Isola on drums (The Bob Szajner Triad II), were recorded in 1981 at "The Detroit Jazz Center World Stage".[2]
^Deshpande, Jay (2008-07-24). "Live at the Detroit Montreux Jazz Festival". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
April 09, 2024
szajner, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citati. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Bob Szajner news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article is an autobiography or has been extensively edited by the subject or by someone connected to the subject It may need editing to conform to Wikipedia s neutral point of view policy There may be relevant discussion on the talk page August 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Bob Szajner 12 September 1938 9 November 2019 was an American jazz pianist 1 Early life editBorn on September 12 1938 Bob Szajner grew up listening to talented relatives playing various instruments His mother taught him the basics of music and how to play piano at a very early age In 1948 he won first prize in the Frankie Carle Piano Contest This entitled him to one weeks performance at the Fox Theater in Detroit He was one of the opening acts on the bill a vaudeville theme for Billie Holiday along with a comedian and an acrobatic duo He enjoyed listening to Billie Holiday s style of music and accompaniment for her This was the beginning of his quest for his own personal style Ten years later for at least ten years he started writing and performing Modern Jazz later known as Bebop and then later as Hard Bop He performed with many musicians from the Detroit jazz scene at various sessions venues and jazz clubs throughout the Detroit metropolitan area He often worked with Donald Byrd Charlie McPherson Lonnie Hillyer Roy Brooks Yusef Lateef Pepper Adams Frank Isola and others as a back up piano player Later career editFor the next ten years he wrote some tunes but really became quite dismayed and disappointed with the business of music especially the lack of audience Then on October 8 1978 his 18th wedding anniversary he recorded material for an album with his old school friend drummer Roy Brooks and Roy s bass man Ray McKinney The Bob Szajner Triad was a three record set of his original compositions A twenty seven tune recording session performing original music never played before or rehearsed and without second takes This was the Triad concept This led to performances at The Cafe Detroit The Detroit Jazz Center and the Montreux Detroit Jazz Festival 1981 Later albums featuring Ed Pickens on bass and Frank Isola on drums The Bob Szajner Triad II were recorded in 1981 at The Detroit Jazz Center World Stage 2 References edit Obituary for Bob Szajner in Legacy Deshpande Jay 2008 07 24 Live at the Detroit Montreux Jazz Festival All About Jazz Retrieved 2010 07 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bob Szajner amp oldid 1187756818, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
