
After receiving his PhD in clinical psychology from New York University, Robert’s first job was playing keyboards in a band at the legendary Concord Hotel in New York’s famed “Borscht Belt.” From the age of 15, he had been playing in the Catskill Mountains during summers and working on weekends as a “club date” musician in the New York Metropolitan area, playing at thousands of weddings, bar mitzvahs, and corporate events. Subsequently, Robert was keyboardist for noted Greek and Middle Eastern bandleader Gus Vali, with whom he toured throughout the United States, Morocco, and the Caribbean, performing music from the Great American Songbook, as well as Greek and Middle Eastern specialties. During this time, Robert studied at the Juilliard School and recorded Mainly Mozart, a popularization of Mozart’s A minor piano sonata, K. 310, with world famous drummer Steve Gadd, renowned guitarist Elliot Randall, and orchestra.
Over the past two decades, Robert has been performing and recording with James Cammack, long time bassist for celebrated jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. They have been playing both Robert's original music as well as songs from the Great American Songbook. One of Robert's recent projects combines Jim with a cadre of classical musicians for the realization of his original music. Included are Timothy Fain, extolled by New York Times chief classical music critic Anthony Tomassini as a “brilliant young American violinist...(with)…technical finesse, lyrical ardor, and cagey control,” cellist Arash Amini, who recently had his Alice Tully Hall debut, the talented flutist Eveline Kuhn, and prominent international percussionist Satoshi Takeishi. The sextet had their seminal performance at Norton Hall, now owned by the Grammy's. A sextet CD (available from Robert) and music video, Homage to Vermeer, were realized from this concert.
Most recently, Robert had the good fortune to record his original music with the legendary bassist Ron Carter, along with violinist Tim Fain and drummer Jerome Jennings, who teaches jazz at the Juilliard School. Please click on the cover above to listen to the music. Click on the image below to watch the music video.
I hope you enjoy my efforts.
Robert Allan
January 1, 2021
Over the past two decades, Robert has been performing and recording with James Cammack, long time bassist for celebrated jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. They have been playing both Robert's original music as well as songs from the Great American Songbook. One of Robert's recent projects combines Jim with a cadre of classical musicians for the realization of his original music. Included are Timothy Fain, extolled by New York Times chief classical music critic Anthony Tomassini as a “brilliant young American violinist...(with)…technical finesse, lyrical ardor, and cagey control,” cellist Arash Amini, who recently had his Alice Tully Hall debut, the talented flutist Eveline Kuhn, and prominent international percussionist Satoshi Takeishi. The sextet had their seminal performance at Norton Hall, now owned by the Grammy's. A sextet CD (available from Robert) and music video, Homage to Vermeer, were realized from this concert.
Most recently, Robert had the good fortune to record his original music with the legendary bassist Ron Carter, along with violinist Tim Fain and drummer Jerome Jennings, who teaches jazz at the Juilliard School. Please click on the cover above to listen to the music. Click on the image below to watch the music video.
I hope you enjoy my efforts.
Robert Allan
January 1, 2021