Bob Szajner
My blogs
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Musician |
| Location | West Bloomfield, Michigan, United States |
| Introduction | Born on September 12, 1938, he 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 her (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. |