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Bob Mamet

Bob Mamet is an internationally acclaimed Jazz pianist and composer. Born and raised in Chicago Illinois, he attended the prestigious Peabody Conservatory before heading west to Los Angeles to begin a career as a composer and studio musician. Over the next several years he composed music for over a hundred projects in T.V. film, and advertising, in addition to touring as a sideman and bandleader.

Bob's distinctive mixture of Jazz styles and composition caught the ear of the major record labels, and in 1994 he signed with Atlantic Records. Bob recorded three highly successful albums for Atlantic, plus additional recordings for Sony and Warner Brothers. His collaborations with artists such as Alex Acuna, Larry Carlton, Eric Marienthal, Gerald Albright, David Benoit and countless other top artists led Jazziz magazine to proclaim him a "brilliant composer" who gives his players "an intelligent, thoughtful, and vibrant musical landscape in which to work."

During this period Bob released a string of hit records, garnering extensive radio airplay worldwide. Most notable among these was "Greenstreet," a hybrid of acoustic and contemporary Jazz idioms. Greenstreet captured the imagination of Jazz and Pop listeners alike, topping the charts for 7 weeks, and remaining to this day a fixture on the radio.

Bob has played sold out shows from large festivals to renowned Jazz clubs, incorporating vibrant and diverse styles into his acoustic piano performances. He has been described as a "master of melody and structure" by The San Francisco Chronicle; "adventurous… sparkling… intriguing" by Jazz Times Magazine; and the Chicago Sun Times calls him simply "The Natural."

Bob has continued to compose music for a variety of projects, including the critically acclaimed score for the film "Lakeboat." It features a 60-piece orchestra with individual Jazz Trio vignettes, each one corresponding to a different character in the film. The lyrical acoustic Jazz approach Bob utilized in the soundtrack became the catalyst for his latest CD Impromptu.

Impromptu marks Bob's long awaited return to the recording studio, and is his first as the Bob Mamet Trio. The ten original compositions are a modern take on the classic Jazz trio, invoking the memory of lyrical Jazz pianists such as Bill Evans and Vince Guaraldi. The stellar sidemen on the album include virtuoso bassist Darek Oles, and legendary drummer Joe La Barbera.

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7
Album Review

Bob Mamet: London House Blues

Read "London House Blues" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Chicago's now defunct London House was one of the great jazz clubs from a bygone era. Stellar talents like pianist Oscar Peterson and vocalist Sarah Vaughan recorded live albums there, and most of jazz's legendary figures, from Dave Brubeck to Bill Evans to Cannonball Adderley, passed through at one time or another. On his first release for the Blujazz imprint, Chicago-based pianist Bob Mamet tips his cap to this venue and the other clubs (i.e. Mr. Kelly's, Rick's Cafe Americain, ...

253
Album Review

Bob Mamet: Impromptu

Read "Impromptu" reviewed by Woodrow Wilkins


No gimmicks. No trends. All business. The Bob Mamet Trio gets straight to the point with Impromptu.Chicago-born Mamet studied at Peabody Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles, where he has worked a composer and session musician, showing his versatility in television, film, advertising and performance. Associations include Alex Acuna, Larry Carlton, Eric Marienthal, Gerald Albright and David Benoit. For Impromptu, Mamet is accompanied by Darek Oles on bass and Joe La Barbera on drums.The title song ...

276
Album Review

Bob Mamet: Impromptu

Read "Impromptu" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


The title of Impromptu is somewhat misleading. All three musicians in this trio have lightning-quick reflexes and great improvisational skills that certainly help to make instant magic, but the songs themselves aren't off-the-cuff creations as the title might imply. Pianist Bob Mamet has crafted ten catchy charts in a variety of styles and leaves plenty of solo space to spare. The first two tracks--"Impromptu" and “Cats On The Roof"--are comfortable swing vehicles that introduce Mamet's playing without ...

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In a Family of Artists, Bob Mamet Is 'The Natural' -Chicago Sun Times

Without a wasted note in the bunch, this crew serves up classic jazz trio work without making it sound like old man jazz. A great listening date in any setting, this set has it all on the ball and mainstream jazz fans can use it as a cudgel to beat naysayers over the head when they turn up their nose at the notion of mainstream. This is a winner throughout. -Midwest Record

An understated player who digs into the meaningful refrains rather than the flashy runs, Mamet offers adventurous, challenging compositions which evolve and change. -Jazz Times Magazine

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Impromptu

Counterpoint Records
2010

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Signs Of Life

Atlantic Records
1994

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