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397:. He asked him to transpose keyboard parts to horn and saxophone, as well as follow polyrhythms and metric modulations. But it was Martin's vocal ability that secured his place in the band, especially his ability to sing melodies an octave higher than expected in natural voice, without the need of falsetto. He subsequently performed on all Zappa's tours and albums until the last tour in 1988.
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He began his interest in music very early. At home his parents had a Lester Spinet piano, and as soon as he was tall enough to reach the keys, he taught himself to play by ear. "I recognized chord progressions and melodies, and I could reproduce them after I had listened to them." He started taking
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Martin learned to play french horn in elementary school. When he was in third grade, students were given a test to choose pupils for the band. He got a perfect score on the test and was given a french horn in fourth grade at age nine. A few years later he became passionate about the
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piano lessons at age 8, although he already knew how to play and compose blues. After learning to read music he left the lessons, because "I preferred what I was able to learn on my own." He is completely self-taught with his voice and with almost all the instruments, especially
206:, giving Robert access to a variety of 78 RPM records. Growing up in the 1950s in this city, and with a deeply musical atmosphere at home, he was exposed to a broad spectrum of music. "The first piece of music I remember hearing, identifying and asking for was
216:. I used to ask my mom to play that piece – it was the most intensely visual music I had ever heard." Apart from the exposure to classical music he gained through his parents and through performances of the
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in
Philadelphia. Between 1969 and 1974, Martin interpreted the french horn in a variety of successes of that time. At this stage he played on many records that helped to establish the
282:. Finally at age 13 he persuaded the head of the band to let him play the saxophone. After a few weeks he had learned the instrument well enough to become the main
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needed a musician for the 1981 tour. He was scheduled to audition the next day. In the audition Zappa put Martin to the test on keyboards, tenor saxophone and
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In 1969, Martin entered the Curtis
Institute of Music where he undertook intensive classical studies. In Curtis, he had
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was his great mentor, who encouraged him to sing with her in her live performances over a period of fifteen years.
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Martin was born in
Philadelphia in June 1948, the son of opera singers. His grandmother worked at
569:. Regarding this aspect of his musical life Martin has stated that it served to "pay the bills".
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In 1981 Dave Robb, top technician on the road crew for
Orleans in the 1970s, told Robert that
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and other instruments. He is mainly known for collaborating in the 1980s with the musician
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530:, Germany. In 2010, he performed with Collectif LeBocal and The Central Scrutinizer Band.
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121:(born June 29, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born in
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713:"Robert Bobby Martin French Horn Welcome to the Official RObert Bobby Martin Web Site"
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Robert (Bobby) Martin – Frank Zappa 1981–88 – vocals, keyboards, sax, french horn.
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In 1987 he performed on, arranged and co-produced the album
American Soul Man for
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Since 1986, Martin has owned and operated his own studio and has diversified into
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Think Method
Production with Stephen Boyd. He recognizes as musical influences
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Martin began his professional career in his own city, before heading to the
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Between tours with Zappa, he obtained the position of musical director for
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In 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2023, Martin was a special guest at
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Robert Martin on the stage with
Zappawoman Trio (Zappanale 2022)
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in his discography exemplify the breadth of his musical life.
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that was played in the city's clubs. The presence of
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and wanted to play the saxophone after listening to
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378:In 1978 he performed horn and saxophone on two
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637:"Robert Martin Sez Hello - Zappa Wiki Jawaka"
506:– Frank Zappa 1988 – tenor saxophone and EWI.
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667:"Robert A. Martin – Biography & History"
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17:
466:In 1986 he toured with Michael McDonald.
685:"INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT MARTIN, 22.5.09"
606:"INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT MARTIN, 22.5.09"
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494:– Frank Zappa 1978–84 – vocals, guitar.
234:show, and he listened to the excellent
463:for advertising, film and television.
109:, keyboards, flute, harmonica, Alphorn
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885:21st-century American male musicians
500:– Frank Zappa 1973–75, 1978 – bass.
880:21st-century American saxophonists
355:Philadelphia International Records
137:, although he is also a prominent
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895:Curtis Institute of Music alumni
480:Martin is a member of the group
845:American multi-instrumentalists
584:Discography on United Mutations
533:He composed the music for the
360:Regarding his role as singer,
89:Rock, R&B, Jazz, Classical
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763:"Bobby Martin | Credits"
367:In the 1970s he was part of
258:, which he perfected at the
224:music, he regularly watched
347:If You Don't Know Me by Now
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875:American male saxophonists
870:American rock saxophonists
559:and three seasons of the
260:Curtis Institute of Music
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855:American rock musicians
547:. He also composed for
890:Orleans (band) members
641:Wiki.killuglyradio.com
295:Philadelphia Orchestra
280:David "Fathead" Newman
264:National Honor Society
218:Philadelphia Orchestra
171:David "Fathead" Newman
40:Background information
865:American male singers
860:American keyboardists
850:American rock singers
119:Robert "Bobby" Martin
792:United-mutations.com
717:Multimartinmusic.com
561:Lifetime Television
537:television program
444:, and many others.
327:Sigma Sound Studios
204:Trenton, New Jersey
167:Cannonball Adderley
50:Robert Allen Martin
482:Banned From Utopia
430:The Rolling Stones
408:, and worked with
231:American Bandstand
143:production company
105:voice, saxophone,
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566:Intimate Portrait
512:– guitar, vocals.
335:Me and Mrs. Jones
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307:Lorin Maazel
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278:saxophonist
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209:The Firebird
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163:Mose Allison
159:Rachmaninoff
123:Philadelphia
118:
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79:Philadelphia
60:Bobby Martin
15:
835:1948 births
573:Discography
556:Martial Law
528:Bad Doberan
516:Joel Taylor
504:Albert Wing
449:programming
391:Frank Zappa
384:Moody Blues
311:Seiji Ozawa
291:Mason Jones
276:Ray Charles
256:french horn
179:Frank Zappa
147:Ray Charles
135:Frank Zappa
107:french horn
829:Categories
589:References
498:Tom Fowler
426:Etta James
422:Boz Scaggs
362:Etta James
343:Love Train
323:west coast
226:Dick Clark
214:Stravinsky
183:Etta James
175:Steely Dan
151:Stravinsky
131:saxophones
94:Occupation
72:1948-06-29
46:Birth name
797:April 27,
772:April 27,
747:April 27,
722:April 27,
694:April 27,
646:April 27,
616:April 27,
524:Zappanale
492:Ray White
457:mastering
373:Woodstock
194:Childhood
189:Biography
767:AllMusic
671:AllMusic
580:AllMusic
563:program
550:Baywatch
518:– drums.
345:", and "
222:Big Band
155:Coltrane
97:Musician
369:Orleans
70: (
540:Cybill
453:mixing
317:Career
86:Genres
284:tenor
272:blues
799:2017
774:2017
749:2017
724:2017
696:2017
648:2017
618:2017
459:and
404:and
395:horn
341:", "
337:", "
309:and
242:and
236:jazz
181:and
127:horn
65:Born
535:CBS
526:in
473:on
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353:of
228:'s
212:by
202:in
200:RCA
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