Bob Bartosik plays FORESTONE reeds

on soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones.

    


Long-time saxophonist Bob Bartosik continues searching along many traditional and non-traditional musical paths. Bob is inspired by saxophonists Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Ben Webster, Sonny Stitt, Stan Getz, Joe Lovano and Chris Potter among many others.

As a child, Bob quickly gravitated to the sound of the saxophone after a short time on piano. First forrays into jazz resulted in high accolades as a soloist in Mission Bay High School's award winning Jazz Ensemble of early 1980's on tours of California jazz festivals.

The mid-1980s saw stints in several short-lived San Diego rock, blues and ska bands. Upon completing a Bachelor's Degree in TV, Film & Radio Production from San Diego State in 1986, Bob immediately moved to San Francisco to become part of the end of the legendary SF punk scene at the Mab, Stone, On Broadway, Farm & other hotspots. Joining blues drenched, psychedellic punks Housecoat Project (www.myspace.com/housecoatproject) for 2 albums on Subterranean Records as well as several regional and national tours (one sponsored by Jaegermeister liqueur) resulted in national acclaim of Bob's jazz-influenced explorations into the unlikely punk rock genre. The late 80s and early 90's saw several cameo appearances with psychedellic punks Bomb (www.hitsofacid.com - Warner Bros./Boner Records), Czech punks Life After Life (www.myspace.com/lifeafterlifeafterlife - Alternative Tentacles) & rockers The Faraway Brothers (www.myspace.com/farawaybrothersband - NMX Records). Bob's tenor sax was heard on TV commercials for Intel & Pacific Bell during this time.

Rediscovering jazz in the mid 90's, Bob founded the Isosceles Quartet & later the 415 Quintet as　vehicles for exploring jazz forms & concepts. Bob pulled together members of both groups to become San Francisco's favorite electrified jazzers, Bitches' Brew, in 1999. Bitches Brew was voted SF Weekly readers' favorite jazz band of 2000. Moving to back San Diego shortly thereafter, Bob found steady work as a featured soloist with jazz and roots acts. 

The 2007 soundtrack of "Hubert Selby Jr.: It'll Be Better Tomorrow," a documentary on author Hubert Selby Jr. (www.hulu.com/hubert-selby-jr-itll-be-better-tomorrow) featured Bob's music prominently (DVD menu music, opening titles music and in many scenes). [Hubert "Cubby" Selby, Jr. (July 23, 1928-April 26, 2004) was the author of Last Exit To Brooklyn, The Room, The Demon, Requiem for a Dream , The Willow Tree, Waiting Period, and a book of short stories, Song of the Silent Snow. "It/ll Be Better Tomorrow" follows Selby Jr. overcoming tuberculosis, drug addiction and financial ruin before becoming successful.]

Taking leave of the live music scene for a few years, Bob mixed sound nightly for emmy-award winning TV newscasts on XETV Channel 6, but stayed involved in writing, producing and recording. Bob's self-produced 2008 album "Double Triple" garnered a Best Jazz Album nomination from the San Diego Music Awards. Returning to full-time musician status has brought steady club and recording work in Southern California. Bob also enjoys teaching sax lessons to motivated students.

Preproduction has begun on a 3rd album featuring more of Bob's original music and some of San Diego's up and coming musicians. Bob recently formed SDJazz.com as a tool to bring together working jazz musicians and performance opportunities.

Bob Bartosik - Double Triple, SDJazz.com, 2008

Discography:

The Ambassador - New Roots, 2011
Housecoat Project - Girlfiend (1988 recording), Subterannean Records, 2010
Danny Massure - Busted, Spring Strut Recodings, 2010
Reverend Stickman - Half Alive: Stories From Under The Black Hat, 2010
Bob Bartosik - Double Triple, SDJazz.com, 2008
Soundtrack - Hubert Selby Jr.: It\ll Be Better Tomorrow, 2005
Bob Bartosik Quartet - Berkeley Session, Shadowco, 2003
Bob Bartosik Quartet - Banned In SF, Split Reed Records SRR 01, 2001
Faraway Brothers - Start The Engine & Drive Away, NMX Records NMX 0093FB, 1999
Rhythm Pigs - Project Fake: A Tribute to The Minutemen,"Corona", Easy Money Records EMO #4, 1997
Soundtrack - "Theme from Mary Jane Is Not A Virgin Anymore" from the film "Mary Jane Is Not A Virgin Anymore" 1997 (Sundance Film Fest)
Soundtrack - Intel TV commercial introducing MMX chips, 1997
Under Melissa Blue - It's Bluer Than You Think, Quane Street Records QSR-001, 1997
Soundtrack - Pacific Bell TV commercial, 1996
Housecoat Project - Wide Eye Doo Dat, Subterranean Records SUB 61, 1987
Bomb - To Elvis In Hell, World Records WRA1-369, 1986
Phobia Phobia - The Phobia Phobia Story (Double LP), self release, 1985 

Well-known musicians Bob has been honored to perform with:

Dave Hoffman (Ray Charles), Dr. Carl Hammond (Burt Bacharach, Harry Connick, Sr., Nelson Riddle Orchestra), Eric McFadden (P-Funk, George Clinton, EMT, Eric Burdon & The Animals), Ed Ivey, Paulo Baldi, Robert Lanuza, Wayne Foster, Kevin Dow, Richard Michos, Ken Kearney, Melecio Magdaluyo (Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston, Pete Escovedo, Santana), Dave Slusser (John Zorn, Rubber City), Ralph Carney (Tom Waits, B-52's, Bill Laswell), Jim Juhn, Johnny Serano, Red Archibald, George Adelson, Ben Randall, Randy Creighton, Tony DiBono, Jay Crawford, Michael Dean, Michel Schorro, David Petrione, Tommy Price, Buzz Campbell (Hot Rod Lincoln), Ezra Gale (Bitch's Brew, Aphrodesia, Mas Cabeza), Eli Cruz, John Abella, Ben Wanicur, Darren Plies, Danny Cao, Tommy Collins, Joey Carano, Ed Reeves, Paul Diffin, Ben Levine, Joe Kyle, Michael McIntosh, Shan Kenner, Charlie Hall, Chris McGrew, Volonte Williams, Charles Ferris, Michael Parsons, Riz Rizza, Bruce Grafrath, Jason Littlefield, Bruce Cameron, Karin Carson, Antar Williams, James Forston, Carlos Rull, Nathan Mills, Kevin Walsh, Matt Taylor, Bill Ray, Barry Farrar Jr., Ed Kornhauser, Danny Green, David Owen...