Biography

Rob Barron is a London based jazz pianist, arranger and composer and has been described as “one of the most creative and versatile musicians of his generation.”

Regarded as a mainstay of the London jazz and studio scene and constantly in demand, he is a first call pianist highly regarded for his improvisational flair, innate musicality and a deft touch that reveal influences inspired by Blue Note greats Cedar Walton, Wynton Kelly and Sonny Clark.

His love for the piano came at an early age and quickly developed into a prodigious talent for musical expression, anchored by a deep respect for musical history and culture. Graduating from Leeds College of Music with a BA Hons in Jazz Studies, Rob received the prestigious College Award for Outstanding Performance and went on to gain his Masters Degree in Music Performance at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Rob has flourished in the rich environment of the London jazz scene, entertaining audiences by performing with visiting American and European jazz musicians Phil Woods, Grant Stewart, Patti Austin, Al Jarreau, Marlena Shaw, Dmirty Baevsky, Fabien Mary and John Marshall to name a few. He has also toured the UK with outstanding saxophonist Dave O’Higgins.

Featuring on many movie soundtracks, most prominently Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby, Rob’s session work includes such names as The BBC Big Band, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Jamie Cullum, Claire Martin, Liane Carroll and Rachel Portman. He has appeared on over than thirty albums.

A sought-after sideman in a huge number of London based groups, Rob felt a growing and powerful desire to expand the music he loves in a direction he could define on his terms. The Rob Barron Trio was formed 2012 with drummer Josh Morrison for exactly this purpose. Performing regularly at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club, their engaging blend of musical creativity led them to open for The Louis Hayes Quartet, The Kenny Barron Trio and Cecile McLorin Salvant. Rob’s latest album, From This Moment On, was released in October 2020. BBC Music Magazine featured it as one of the best jazz releases of 2020 and gave it a 5 star review citing “This is classic piano trio jazz at it’s very best.” The album has already had over 7 million plays on digital streaming platforms.

Dedicated to pushing himself to greater heights, Rob regularly dives into the New York scene to study with some of the best pianists in the city, including Mike LeDonne, Michael Weiss, Michael Kanan and David Hazeltine.

Rob also spends his time as professor of jazz piano at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama.