Bob Parker - Drums & Vocals
Bob was born in New York City, but moved to Boston when he was 4. He started studying percussion at age 10 through the public school system with a great teacher, Walter V. Tokarczyk (The original "Mr. T").
After high school, Bob continued his music education at the prestigious Berklee College of Music from 1974 - 1979, taking a year off to do some touring. While in Boston Bob took advantage of the opportunity to study with some top notch teachers like Bob Wagner (Berklee College of Music), Dean Anderson (Boston Symphony Orchestra), Kieth Copeland (Stevie Wonder), and Alan Dawson (Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson) to name a few. After graduation Bob stayed based in the Boston area, but traveled extensively throughout the US and Canada. Bob's playing experience covers a wide variety of styles, he's played with Show Bands, Rock Bands, Big Bands, even a few Holiday Inn type lounge acts, but his hands down favorite is high energy rock.
Bob relocated to Aurora, Colorado with his family in 1989, and has called the front range area his home for the last 17 years. Bob joined Vivid Rhythm in the summer of 2005, and has been laying down solid danceable grooves ever since
Bob's Take...
There's a lot more to playing in a live band then most people realize. The hours of individual practice, plus the band rehearsals - not to mention setting up and tearing down before and after gigs. But the hardest thing to deal with in any band are the ego's - just try getting 4 or 5 people to agree on which 40-50 songs your going to learn - Good Luck! The more members in the band the trickier it gets. All the members of Vivid Rhythm have great attitudes, and a mutual respect for each other, which makes this a really fun band to play in, and I think that spirit of having fun carries over to our audiences as well. The fact is I love music and playing the drums so much that I'd probably do it for free.... but I sure do like getting paid for it.
Bob's Equipment...
I use the following drums in various combinations depending on the situation.
Bass Drums
Snare Drums
Rack Toms
Floor Toms
Cymbals
Percussion