About
Bob Hinz
A jazz pianist and composer, Bob has recorded three albums as a leader: Instead of Words, Flying Colors, and A Moment Set Apart. His composition “Chemistry” from the recording Flying Colors was selected for the 1998 National Association of Recording Merchandisers jazz sampler compact disc Jazz: Discover an American Original. This recording appeared and remained at number one on the Billboard jazz chart in the summer of 1998. In October of 2000 Bob was featured in a full-length Sunday New York Times article titled “Jazzman Sets Tin Ears Ringing.” In June of 2001 he was a featured guest on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz a National Public Radio broadcast. Currently he is working on his fourth CD as a leader, Send It In, comprised of eleven original compositions for jazz quintet.
Bob has worked with many well-known jazz artists including Capitol and Motown recording artist Pat Vidas, drummer Les DeMerle, bassist Drew Gress, drummer Matt Wilson, and bassist Dominic Duval. He has also worked with many local (Long Island & New York City) musicians including Lee Green, Bill McCrossen, John Ray, Dan Faulk, Eliot Zigmund, Frank Bellucci, Silky Joe Kiernan, Dave Lobenstein, Shenole Latimer, Steve Salerno, Brian Dunne, Mike Pope, Ian Petillo, Vinnie, D’Arrigo, Glenn Heckinger, Ron Bertolet, Mark Marino, Paul Kendall, Al Cardillo, Glen Drews, Dale Kleps, Phil Magallanes, guitarist Bob Gallo, and Steve Greenfield.
Engagements
Bob appears regularly as a pianist performing solo and with his trio in the New York area. He has performed at many venues including Kitano and Detour in New York City, the Mixed Notes Cafe in Elmont, the City Cafe in Garden City, 69 Wall St. in Huntington, the Oakdale House in Oakdale, the Old Inlet Inn in Bellport, the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook, Cafe Capri in Westbury, Jaspers in New Hyde Park, Montgomery’s and Ragtime in Glen Cove, and various Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores. To hear Bob playing a few solo piano standards, click here→ and scroll down a bit. Hear more here→
Bob has played extended engagements at La Grange restaurant in West Islip, NY, the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island, FL the Homestead Resort Hotel in Hot Springs, VA, and Asparagii in Plainview NY. He has served as the pianist for the Long Island Guitar Festival and as pianist & accompanist at the Roslyn Presbyterian Church in Roslyn NY from 2001-2004. Bob’s performances include recitals at the Half Hollow Hills Public Library, the South Huntington Public Library, the Port Washington Public Library, and the Long Beach Public Library. Other venues include many jazz clubs in the New York area. He has played many solo piano recitals consisting of both classical music and jazz, and numerous private parties and wineries.
As An Author
Bob is the author of ten books, more than thirty published articles, and 500+ PDFs on jazz piano, piano technique, jazz harmony, and music theory. Two of his jazz piano transcription books The Artistry of Bill Evans Vol. 2 and The Artistry of George Shearing are published by Alfred Music. The Bud Powell Real Book (a collection of 46 Bud Powell originals arranged in lead sheet format and transcribed directly from Powell’s recordings) is published by Hal Leonard. The Improviser’s Guide to Melodic Embellishment (Volumes 1 and 2) is published by Charles Colin in New York. The Virtuoso Jazz Pianist, Jazz Piano Quartal Voicing Workshop, and Jazz Piano Cluster Voicing Workshop are self-published and sold online.
Bob’s articles have been published in Clavier, Music Educators Journal, Jazz Educators Journal, Creative Keyboard (Mel Bay’s online magazine), the Music Educator’s Journal, and Teaching Music. His most recent book is Diminished Scale Harmony. He is also active and much sought after as a professional transcriber, transcribing jazz and other styles of piano music for a wide variety of clients; mostly pianists. His website includes a large portfolio of transcriptions and arrangements that he has completed through the years.
As An Educator
Bob holds three music degrees: a Bachelors in Music Theory from SUNY Stony Brook, a Masters in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music, and a Doctorate in Jazz Studies from New York University. Bob currently holds a permanent New York State Public School Teacher Certification in Music, K-12. He is a member of the College Music Society and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. He was awarded an Academic Achievement Award from New York University in May of 1996. He occasionally serves as an adjudicator for NYSSMA.
Bob has held a full-time music professorship at SUNY Fredonia, near Buffalo, New York, and served on the music adjunct faculties at Nassau and Suffolk Community Colleges. He has also taught full-time at various public schools, including Middletown High School and Half Hollow Hills High School, both in New York state. Bob has taught high school and college courses including Music Theory for Majors, Music Theory for Non-Majors, Jazz Improvisation, (beginning and advanced), Jazz Pedagogy, Jazz History, Jazz Theory, Studio Jazz Piano for Majors, Studio Classical Piano, Class Piano, Music Technology, Introduction to Sound Recording, Songwriting, Synthesizer Fundamentals for Performers, Synthesizer Programming, and Synthesizer Ensemble. Bob has also served as doctoral adviser to graduate students,
Piano Studies
He has studied privately with a number of recognized pianists in various instructional settings. His classical piano teachers include Nurit Tilles (SUNY Stony Brook), Blair Cosman (Eastman School of Music), and Avraham Sternklar. He has studied jazz piano privately with Vince Maggio (University of Miami), and Jim McNeely (New York University). Bob also studied improvisation with Bill Dobbins, Ramon Ricker and Bevan Manson (Eastman School of Music), and composition with Peter Winkler (SUNY Stony Brook).
Bob has been teaching piano privately since 1975, mostly in the Huntington and Plainview areas of Long Island, New York. Bob’s current student roster includes beginning through advanced pianists of all ages, mainly in classical and jazz idioms. Bob holds a student recital every one to two years for all of those who wish to participate. Read what Bob’s students have said about studying with him here.→
Teaching Philosophy
Although Bob’s teaching philosophy cannot be summarized in a few sentences, he does consider certain principles most important. “Rhythm is perhaps the most neglected area of teaching, given that it takes a lot of work to get a student to play rhythmically. Nevertheless, you simply cannot escape the necessity of emphasizing it in your teaching approach. I also try to get students to develop in areas of technique, theory, reading, and general performance skills.” Another area that Bob believes is of most importance in teaching is maintaining a good relationship with students. “I try not to push too hard, and maintain positive feedback with students, but I’m also firm about practicing and paying attention during the lesson.” Read more about Bob’s teaching philosophy here.→
