Robert W. Oliver is a keyboardist and composer living in Georgia.
His first album, Time, Space, and Gasoline, was released online in April, 2008, and was met with wide international acclaim, notably in Europe and Japan. The songs "Sao Paulo" and "Cold December Rain" quickly charted in the Smooth Jazz Top 10 category on Soundclick.com, with "Cold December Rain" claiming the number one spot for 3 weeks.
Robert will follow this album with Songs of Innocence/Songs of Experience, a collection of instrumental works inspired by the verses of pre-Romantic English poet William Blake. It is due to be released online soon. Robert is currently at work on Beowulf, his latest concept album.
In addition to writing, and recording music, Robert is the keyboardist for Black Diamond, and has been with them since 2007. He accompanied Patti Holiday at the W. C. Handy Jazz Festival in Florence, AL in the summer of 2009, where the duo opened for Eric Essix. Robert has also been very active in the music programs of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Florence, AL and St. Francis of Assisi in Cartersville.
In all of his spare time, Robert teaches English Literature to middle school students. He enjoys reading, listening to a wide variety of music, and playing vintage musical instruments. His political slant is moderately extreme righto-leftism. Robert likes Monty Python, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Clint Eastwood westerns, German chocolate cake, and dogs.
Robert plays with the Atlanta-based jazz quartet On The Cool Side (http://www.otcoolside.com). He also plays hotel and restaurant gigs with singer Amanda Glass. Robert is also available for weddings, private parties, studio work, and substitutions.
Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertwoliver
Robert begs forgiveness for speaking of himself in the third person. The rest of the interview is in first person, as if someone actually sat down and asked Robert these questions. We are amused.
I've played gigs throughout the Southeast - club dates, casuals, weddings, and benefits.
Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, Ludwig van Beethoven, J.S. Bach, Joey DeFrancesco (the hottest jazz organist), Elton John, Steely Dan, Enya, Tom Petty (props to Benmont Tench - the sideman's sideman), Steve Winwood, Marcome (you MUST listen to her on Soundclick!) and my beloved piano teacher Wanda Gilmore
Yamaha: CP33 stage piano (sounds yummy!)
Korg: M3-73 synth workstation, CX3 organ, PA-50 arranger workstation
Roland: JV-1080
Rhodes Mark I electric piano
Old but reliable Mackie 1202VLZ3
2 Roland KC 350 Keyboard Amps
Motion Sound Pro 3X Rotary Speaker
Various bits of recording gear, including a prized Otari MX5050 BIII
Alesis Studio 32 and Mackie 1604 mixers
Yamaha AW4416 multitrack recorder
Alesis Masterlink (all studios need one!)
2 ADAT LX20
Tascam M1600 24 Track 8-buss console (arriving soon!)
Member AFM Local 148-462
Member ASCAP