Bobby has performed worldwide including in France,
Germany, the U.K., Portugal, Japan, Dubai, Oman,
Hong Kong, Indonesia, China (Shanghai, Beijing),
the Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, Taiwan, Morocco,
Manila, and the USA.
Bobby has performed and/or recorded with
Kamasi Washington
Branford Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Pharoah Sanders
Ray Charles
Donald Byrd
Ravi Coltrane
Dr. Art Davis
Roy Hargrove
Wilson Pickett
Eddie Harris
Gladys Knight
Albert "Tootie" Heath
Smokey Robinson
Lamont Dozier
Billy Higgins
Dwight Trible
Joe Cocker
Jose Feliciano
Mick Fleetwood
Steve Winwood
Dionne Warwick
Queen Latifah
Willie Jones III
Harold Land
Horace Tapscott
Sam & Dave
Linda Hopkins
N'dugu Chancler
Germany, the U.K., Portugal, Japan, Dubai, Oman,
Hong Kong, Indonesia, China (Shanghai, Beijing),
the Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, Taiwan, Morocco,
Manila, and the USA.
Bobby has performed and/or recorded with
Kamasi Washington
Branford Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Pharoah Sanders
Ray Charles
Donald Byrd
Ravi Coltrane
Dr. Art Davis
Roy Hargrove
Wilson Pickett
Eddie Harris
Gladys Knight
Albert "Tootie" Heath
Smokey Robinson
Lamont Dozier
Billy Higgins
Dwight Trible
Joe Cocker
Jose Feliciano
Mick Fleetwood
Steve Winwood
Dionne Warwick
Queen Latifah
Willie Jones III
Harold Land
Horace Tapscott
Sam & Dave
Linda Hopkins
N'dugu Chancler
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Bobby West was born a fifth-generation Louisianian with deep ancestral roots in New Orleans—lineages that, through recent discoveries, trace back to the Caribbean and West Africa. At birth, the doctor noted his unusually long fingers and quipped that he’d either be a pickpocket or a piano player. Fortunately for us, he chose the piano. By age six, Bobby was already recognized as a prodigy. His gift for music was inherited from his father, a gifted blues and gospel singer.
At age eight, West moved to South Central Los Angeles during the Great Migration. There, he was shaped by the rich jazz legacy of Central Avenue and influenced by the city's legendary piano masters—from Hampton Hawes to his mentor, Horace Tapscott. Returning to Louisiana, he earned his degree from HBCU Grambling State University. Beginning in the 1970s, he divided his time between Los Angeles—especially the storied venue The World Stage in Leimert Park—and performances across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Though deeply respected both at home and internationally, West didn’t release an album until 2021, when he debuted with the critically acclaimed Leimert Park After Dark, followed by Big Trippin’ in 2023. Both albums reached the Top 20 on the jazz charts and the Top 10 on the roots charts. His earlier project, HipProphecy, was re-released that same year. Requiem for Mary Turner is his fourth album. |