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Classes, Recognition and Training
Conga Drum Class
Join Bobby for Latin Percussion and Conga Drum Lessons. Private lessons available. For information or to register contact: bobby@bobbytorres.com or call Bobby at (503) 224-9314.
Bobby's son Reinhardt Melz teaches drumming also. Contact Reinhardt.
Recognition
Nominated "Outstanding Drummer-Percussionist" at the 1992 Portland Music Awards
Roland Meinl Drums Endorsement 1996-2005.
Rhythm Traders Drums Endorsement since 2006.
Speaker at the 1995 PSU Extended Studies & School of Fine/Performing Arts "Portland International Performance Festival"
Speaker at the 1995 and 1997 PSU Music Department & Percussive Arts Society "Oregon Drum & Percussion Festivals"
Board Member and Musical Director of the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival in the community of St. John's located in Portland, Oregon since 2004. This sample poster features Grammy-nominated jazz singer Nancy King.
Bobbby has held group & private conga & percussion lessons at music stores and in music studios in the Portland area since 1992.
Bobby's Own Training
Bobby studied under Raymund Hurry of the Last Poets in New York City. At age 16 Bobby formed "Afro-zicians," a group of drummers & dancers. He later studied under Jim Keltner & Murray Spivack in LA. Bobby had further musical training under David Wheat & Johnny Bristol. At age 25 he joined Joe Cocker. Currently, Bobby is a song writer, music producer, teacher and the leader of The Bobby Torres Ensemble (see the video on the home page). He continues to teach and study Latin percussion and drumming to this day.
Bobby's Work with Vocalists
Bobby works with individual vocalists to develop or increase rhythmic awareness, vocal expressiveness and dynamics to improve their professional development in live performance and in recording. The goal is to develop each singer's own unique sound.
This Site
Bobby's Web site has been visited from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, The Netherlands, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Website by Rick Ray.