Bob Paltrow is a classically trained pianist, singer-songwriter, composer and producer, performing in a variety of bands and genres, based in Bellingham Washington.

With a knack for catchy hooks and lyrics; dynamic arrangements and a wry sense of humor, Paltrow blends together a broad pastiche of styles: rock, blues, classical, folk, ragtime, gospel, hip-hop, celtic, middle-eastern, funk and jazz—a confluence of musical undertones reminiscent of Broadway musicals;  traveling carnivals and roaming gypsies; children’s nursery rhymes and terminators;  monsters under the bed; angels at the wheel. The common thread being: fun.

Bob’s original music and style has at various times been compared to Neil Young; Foster the People; Red Hot Chili Peppers; Beach Boys; Led Zeppelin; U2; Elton John and Stephen Schwartz (Broadway musical composer  of Godspell, Pippin and Wicked).

Paltrow is also widely known for his unique, neoclassical style of acoustic piano performance and composition embellished with an improvisational flair; making every live performance as unique as each passing moment in life.

BANDS AND PROJECTS

• CATS LIKE ME – Originals; rock/blues/punk. Bob Paltrow keys/lead vocals/guitar; Selena Mac: guitar/vocals. Miguel Garibay bass/vocals; Stone Jones drums/vocals. (2023-present)
• MEANDERTHALS – Covers and originals; rock from the 70’s to 2020’s. Vanessa Blackburn lead vocals/guitar; Cheri Nunamaker on lead guitar/vocals; Tami DuBow bass/vocals; Chuck Kitterman drums; Bob Paltrow keys/lead vocals/guitar; Alice O’Donnell guitar/vocals. (2023-present)
• BOOM COFFIN – Current original solo project; a hybrid of old-style blues; hiphop; and rock (2019-2023)
• THE SOUL SHAKERS – 10-piece soul/funk/R&B covers, based in Bellingham WA. John Delaney – guitar; Tim Elliot – drums; Ben Petroupolos – bass; Ian Bakke – vocals; Emily Faith – vocals; Lisa Killsom – trumpet; Jasmine Clemenson – tenor Sax; Chris McClanahan – trumpet; Spencer Redmond – Baritone sax; Bob Paltrow – keys/backup vocals (2018-present)
• EBB SLACK & FLOOD — Originals and Covers; Blues/rock/R&B/ out of Anacortes WA featuring Tom Savage lead guitar/vocals; Gio De La Ross – Bass/vocals; Chris Nickerson – Drums; Bob Paltrow – piano/keys (2016-2018)
• RUBY FLAMBÉ — Originals and Covers; old-timey/blues/ragtime/folk; Featuring Bailey Ann Martinet – vocals and ukulele; Bob Paltrow on piano/keys (2015-2019)
• TWIN SISTERS — All original music, blues/garage rock; guitar/drum duo featuring Chuck Kitterman drums; Bob Paltrow guitar/vocals/keys (2012-2014)
• PATRIOTS OF TOMORROW — All original music, folk-rock/hip hop/humor, by Bob Paltrow. Cheri Nunamaker on lead guitar/vocals; Bill Sterling bass/vocals; Chuck Kitterman drums; Bob Paltrow keys/vocals/guitar. (2001-2008)
• AKARAKA, a popular folk-fusion band fronted by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Burke Mulvany, and featuring Jason Darling on percussion; Phil Heaven on viola; Sara Hall, Melissa McConnell and Jamesa Noelle on hand drums (mid-late 1990’s)
• LAND OF MU ~ avant-garde Afro-Cuban trance-dance-jazz percussion group that was a staple of the then-flourishing hippy-jam improvisational scene in Bellingham during the late ‘1990’s / early 2000’s
• YOUR HIGHNESS ~ All-women rock band (plus 2 token male members – pun intended) playing mostly original tunes plus covers by PJ Harvey, Led Zeppelin, Heart and others. (early-mid 2000’s)
• HATHORAKISSA ~ Bellydance troupe that at the time was the 2nd largest group of Middle-Eastern dancers and live musicians in Washington (late 90’s)
• PAUL BRETING AND THE BAILOUT ~ modern-folk-rock trio (late 2000’s)
• VOICE OF THE VILLAGE ~ World-music folk group playing music from many traditions (early 1990’s)
• THE CRAIG OLSON BAND ~ Singer-songwriter, all-original 4-piece folk rock (late 1990’s/early 2000’s)

RECENT RECORDINGS

Bob’s produced several original music recordings, including:

• BOOM COFFIN / Bob Paltrow New Music on SoundCloud (2015-2020)
• SOUNDTRACK FOR INDEPENDENT SHORT FILM SNAP! (2017)
• RUBY FLAMBÉ (self-titled) (2018) featuring Bailey Ann Martinet
• ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU (2013) – Bob Paltrow and Burning Clover; modern rock
• LUCKY (2010) – solo piano (instrumental; neoclassical)
• P.O.T. LIVE @NORTHSHORE TERRACE (2007) by The Patriots of Tomorrow; modern rock
• CAROUSEL (2002) – solo piano (instrumental; neoclassical)

INFLUENCES

“Growing up in the ’60’s and ’70’s, I of listened to a lot of Beatles, Doors, Hendrix, Joni Michell, CSNY, Joplin – basically, Woodstock – my parents introduced me to that mid-to-late ’60’s golden era of music. After I really started playing piano in the mid ’70’s to mid-80’s, I was listening to a lot of Zeppelin, Stones, Elton, Fleetwood Mac, Bowie, Yes, Rick Wakeman, Rush, Van Halen, Sabbath, Ozzy, Cars, Missing Persons – I liked rock and new wave and punk. A lot of metal. But also, a lot of progressive jazz: Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Al DiMeola, John Mclaughlin- some of the crossover fusion stuff especially Jeff Beck.”

“I was a big fan of musicals, especially Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell. Those were my favorites, but my parents were also very into Broadway and we lived in New York when I was a child, so I saw a good amount of world class live theatre, opera and musicals. I was a big fan of Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music for Godspell

“I think there is a lot great music being made today, and I am only aware of a sliver of what’s out there. I like Billie Eilish, Bones UK, Muse, Foster the People, The XX, Band of Skulls, Black Keys. Any of Jack White’s projects. Going back a little, I liked PJ Harvey, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Cheryl Crow.”

MUSICAL PEDIGREE

About growing up with music:

“I grew up in a musical family. I think it was prerequisite on my dad’s side of the family to play piano – everybody did: my dad, his 3 siblings, grandparents, many of my cousins. My father received his Bachelors from Ithaca College, majoring in music education. When I was 10, I began taking lessons and studied with a wonderful Scottish woman – Grace Oglesby – from age 10 to 15. She was able to motivate me and nurture and cultivate my talent at a time when I was beyond rebellious as an early teen. The piano was always an anchor for me. Still is. When I moved to Tucson Arizona in the middle of my sophomore in highschool, I studied with local jazz great Mickey Greco for one year. Beyond teaching me how to play, Mickey taught me how to listen to music – to listen, and respond – to give and take and flow with the music. After highschool, I enrolled at the University of Arizona, majoring in piano performance for one year, but the program wasn’t for me. I dropped out of the music program, and migrated to the art department where I received an Bachelor of Arts, majoring in design and illustration.”

“Perhaps not coincidentally, after graduating college, I got a job at New Age music label Soundings of the Planet – as their in-house designer. I would spend much of the next 12 years of so focused on design, marketing and promotion for Soundings which was – and still is – a very successful independent label that rode the crest of the New Age music movement in the middle ’90’s. I learned a lot about the industry: distribution and advertising; marketing and industry politics; audio production. And from Soundings, I learned about conscious business practices and community and ethics. And how those things are not necessarily mutually exclusive. It was a great learning experience working at Soundings, and one that helped propel my musical career in many ways that did not actually involve making music.”

BOB TODAY – BOB TOMORROW

Bob resides in Bellingham Washington, where he has operated Bob Paltrow Design, producing award-winning graphic design, illustration and web design for a variety of clients locally, nationally and internationally since 1994. Among his many fabulous clients, Paltrow has created over 60 album covers and cd designs for award-winning New Age music label Soundings of the Planet, founded by one of the founding fathers of ambient New Age music flautist Dean Evenson and his amazing wife/label-co-founder and  author Dudley Evenson.

In the longer term, some of my aspirations include producing original musicals and collaborating on live musical theatre driven by compelling narratives and story-telling.

In the near term (and pretty much every day!) I’m looking forward to writing new songs, playing and performing lots of live music with friends, and entertaining people with good music and good cheer.