By Kathy Chouteau
When The Bob Roden Quintet performs for likely the last time at Riggers Loft Sept. 20, the musicians will be led by a bandleader, vocalist and trombonist whose journey to the stage includes careers as a rock & roller, tech lawyer and jazz musician.
Bob Roden’s love for Riggers Loft runs deep. The former Richmond resident’s quintet has performed at the venue over 50 times. Roden was among those who spoke on the business’ behalf before a City Council meeting that discussed the venue’s closure, which an employee told the Standard is coming in October.
Long before becoming a fixture at Riggers Loft, Roden’s musical journey began in the 1970s when he toured as a professional rock musician. He spent a decade on the road, playing in various bands, including the legendary Sidro’s Armada in Las Vegas. While there, Roden was inducted into the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“The best way to be a musician is to not do it for a living.”
“I spent a lot of time playing in a variety of settings, not all of which I particularly wanted to do,” Roden recalled.
Eventually, the constant travel and the demands of a musician’s life took their toll. Roden realized that if he wanted normal relationships and a stable life, he needed to make a change. Roden returned to school, eventually earning a Law Degree from UCLA. He worked as a staff attorney at the California Supreme Court, and later, for entertainment giants Lucasfilm and Pixar. And, yes, he met George Lucas and Steve Jobs along the way.
Roden recounted the time while working for Lucasfilm that he took a business trip to Tokyo with some colleagues. Having taught himself a little bit of Japanese in advance, he soon found himself translating Japanese for George Lucas in a unique kind of pinch-me moment. “I found George to be a very nice man,” he said.
But amid Roden’s corporate life, his passion for music never waned. He continued to play music on the side. Eventually, his love for jazz led him to form The Bob Roden Quintet.
“When I eventually had a different way of making a living, then I had no pressures to do anything at all in music, and I could just do whatever pleased me,” Roden says.
This freedom allowed him to explore jazz, a genre that he always admired.
The Bob Roden Quintet also includes Ron Jackson on alto sax, Larry Walter on piano, Jamie Dowd on bass and Richard Freeman on drums. The band is a fixture in the Bay Area music scene, performing at various venues, such as senior communities, where their music is particularly appreciated.
“The engagements we have at these places are like little concerts, and they’re probably the most fun of any gigs I’ve played,” Roden said.
His advice to budding musicians? Not surprisingly, Roden suggests being open to doing things outside of music. “The best way to be a musician is to not do it for a living,” he said, advising that it creates a lot of pressure.
In addition to his jazz work, Roden has a children’s music CD called “Mammals Eat Coconuts.” Find it on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, etc.
Directly following their Riggers Loft appearance, The Bob Roden Quintet will make their third appearance at the Piedmont Jazz Festival on Sunday, Sept. 21 from 1-2 p.m. at 711 Highland Ave. in Piedmont. Contact Bob Roden via his website and check out a video of the quintet here.
