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about bob...
Bob Boguslaw has had a remarkably varied career as a pianist over the last forty years. He has performed as a soloist with world-class orchestras and bands, played jazz concerts in some of the world’s great concert venues, played shows in South America for audiences of up to 100,000 listeners, and spent twenty-two years with the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band where he frequently performed at the White House. As a member of the “President’s Own” he played for four US Presidents and seven Marine Commandants as well as numerous heads of state and luminaries in the arts and entertainment industries.
Bob completed his Bachelor’s Degree in piano performance at the University of Miami in 1979 and immediately began playing with show bands on cruise ships. He continued to study both classical and jazz piano and eventually returned to school at the University of Kentucky to work on a Master’s degree in piano performance following a number of concert tours of South America with Jose Louis Rodriguez. While achieving his Master’s degree in Lexington KY, Bob worked nightly as a freelance jazz pianist and did numerous solo classical recitals. Shortly after Bob’s 1990 summer performances with the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra he auditioned for and was accepted as a member of the “President’s Own” Marine Band. In May of 1991 Bob moved to Maryland and began his twenty-two year career as a Marine musician.
During his tenure with the Marine Band, besides frequent White House performances, Bob appeared with the Baltimore Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, as a soloist with the National Gallery Orchestra, and with jazz greats Wynton Marsalis, Paul Winter, and Louis Bellson, among others. In the 1990’s Bob started his own groups, “The Way”, “The Rock Creek Trio”, and “Bob Boguslaw’s Real Live Jazz”. He currently remains quite active as both a performer and teacher in West Friendship, MD where he lives with his wife and daughters.
Experience Bob’s newest album,
Tributes…
the WAY
about The Way…
“The Way” is a quintet that Bob conceived of as a creative outlet for his original jazz compositions. Although there are elements of classical music, Latin music, R&B, and gospel in Bob’s compositions, the group is at its’ core a modern jazz group. Compositionally, Bob has combined classical forms with integrated sections of jazz improvisation. When selecting his collaborators for “The Way”, Bob was determined to use some the finest musicians in the United States to help bring his creative impulses to life, and he was able to do so. The group consists of Bob on piano, Frank Russo on drums, Bruce Swaim on saxophones, Tom Baldwin on acoustic and electric bass, and Chris Rose on percussion. The quintet has just completed its’ fourth CD, titled “Tributes”. The first three CDs (“The Way”,“Gabrielle’s Hand” and “Dolg days”) all received critical acclaim from Jazz Times and Cadence magazines as well as various on-line publications. All three recordings have also received national play on both conventional and satellite radio stations. “The Way” has performed at the Kennedy Center, for The MidAtlantic Jazz Festival, and on numerous college campuses in the Baltimore/Washington region. Bob is determined that “The Way” will keep the creative flame burning.
Rock Creek Trio
about the rock creek trio…
The Rock Creek Trio was founded with the specific goal of performing Maurice Ravel’s monumental piano trio. After having performed this work a number of times, the ensemble expanded its’ repertoire to include most of the great works of the piano trio literature to include the compositions of Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Shostakovich, and many others. The Trio consists of pianist Bob Boguslaw, violinist Regino Madrid, and cellist Nicole Boguslaw. Bob’s chamber music performances include appearances at the Library of Congress, the Kennedy center, and the New Hampshire Music Festival. Regino has served as assistant concert master of the “President’s Own” chamber orchestra, concertmaster of the Mclean Symphony, and a frequent member of the National Symphony Orchestra’s violin section. Nicole is currently a member of the cello section of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and has done extensive chamber music performing at the Aspen Music Festival and for the Graz Institute in Austria. The Rock Creek Trio has done recitals at The Kennedy Center, for The Arts Club of Washington, and at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, as well as for numerous churches and retirement homes. The ensemble continues to perform frequently in the Baltimore/Washington region.
dixieland direct
Although DIXIELAND DIRECT performs with as many as seven musicians, the nucleus of the group is a quartet. Fashioned after the Swing and Dixieland styles of Benny Goodman and Pete Fountain, DIXIELAND DIRECT features Henning Hoehne on clarinet, with Bob Boguslaw on piano, Dallas Smith on bass and Mike Flaherty on drums. Dixieland Direct has been performing together for almost two decades. Along with being featured on numerous recordings, members of DIXIELAND DIRECT have been featured at major jazz festivals and have toured extensively throughout the United States and abroad.
Focusing on musicianship as well as entertainment, the band combines humorous lyrics and a dose of bandstand shtick to make a fun-filled and enjoyable time for all audiences. The band is uniquely complemented with its own arrangers and an extensive library of over 500 arrangements. The collection includes arrangements from the early Scott Joplin Rags, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Cole Porter and Duke Ellington...to name just a few.
Whether for a concert, a private party, funeral procession, grand opening or reception, MIKE FLAHERTY'S DIXIELAND DIRECT JAZZ BAND can perform with any size band or combination of musicians to fit your budget and taste.
In addition to sample audio available on our Music page, please take a moment and watch the band's latest performance at the Kennedy Center's Millenium Stage. Past Kennedy Center performances are available here.
Bob Boguslaw's real Live Jazz
about Bob Boguslaw's real Live Jazz
Bob Boguslaw’s Real Live Jazz Band has been delighting local audiences in the Baltimore/Washington region for nearly twenty years. The group varies in size from a quartet to a duo. With its’ full complement the group consists of Bob on piano, Mary Boguslaw on vocals, Tom Baldwin on bass, and Frank Russo on drums. As husband and wife, the musical rapport between Bob and Mary is exceptional. Besides possessing a large repertoire of jazz standards and selections from the Great American Songbook, Real Live Jazz also performs convincing interpretations of Blues, Broadway, R&B, and even an occasional folk song. As Mary likes to point out, “Jazz is more about the musical approach you take than the songs you choose”. Besides performing at numerous private functions, hotels, and restaurants, Real Live Jazz has also appeared at the Kennedy Center, The Smithsonian Museum of American History for Jazz Appreciation Month, Byrd Jazz at 49 West, and the Bethesda Theater.
A memoir:
Keys to The White House
Bob with Wynton Marsalis
Bob with Renee Fleming
It all started when…
For years I would come home and tell my wife stories about events that I had been a part of at the White House in my capacity as a pianist for the “President’s Own” US Marine Band. Mary would inevitably respond with, “You should write that down”. I also had other friends and family who would offer me the same advice. At first I didn’t seriously consider undertaking the huge task of writing a book. But then, as I approached retirement from the military, I realized that I really wanted to leave some sort of documentation of what has been a pretty unique career to my children and future generations. It also occurred to me that anyone who was a freelance musician in the latter half of the 20th century would probably find my anecdotes of interest. Therefore, I began the process of writing down my varied gig stories in 2012. As I was working on the book, I realized that even though all of the accounts of getting to meet Presidents, Heads Of State, and some of my heroes in the realms of music and entertainment were fascinating, I also thought that my experiences in the role of a freelance musician in the 1970’s and 80’s might be of great interest. Thus the format of “Keys To The White House”. The book takes us from the night clubs and cruise ships of Miami, to show bands in South America, to the concert halls and horse farms of central Kentucky, to White House State Dinners and Kennedy Center Honors celebrations. The best and worst gigs, the emotional highs and lows, and some of the lessons that life has taught me through music, are all in this book.
Bob with President Obama
Bob with President Bush
I’m very pleased to announce that Keys To The White House And Other Stories Of A Gig Warrior is now commercially available on Higher Life Publishing through the author, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other fine booksellers! You can order directly from Bob by using the contact tab on this website or on Facebook and Messenger. To pre-order from Amazon or Barnes and Noble for a December 1, 2020 release date please click below!
An early review by a fan who received an advance copy of Keys To The White House:
“I just finished reading your marvelous book, Keys To The White House. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. I am so appreciative of your service to the Nation, to our Commanders in Chief and their families, and to the Marine Corps. I am also very thankful for your sharing such intimate reflections of your very unique experiences both prior to and while serving our Nation. I believe that nobody appreciates more than we who have served, our military music programs and the significance they play in boosting morale of the troops and building diplomacy and support for the services. I look forward to coming to see you play once the Covid-19 nightmare subsides. Until then I salute you and thank you for all you’ve done.”
Very respectfully and Semper Fi,
Tim Trant, former PNC (SW), USN
Dog Days
by The Way
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Bob Boguslaw and The Way
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Bob Boguslaw And The Way
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Bob Boguslaw and The Way
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Bob Boguslaw and The Way