• Producers I have worked with include:

--Ken Lewis (Kanye West, Beastie Boys, David Byrne)

--Mitchel Froom (Crowded House, Los Lobos, Elvis Costello)

--Phil Ramone (Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon)

• Artist I have performed and/or recorded with:

--Kanye West (Rocafella)

--Ari Hest (Columbia Records)

--The Break & Repair Method (Cement Shoes Records /Universal/Matchbox 20)

--Fiction Plane (Geffen)

--Ghostface Killa (Def Jam)

--John Garrison (formerly of the band Budapest)

--Danielle Evin (Lateral View/Sony)

--Chris Shaffer (MCA/The Why Store)

--Cutters (BMG/CMC)

--Sue Medley (Juno Award winner)

--Megan & Dia (Doghouse Records)

--Edro (hip hop artist)

--David Moore (Doghouse)

Also including: Michael Brunnock (Irish folk singer/songwriter); James Katz (singer/songwriter); Marwood, Dana Edelman, Morgan Clamp (singer/songwriter); Brian Halloran (singer/songwriter), Kim Fox (singer/songwriter); Claudia DiNatale, Small Town Sleeper, Skidmore Fountain, Pink & Noseworthy plus many others.

• Performed on national television shows including:

--Good Morning America—Jan 1st, 2005

--“The Late Late Show with Carson Daly” – Nov 4th, 2005

--ESPN’s “Cold Pizza” – Dec 21st, 2005

• Performed on nationally syndicated radio shows including:

--The Mountain Stage (twice)

--XM Café, Sept, 9th, 2004

--The World Café – Aug, 24, 2005

--Acoustic Café, Aug, 23rd, 2005   

• Performed on regional television shows including:

--WGN (Chicago, IL)

--KEYE (Austin, TX)

--WXIN (Indianapolis, IN)

• Endorsements:

Featured artist/endorser of Modulus Basses and NS Design electric upright basses as well as Ampeg Amps

 

Rob Calder was born to play music.  The son of a university music professor and an opera diva,  music has always been a central theme in his life.  That is not to say that hard work, dedication to his craft and a commitment to the sometimes uncertain life of a professional musician are not a huge part of the equation, but there is a reason why he always won the “perfect pitch” tuning contests in middle school orchestra.  Rob took up the bass late in high school and within a month or two was playing public gigs.  After kicking around with various local musicians, he hooked up with a three like-minded dudes from their mutual hometown of Bloomington, Indiana to form the band, Cutters. Thus began a long odyssey culminating in the major label release of  “Sonic Wave Love,” the band’s critically acclaimed debut.  Unfortunately, though the critics were pleased, the record did not take off commercially and the band is currently on what Rob refers to as “permanent hiatus.”

Based on the suggestion of a mutual musician friend, Rob packed his bass and headed to New York in early 2003 to audition with Ari Hest.  The two hit it off immediately, both musically and personally, and Rob helps anchor the incredibly tight musical interplay that is the hallmark of Ari’s live shows. Over the years Rob has worked with many musicians, both in the studio and on the road, including producers Mitchell Froom, Phil Ramone and Ken Lewis; and artists such as Kanye West, The Break and Repair Method, Meg and Dia and Ghostface Killa.  He continues to play and record with Ari in the never ending search for musical truth in our wacky world.  Currently, Rob lives in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, with his writer and editor wife, Lisa, and their two cats, Ravi and Lester.

Fun Facts!

-Both of Rob’s parents were professional musicians at one time, his mother being an opera singer in Germany and his father being an orchestral conductor in Vienna.
-Rob speaks fluent German. Rob also likes all things German and Austrian.
-Rob has a lovely wife named Lisa whom he married in Austria. Lisa happens to be his favorite person.
-Rob jammed (music!!) with porn-star Hyapatia Lee
-Rob once posed as Dee Snider of Twisted Sister and as a result was confronted by the band, all while flying on a plane.
-Rob’s nickname whilst playing soccer is Robierto. Why? If your name is Rob, foreign nationals don’t pass you the ball. If your name is Robierto, you get the ball. Editor’s note: “Robierto” never claimed to actually be a great futball player, and probably never deserved to get those passes.
-Rob has traveled and played in every state in the lower 48.
-While playing basketball, Rob considers himself a shooting forward with exceptional court vision.
-Rob has two cats named Lester and Ravi. Lester is bad cat that pisses on every soft surface.
-Rob graduated from Indiana University.
-Rob was once a brewer for a microbrewery in Indiana. Rob annoys everyone when he prattles on and on about bier.

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