Bob Szmik Trio

Genre: Jazz 

Musicians:

Bob Szmik - started very early in public school bands as a percussionist and studied music in the U.S. School of Music for guitar while in the Navy. In 1999, he formed a duet known as ‘Intimate Guitars’ and has been very active playing jazz guitar in the area since.

Prof. Mike Lorenz -  teaches music at Siena Heights University in Adrian, MI. and, lives in Toledo. Mike composes record albums, arranges movie scores and, works in advertising for radio and television. Mike has performed in the Toledo Jazz Orchestra, Siena Heights College Youth Symphony and, Midland Symphony Orchestra.

Daman Cook - percussionist, resides in Toledo, works in the studios of WTVG television station, and is a full-time musician. Daman was taught percussion by his father, guitarist and singer Leon Cook. Daman traveled on the road with his father at a very young age playing in Motown Revues across the United States. Some of the artists Daman has worked with are the Marvelettes, Temptations, and Martha and the Vandellas. Daman is also a regular guest at the Art Tatum Jazz Festival in Toledo and also leads his own bands in the Toledo area.

What makes us different: 

The difference is the kind of music we play ... it's jazz. Our players come to the Sands from every major city in a 150 mile radius or sometimes more. The musicians are headliners, or band leaders from their areas and perform at the highest level. You have to travel to hear what we have right here at home.

Influences: 

My influences have been guitarists Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino, but I also listen to pianists like Bill Evans, Kenny Werner. There are so many influences on all instruments which there's not enough time pick.

About the Band: 

The Bob Szmik Trio is a spin off from Intimate Guitars which was formed in '99, and we started doing guitar duets every Friday & Saturday at Barones Restaurant Sandusky. Intimate Guitars still play every Sunday for brunch at Sawmill Creek. Francis Urso and myself, commisioned Bill Moll to hand make each of us a seven string guitar so that would allow us to play bass lines. We then added percussion to the group and we became a trio and started playing jazz gigs at Hunters. We were asked by the owners of Mon Ami to play there and so we added more musicians and then, we were a quintet. We then moved on to The Angry Trout and currently the Sands of South Beach which has been our home for over a year now. At the Sands, we have a core trio and feature a guest artist every week whom we bring in from surrounding cities.

Discography: 

Tony Pulizzi started in our group and has produced at least 4 of his own CDs, and also he produced recordings for other people. Collectively, we've made hundreds of recordings, but no specific albums to speak of. The recordings are live at the Sands for the most part.