Robert Redd, born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, began playing music as a trumpet player at the age of twelve, and began performing professionally while still in high school. While continuing to perform and study the trumpet, he began to develop a serious interest in the piano and decided to make the switch at age twenty-three. He re-established himself as a piano player and was soon very much in demand.
Robert was a member of the Keter Betts trio for 13 years, until Betts’ death in 2005. The trio performed many concerts and festivals and could frequently be heard at venues such as the Kennedy Center and Blues Alley. They performed regularly throughout the school year at Wolf Trap as part of Early Learning Through the Arts, a program which Betts helped start and develop, presenting live music to young audiences. Robert is a member of the Wolf Trap Jazz Trio which continues to present this program.
From 1995-1998, Robert was pianist and musical director for singer/songwriter Kenny Rankin. While touring with Rankin, he performed with Michael Moore, Oscar Castro-Neves, Roy McCurdy and John B. Williams, among others. They appeared regularly at venues in New York City such as The Rainbow and Stars and The Bottom Line, and performed in the guest artist series with the U.S. Air Force Band at DAR-Constitution Hall, in Washington, D.C.
Robert worked often as a member of the Charlie Byrd Trio, and can be heard on Charlie Byrd’s last recording, “For Louis”. Other recent recordings include “Bouquet Chorale” (Summit Records) featuring Marty Nau and legendary saxophonist Phil Woods, and “When Redd is Blue”, co-led with his brother, Chuck. Robert is also a QRS recording artist and has recorded two Pianomation CDs with fellow pianist Michael T. Jones for the New York-based company.
Robert teaches and performs every year during Swing Week at the Augusta Festival at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia. He is also a featured artist every year at the W.C. Handy Music Festival in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
As a free-lance musician, Robert has performed with Bud Shank, Houston Person, Warren Vache, Ethel Ennis, Melba Moore, Phil Woods, Mundell Lowe, Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowski, James Moody, The Harry James Big Band, The Artie Shaw Big Band (w/Dick Johnson) and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, to name a few. He performs frequently with the Smithsonian Masterworks Organization, and is often featured at Blues Alley, where he co-leads a group with his brother, Chuck. Recent performances included a private concert in the East Room at the White House for the President, First Lady, and their guests on Valentine’s Day, 2008.