Rob Banks (born February 3, 1930) is an American pianist, organist and composer. The artists he has worked with include

Solomon Burke Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke (born James Solomon McDonald, March 21, 1936 or 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s. He has been ...

and

Lu Elliott Lu Elliot (August 3, 1924 – March 5, 1987) was a jazz and blues singer and recording artist. She also recorded some soul songs. Some of the artists she worked with were BB King, The Duke Ellington Orchestra and the Sam Williams Express. Backgr ...

Background

Banks was discovered by Horace Sims, a guitarist who took him on the road with his band El Tempo.

Career

1950s

In 1954, his recording of "Mambo Blues" appeared on the B side of a Johnny Otis Orchestra single "Mambo Boogie". It was released on the Savoy label. In 1956, the Robert Banks Trio did a cover of the

Glenn Miller Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...

theme, "

Moonlight Serenade "Moonlight Serenade" is an American swing ballad composed by Glenn Miller with subsequent lyrics by Mitchell Parish. It was an immediate phenomenon when released in May 1939 as an instrumental arrangement, though it had been adopted and perfo ...

", released on the Regent label. In October 1957, banks and Hal Rollins recorded some tracks for Newark's Glowhill label. The single that Banks recorded was "On The Street Where You Live" which was backed with "Destination", a frenzied type of instrumental.

1960s

During the 1960s, he worked with Solomon Burke. He also arranged and conducted both sides of the

Willie Hightower Willie H. Hightower (October 1889, Nashville - December 1959, Chicago) was an American jazz cornetist and trumpeter. Hightower moved to New Orleans and played with a group called the American Stars from about 1908 to about 1917. He also accompani ...

single For "Sentimental Reasons" / "You Send Me", released on

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

1970s

He produced the Myrna Summers & The Interdenominational Singers ''Tell It Like It Is'' album that was released by 1970.

1980s

In 1981, he was part of a duo consisting of himself on piano and bassist Jimmy Lewis, backing singer Lu Elliott at

The Cookery ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...

at East Eighth Street at University Place in New York.

Rob Banks discography

Singles

* "Moonlight Serenade" / "Sentimental Journey" - Regent 7501 - (1956) * "Smile" / "A Mighty Good Way" -

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

VK-10545 - (1967)

Albums

;Record LP * ''The Message'' - Verve V-5016 - (1967) ;8-Track Cartridge * Rob Banks - ''Theme from the Godfather'' - Altone 1973 * Rob Banks, Soulmate Singers - ''Theme from Isaac Hayes' Shaft'' (Shaft/Jesus Christ Superstar) - Altone 1974

Other discography

With

Mildred Anderson Mildred Anderson was an American jazz, blues and R&B singer. In the early years of her career, Anderson worked with Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings, recording with them the song "Doin' the Boogie Woogie" on April 8, 1946. Later, she worked an ...

*''

No More in Life ''No More in Life'' is the second album by jazz vocalist Mildred Anderson recorded in 1960 and released on the Bluesville label early the following year.

'' (Bluesville, 1961) With the Johnny Otis Orchestra featuring Goucho and His Jungle Drums *"Mambo Boogie" / Rob Banks And The Waileros - "Mambo Blues" - Savoy 45-1132 - (1954)45Ca
Robert Banks And The Waileros - Discography
/ref> With Shakey Jake *'' Mouth Harp Blues'' (Bluesville, 1961) With Curtis Jones *''

Trouble Blues "Trouble Blues" is a 1949 single by The Charles Brown Trio. The single was the most successful of the trio's career and peaked at number one on the R&B chart for fifteen weeks. At fifteen weeks on the R&B Best Sellers chart, "Trouble Blues" was ...

'' (Bluesville, 1960) With

Sunnyland Slim Albert Luandrew (September 5, 1906March 17, 1995), "Blues pianist and singer Sunnyland Slim was born Albert Luandrew in Vance, Mississippi, September 5, 1906 (most sources say 1907, but the Social Security Death Index and 1920 census data give t ...

* ''

Slim's Shout ''Slim's Shout'' is an album by blues musician Sunnyland Slim recorded in 1960 and released on the Bluesville label the following year.

'' (Bluesville, 1961) With Al Smith *'' Midnight Special'' (Bluesville, 1961) With

Roosevelt Sykes Roosevelt Sykes (January 31, 1906July 17, 1983) was an American blues musician, also known as "the Honeydripper". Career Sykes was born the son of a musician in Elmar, Arkansas. "Just a little old sawmill town", Sykes said of his birthplace. The ...

* ''

The Honeydripper "The Honeydripper (Parts 1 and 2)" is an R&B song by Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers which topped the US Billboard R&B chart (at that time called the "Race Records" chart) for 18 weeks, from September 1945 to January 1946. History Liggins cla ...

'' (Bluesville, 1961)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banks, Rob Living people 1930 births American male organists 20th-century American composers 20th-century American pianists American male pianists American male composers 21st-century American pianists 21st-century organists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American organists