A virtuoso tuba player,
Bob Stewart's solos explore his instrument's full range and show its ability to serve as both lead and support within the jazz ensemble. He rivals
Howard Johnson in terms of demonstrating depth, facility, and imagination on tuba.
Stewart began playing trumpet at ten, and studied trumpet and tuba at the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. He taught in the public school system in Pennsylvania, then later played in a traditional jazz band at a Philadelphia club.
Stewart moved to New York in the late '60s, and joined the tuba ensemble Substructure. He played with
Carla Bley,
Frank Foster's Loud Minority, and the orchestras of
Sam Rivers and
Gil Evans in the late '60s.
Stewart was a featured member of
Arthur Blythe's mid-'70s band that recorded for Columbia, and also worked with
the Globe Unity Orchestra,
Charles Mingus, and
McCoy Tyner.
Stewart played with David Murray's big band,
Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy, and Henry Threadgill's orchestra in the '80s and into the '90s, in addition to performing with
Howard Johnson's all-tuba group Gravity. ~ Ron Wynn