BobBachtoldMusic.com – Multi-Instrumentalist, Arranger, Bandleader, Composer

# About Bob Bachtold Music

Bob Bachtold – Musical Bio – 2026

‘BobBB the DrumBuddha’

Drums / Percussion, Guitar / Bass, Lead / Background Vocals (baritone through high tenor / falsetto), Voiceovers, Impersonations, Vocal Sounds / Instruments / EFX, Foley, Arrangement / Re-Arrangement, Composition, Lyrics, FOH / Monitor / Studio Sound Mixing, and More…

+1 415-830-5499 (USA / lnt’l) +1 250-808-7734 (Direct)

Email: bobbachtold (at) gmail (dot) com

Website Updates for 2026 Coming Soon — including video, audio, lessons, master classes, latest tracks, etc… Stay Tuned!

BobBB ‘The DrumBuddha’ Bachtold has over four decades of professional music industry experience playing drums, percussion, guitar, bass, singing, and mixing sound on stages and in studios throughout North & Central America and Europe.

BobBB is comfortable with and fluent in many styles of music – R&B, Blues, Jazz, Funk, Big Band (Classic / Modern / Traditional), Classic / Modern / Prog Rock, Smooth Jazz, Latin, Pop, Celtic, African, Asian, Ethnic, Hip Hop, New Age, Contemporary, Caribbean, and Electronica, for starters – and enjoys playing all of them – especially when artfully blended & blended together into a hearty rhythmic stew, simmered to perfection, and played intensely with Emotion, Heart & Soul.

A savvy, experienced drummer & percussionist (who also plays guitar, bass, and sings lead & background vocals), BobBB is best known for his tone, taste, touch, and uncanny ability to lay down a strong, deep, infectiously happening, amazing sounding groove with any size and type of musical group – at any volume level, from a barely audible whisper to a freight train roar, ppp / pianissimo to fff / fortissimo – making the music come alive to its fullest, and always with a special groove and that ‘something extra’ discerning artists and audiences crave – call it ‘mojo’, ‘secret sauce’, or what have you – every time, all the time, regardless of how demanding the performance situation or environment.

BobBB currently plays with the following Musical Groups:

- Cat Wells Blues Band (Smoking 4 Piece Modern Blues Band backing the incomparable Cat Wells on Lead Vocals)
- Formerly playing music with…
- The Kelowna Big Band’ (18 Piece Classic / Modern Big Band, with featured vocalist Dan McClelland) KelownaBigBand.com
- ‘Kinda Kenny Rogers’ ( #1 International Tribute to Kenny Rogers, featuring Marty Edwards) KindaKennyRogers.com
- ‘The Blu Crew’ (Classic 50s/60s/70s music stylings and more) LucyBluMusic.com (Update: Heather & BobBB are also the 8TrackTimeMachine, Stay Tuned for more…!)
- ‘The Dreamland Big Band’ (18 Piece Classic Big Band, with featured vocalists Alisa Anderson, Mr. Robert Fine — ‘The Sinatra Guy’, and Other Great Vocalists… DreamlandBand.ca
- ‘The SoulMen’ (‘formerly Blues Brothers Too’) / ‘Double Overtime’ (10/11 Piece R&B Tribute / Horn Band) BluesBrothersToo.com and BluesBrothersToo.com and DoubleOvertime.ca
- ‘Marty Edwards & The Revival’ (classic 60s & 70s music and more) MartyEdwardsAndTheRevival.com
- Jake Stolz & Rob Rowan and their Classic Country Music Icons Tribute to Alan Jackson, Waylon Jennings, & Merle Haggard, featuring Jason Cooper and renowned Canadian Fiddle Champion Mike Sanyshyn

‘BobBB ‘The DrumBuddha’ has also played, recorded, backed, and/or filled in with hundreds of Artists, including:

- Harry Nilsson (famed Singer/Songwriter – The One And Only…), including playing drums & percussion on his hard-to-find infamous ‘Last Album’ on Youtube and HarryHeads.com
- Leonard Camplin and the Kelowna Pops Orchestra (famed Order of Canada Award-winning Conductor, RIP)
- George Robert (alto sax giant, RIP – Phil Woods Big Band, Clark Terry)
- Studebaker John (old school Chicago Rockin’ Blues)
- Blue City Trio (60s-70s-80s-90s Pop / World Music)
- The Cruzeros (Canadian alt-country Juno Award Nominees)
- The Platters (The Originals…)
- Jimmi Accardi (Chubby Checker, Chuck Berry, The Monkees, Rupert Holmes, Laughing Dogs)
- Evan Lurie (The Lounge Lizards)
- Henry Piovesan & His Heroes (Jazz-R&B-Classic Rock)
- John Lee Sanders (New Orleans Style R&B-Blues-Jazz)
- Redfish (famed Canadian alt-rock band)
- Julie Masi (Parachute Club) & Half A Quorum
- Sonny Rhodes & his ‘Blues Is My Religion’ Band (Texas Blues Legend, RIP)
- Chris Tyle & His Dixieland Quintet
- Sherman ‘Tank’ Doucette (Blues Harp Genius; Tankful of Blues, Incognito)
- Blues Tribe (hot Chicago style Blues, founding member)
- Cal Batchelor (Canadian Blues Guitarist; Long John Baldry, Ronnie Lane, Al Stewart, Quiver)
- Jason Buie (Canadian Blues Guitarist; Jason Buie Group RIP)
- Dan Engelland (Canadian Blues Guitarist; The HooDoos RIP)
- Cathy-Ann ‘Phat Betty’ Wells (Canadian Blues / R&B Singer)
- Rick ‘Poppa Dawg’ Halisheff (Canadian Blues Guitarist; Dogskin Suit)
- Michael Garding Big Band (MGBB) & Quartet
- Ricky Martin & The BlueCats (hot Chicago Blues & Jump Swing)
- Saxissimo (50s-60s Blue Note/Cool Jazz)
- Jazz/Blues Vocalists – Robert Fine, Anna Jacyszyn, Phat Betty (Who’s Yo Daddy Blues Band), Ellen Churchill, Kath Raeber (& Her TomKats)
- Okanagan Valley Singers (Leroy Wiens, Conductor)
- Celebration Singers Choir (Katherine Van Kampen, Director)
- Felix Possak Orchestra & Trio
- Paul Sorensen Big Band & Orchestra
- Red Hot Boogie Express (hot vintage R&B, founding member)
- The Popoffs (featuring Jon Memelo)
- MoonTan (Classic Rock band, founding member)
- MarvinJ & Friends (Classic Blues-Rock)
- Gary Tackett (Country & Blues guitar phenom; California Cowboys, Merle Haggard, Vern Gosdin, Billy Currington, Bobby Black, Toree McGee)
- Stella Starlight Quartet (featuring Mr. Paul Alan Smith)
- Milestone (featuring Miles Jones & JoAnne Avery Neish)
- Scott Sackett Show (Elvis Impersonator/Beach Boys Revue Band)
- Terry Blankenship (Prog Rock/Celtic guitarist; Daemon, League of Crafty Gentlemen, Robert Fripp)
- Smiley Ortiz Trio (featuring famed Cuban pianist Panchito Calimano and Abundio Ortiz)
- Hal Harvey & The Affair (featuring Davey Karr (Suverkrup) & Louie Varela)
- Breezin’ Trio & Quartet (featuring Tommy Morris, RIP, Dale Schultz, Mike McKinley, RIP, and Mike Bever, RIP)
- Dick Diamond Trio (Stan Kenton, US Navy Band; featuring Don Martello, Hammond organ / keyboards)
- Rod Griffith & The Griffith Bros Show Band (RIP)
- EJ Gold (Hi-Tech Shaman; Harry Nilsson, Phil Spector, Jefferson Airplane, Ringo Starr, George Harrison)
- Dru Kristel (Not Always North American Drum Core), RIP
- Jan Cox (avant-garde Blues pianist/percussionist), RIP

…and a number of other Artists that you have most likely never heard of — or that he unfortunately cannot mention directly due to legal non-disclosures — both live on stage and/or in the studio.

Bob has played on countless recording sessions throughout North America over the past three decades, at studios both well known (such as the famed Gold Star Studios and the Record Plant) and lesser known – in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Reno-Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, throughout the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeast & Southwest USA.

Bob was the staff drummer, percussionist, utility musician, vocalist, and all-around fix-it-up-for-the-mix guy for The Union Label and its Subsidiaries (Northern California) from 1988-1999, contributing significantly for well over a decade as a musician, arranger, composer, lead & background vocalist, vocal sound efx ‘Wizzard’, and all-around make-it-right & fix-it-before / during / and even after-the-mix guy on 150+ cutting edge recordings by various in-house artists in numerous genres — jazz, blues, rock, funk, avant garde, ultra-lounge, neo-folk, proto-punk / thrash / metal, new age, neo-classical, etc (including the Great Harry Nilsson’s infamous last recording session on Christmas Eve 1993, only several weeks before his untimely passing… ask Bob about that go-for-broke, Git-R-Done, down-on-tape, and-in-the-can right now 12 hour all-nighter recording session (fueled by too many Quad Espressos and various ChocolateGod Truffles by Master Chef Bill de Groot) sometime; some pics &videos now available online on YouTube, search for HarryHeads & Oz Fritz).

Bob has also appeared numerous times on local and national TV (including a notably wild CNBC SquawkBox Birthday feature live-from-the-Hidden-Studio with the Insane Investors Club in 1999);

… offers Master Classes and teaches students of all ages and skill levels whenever his schedule permits;

… and can be found playing or sitting in at Jazz, R&B, Blues, and Rock music clubs throughout North & Central America and parts of Europe;

… as well as at your friendly local House of Worship – on drums, percussion, guitar, bass, keyboards, and/or singing his heart out.

Bob has also shared the stage with a wide range of artists, including:

The Stampeders, Barney Bentall, ‘Almost Elvis’ Revue, The Jack Semple Band, Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne, Tony Coleman (BB King), Frankie Ferriera, Bernie Addington, Hugh Parsons, Neville Bowman, Craig Thomson, Sandy Cameron, Doug Sonju, Neal Fraser, Gregor Sneddon, Dennis Esson, We Are The City, The Young’Uns, The Ensemble, The Outlaws, and The Chambers Brothers, among many others.

Bob endorses Drums by Ray Ayotte (Thank you Ray, for the great drums), Paiste Cymbals, Remo Drumheads & Percussion, Vater & Ahead drumsticks, and Vic Firth mallets & brushes.

Bob has studied drums, percussion, guitar, music, and recording (formally and/or innformally) with the following people:

- Ted Reed (Famed pioneering drum instructor & author of ‘Syncopation’ and ‘Bass Drum Technique’ fame, 1974-1975), without whom I would not be able to read music, nor drive big bands of all types and genres;
- Al ‘Hoot Gibson’ Rudkin (of The Revlons and Motown fame, 1974-1979), without whom I would have never had the opportunity to meet nor study with Ted, nor swing hard — no matter what — and play really funky, lowdown, greasy, ultra-high-cholesterol chicken-wing shuffles at all tempos;
- Master Classes (formal/informal) with Legendary Drummers:
- Louie Bellson (1976, 1977, 1980, 1987), without whom I would have not have learned how to truly play supportively at all times, and always with drive, taste, class & finesse;
- Tony Williams (1996) — I learned so much in those 2 1/2 hours, what can I say;
- Earl Palmer (R&B-Rock&Roll-Studio innovator, 2004 – Thank you, Ian Falgout) who took the time to show me the inside secrets of his groove stylings;
- Joel Taylor (Allan Holdsworth/Frank Gambale/OHM/David Foster, 2004) those Swiss Triplets around the kit are still killin’ me;
- Herman Ernest (longtime New Orleans drummer for Dr. John, 2004… RIP Roscoe) your N’Awlins groove was just the bomb;
- Kenny Aronoff (2007) your shortcut charts are still the best;
- Dr. Steve Gadd (1992, 2008) always so amazingly musical and supportive of the music;
- Franklin Vanderbilt (Lenny Kravitz, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder; 2004, 2008) such a deep, wide, phat groove;
- Trevor Lawrence, Jr (Stevie Wonder, Emotions; 2004);
- Ricky Lawson (Steely Dan, Yellowjackets; 2004 – RIP);
- Bernard Purdie (Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin; 2004);
- Kirk Covington (Tribal Tech / Scott Henderson Blues Band / Zawinul Syndicate; 1999, 2004);
- Paco Séry (Zawinul Syndicate; 1998);
- Martin Drew (Oscar Peterson Trio, 1999)
- Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts (Branford Marsalis Quartet, 1999)
- Jim O’Brock (BOOT / Split Ends; 1971-1975);
- Ronnie Bennett (1974-1975);
- The Great Larrie Londin (1974; ask Bob sometime about his trademark swinging double stroke ‘Country Blues Shuffle’ Larrie liked so much, he used it on TV backing Elvis Presley on ‘That’s Alright’ in 1976 – RIP);
- Legendary Percussionists:
- Airto Moreira (1997-1999);
- Trilok Gurtu (1996);
- Manolo Badrena (1998, 1999);
- Mino Cinelu (1994);
- Ramon Lopez (1975-1976);
- Musical Instructors / Engineers:
- Bob Wilson (GHS Music Director, 1971-1973, RIP);
- The Dick Grove Music School Without Walls;
- Stan Ross (of the legendary Gold Star Studios, LA);
- Patrick Gleeson (of Different Fur Studios, SF);
- Oz Fritz (Grammy Award-winning Engineer for Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Prairie Sun Studios, CA);
- Gary Cirimelli (Grammy-nominated Engineer for Neal Schon, Walter Afanasieff, Narada Michael Walden, Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, Kenny Loggins, et al; now of Amulet Studios in the Nashville, TN area);
- Tommy Tedesco (legendary LA based Studio Guitarist on over 35,000 recordings with ‘The Wrecking Crew’ aka ‘The Clique’)
- Loni Moger (Guitar)
- Lare ‘Lucky’ Garcia (Guitar)
- Tommy Morris (Guitar)
- Bruce Knox (Guitar – RIP)

Special Mention – and my Heartfelt Thanks – to my Instructors:

Dr. Art O’Donnell (RIP), Dr. Jerry G. Morriss, Dr. Jack G. Moss (RIP), and Dr. Robert H. Parham for their incredibly insightful and thoughtful suggestions and contributions (past, present, and future) to my overall education and musical career (via advanced theoretical mathematics and multi-dimensional topographies, applied physics related to acoustics / sonics / vibration / sound / light, ancient and world history & The Long View Approach, and esoteric writings & poetry from a historical & generational evolutionary perspective, respectively);

… along with scores of amazing – and unfortunately, mostly unknown — drummers, percussionists, musicians, singers, artists, producers, engineers, teachers, magicians, holy men & women of many faiths and backgrounds (both in this world and beyond), and various shamen / brujos / brujas (you know who you are…) encountered at various time throughout my life… And as they all say, ‘Well… So Far, So Good’…

If perchance you should happen to remember anything from the above ramblings, please remember this:

When the band is counted in on stage…

Or when that big red RECORDING light comes on…

Bob ‘The DrumBuddha’ Bachtold delivers the goods, and makes the music come alive, so it can be the best it can possibly be in that moment and time…

The First Time, the Second Time, and Every Time… Count on it, bet on it!

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