Robert Muller

pianist • keyboardist • composer • improviser

about

Robert Muller is an in-demand pianist and keyboardist based in Santa Fe, NM, known for a distinctly modern and soulful musical approach informed as much by classic bebop as by Brian Eno and 80s pop. He’s the recipient of the 2024 New Mexico Music Award’s Eric Larson Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in live music and the studio. #NMMA He is the pianist for the Delbert Anderson Quartet, an award-winning group that tours the western US and Canada and has appeared at California Worldfest, SFJazz, the National Art Gallery’s Jazz in the Garden series, and Kuumbwa Jazz.

He was born and raised in Portland, Oregon where he studied closely with Blue Note jazz great Dr. Andrew Hill at Portland State University. He performed extensively on the West Coast doing everything from local jazz gigs to touring with a Shriner’s Circus in British Columbia to working as a sideman with Iranian pop stars.

He moved to New York City in the mid 90s and became active in the downtown music scene with his own trio Timefly and as a sideman for several original acts. Robert appeared on MTV2 with underground hip-hop artist Pete Miser and performed at venues like SOB’s, The Knitting Factory, The Blue Note, Mercury Lounge, and Studio 54.

After moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico some eleven years later, he quickly started to do studio work and performances with Grammy-winning guitarist Larry Mitchell for several award-winning artists, including NAMMY-winning singer and songwriter Shelley Morningsong.

He co-leads the modern jazz project Kodama Trio, whose eponymous debut album received 2016 New Mexico Music Awards for Best Jazz CD and Best Jazz Single. Our new album, Entriopy, is available on streaming platforms everywhere as well as Bandcamp. He records and performs with Ryan Montano, most recently on the 2023 single Future Smooth, and appears with New Mexico artists like Hillary Smith, Artha Meadors, Rodney Bowe, David Turner, and Ron Crowder.

Robert has also been a regular sideman and collaborator with Mvskoke poet/author/musician Joy Harjo in venues and festivals as far-flung as Anchorage, Alaska, and the Public Theater in New York City. In 2019, Robert was honored to appear with her at her inauguration as the 23rd US Poet Laureate at the Library of Congress. Video of the event can be found on the Library of Congress’s YouTube Channel.

He uses gear from companies including Nord, Kawai Pianos, Yamaha, Moog, Korg, Roland, Ultimate Support Systems, Bose, Apple, Focusrite, Nektar, Event Audio, QuikLok and Ultimate Ears.

There’s a lot of great stuff coming up in the spring and summer and I’ll do my best to update the calendar as stuff is confirmed!

March 16, 2pm
Kaktus Kats f/Nancy Johnson
Kaktus Brewing
Bernalillo, NM

March 22, 8pm
Delbert Anderson Quartet
Aukland Arts Festival
Spiegeltent, Aotea Square

March 29, 7pm
Delbert Anderson concert
El Morro Theater
Gallup, NM

April 8, 6pm
Kodama Trio featuring Joshua Smith
Bathtub Row
Los Alamos, NM

some of the people and groups I have worked with:

reviews

Despite the obviously cooperative nature of the trio, Muller’s piano dominates throughout. A percussive, muscular player in the mold of McCoy Tyner, he’s a remarkable soloist with a wealth of rhythmic and melodic ideas and a yen for dark and gnarly harmonies.

Kodama Trio CD Review (Allaboutjazz.com) 

Muller brings spritely, spiky energy that contrasts nicely with the mellower qualities of tuba and ‘bone. His adventurous, muscular solos incorporate elements from bebop to funk, with touches of hip-hop attitude.

Christian Pincock CD Review (Melminter.com) 

Muller is like a vampire in that if you invite him in he’ll always just kind of be around. Also, he’s a pretty amazing pianist, so…

Pranzo (Santa Fe Reporter) 

There are proggy elements at play that present a more rock ‘n roll sensibility than many might think when they hear the qualifier “jazz” and if nothing else, these guys are all f*cking bonkers when it comes to musicianship.

Mushi Trio Review (Santa Fe Reporter) 

Pete Miser: The piano player, Robert Muller, is just so hyper-musical, like kind of jazz-based. He’s a student of Andrew Hill. He’s so out that he goes into the anti-music zone, you know what I mean? 

Cosmik: Playing off someone who’s in that frame of mind must be kind of inspirational for you.

Pete Miser: Yeah, it’s dope.

Cosmik Debris Magazine (Pete Miser Interview)

Sounds

Pictures

Videos

Contact

* It has recently come to my attention that my “contact” form broke at some point. Even though it would show a “thank you for your message,” screen when people sent me something, I was not actually getting anything sent to me.

I’m not really sure when it broke, but if you have sent me a message and I have not responded, I sincerely apologize, I always respond. I’m doing away with the whole “contact form” thing for now and you can just send me an email if you want to get in touch. robertmuller@gmail.com