Robert Hurst
BIO
A Detroit native, Robert Hurst has enjoyed a stellar career spanning 30+ years, and is a highly respected and well recognized composer, electric and acoustic bassist, educator, recording artist, and businessman. His cultivation into a membership of talented musicians from around the world was fostered by lengthy tours and GRAMMY® Award winning recordings featuring: Sir Paul McCartney, Charles Lloyd, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Harry Connick Jr., Terrence Blanchard, Tony Williams, Nicholas Payton, Sting, Carl Allen, the legendary Pharaoh Sanders, Barbara Streisand, Willie Nelson, Yo Yo Ma, Ravi Coltrane, Kris Davis, Orrin Evans, Chris Botti and Diana Krall.
Robert Hurst has performed on over 250 diverse and critically acclaimed recordings. A select group of these productions has garnered him seven GRAMMY® Awards and several RIAA ® certified Multi-Platinum and Gold recordings, whilst his own eight recordings as a Bandleader have all generated Top Ten and Five Star recognition around the Globe. You may also recognize Robert as the inaugural bassist in the House Band of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for eight seasons, from 1992 to 1999. His work in performing, directing, acting, arranging, and composing on the NBC program was highlighted with four EMMY® Awards in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999. Hurst has also penned original music scores for several films including The Wood and Brown Sugar. Hurst can be heard in over 30 major motion pictures, and has featured solos and performances on BlockBuster soundtracks including Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen, Good Night, and Good Luck and No Sudden Move, 2021.
Hurst maintains a tenured position as an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Michigan’s School of Music,Theatre and Dance, Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 2021, Hurst was awarded an NEA Grant to present in 2022-2023 a series of original and diverse programming as the first Artist in Residence for The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, Michigan. In 2025, Hurst continues his advancement with the curation of new original music releases and re-issued recordings while maintaining a performance schedule touring the globe. In April 2024, The City of Detroit celebrated the premiere of a dynamic film documenting the vast legacy and history of Detroit’s jazz music makers entitled: “The Best of the Best: Jazz from Detroit”. We share appreciation for the several interviews, images and archival performances presented, including those showcasing the evolution of Detroit bassist, Robert Hurst. Robert Hurst has been widely witnessed contributing to jazz iconography and the many contemporary music, arts and cultural pedagogy movements in development.
Robert Hurst can be contacted at: Info@BebobMusic.com.
SHORT BIO
A Detroit Native, Robert Hursts boasts a distinguished 30+ year career as a composer, bassist, educator, and entrepreneur. Renowned for his work with icons like Sir Paul McCartney, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Diana Krall, Terence Blanchard, Nicholas Payton, Ravi Coltrane, Kris Davis, and the legendary Pharaoh Sanders, Hurst’s talent shines on over 250 recordings, earning him seven GRAMMY® Awards and numerous RIAA® certifications. Notably, he was the inaugural bassist for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, garnering four EMMY® Awards from his performing, directing, acting, arranging, and composing on the NBC program. Hurst’s musical prowess extends to 30+ major motion picture scores for hits like The Wood, Good Night and Good Luck, and Ocean’s Eleven series.
Currently an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Michigan, Hurst received an NEA Grant for groundbreaking programming at The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. In 2025, he continues to shape the music landscape through curated performances, acclaimed releases, and global tours. Recognized in Detroit’s jazz legacy film, “The Best of the Best: Jazz from Detroit,” Hurst remains an integral figure in contemporary music and cultural movements.
Contact: Info@BebobMusic.com.
