Rob Sheppard is a boundary-pushing jazz flutist, saxophonist, and composer based in Los Angeles. Known for a sound that is both expressive and adventurous, Rob has become an in-demand voice on both flute and saxophone—performing at festivals and venues around the world, most notably as a longtime collaborator with genre-defying artist Louis Cole. Additional performance and touring credits include Portugal. The Man and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest.

Raised in Tualatin, Oregon, Rob picked up the saxophone at age 10, beginning a lifelong musical journey. A transformative move to the San Francisco Bay Area during high school introduced him to the rich jazz education programs at the Jazzschool in Berkeley (now the California Jazz Conservatory) and the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars. Under the private mentorship of saxophonist Dann Zinn, he gained national recognition with selections to the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz Band of America.

This momentum earned him a scholarship to the USC Thornton School of Music, where he studied saxophone with Bob Mintzer, jazz improvisation and composition with Ambrose Akinmusire, and composition with Vince Mendoza. It was at USC that he began to explore the flute seriously, performing in the Afro-Latin American Jazz Ensemble under Aaron Serfaty. His dedication to community engagement earned him the Thornton Outreach Award for impactful work with underfunded school music programs in South Central Los Angeles.

After graduating in 2015, Rob continued to deepen his artistry on the flute under the guidance of Katisse Buckingham. Over the past decade, he has built a reputation as a versatile and visionary performer, seamlessly blending his command of jazz tradition with a forward-thinking sensibility.

Beyond the stage, Rob holds a Master’s in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University, enriching his compositional voice with a literary lens. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife of four years and their cat.