Rob Sheppard is an award-winning flutist, saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Los Angeles. Known for a sound that is warm, expressive, and adventurous, Rob has performed at major festivals and venues around the world, most notably as a longtime collaborator with genre-defying artist Louis Cole. His debut album as a bandleader “Home” was released in 2025 to radio play and critical acclaim. In 2026, the National Flute Association awarded him 1st place in their Jazz Artist Competition.
Raised in Tualatin, OR, Rob picked up the saxophone at age 10, and took to it immediately. A transformative move to the San Francisco Bay Area during his teenage years exposed him to the rich jazz education programs at the JazzSchool in Berkeley and the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars. Under the tutelage 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. During this time, he also made his first TV appearances on the show Glee.
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. He has become a highly sought-after voice, recording and performing with countless artists and for TV/film libraries. Notable performance/recording credits include Louis Cole, Knower, Sam Wilkes, Portugal the Man, and Ali Shaheed Mohammed (A Tribe Called Quest), among many others.
Beyond the stage, Rob is a bibliophile, a writer, a marathon runner, and a licensed skydiver. In 2023, he earned a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and their cat.
CRITICAL PRAISE FOR “HOME”
"Rob Sheppard’s debut, “Home,” is a work that fully reflects his talent and musical vision. A flautist and saxophonist from Los Angeles, Sheppard has collaborated with artists such as Louis Cole, Portugal the Man and A Tribe Called Quest, distinguishing himself for his unique style and versatility.
In “Home,” Sheppard explores new dimensions of sound, accompanied by Amy Rowe on piano, Sezin Ahmet Turkmenoglu on double bass, and Ana Barreiro on drums. Each track is a journey through intricate melodies and enveloping rhythms, reflecting the influence of jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary music.
"Home" is an album that exudes passion and technical mastery. Sheppard's skill with the flute and saxophone is evident in every note, and the compositions show remarkable depth and maturity." - Jazz in Family
"Koi" is one of those tracks that tells a story without needing words, guiding the listener through a sonic clash between cunning raccoons and serene carp. The mix of jazz and world-music creates a vibrant setting, where fluid melodies and sharp improvisations convey both the tension of the hunt and the beauty of the cycle of life. There is something playful and at the same time fierce in the composition, which alternates moments of lightness and urgency without ever losing the thread of the narrative. In the end, it is an experience that instigates and excites, without being tied to easy formulas." - Radio Armazem
