Meet Bobby Streng | Saxophonist, composer, arranger, and music director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bobby Streng and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bobby, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?

I have a few close friends that I talk about this with at length on a regular basis. Personally, I have found that a good work life balance is an unfortunate myth. Whatever I do in life, I want to do it my best and give it my all. When I’m feeling really good about my performance abilities, I don’t feel like I’m there enough for my kids. When I feel like I’m really putting in the time to be a good father, I know that my music is suffering.

Earlier in life, my work, hobbies, interests, obsessions, friends, travel, and social life all revolved around music and gigs. There was no need to consider a work life balance because work was life. My whole existence pointed in one direction. Proving the myth of balance wrong is a quest that I won’t give up on though. There are long stretches where I know work takes me away from my family and maintaining a high level of performance requires a lot of dedicated time. I try to balance that out with time off the best that I can. If I find a better way to crack the code, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

My favorite gigs are those for which I can help to bring authentic, original, creative music to life, whether that is my own or others. If the music is real, I’m into it, regardless of genre. This is something that I’m actively trying to prioritize in my career. I am fortunate that the scene in the Detroit/Ann Arbor area is saturated with great artists to collaborate with.

Early in my career, success was measured in climbing the gig ladder, notoriety, and travel opportunities. I’ve learned that defining and redefining what success means to you is an important part of growth. I make a good living in music, I’m able to spend lots of time with my family, and I have a network of dedicated, creative musicians to play with. In the past year, I’ve done a national ad campaign for State Farm, reunited with my friends in the Harry James Orchestra for a weekend, and played the halftime show at an NFL playoff game. It varies from week to week, but the calendar is always full. At this stage in my daughters’ lives, that is success!

As a young musician, I was never told to specialize in a specific style of music. I was dedicated to my classical music studies, played jazz gigs, and was the music director for a regionally successful live hip hop group. I feel that sets me apart from others. The goal was always to be as authentic as possible for each performance and do justice to every style of music that I played. It requires a lot of homework for every gig, but it’s my goal to be the most prepared person who steps onto every stage. As I got older and worked my way into better gigs, that approach has stuck with me. The difference being that I now know what types of gigs I enjoy more and when it’s best for me to respectfully say no.

If you ask someone else what sets me apart, I think they’d say it’s the energy that I bring to the stage and the ability to rev up and build a solo into a frenzy.

What do you want the world to know about your brand and story?

I’m still working on it. I’m still learning and evolving. I think I’m still getting better.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

With a career in music that forces me to be out and about most nights, I am definitely one who will lean towards staying in when I have time off. However, I have always been a sucker for a good brewpub. When I traveled a lot, those were always my first choices in scoring a spot for good local food and drink. Ann Arbor is full of them, and it’s a good bet that’s where we would start most nights. My favorites are Grizzly Peak and Wolverine Brewing Company. Although some dinners at Casey’s Tavern and Zingerman’s Roadhouse would also be on the itinerary.

We would have to go out and support live music and find some friends playing on the scene. A quick text to my friend and drummer Jesse Kramer always leads to finding a great show somewhere. A late set at the Blue Llama or a Sunday night at the Ravens Club are where I spend my free nights, and the first places I’d want to take a friend.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Pianist/composer Chris Plansker was a member of a group of friends that would meet at my house every Friday morning for a few hours, read charts, and drink an obscene amount of coffee. As an arranger and composer, this weekly reading of my works in progress allows my music to develop and mature, long before it ever sees a studio. Many of the tunes to finally get recorded are well past their 10th draft. This group of guys was essential in creating my album entitled “Safe and Loved.” Those same sessions produced Chris’s record called “Moon Minister”. Unfortunately, Covid killed the weekly sessions, but Chris and I have continued sending tracks back and forth ever since. He is a brilliant composer and is my first call when I am putting together a show. I am close to finishing my new batch of compositions to be recorded. I couldn’t have done it without Chris’s help.

I studied with University of Dayton Professor of Saxophone, Dr. Willie Morris, III for 7 years starting my sophomore year of high school. There was never a distinction of what genre of music I would study. I studied all kinds of music, and I was going to strive to be great at all of it. This was perfect training for the freelancer’s lifestyle to come. Willie threw me a lot of opportunities and performance experience early in my career that opened a lot of doors for me later on.

Website: www.bobbystreng.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bobby_streng/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/robertmstreng

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/bobbystreng

Image Credits
Chuck Andersen Kylie Pedraz Elizabeth Horn album art by Zoe and Jazelle Streng