Biography 

Bob Folse is a uniquely talented acoustic guitarist. He is an instrumentalist who creates a beautiful microcosm of sound with exquisite arrangements that utilize the beauty of the instrument. He has an original tropical Flamenco sound inspired by tradition and surroundings. Bob is immersed in the Flamenco genre and the diverse latin rhythms heard in South Florida.  He is also an award winning Jazz Guitarist/Composer and performs with his group The Bob Folse Quartet. 

He is a world traveller originally from New Orleans and now resides in Southeast Florida . He released his first CD “Fuego”in 1990 and since then has produced 5 more. His music explores the traditions and the fusion of the music from his time in New Orleans and in Miami Beach. His music can be found on Spotify and other digital platforms. 

His musical  journey officially started at Loyola College of Music in New Orleans from 1983-86,  where he studied Jazz and Classical guitar. From 1986 -1990, he attended and graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Film Scoring. He moved  back to New Orleans in 1990, where he became active in the local Frenchmen Street music scene. At this time, he also began to explore the Spanish Guitar in depth, performing the music of the Gypsy Kings and traditional Flamenco with his group Fuego.  With a need to grow in that style, he moved to  South Beach, Miami from 1996- 2000 performing on Ocean Drive. He then became active providing entertainment for global corporate and private clients.

ACTIVITY

2022 Awarded an Artist Support Grant from Broward Cultural Division to perform “Luna Llena” , an outdoor full moon concert featuring Spanish guitar and cello 

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlVi8Y9sJSWnUi49YwQBL54MLPd_ubq8P&si=wypJcfvrMJy6e01N

2022 Placed as a Finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards with original composition “Luna Llena”

2021 Awarded an Artist Support Grant from Broward Cultural Division for “Bob Folse Flamenco Guitarist”,  a Flamenco guitar recital

2021 Finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards with “Mariposa” (primavera)

https://open.spotify.com/track/2HJhQGRoshtuuASalS3reX?si=6c641f300b944a8

2020 Released “Flight”, an original composition with filmscore overtones

2020 Performed a solo Spanish Guitar recital at Bonita Springs Center for the Arts

2019 Performed classical guitar for “Picnic Suite” by Claude Bolling at The Bonita Springs Center for the Arts

2016 Opened for Ottmar Leibert in concert at the Meyer Amphitheater in West Palm

2014   Released “Rumbeando” CD a mix of originals and covers in the Tropical Rumba style 

2006 Released “La Rumba”  CD a mix of originals and covers

2003 Released “Christmas”  CD a collection of original interpretations of the classics

2000 Released “Sentimientos”  first CD with the tropical sound Rumba Flamenca

2000 Attended Guitarra Cordoba in Cordoba Spain workshops by Flamenco masters including Paco Serrano and Manolo Sanlucar

1998 Attended workshop /masterclasses with Flamenco guitar legend Gerardo Nunez in Sanlucar de Barrameda Spain

1996 Attended workshop/masterclasses given by Flamenco guitar greats Chuscales and Pedro Cortes in Santa Fe New Mexico

1990 Released “Fuego” CD

1990 Awarded the Louisiana Jazz Composers Award for original Jazz compositions