BOBBY NOTKOFF

BOBBY NOTKOFF Bobby Notkoff, violinist, said "When I was five, my vibrato and tone were there" Bobby Notkoff died in Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 5th, 2018. He was born in New York City to Irving and Lillian Notkoff on the 31st of December, 1940, destined to be one of the finest violinists of our generation. Bobby was studying with master teachers at the Manhattan School of Music by age seven, and was the concertmaster of the Young American Musicians Foundation orchestra under his contemporary Michael Tilson-Thomas, who decades later told a mutual friend, "I believe Bobby Notkoff is the most gifted musician I ever worked with." At age 15, he was loaned a Stradivarius violin to play his East Coast tour by the Wurlitzer Co. This tour included playing Carnegie Hall. As concert master of the American Ballet Theatre orchestra Bobby played the Black and White Swan solos for the dancing of Maria Tallchiefafter a time with the New Orleans orchestra, Bobby played for the Burbank symphony under Carmen Dragon. This was when he fell in with popular music players, and rock and roll took over Bobby's bow. Bobby began to play with the L.A. Rockets, and soon Neil Young picked up the band as his back-up group, and changed their name to 'Crazy Horse'. Bobby recorded the "After the Gold Rush" album with Young, then later projects with Crazy Horse alone. In those L.A. years, Bobby recorded with Joni Mitchell, [ "For the Roses"]; Electric Flag; Karen Dalton; and Zephyr. In the early 1970's left California for Colorado, soon moving to Santa Fe to join the Family Lotus band, living the rest of his life mostly in New Mexico, with some time spent in Hawaii. In Santa Fe, Bobby recorded with Family Lotus, Carlos Lomas, Jerry Faires, among other projectsand many, many memorable live concert and dance-hall events. His melodic sense was perfectly matched to his astounding technical ability, and his range of musical ideas limitlesslisteners felt they had never before heard what he played, and it was true. The music pored through him in the moment, for the moment, always fresh, new, and amazing. Bobby Notkoff's ability to improvise was legendary, and although he never lost his deep love for the classics, his need for personal independence made him unwilling to submit to the restrictions of the classical world. And while his violin played Bluegrass, Rock and Roll, Flamenco, Gypsy Jazz, Honky-tonk Countryjust any genre thrown at him, he never became a 'fiddler'Bobby Notkoff was forever and always, a Violinist. Bobby is survived by his brother, Arnold Notkoff, of Los Angeles, his niece Tanya, several cousinsand a host of admirers who will forever miss the soaring, sweeping, powerful and tender music of Bobby Notkoff. A celebration of Bobby's life and music will be held at Frogville Studio, 111 Calle Nopal, Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Sunday, November 4th, at 4 P.M.