In 2016, veteran vocalist, trumpeter and flugelhornist Rob Zinn launched an exciting new phase of his distinguished, multi-faceted career, emerging as an internationally recognized independent smooth jazz artist and composer with his critically acclaimed albums Anything Can Happen (2023), Walk The Walk (2018) and Yesterday Again (2016). Walk the Walk was selected for the 61st Grammy Ballot for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.  Rob’s last album, Anything Can Happen, was released on April 7 2023. Once again working with producer Paul Brown, as well as first time collaborations with producers Greg Manning, Roberto Vally, Jeff Canady, John Cassidy, Dennis Johnson and Adam Hawley.  Anything Can Happen is heavy on contemporary grooves, Rob Zinn style, with a few surprises thrown in and features an all-star list of musicians such as Paul Brown, Jeff Ryan, Greg Manning, Andrew Neu, Ragan Whiteside, Blake Aaron, Eric Valentine, Sean Uliasz, Tom Schuman, Roberto Vally, Bob Baldwin, Lew Laing Jr., Adam Hawley, Jeff Canady, Chris Fischer and Carlyle Barriteau. Songs from the album received airplay on over 125 smooth jazz stations around the world with a listening audience of 154 countries.
Zinn, an endorser of Chicago based Phaeton Trumpets is currently working on his 4th studio album. It includes the hit singles Until I Met You, It Just Feels Right featuring Nils and Weekend Games featuring Michael Paulo. Weekend Games climbed to #22 on the esteemed Billboard Smooth Jazz Chart.
Rob’s songs have charted top 50 on such prominent outlets as the Billboard Smooth Jazz National Airplay and Audience charts, America’s Music Chart powered by mediabase, the Smooth Jazz Top 50 Album chart, Smooth Jazz Radar chart, Smooth Jazz Indie chart, Smooth Jazz Network Top 100 chart, Groove Jazz Music Chart Top 30 and the RadioWave Internet Play chart, and received “Most Added” designations on Nielsen/Billboard numerous times. Zinn has performed at numerous jazz festivals such as the Mallorca Jazz Festival, Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz, Gulf Coast Jazz Festival, Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival, Intimate Smooth Jazz Festival, Lake Arbor Jazz Festival, Berks Jazz Festival, Sandy Shore’s Jazz Weekender, Sweet Jazz Festival and the Jazz Legacy Foundation Jazz Festival as well as venues throughout the country. On occasion Rob has teamed up with guitar player and double Grammy winner Paul Brown.

Born in Maryland, raised in Delaware and living in Florida, Zinn brings to his solo artistry a dynamic history as an ensemble performer and popular sideman. While performing in his high school jazz band and in the college jazz band at the University of Delaware, he “cut his teeth” and began his professional career with a prominent 15-piece swing band. Playing with them from the ages of 17 to 25, he performed hundreds of gigs throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware at top venues, big band society dances and numerous special occasions.

Zinn then joined the horn section of the Delaware valley favorite 7-piece dance party band Group Therapy, which performed party songs and funk (from Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire to The Brecker Brothers) everywhere from outdoor concerts and country clubs to state fairs and 800-1000 seat venues, opening for, among others, legendary acts like The Spinners, Kool & The Gang, Tower of Power and Average White Band. During his stint with this ensemble, Zinn expanded his repertoire to include lead and harmony vocals, keyboards and percussion.
While playing regularly with swing bands and Group Therapy, Zinn also gigged with Just Friends – a hip big band, the Scatologists – an original Ska band and so many others. Zinn later exercised his blues chops with Delaware Rock & Roll Delaware Hall of Fame band Rockett 88 and with The Jimmy Pritchard Band, which represented the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation and competed in the annual Memphis based competition, the International Blues Challenge. Performing with both groups at various blues festivals gave the trumpeter a taste of what he is now enjoying as a leader in his own right.
Though there were no professional musicians in his immediate family, Zinn’s grandfather was a semi-pro trumpeter, so it made sense for him to carry on in that tradition when he began playing at age 9. His parents were big music lovers, and he grew up surrounded by the traditional sounds of Andy Williams, Jack Jones, Frank Sinatra, Herb Alpert, Al Hirt and Johnny Mathis. His two older sisters introduced him to the Beatles and later on his own he discovered Steely Dan, Tower of Power, Chicago, Maynard Ferguson and Chuck Mangione, while also playing along to Herb Alpert records. He added flugelhorn to his arsenal when he was a 3-time selection to the all-state jazz band in high school.
With all of those musical experiences paving the way, Zinn is excited about the fresh opportunities coming his way that will allow him to continue performing his own music for a rapidly growing fan base. “It is amazing to be able to take these ideas rolling around in my head, commit them to a demo, and then be part of the process of bringing a fresh composition to life with amazing musicians,” he says.

“The most gratifying thing, though, is playing my songs live. It’s great being a working musician interpreting other people’s compositions, but there’s nothing like making meaningful connections with my own music. I want people to feel something when I play, feel the emotion in what I’m expressing – whether it’s through the melody, chords or performance – and to create a special moment in time for them. That’s the ultimate for me.”