Endorsements
The gear Robert plays and stands behind — and the stage that puts it in front of thousands of people every year.
Seen live, night after night.
Robert doesn't play to a camera — he plays to a full house, six weeks at a stretch, several times a year. His kit is on stage in front of the audience, not tucked away in a pit.
The math is simple: a 300-seat house, four performances a week across a six-week run (24 performances per production), and two to three productions a year. That puts Robert on stage for roughly 48–72 performances annually, in front of 14,000–21,000 seats. In the current 50th Anniversary Season he is music director for all three productions — Men of Soul, You Can't Fake the Funk, and The Other Cinderella.
The value of a working drummer's stage.
His gear is in full view
At Black Ensemble Theater the band is part of the show. Robert and his kit sit in the audience's sightline for the entire performance — not hidden in a pit or behind a scrim. Whatever he plays, the room sees it.
Repeat exposure, not a single hit
A six-week run means the same gear is on stage 24 nights in a row, seen by a new house every night. That's sustained, in-person visibility a one-off post can't match.
The right people are watching
Theatergoers and longtime fans, yes — but also students, young drummers, working musicians, directors, and producers. The people who buy gear are in those seats.
Credibility carries weight
A seven-time Black Theater Alliance Award winner and seven-time Jeff Award nominee isn't a hobbyist. When Robert plays something, his peers take it seriously.
A growing stage
The Black Ensemble Theater draws roughly 50,000 patrons a year across its programming and is preparing to open a second theater — meaning more performances and a larger audience ahead.
Beyond the theater
Robert also performs with his own band, The R2Project, teaches clinics and lessons, and is regularly covered by Chicago theater press — putting his gear in front of students, readers, and photographers too.
He's also the engineer
Robert records, mixes, masters, and archives all the music for the theater's productions. He isn't only playing your gear on stage — he's using it in the studio, and he can tell you exactly how it performs under a microphone.
Real, usable feedback
A player who engineers his own recordings gives a brand something rarer than a logo placement: informed, technical, honest feedback on how a product actually holds up across a six-week run.
Figures reflect Robert's current performance schedule at the Black Ensemble Theater. Attendance figure per the theater's published materials.
Coming soon.
Robert is putting together the list of instruments and gear he plays and believes in. Check back soon to see the brands behind his sound — from the drums under his hands to the sticks, hardware, and cables that get him through a run.
The tools of the trade
A look at the categories of gear Robert relies on night after night.
Drums & Cymbals
The heart of the kit — the shells and brass that carry every groove.
Sticks & Mallets
The feel in his hands, chosen for control, tone, and staying power.
Hardware & Thrones
The stands, pedals, and seat that hold up under a full run of shows.
Cables & Audio
The quiet, reliable gear that keeps the sound clean from kit to house.
In-Ears & Monitoring
How Robert hears the band and locks the whole room into the pocket.
Accessories
The small, essential pieces that keep a working drummer working.
Recording & Studio Gear
Microphones, interfaces, monitors, and plugins — Robert records, mixes, and masters the theater's music himself.
Specific brands and products will be listed here soon.
Want Robert to represent your gear?
Robert partners with a select group of brands he genuinely plays and believes in. If your instruments or gear belong in his hands, let's talk.