BIOGRAPHY

"I am truly honored to be recognized by Mississauga for my music and for this prestigious award. I fully support our thriving artistic community here in Mississauga!"
~ R. Tardik

In a career spanning nearly two decades, Rob Tardik has established himself as an award winning guitarist and now a rising instrumental music artist! Having performed for 5 years running at the coveted Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards held yearly in Mississauga’s Living Arts Center, Rob has shared the stage with the likes of legendary guitarist Peter White and Grammy award winning saxophonist David Sanborn. Rob is now poised to take center stage with his latest release "The Right Time", having won the prestigious award for 2010 Canadian Smooth Jazz Guitarist of the Year! Rob always finds a way to combine his guitar virtuosity and ever tasteful melodic sense to create his signature liquid smooth sound and entertain his fans everywhere!

Born and raised in Toronto, Rob began playing the guitar at the age of 7. By 17 he received a high school music scholarship, and after went on to study music at York University in Toronto. Rob also holds diplomas in both Recording Engineering and in Media Arts from Humber College. In 1991 his musical act, Paradise Alley received a recording contract with MCA/Duke Street records. Rob received his first MARTY award in his hometown by being named Mississauga’s 2007 "Established Performer of the Year", an award previously won by Oscar Peterson and Rik Emmett.

Rob has worked for Roland Canada as a guitar product specialist/clinician and has been a faculty member at the prestigious Merriam School of Music in Oakville for over 13 years. Rob has also taught at the Guitar Workshop Plus music program and has served as an adjudicator for the Midland Y’s Music Festival. Rob has played several prestigious venues which include Mississauga’s Living Arts Center, Roy Thompson Hall, the Buffalo Center of Performing Arts, and the Toronto International Film Festival.

An industry veteran, and highly respected guitarist, Rob’s work can be heard on his successful debut CD "Without Words" which was met with great enthusiasm and radio play world-wide from Sweden and Hungary to the U.K. In spring 2006 Rob earned a #1 Smooth Jazz chart single in Canada with his soulful remake of Sting’s "Fields of Gold". The album also featured the singles "Smoothy" and "Get Up" which have been favourites on Toronto’s Wave 94.7 FM and CBC Radio Canada. Currently, Rob's latest CD, "The Right Time" can be found on various U.S. contemporary jazz charts.

With diverse musical influences such as Larry Carlton, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia, George Benson, Lee Ritenour, Carlos Jobim, Sting to Eddie Van Halen, Rob’s most recent album "The Right Time" is an amalgamation of these inspirations which have helped shape his musical voice on the guitar and are moving him forward as an artist!