Album Notes

A vocalist of wide-ranging styles and traditions, Robert Encila features a repertoire that reflects his diverse influences. He grew up in the Philippines where he developed a strong connection with jazz music, listening to his mother sing her favorite standards while she cooked his favorite foods. Groomed for the stage at an early age, Robert found a foundational niche in musical theatre and played numerous roles demanding his range as a singer/actor.

The burgeoning musical innovations of the 70’s inspired this impressionable artist to launch a performing career in a variety of venues. From intimate piano bars to large concert halls, Robert has performed jazz, folk, rock, rhythm and blues, show tunes, and Salsa. His poignant singing is marked by his ability to affect his audience with a soulful rendition of each style.

As a songwriter, Robert has fused together the influences of his musical upbringing and created something all his own. Along the way the listener is likely to hear the sensitive affectations reminiscent of Kenny Loggins and Cat Stevens, the gutsy range of James Brown, and the smooth intensity of Gino Vanelli.

Besides the obvious sophistication in Robert's musical composition, the most notable element in his songs are his positive lyrics. In this album, he is quite transparent in his musings about healthy relationships, about fatherhood, and about growing up as a man of integrity.

A fine arts scholar from the University of Arizona, Robert has been teaching and performing regularly at Studio Connections, a fine arts center in Tucson he created in 2004. He is also a thespian of national repute who performs regularly with Borderlands Theater, an internationally acclaimed theatre company committed to representing the diverse voices of the Southwest.