{{Short description|American guitarist}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Bobby Koelble | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|9|13}} | birth_place = Orlando, Florida, U.S. | genre = {{flatlist| * Heavy metal * death metal * progressive metal * jazz }} | occupation = Musician | years_active = | current_member_of = {{flatlist| * Death To All * Leviathan Project * The Jazz Professors * Expedition Delta * Bobby Koelble Quartet}} | past_member_of = {{hlist|Death|Azrael}} | website = }} '''Bobby Koelble''' (born September 13, 1968) is an American guitarist who performs in the death metal, blues, funk and jazz genres, and as a freelance studio musician. He is probably best known for his performances with the death metal band Death.<ref name=moapril26>{{cite web|url=https://www.orangeobserver.com/article/guitarist-bobby-koelble-explores-music-at-winter-parks-blue-bamboo-center-for-the-arts|title=Guitarist Bobby Koelble explores music at Winter Park's Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts|author=Tim Freed|work=Orange Observer|date=April 26, 2018|accessdate=December 18, 2019}}</ref> The album he played on, ''Symbolic'', was regarded by Joel McIver of British music magazine ''Record Collector'' "as close to flawless as metal gets."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/symbolic|title=Death – Symbolic|work=Record Collector|first=Joel|last=McIver|accessdate=December 18, 2019}}</ref>
==Early years== Born in Newark, New Jersey, Koelble's family moved to central Florida when he was three years old. He began playing the organ when he was seven. By thirteen, Koelble transitioned to guitar, inspired by hard rock bands like Van Halen and AC/DC. His evolution into metal music was influenced by bands like Iron Maiden, Motörhead and Judas Priest.<ref name=moapril26/>
==Education== Koelble graduated the Berklee College of Music with a bachelor's degree in performance.<ref name=ucf>{{cite web|url=https://music.cah.ucf.edu/staff.php?id=255|title=CF Music - Faculty Page - Bobby Koeble|work=University of Central Florida|accessdate=December 18, 2019}}</ref>
==Career== Koelble works on original projects, as a leader, and performs for other groups as freelancer, and in studio work.
===Performance=== Koelble is best known for his time in the latter years of Death (1994-1995).
Koelble joined Death when its cofounder, Chuck Schuldiner, whom he had met in high school in the Orlando area, was recommended to him through a friend working at a local music store.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://agoraphobic-news.com/interviews_view.php?url=exclusive_interview_with_bobby_koelble_of_death_death_to_all_tour|title=Exclusive interview with Bobby Koelble of Death/Death To All Tour|work=Agoraphobic News|date=December 22, 2015|accessdate=December 18, 2019}}</ref>
Koelble toured with the band in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan, before Death was disbanded.
He performs with The Jazz Professors, a jazz group with two Top-20 Billboard Jazz albums.
===Teaching=== * Adjunct Professor, Jazz Guitar - University of Central Florida (2007–) * Adjunct Professor, Jazz Guitar - Rollins College (1998–) * Visiting professor, Seminole Community College (2003–2005)<ref name=ucf/>
===Other=== Instructor/Consultant - TalkingTabs, producing guitar instruction for the blind and learning disabled.<ref name=ucf/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Death (band)}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koelble, Bobby}} Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:American heavy metal guitarists Category:American death metal musicians Category:Musicians from Newark, New Jersey Category:Death (metal band) members Category:Berklee College of Music alumni Category:American jazz guitarists Category:University of Central Florida faculty Category:Rollins College faculty Category:Educators of the blind Category:The Jazz Professors members