Bobby Enriquez

Roberto Delprado Yulo "Bobby" Enriquez (May 20, 1943 – August 6, 1996) was a Filipino jazz pianist. He was called "the Wildman" due to his energetic playing style. Born in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Enriquez's first love was the piano, and he was self-taught since he was four years old; however, his mother wanted him to concentrate on schoolwork. He began his professional career as a musician at the age of 14, sneaking out of his second floor bedroom window at night to play gigs. When his mother discovered what he was doing, she shut down the piano and told him to concentrate on homework. He soon ran away from home and went to Manila. In Manila, he joined jazz groups, and from there, he played in Taipei and Hong Kong where he met Mel Tormé, Lionel Hampton, Tito Puente, and Chico Hamilton. He got a job at the Golden Dragon Lounge in Honolulu, Hawaii. There, he became music director for Don Ho. From 1976 to 1977, he performed with Amapola Cabase in San Francisco, California. This was followed by appearances at the Wagon Wheel and Harrah's Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. From 1980 to 1981, he was a sideman for Richie Cole on tour. During the next four years, he made several albums for GNP Crescendo. Enriquez became a born-again Christian in 1993 and spoke of how God had changed his life. He played jazzy hymns at his church in Bayonne, New Jersey. He died on August 6, 1996, aged 53, in Stayton, Oregon, due to a pulmonary embolism. With Maria Amapola Cabase Sophisticated Lady (1984) Yanow, Scott. "Bobby Enriquez". AllMusic. Retrieved September 7, 2018. "Obituary – Bobby Enriquez". SFGate. August 10, 1996. Retrieved September 7, 2018. Reich, Howard (January 16, 1994). "Bobby Enriquez: The Wildman Returns". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 7, 2018. Bobby Enriquez at AllMusic