About
Beyond the stage, Bobby Acri is a passionate music educator and mentor, committed to nurturing the next generation of jazz musicians. He teaches private lessons to high school and college students across the Chicago area and regularly hosts workshops on improvisation, ensemble performance, and musical communication. For Bobby, teaching and performing share the same heart: connection, listening, and discovery. He believes jazz is about more than technique — it’s about emotion, conversation, and community. When he’s not performing, Bobby enjoys crate-digging for rare jazz records, sketching compositions in local coffee shops, or kayaking on Lake Michigan. He lives in Winnetka with his partner Emily, an art curator, and their rescue dog Miles. His life and music reflect a philosophy rooted in creativity, collaboration, and the joy of sharing stories through sound.
