Born Boguslaw Albert Zukowski in Hamtramck, Michigan, United States,[2] he was already using the name Bob Zurke professionally by the age of 16,[2] when he first recorded with a group led by pioneering female jazz bassist Thelma Terry.
[2] In 1938, Bob Zurke was named the winner in the piano category in the Reader's Poll from Down Beat[3] and, in the course of Alan Lomax's Library of Congress interviews, was singled out by Jelly Roll Morton as the "only one (jazz pianist of the present time) that has a tendency to be on the right track.
[2] Critical and public reception of both the records and the Delta Rhythm Band's first appearances were initially positive, but Zurke proved to be unreliable, unpredictable and somewhat volatile as a leader, partly due to his alcohol dependency and alleged drug use.
[1] In December 1943, Zurke made one final recording, synchronizing an original piano part to the Walter Lantz cartoon Jungle Jive (in the Swing Symphony series), one of his most difficult and challenging solos.
[2] On February 15, 1944, Bob Zurke collapsed at the Hangover Club and was taken to the hospital; he died the following day of complications of pneumonia, aggravated by acute alcohol poisoning, aged 32.