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Perry Robinson

Perry Morris Robinson (born September 17, 1938) is an American free jazz and klezmer clarinettist, an author, and the son of composer and folk singer Earl Robinson.

Robinson was born in New York City. After college he went to the Lenox School of Music in 1959. He did some of his early work with Henry Grimes on his first record, Funk Dumpling (with Grimes, Paul Motian and Kenny Barron), and Grimes' The Call (an association revived since Grimes's re-emergence). His uniquely effervescent tone is the result of his unusual double embouchure. Since 1973 he has been working with Jeanne Lee and Gunter Hampel's Galaxy Dream Band. More recently, he has worked with William Parker on Bob's Pink Cadillac and several discs on the CIMP label. From 1975 until 1977 he was member of a band called Clarinet Contrast around German clarinet player Theo Jörgensmann. He contributed to Dave Brubeck' s Two Generations of Brubeck and Burton Greene' s Dutch klezmer band Klezmokum. Robinson has been on record with Lou Grassi as a member of his PoBand since the late Nineties. also w/ Lou Grassi, Wayne Lopes and Luke Faust in 'The Jug Jam' an improvisational Jug band. He plays in a free jazz and world music trio along with tabla player Badal Roy and bassist Ed Schuller, son of the composer and musicologist Gunther Schuller. This group can be heard on their CD Raga Roni. He also plays with Muruga Booker and in the Global Village Ceremonial Band, and has played with them at the Starwood Festival, SpiritDrum Festival, and RhythmFest with Sikiru Adepoju, Halim El-Dabh, Jeff Rosenbaum and Badal Roy[1]. His autobiography, Perry Robinson: The Traveler, was published in 2002. Perry also played an integral part in the formation of 'Cosmic Legends' an improvisational music/performance group led by composer/pianist Sylvie Degiez which included musicians Rashied Ali, Wayne Lopes, Hayes Greenfield, and Michael Hashim among others

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9
Album Review

Barry Altschul, David Izenson, Perry Robinson: Stop Time: Live At Prince Street, 1978

Read "Stop Time:  Live At Prince Street, 1978" reviewed by John Sharpe


If at all familiar to modern day listeners, David Izenzon's name is most likely to ring a bell for his bass wizardry on Ornette Coleman's two-volume At The Golden Circle Stockholm (Blue Note, 1965). But the archive recording Stop Time is a reminder of just what listeners are missing. Izenson remained active well after his sojourn with Ornette, playing in New York City, with the likes of Jaki Byard and Paul Motian, until his untimely death in 1979, aged 47. ...

8
Album Review

Archie Shepp: Fire Music To Mama Too Tight Revisited

Read "Fire Music To Mama Too Tight Revisited" reviewed by Chris May


In 2022, it is widely accepted that, when free jazz (aka the New Thing) was in its ascent in New York in the 1960s, there was, despite superficial appearances, no fundamental incompatibility between it and the historical jazz tradition. More contentiously, revisionist historians are now suggesting that there was no real conflict between New Thing and changes-based or modal-based musicians either. They should try telling that to Archie Shepp. In autumn 1966, during the Miles Davis quintet's ...

2
Album Review

Cook / Coursil / Gale / Robinson / Tintweiss: Ave B Free Jam

Read "Ave B Free Jam" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


A small story to motivate this review. Once upon a time, there was a scholar in a field of the humanities who wrote quite obscurely, even for the humanities, although his prose did not approach the glories of the postmodern. Most agreed that his writing was incomprehensible. It was sesquipedalian, if not totally obscure. In his defense, some would say that, ah, it is a case of poor translation into English, which is not his native language. But then it ...

354
Live Review

Undivided: Exploring Consciousness in Ukraine

Read "Undivided: Exploring Consciousness in Ukraine" reviewed by Alex Martynov


UndividedPhilarmony Concert HallLviv, UkraineOctober 1, 2009

It's been a long time since head-solo-head was the only possible structure for jazz improvisation. Jazz symphonies, jazz operas, unprepared hour-long improvisations, recorded as well as performed live, frequently depart from the conventional formulaic pattern. Another popular form is the suite. The history of the extended jazz suite goes back to Duke Ellington's annual Carnegie Hall concerts with the premiere of Black, Brown and Beige in ...

872
Interview

A Fireside Chat With Perry Robinson

Read "A Fireside Chat With Perry Robinson" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Admittedly, I had forgotten about Perry Robinson prior to listening to William Parker's Bob's Pink Cadillac session. Certainly, Robinson wasn't silent pre-Parker Clarinet Trio. The clarinetist has been on record with Lou Grassi as a member of his PoBand since the late Nineties and Gunter Hampel during the early Eighties, but it was Bob's Pink Cadillac that helped me fully appreciate his recordings for ESP and Savoy ( The Call, Funk Dumpling ). As interesting as Perry Robinson's music is, ...

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96

Performance / Tour

Who Knows? (richie Nagan, Perry Robinson, Mark Whitecage) with Special Guests Badal Roy & Muruga Booker at Witches Brew Sunday August 7th

Who Knows? (richie Nagan, Perry Robinson, Mark Whitecage) with Special Guests Badal Roy & Muruga Booker at Witches Brew Sunday August 7th

Source: Mark Whitecage

WHO KNOWS? featuring RICHIE NAGAN—guitar, vocals PERRY ROBINSON—clarinets MARK WHITECAGE—alto sax

with special guests BADAL ROY—tablas MURUGA BOOKER—drums, percussion

Witches Brew Coffee House 311 Hempstead Turnpike West Hempstead, NY 11552 (516) 489-9482 SHOWTIME: 5:00-8:00 PM ADMISSION: Admission is free and they will pass the hat to raise funds for “100 years in paint 100 yards of canvas," — Master tabla player Badal ...

82

Recording

New Releases from Cadence Jazz Records Featuring Jimmy Bennington and Perry Robinson

New Releases from Cadence Jazz Records Featuring Jimmy Bennington and Perry Robinson

Source: Michael Ricci

"Jimmy Bennington and Perry Robinson show no generation gap. Bennington plays like a veteran and Robinson delivers with a young lion's innocence. This is a pairing that over the past few years seems to have brought out the best in both. Here they stretch out in relaxed but dynamic fashion over three tracks and produce what is arguably some of their finest work to date." --Cadence

A legend from the 1960's, Robinson, who has recorded historic music for the Savoy ...

190

Event

Jimmy Bennington's Colour and Sound Presents Legendary Clarinetist Perry Robinson

Jimmy Bennington's Colour and Sound Presents Legendary Clarinetist Perry Robinson

Source: All About Jazz

AN EVENING OF WORLD CLASS MODERN AMERICAN JAZZ FEATURING INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED CLARINET LEGEND PERRY ROBINSON WITH CHICAGO DRUMMER JIMMY BENNINGTON Celebrating their new release! The Spirits at Belle's (Cadence Jazz Records) Jimmy Bennington's Colour and Sound At Uncommon Ground - Edgewater December 27th, 8:00 - 10:00 PM and... Monday, December 28th, 9:00 PM @ Brown Rice Music Come be a part of this rare event celebrating modern jazz. All shows $10-$20 suggested donation Uncommon ...

85

Performance / Tour

Anat Fort Trio with Special Guest Perry Robinson on clarinet at Chris' Jazz Cafe on October 6, 2007

Anat Fort Trio with Special Guest  Perry Robinson on clarinet at Chris' Jazz Cafe on October 6, 2007

Source: All About Jazz

Anat Fort trio plus guest Perry Robinson on clarinet will be performing at Chris' Jazz Cafe on October 6, 2007.

ANAT FORT TRIO PLUS PERRY ROBINSON Anat Fort - piano Gary Wang - bass Roland Schneider - drums Perry Robinson - clarinet

October 6, 2007 Sets starting @ 8 & 10 Chris' Jazz Cafe 1421 Sansom St Philadelphia PA Info: ...

85

Performance / Tour

Font Presents: New Trumpet Underground (Fri & Sat) John Fischer with Perry Robinson (Sun) This Weekend at Cornelia Street Cafe

Font Presents: New Trumpet Underground (Fri & Sat) John Fischer with Perry Robinson (Sun) This Weekend at Cornelia Street Cafe

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

CORNELIA STREET CAFE 29 Cornelia Street, NYC, New York 212-989-9319 between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village 1 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, V, F to West 4th St. This Weekend At Cornelia Street Cafe Fri Sep 28 9:00PM FONT PRESENTS: NEW TRUMPET UNDERGROUND - DAY ONE (Nicole Rampersaud Quintet; Nicole Rampersaud, trumpet, cornet;Saen Berry, tenor saxophone;Lefteris Kordis, piano;Kendall Eddy, bass;Austin McMahon, drums) ...

110

Event

Clarinetist Perry Robinson in Chicago with Drummer Jimmy Bennington

Clarinetist Perry Robinson in Chicago with Drummer Jimmy Bennington

Source: All About Jazz

Chicago based drummer/bandleader Jimmy Bennington brings legendary clarinetist Perry Robinson to the city for three very rare performances. Perry has played and recorded with many jazz greats including Henry Grimes, Archie Shepp, The Brubeck Family, Bill Dixon, and Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra. His father was the great American composer Earl Robinson. The master clarinetist and composer will appear at the following:

The Perry Robinson Trio Velvet Lounge (67 E. Cermak Rd./312.791.9050) Saturday September 29, 9-12 midnight, ...

74

Event

Pianist Anat Fort with legendary clarinetist Perry Robinson in NYC (3/19)

Pianist Anat Fort with legendary clarinetist Perry Robinson in NYC (3/19)

Source: All About Jazz

Hudson View Gardens (HVG) Performing Arts Group PRESENTS...

ANAT FORT (piano) AND The legendary PERRY ROBINSON (clarinet)

WHEN: Sunday, March 19th at 5pm WHERE: In the HVG “Lounge" at 116 Pinehurst Ave. and 183rd St. as part of the Sundays at 5 concert series. OTHER INFO: Suggested donation - $12. For more info.and reservations, contact [email protected] or call 212-568-9628.

ANAT FORT

Anat Fort's trio performs regionally and internationally at venues such as Symphony Space, ...

107

Performance / Tour

The Vision Club presents Gunter Hampel w/ Perry Robinson 10pm + 11pm Kali Z. Fasteau Saturday, March 26

The Vision Club presents Gunter Hampel w/ Perry Robinson 10pm + 11pm Kali Z. Fasteau Saturday, March 26

Source: All About Jazz

March 16, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: The Vision Festival / www.visionfestival.org PRESS Contact: Jim Eigo [email protected] / 845.986.1677 Non-press inquiries, call 212.696.6681 or send email to [email protected] A R T S F O R A R T 508 East 6th Street #3, NYC 10009 Saturday March 26, 2005 THE VISION CLUB presents 10pm Gunter Hampel w/ Perry Robinson Barry Altschul, Herschel Silverman 11pm Kali Z. Fasteau w/ Sabir Mateen, Lewis Barnes Michael Thompson At Clemente Soto Velez - LES Gallery ...

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Book / Magazine

Book Signing for "The Traveler" and Musical Performance with Perry Robinson

Book Signing for "The Traveler" and Musical Performance with Perry Robinson

Source: All About Jazz

Thursday, November 21

Book signing for The Traveler and musical performance with Perry Robinson, Mark Whitecage on horns, Bob Arkin on bass, Hilly Dolganes on piano, and others to be announced

The Uptown 33 North Front Street, Kingston, NY 9:00 pm, $10, 845-339-8440

Born in 1938, Perry Robinson is the son of famous composer Earl Robinson ("The House I Live In," “Joe Hill"). For the past 50 years he has devoted himself to the art of ...

Matt Snyder
clarinet

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Stop Time: Live At...

NoBusiness Records
2023

buy

Ave B Free Jam

Inky Dot
2022

buy

The Journey

Ictus Records
2021

buy

The Soul In The Mist

Ictus Records
2020

buy

quartets/duos/trios

Mahakala Music
2020

buy

Videos

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