Perry Morris Robinson (September 17, 1938 – December 2, 2018)[1] was an American jazz clarinetist and composer. He was the son of composer
Earl Robinson.[2]
Early life and education
Robinson was born and grew up in New York City.[1] He attended the
Lenox School of Jazz in Massachusetts in mid-1959.[1]
Career
Robinson served in a U.S. military band in the early-1960s. His first record, Funk Dumpling (with
Kenny Barron,
Henry Grimes, and
Paul Motian) was recorded by
Savoy in 1962.[2] He also appeared with Grimes on The Call in 1965, on the
ESP-Disk label (ESP 1026). Although the album is credited to "Henry Grimes Trio" the album liner notes, written by ESP-Disk label head
Bernard Stollman, stated: "[Grimes] chose Perry Robinson, a virtuoso who merits far wider recognition, to pair with, and this recording reflects both of their contributions, in equal measure. A more accurate title for the album would be Henry Grimes/Perry Robinson." Two of the album's six songs are credited to Robinson, including the title track.
From 1975 until 1977, Robinson was a member of the
Clarinet Contrast group, which featured German clarinet players
Theo Jörgensmann and
Bernd Konrad. He recorded with
Lou Grassi as a member of his PoBand since the late Nineties, and with 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, with whom he recorded the CD Raga Roni. He played with
Darius Brubeck and
Muruga Booker in the MBR jazz trio. Robinson 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. In 2005 he was featured on his cousin
Jeffrey Lewis' album City and Eastern Songs on
Rough Trade Records, produced by
Kramer. A later release was OrthoFunkOlogy in 2008 with the band Free Funk, also featuring
Muruga Booker,
Badal Roy, Richie Shakin' Nagan and Shakti Ma Booker.
His autobiography, Perry Robinson: The Traveler (co-authored by Florence F. Wetzel), was published in 2002.[3]