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Perry Robinson
Perry
Robinson is truly a musical icon, with a performing and recording career that is
over 40 years old, spanning all manner of genres, styles, and categories. As
Burton Greene said of Perry, "boxes, categories, separatism have little meaning for
him. And therefore in his music... whatever he plays is always right on. I
can't imagine anyone not liking Perry's music with its immediate warmth and personal
communication and even though some people might term it 'far out.' That's rare -- to
be able to create new ideas, not what is commonly accepted in the mainstream, and still
bring it across immediately to a lot of people."
Born in 1938 in New
York City, he grew up in a musical family, his father Earl being a well-known film-score
composer. Since then Perry has traveled far and wide to play with the most important
musicians of his time, and in the process become a living legend of the jazz clarinet.
 The list of
artists with whom he has been associated is immense in quantity, quality and stylistic
diversity. His discography reveals work with, among others, Henry Grimes, David
Izenson, Gunter Hampel, the Brubecks, Tete Montoliu, Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, Archie
Shepp, Bill Dixon, Mark Whitecage, John Carter, Lou Grassi, and Burton Greene.
Today Perry's journeys continue far and
wide, staying as active as always, and discovering and rediscovering (like his
recent performances with the long-lost great bassist Henry Grimes). As Matt Snyder says of Perry,
"The best of American melodic streams, both traditional and avant-garde, can be heard
simultaneously in this fascinating musician."
Read Matt Snyder's
extensive article on
Perry Robinson, first published in
Coda
Read Fred Jung's
Fireside Chat with Perry
Robinson
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©
Photo Peter Gannuschkin at
Downtown Music
Discography on Drimala Records
2004
Invisible
Cities
DR-03-347-04
Selected Discography
Perry
Robinson has appeared on more than 110 recordings
during a recording career that began in
1959. A complete listing can be found at Michael Fitzgerald's
Jazz Research
website.
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