Robin Eubanks (born October 25, 1955) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as jazz rock, jazz-rock fusion, or simply fusion) is a popular music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric gui ...

slide trombonist, the brother of guitarist Kevin Eubanks and trumpeter Duane Eubanks. Younger brother Shane Eubanks, twin to Duane Eubanks, is a DJ. His uncles are jazz pianist Ray Bryant and bassist Tommy Bryant. His mother, Vera Eubanks, was famed pianist Kenny Barron's first piano teacher.

Biography

Robin Eubanks was born on October 25, 1955, in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. After graduating cum laude from the University of the Arts, he moved to New York City where he first appeared on the jazz scene in the early 1980s. He played with

Slide Hampton Locksley Wellington Hampton (April 21, 1932 – November 18, 2021) was an American jazz trombone, jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. As his nickname implies, Hampton's main instrument was slide trombone, but he also occasionally played tub ...

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific ou ...

, and

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

. Eubanks was the musical director for jazz drummer

Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...

and the Jazz Messengers. He also was a member of jazz drummer Elvin Jones’ Jazz Machine. He was a contributor on fellow jazz trombonist Steve Turre's 2003 release ''One4J: Paying Homage to J.J. Johnson''. Eubanks has also released several albums as a bandleader. He played for 15 years in

double bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...

ist

Dave Holland Dave Holland or David Holland may refer to: *Dave Holland (bassist) David Holland (born 1 October 1946) is an English double bassist, bass guitarist, cellist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has ...

's quintet, sextet, octet and

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

. J.J. Johnson recommended Eubanks for the position at the

Oberlin Conservatory The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is a private music conservatory of Oberlin College, a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio. It was founded in 1865 and is the second oldest conservatory and oldest continually operating conservatory in ...

in Ohio, where he taught for 20 years as a tenured professor of Jazz Trombone and Jazz Composition. He has also taught at

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...

and

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. He was a member in the all-star group the

SFJAZZ Collective The SFJAZZ Collective is an American jazz ensemble comprising nine performer/composers, launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ, a West Coast non-profit jazz institution and the presenter of the annual San Francisco Jazz Festival. Collective activities The ...

for 10 years 2008-2019. His notable students include trombonist Andy Hunter of the WDR Big Band. Robin is one of the pioneers of

M-Base The term "M-Base" is used in several ways. In the 1980s, a loose collective of young African American musicians including Steve Coleman, Graham Haynes, Cassandra Wilson, Geri Allen, Robin Eubanks, and Greg Osby emerged in Brooklyn with a ne ...

. He has appeared on numerous television shows and specials, including ''

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has been broadcast on NBC since 1954. The program has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2 ...

'', ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

'' and '' The Grammys''. He also pioneered the use of electronic effects with the trombone. Robin is a frequent lecturer, guest soloist and clinician at various colleges and universities in the U.S. and around the world. Eubanks was voted #1 Trombonist by ''

Down Beat ''DownBeat'' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1 ...

'' magazine and

Jazz Times ''JazzTimes'' was an American print magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade ...

Discography

As leader

*'' Different Perspectives'' ( JMT, 1988) *'' Dedication'' (JMT, 1989) - with Steve Turre *''

Karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...

'' (JMT, 1990) *'' Mental Images'' (JMT, 1994) *''Wake Up Call'' (Sirocco Jazz, 1997) *Robin Eubanks Sextet: ''4: JJ / Slide / Curtis and Al'' (TCB, 1998) *Mental Images: Get 2 It (REM, 2001) *''EB3 Live Vol. 1'' (CD and DVD, RKM, 2007) *Robin Eubanks and Mental Images: Klassik RocK Vol. 1 (

Artistshare ArtistShare is the internet's first commercial crowdfunding website.Crowd-Funding 101: What Every Musician Needs for a Successful Campaign It also operates as a record label and business model for artists which enables them to fund their proje ...

, 2014) *Robin Eubanks and the Mass Line Big Band: More Than Meets The Ear (

, 2015)

As sideman

With

Geri Allen Geri Antoinette Allen (June 12, 1957 – June 27, 2017) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator. She taught at the University of Michigan and the University of Pittsburgh. Early life and education Allen was born in Pontiac, Michigan ...

*'' Open on All Sides in the Middle'' (Minor Music, 1987) *'' The Gathering'' (Verve, 1998) With

*'' Not Yet'' (Soul Note, 1988) *'' I Get a Kick Out of Bu'' (Soul Note, 1988) With

Steve Coleman Steve Coleman (born September 20, 1956) is an American saxophonist, composer, bandleader and music theorist. In 2014, he was named a MacArthur Fellow. Early life Steve Coleman was born and grew up in South Side, Chicago. He started playing ...

*'' World Expansion'' (JMT, 1987) With

Sonny Fortune Cornelius "Sonny" Fortune (May 19, 1939 – October 25, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist. He played soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, clarinet, and flute. Biography He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Af ...

*'' A Better Understanding'' (Blue Note, 1995) With Craig Handy *'' Split Second Timing'' (Arabesque, 1992) *'' Reflections in Change'' (Sirocco Music, 1999) With

Joe Henderson Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 – June 30, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and very occasional flute player. In a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day an ...

*''

Big Band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

'' (1996) With

*'' The Razor's Edge'' ( ECM, 1987) *'' Points of View'' (ECM, 1998) *''

Prime Directive In the fictional universe of ''Star Trek'', the Prime Directive (also known as "Starfleet General Order 1", and the "non-interference directive") is a guiding principle of Starfleet that prohibits its members from interfering with the natural dev ...

'' (ECM, 1999) *'' What Goes Around'' (ECM, 2002) *''

Not for Nothin' ''Not for Nothin' ''is the third studio album by the Dave Holland (bassist), Dave Holland Quintet, recorded over three days in September 2000 and released on ECM Records, ECM August the following year—Holland's thirteenth release for the label. ...

'' (ECM, 2001) *'' Extended Play: Live at Birdland'' (ECM, 2003) *'' Pathways'' (Dare2, 2010) With

Ronald Shannon Jackson Ronald Shannon Jackson (January 12, 1940 – October 19, 2013) was an American jazz drummer from Fort Worth, Texas. A pioneer of avant-garde jazz, free funk, and jazz fusion, he appeared on over 50 albums as a bandleader, sideman, arranger, and ...

*'' Decode Yourself'' (Island, 1985) With

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such albums as ''My Fa ...

*'' The Truth: Heard Live at the Blue Note'' (

Half Note In music, a half note (American) or minim (British) is a Musical note, note played for half the duration of a whole note (or semibreve) and twice the duration of a quarter note (or crotchet). It was given its Latin name (''minima'', meaning "le ...

, 1999) With Bobby Previte *'' Weather Clear, Track Fast'' (Enja, 1991) *'' Slay the Suitors'' (Avant, 1993) *''

Hue and Cry In common law, a hue and cry is a process by which bystanders are summoned to assist in the apprehension of a criminal who has been witnessed in the act of committing a crime. History By the Statute of Winchester of 1285, 13 Edw. 1. St. 2. c. ...

'' (Enja, 1993) With

Hank Roberts Hank Roberts (born March 24, 1954, Terre Haute, Indiana) is an American jazz cellist and vocalist. He plays the electric cello, and his style is a mixture of rock, jazz, avant-garde, folk, and classical influences. He emerged with the downtown Ne ...

*''

Black Pastels ''Black Pastels'' is the debut album by cellist Hank Roberts which was recorded in 1987 and released on the JMT Records, JMT label.Shimada, T.JMT label discography accessed October 7, 2014 Reception The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow said it was ...

'' (JMT, 1988) With Herb Robertson *'' Shades of Bud Powell'' (JMT, 1988) With others *

Betty Carter Betty Carter (born Lillie Mae Jones; May 16, 1929 – September 26, 1998) was an American jazz singer known for her improvisational technique, scatting and other complex musical abilities that demonstrated her vocal talent and imaginative inter ...

: '' The Music Never Stops'' (Blue Engine, 2019) *

Kenny Drew Kenneth Sidney "Kenny" Drew (August 28, 1928 – August 4, 1993) was an American-Danish jazz pianist. Biography Drew was born on August 28, 1928, in New York City, United States, and he received piano lessons from the age of five. Feather, ...

: ''Follow the Spirit'' (Sirocco Jazz, 2000) * Bill Hardman: '' What's Up'' ( SteepleChase, 1989) * Andrew Hill: '' But Not Farewell'' (

Blue Note Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by German-Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue no ...

, 1990) *

Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934), previously known as Dollar Brand, is a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cap ...

: ''Good News from Africa: Portrait'' ( Enja, 1990) * Joe Jackson: '' Symphony No. 1'' (

Sony Classical Sony Classical is an American record label founded in 1924 as Columbia Masterworks Records, a subsidiary of Columbia Records. In 1980, the Columbia Masterworks label was renamed as CBS Masterworks Records. The CBS Records Group was acquired ...

, 1999) * J. J. Johnson: ''The Brass Orchestra'' ( PolyGram, 1996) *

B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, sh ...

: '' Live at the Apollo'' ( MCA, 1990) *Mingus Big Band: ''Essential Mingus Big Band'' ( Dreyfus, 1996) *Barbra Streisand: '' The Concert'' (

Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...

, 1994) *Sun Ra: ''Other Side of the Sun'' (Universe, 1978) * Superblue: ''Superblue 2'' (Blue Note, 1989) *Talking Heads: ''

Naked Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing. While estimates vary, for the first 90,000 years of pre-history, anatomically modern humans were naked, having lost their body hair, living in hospitable climates, and not ...

'' (

Sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" an ...

, 1988) *

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965, and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA J ...

Big Band: '' Uptown/Downtown'' (

Milestone A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...

, 1988) *McCoy Tyner: '' Uptown/Downtown'' (

WEA The Wea were a Miami–Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as being either closely related to the Miami tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami. Today, the descendants of th ...

, 2000) *The Uniphonics: ''Crawl'' (2010) *

Grover Washington Jr Grover Washington Jr. (December 12, 1943 – December 17, 1999) was an American jazz-funk and soul-jazz saxophonist and Grammy Award winner. Along with Wes Montgomery and George Benson, he is considered by many to be one of the founders and le ...

.: '' All My Tomorrows'' (Sony, 1994) * Sadao Watanabe: ''Remembrance'' (Verve, 1999) *

Chip White Alan White (21 December 1946 – 5 August 2020), known as Chip White, was an American jazz drummer who has performed and/or recorded with a variety of artists, including Carmen McRae, Jaki Byard, the CETA Artists Project (NYC Cultural Council Foun ...

: ''Harlem Sunset'' (

Postcards A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin Card stock, cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. In some places, one can send a ...

, 1994)

References

External links

Official site
* Paul Olson
"Robin Eubanks: Master Trombonist... And Would-Be Rock Guitarist?"
''Allaboutjazz'', November 12, 2007. * Josef Woodard
"Robin, Kevin & Duane Eubanks: Wake-Up Call"
''JazzTimes'', July 1, 2001. * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Eubanks, Robin 1955 births Living people African-American musicians American jazz trombonists American male trombonists The Jazz Messengers members Jazz musicians from Philadelphia New England Conservatory faculty 21st-century American trombonists American male jazz musicians SFJAZZ Collective members Superblue (band) members JMT Records artists ArtistShare artists Central High School (Philadelphia) alumni