guitarist
A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...
, bandleader, and
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
currently based in New York City.
Biography
Born in Derby (Derbyshire), England in 1970, Robson began guitar studies at age 14. He played in the house rhythm section at the local club with visiting musicians as John Etheridge and Bheki Mseleku as well as with his clarinettist father, Trevor Robson. He moved to London at the age of 18 where he studied at the Guildhall School Of Music and Drama, being the youngest student at the time to do the post graduate course in jazz studies. He went on to be an integral part of the London scene and has since been the leader of several acclaimed musical projects of his own as well as appearing as a sideman with many international artists including Barbra Streisand, Django Bates, Mark Turner, Kenny Wheeler, David Liebman,
Dame Cleo Laine
Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Bullock; 28 October 1927)Maceo Parker, Donny McCaslin, and
Charles Earland
Charles Earland (May 24, 1941 – December 11, 1999) was an American jazz organist.
Biography
Earland was born in Philadelphia and learned to play the saxophone in high school. He played tenor with Jimmy McGriff at the age of 17 and in 1960 form ...
, among others. He also co-led the seminal UK jazz rock band "Partisans" with
Julian Siegel
Julian H. Siegel (born 1966 in Nottingham) is a British jazz saxophone and clarinet player, and a composer and arranger, described by MOJO Magazine as "One of the UK's most creative saxophonists"
Siegel has toured and recorded with Greg Cohen an ...
and has been a long time partner of the Irish singer/songwriter Christine Tobin.
Robson is a recording artist for Babel Label and more recently Whirlwind Recordings.
Phil is a professor of music at
Trinity College Of Music
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a music and dance conservatoire based in London, England. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of two older institutions – Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre. The conservatoire has ...
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...
. He was elected in 2015 as an honorary associate of the Royal Academy Of Music. He has been a visiting tutor at summer schools including 'The Dordogne International Jazz Summer School' in France, 'The European Jazz Academy' in Germany, and continues to be an educator.
Work
As a leader, Robson has played with:
*''Phil Robson Quartet featuring Jed Levy.'' With Jed Levy sax, Clarence Penn/Jason Brown drums and Peter Slavov/Oli Hayhurst bass.
*''Phil Robson Organ Trio'' with Ross Stanley organ and Gene Calderazzo drums.
*''The Immeasurable Code Quintet'' with Mark Turner/ Julian Arguelles – sax, Gareth Lockrane – flute, Michael Janisch – bass and Ernesto Simpson – drums.
*''Six Strings & the Beat'' – with Peter Herbert – bass, Gene Calderazzo – drums, Mandy Drummond – violin, Jennymay Logan – violin, Naomi Fairhurst – viola, Kate Shortt – cello.
*''Phil Robson Trio'' – with New York drummer
Billy Hart
Billy Hart (born November 29, 1940) is an American jazz drummer and educator. He is known internationally for his work with Herbie Hancock's "Mwandishi" band in the early 1970s, as well with Shirley Horn, Stan Getz, and Quest, among others.
Bi ...
Julian Siegel
Julian H. Siegel (born 1966 in Nottingham) is a British jazz saxophone and clarinet player, and a composer and arranger, described by MOJO Magazine as "One of the UK's most creative saxophonists"
Siegel has toured and recorded with Greg Cohen an ...
, Christine Tobin, Gene Calderazzo, Thebe Lipere, Karren Street.
*''Partisans'' with Julian Siegel.
In 2014 he released ‘The Cut Off Point’ an album with his organ trio which received critical acclaim.
Awards
Robson was elected ‘Best Jazz Musician Of The Year’ in the 2009
Parliamentary Jazz Awards
The Parliamentary Jazz Awards in the United Kingdom are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) at the Houses of Parliament in London. The group consists of over a hundred members drawn from across the UK politica ...
. ''Swamp'', his album with Partisans, was named ‘Jazz CD Of The Year’ in the 2015 Parliamentary Jazz Awards.
2015 elected as an ‘Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music’.
1998
Perrier Young Jazz Award
Perrier ( , also , ) is a French brand of natural bottled mineral water obtained at its source in Vergèze, located in the Gard ''département''. Perrier is known for its carbonation and its distinctive green bottle.
Perrier was part of the ...
for the ‘Best Instrumentalist Of The Year’.
1997 BT Awards- ‘Best Soloist Of The Year’.