Scott Robinson (born April 27, 1959) 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 ...

multi-instrumentalist. Robinson is best known for his work on multiple saxophones, but he has also performed on clarinet,

alto clarinet The alto clarinet is a woodwind instrument of the clarinet family. It is a transposing instrument pitched in the key of E, though instruments in F have been made. In size it lies between the soprano clarinet and the bass clarinet. It bears a gr ...

, flute, trumpet,

sarrusophone The sarrusophones are a family of metal double reed conical bore woodwind instruments patented and first manufactured by France, French instrument maker Pierre-Louis Gautrot in 1856. Gautrot named the sarrusophone after French bandmaster Pierre- ...

, and other, more obscure instruments.

Music career

The son of a piano teacher and National Geographic book editor, Robinson graduated from the

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 ...

in 1981. The next year, he joined the college's staff, becoming its youngest faculty member.Levine, Bill.
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", the

Nashville Scene ''Nashville Scene'' is an alternative newsweekly in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1989, became a part of Village Voice Media in 1999, and later joined the ranks of sixteen other publications after a merger of Village Voice Media with ...

, published October 6, 2005. Retrieved February 26, 2007. Robinson has appeared on more than 275 LP and CD releases, including 20 under his leadership,Small, Mark.
Scott Robinson '81: Unusual Voices
Berklee Today. Retrieved February 26, 2007. with musicians

Frank Wess Frank Wellington Wess (January 4, 1922 – October 30, 2013) was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. He was renowned for his extensive solo work; however, he was also remembered for his time playing with Count Basie, Count Basie's band duri ...

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Paquito D'Rivera Francisco de Jesús Rivera Figueras (born 4 June 1948), known as Paquito D'Rivera, is a Cuban-American alto saxophonist, clarinetist and composer. He was a member of the Cuban songo band Irakere and, since the 1980s, he has established him ...

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Rufus Reid Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer. Biography Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation ...

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, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's. Four of these recordings won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

. He has received four fellowships from the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...

. In 2000, the U.S. State Department named him a jazz ambassador for the year 2001, funding a tour of West Africa in which he played the early works of

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

. Material from these appearances was released on the album ''Jazz Ambassador: Scott Robinson Plays the Compositions of Louis Armstrong'' by

Arbors Records Arbors Records is a record company and independent record label in Clearwater, Florida. It was founded by Mat and Rachel Domber in 1989 and was initially devoted to the recordings of their friend, Rick Fay. Arbors became known in the 1990s for swi ...

. Throughout his career, Robinson has worked to keep unusual and obscure instruments in the public view. For example, he has recorded an album featuring the

C-melody saxophone The C melody saxophone, also known as the C tenor saxophone, is a saxophone pitched in the key of C one whole tone above the common B-flat tenor saxophone. The C melody was part of the series of saxophones pitched in C and F intended by the in ...

and performs with the

ophicleide The ophicleide ( ) is a family of conical-bore keyed brass instruments invented in early 19th-century France to extend the keyed bugle into the lower range. Of these, the bass ophicleide in eight-foot (8′) C or 9′ B took root over the cour ...

. He also owns and records with a vintage

contrabass saxophone The contrabass saxophone is the second-lowest-pitched extant member of the saxophone family proper. It is pitched in E♭ one octave below the baritone saxophone, which requires twice the length of tubing and bore width. This renders a very ...

so rare that fewer than twenty in playable condition are known to exist. Since 2009, he has operated his record label, ScienSonic Laboratories. He is not to be confused with the percussionist N. Scott Robinson.

Select discography

As leader/co-leader

* ''Multiple Instruments'' (Multijazz, 1984) * ''Winds of Change'' (Multijazz, 1990) * ''Magic Eye'' (Bliss, 1993) * ''Thinking Big'' ( Arbors, 1997) * ''Melody from the Sky'' (Arbors, 2000) * ''Summertime'' (Cube Bohemia, 2004) * ''Jazz Ambassador'' (Arbors, 2004) * ''Forever Lasting'' (Arbors, 2008) * ''Live at Space Farms'' (ScienSonic, 2010) * ''Nucleus'' (ScienSonic, 2010) * ''Bronze Nemesis'' (Doc-tone/ScienSonic, 2012) * ''Mission In Space'' (ScienSonic, 2014) * ''?'' (ScienSonic, 2015) * ''Heliosonic Toneways'' (ScienSonic, 2017) * ''Tenormore'' (Arbors, 2019) * '' Flow States'' (ScienSonic, 2020)

As sideman or guest

With

* 1997 ''Ruby Braff Remembers Louis Armstrong: Being With You'' * 2002 ''Variety Is the Spice of Braff'' * 2010 ''Our Love Is Here to Stay'' With

John Fedchock John William Fedchock (born September 18, 1957) is an American jazz trombonist, bandleader, and arranger. Early life and education Fedchock was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He studied at Ohio State University and the Eastman School of Music at th ...

* 1992 ''New York Big Band'' * 1998 ''On the Edge'' * 2002 ''No Nonsense'' With

Marty Grosz Martin Oliver Grosz (born February 28, 1930) is a German-born American jazz guitarist, banjoist, vocalist, and composer born in Berlin, Germany, the son of artist George Grosz. He performed with Bob Wilber and wrote arrangements for him. He has a ...

* 1994 ''Keep a Song in Your Soul'' * 1996 ''The Rhythm for Sale'' * 2005 ''Chasin' the Spots'' * 2006 ''Marty Grosz and His Hot Combination'' * 2009 ''Hot Winds: The Classic Sessions'' * 2012 ''The James P. Johnson Songbook'' With

Keith Ingham Keith Christopher Ingham (born 5 February 1942) is an English jazz pianist, mainly active in swing and Dixieland revival. Early life and education Ingham was born in London on 5 February 1942. His father played the organ in churches. Ingham was ...

* 1994 ''The Keith Ingham New York 9, Vol. 1'' * 1994 ''The Keith Ingham New York 9, Vol. 2'' * 1998 ''A Mellow Bit of Rhythm'' * 1999 ''A Star Dust Melody'' * 2001 ''Keith Ingham New York 9, Vol. 3'' With

Frank Kimbrough Frank Kimbrough (November 2, 1956 – December 30, 2020) was an American post-bop jazz pianist and composer. He was born and raised in Roxboro, North Carolina. He did some work at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Chapel Hill before moving to Washingt ...

* 2018 '' Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk'' (Sunnyside) With

Frank Mantooth Frank Mantooth (April 11, 1947 in Tulsa, Oklahoma – January 30, 2004 in Garden City, Kansas) was an American jazz pianist and arranger. Mantooth attended University of North Texas College of Music, graduating in 1969, then played in and arrange ...

* 1989 ''Suite Tooth'' * 1993 ''Dangerous Precedent'' * 1999 ''Miracle'' With

Bob Mintzer Robert Alan Mintzer (born January 27, 1953) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. Early life Mintzer was born and raised in a Jewish family in New Rochelle, New York, on January 27, 1953. He attended the Inte ...

* 1990 ''The Art of the Big Band'' * 2000 ''Homage to Count Basie'' * 2006 ''Old School New Lessons'' With

John Pizzarelli John Paul Pizzarelli Jr. (born April 6, 1960) is an American jazz guitarist and vocalist. He has recorded over twenty solo albums and has appeared on more than forty albums by other recording artists, including Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Ros ...

* 1991 ''All of Me'' * 1993 ''Naturally'' * 1994 ''New Standards'' * 1997 ''Our Love Is Here to Stay'' With the

Joe Roccisano Joseph Lucian Roccisano (October 15, 1939 in Springfield, Massachusetts – November 9, 1997) was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger. Career Roccisano received his bachelor's degree in music education from SUNY-Potsdam in 1963. In 1964 he ...

Orchestra *'' Leave Your Mind Behind'' (Landmark, 1995) With

Randy Sandke Jay Randall Sandke (born May 5, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois) is a jazz trumpeter and guitarist. While a student at Indiana University in 1968, he and Michael Brecker started a jazz-rock band (Mrs. Seamon's Sound Band) that performed at the Notre D ...

* 1990 ''Stampede'' * 1993 ''The Bix Beiderbecke Era'' * 1994 ''Chase'' * 1995 ''Calling All Cats'' * 2000 ''Re-Discovered Louis & Bix'' * 2002 ''Randy Sandke Meets Bix Beiderbecke'' * 2002 ''Inside Out'' * 2005 ''Outside In'' With

* 1992 ''

Evanescence Evanescence is an American Rock music, rock band founded in 1994 by singer and keyboardist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody in Little Rock, Arkansas. After releasing independent extended play, EPs and a Origin (Evanescence demo album), demo ...

'' * 1995 '' Coming About'' * 2000 '' Allegresse'' * 2000 '' Days of Wine and Roses - Live at the Jazz Standard'' * 2004 ''

Concert in the Garden ''Concert in the Garden'' is the fourth studio album by American jazz composer Maria Schneider. The album was released in 2004 by ArtistShare and won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2005. In 2019, the album was selected ...

'' * 2013 ''

Winter Morning Walks ''Winter Morning Walks'' is a studio album by Maria Schneider and Dawn Upshaw. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition and Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Classical in 2014. Reception Vincent Plush o ...

'' * 2015 ''

The Thompson Fields ''The Thompson Fields'' is an album by the Maria Schneider Orchestra that won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2017. Schneider was the composer, conductor, and co-producer of the autobiographical work. The title comes fro ...

'' * 2020 ''

Data Lords ''Data Lords'' is a large-ensemble jazz album by the Maria Schneider Orchestra that was released in 2020. Summary The tracks of the album are thematically organized in two sections, which the liner notes call "a story of two worlds" and are mu ...

'' With John Sheridan * 2005 ''Easy as It Gets'' * 2007 ''Swing Is Still the King'' * 2010 ''Hooray for Christmas!'' With others * 1985 ''Live at Chan's'', Rebecca Parris * 1993 ''Saxophone Mosaic'',

Gary Smulyan Gary Smulyan (born April 4, 1956) is an American jazz musician who plays baritone saxophone. He studied at Hofstra University before working with Woody Herman. He leads a trio with bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Kenny Washington.

* 1993 ''Tryin' to Make My Blues Turn Green'',

* 1993 ''What Matters Most'', Tom Postilio * 1994 ''Black Brown & Beige'',

Louie Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paolino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer ...

* 1994 ''Caecilie Norby'',

Cæcilie Norby Cæcilie Norby (born 9 September 1964) is a Danish jazz and rock singer. She has performed as part of the bands ''Street Beat'', ''Frontline'', and ''One-Two''. Since the mid-1990s, she has worked as a solo artist. Career Norby was a foundin ...

* 1994 ''I Saw Stars'',

Rebecca Kilgore Rebecca Kilgore (born September 24, 1949) is an American jazz vocalist based in Portland, Oregon. She has been called "one of the best interpreters of the Great American Songbook." She has performed with jazz pianist and composer Dave Frishberg, ...

* 1996 ''Bufadora Blow-Up'',

Bob Wilber Robert Sage Wilber (March 15, 1928 – August 4, 2019) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and band leader. Although his scope covers a wide range of jazz, Wilber was a dedicated advocate of classic styles, working throughout his caree ...

* 1996 ''Look What I Found'', Daryl Sherman * 1996 ''Strings Attached'',

Peter Ecklund Peter Ecklund (September 27, 1945 – April 8, 2020) was an American jazz cornetist. Career In 1967, Ecklund received a degree from Yale University. He went on tour with singer Paula Lockheart and started a jazz band, in addition to working with ...

* 1997 ''Live at MCG'',

* 1997 ''Song for My Mother'',

Walt Weiskopf Walt Weiskopf (born July 30, 1959, in Augusta, Georgia) is an American jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, author and educator. He has released sixteen albums as a leader, and performed on countless other albums as a sideman. He h ...

* 1999 ''Last Swing of the Century'',

Ken Peplowski Ken Peplowski (born May 23, 1959) is an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, and known primarily for playing swing music. For over a decade, Peplowski recorded for Concord Records. In ...

* 1999 ''Joyful Noise: A Tribute to Duke Ellington'',

Don Sebesky Donald John Sebesky (December 10, 1937 – April 29, 2023) was an American composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz trombonist. He was a multi-instrumentalist and could play a number of other instruments: keyboards, electric piano, organ, accord ...

* 1999 ''New Works Celebration'',

Bob Brookmeyer Robert Edward "Bob" Brookmeyer (December 19, 1929 – December 15, 2011) was an American jazz valve trombone, valve trombonist, Jazz piano, pianist, arranger, and composer. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public ...

* 1999 ''Out of This World'',

Loren Schoenberg Loren Schoenberg (born July 23, 1958) is a tenor saxophonist, conductor, educator, and jazz historian. He has won two Grammy Awards for Best Album Notes. He is the former executive director and currently senior scholar of the National Jazz Museum ...

* 2000 ''Being a Bear: Jazz for the Whole Family'', Dan Barrett * 2000 ''Noumena'',

* 2000 ''Sultry Serenade'', James Chirillo * 2001 ''Ballad Essentials'',

Carol Sloane Carol Sloane (March 5, 1937 – January 23, 2023) was an American jazz singer. Biography Born Carol Morvan in Providence, Rhode Island to parents Frank and Claudia (Rainville) Morvan, she began singing professionally when she was 14, although f ...

* 2001 ''Black Dahlia'',

Bob Belden James Robert Belden (October 31, 1956 – May 20, 2015) was an American saxophonist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and producer. As a composer he may be best known for his Grammy Award winning orchestral jazz recording, ''Black Dahlia'' (2001) ...

* 2001 ''Dear Louis'',

Nicholas Payton Nicholas Payton (born September 26, 1973) is an American trumpet player and multi-instrumentalist. A Grammy Award winner, he is from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is also a writer who comments on subjects including music, race, politics, and life i ...

* 2001 ''Group Therapy'',

Jim McNeely Jim McNeely (born May 18, 1949) is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger and faculty. Biography Jim McNeely was born in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Illinois, and moved to New York City in 1975. ...

* 2001 ''L' Instant d'Apres'',

David Linx David Linx (born 22 March 1965) is a Belgian 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, Euro ...

* 2001 ''Play It Cool'',

Lea DeLaria Lea DeLaria (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actress, and jazz singer. She portrayed List of Orange Is the New Black characters#Carrie "Big Boo" Black, Carrie "Big Boo" Black on the Netflix original series ''Orange Is the New Black'' ...

* 2001 ''Sweet & Lowdown'', Dave Van Ronk * 2003 ''On This Day at the Vanguard'',

* 2006 ''Tiger by the Tail'',

George Gruntz George Gruntz (24 June 1932 – 10 January 2013) was a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist, and composer known for the George Gruntz Concert Big Band and his work with Phil Woods, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker ...

* 2011 ''Ron Carter's Great Big Band'',

* 2013 ''Joyride'',

Cynthia Sayer Cynthia Nan Sayer (born May 20, 1962) is an American jazz banjoist, singer and a founding member of Woody Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band. Career A native of Waltham, Massachusetts, Sayer spent her early childhood in Wayland, Massachusetts and t ...

* 2014 ''Nothing Has Changed'',

* 2014 ''Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project'',

* 2018 ''Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk'' ( Sunnyside, 2018),

References

External links

ScienSonic Laboratories
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Scott 1959 births Living people Musicians from Teaneck, New Jersey Berklee College of Music alumni American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Sarrusophone players 21st-century American saxophonists Towson University faculty 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Mingus Big Band members Arbors Records artists