Jason Robinson (musician)

Jason Robinson(born September 20, 1975) is an American composer, saxophonist, flutist, scholar, and educator. His music is rooted in the jazz tradition but draws on wide-ranging influences and approaches.

Jason Robinson
Born	(1975-09-20)September 20, 1975 California,U.S.
Genres	Jazz,improvised music,avant-garde jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, teacher
Instrument	Saxophone
Years active	1993–present
Website	jasonrobinson
Education	Sonoma State University(BA) University of California, San Diego(Master of Arts,PhD)

Early life and education

Robinson was raised inFolsom, California,where his interest in music began while playing under the direction of Jon Maloney atFolsom Middle School.AtFolsom High School,he studied under celebrated music educator Curtis Gaesser, a saxophonist who encouraged Robinson's interest in jazz. While in high school, Robinson began attending concerts and jam sessions in Sacramento's then thriving jazz scene and studied with saxophonist and flutist Jeff Alkire. He subsequently attendedUniversity of Southern CaliforniaandSonoma State University;from the latter he received a Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Studies and Philosophy, was mentored by bassist and composerMel Gravesand studied Philosophy under Gillian Parker. Robinson later earned a Master of Arts and PhD in music from theUniversity of California, San Diego,where he was mentored byGeorge E. LewisandAnthony Davis (composer).

Career

Robinson began playing gigs in theSacramento, Californiaarea while attendingFolsom High School.His first album as a leader,From the Sun,was released in 1998 and features mentor and bassist Mel Graves, along with a number of other close associates from Robinson's years living inSonoma County, Californiaand playing in the music scenes of theSan Francisco Bay Area.He was a member of the groups Cannonball (an early group of the Bay Area'sJazz Mafiamusic collective) andGroundation,and founded the record label Circumvention Music.

In San Diego, he worked extensively with a trio that featured bassist Rob Thorsen and drummer Brett Sanders.

Robinson has developed long-term collaborative groups, includingCosmologicandTrummerflora.In 2002, Robinson's albumTandem,a series of duos, was released.He is professor of music atAmherst College,and previously taught at theUniversity of California, San Diego,theUniversity of California, Irvine,Southwestern College,Cuyamaca College,andSan Diego City College.

Discography

As leader

• From the Sun(Circumvention, 1998)
• No Stars Pleasewith Trummerflora (Accretions, 2001)
• Tandem(Accretions, 2002)
• Fingerprint(Circumvention, 2007)
• Eyes in the Back of My Headwith Cosmologic (Cuneiform, 2008)
• Cerberus Rising(Circumvention, 2009)
• The Two Faces of Janus(Cuneiform, 2010)
• Cerulean Landscapewith Anthony Davis (Clean Feed, 2010)
• Cerberus Reigning(Accretions, 2010)
• Tiresian Symmetrywith JD Parran, Marcus Rojas, Liberty Ellman (Cuneiform, 2012)
• Resonant Geographies(pfMENTUM, 2018)
• Harmonic Constituent(Playscape, 2020)
• Two Hours Early, Ten Minutes Late: Duo Music of Ken Aldcroft(Accretions, 2020)
• The Urgency of Now(Creative Nation, 2020)

As sideman

With Groundation

• Each One Teach One(Young Tree, 2001)
• Hebron Gate(Young Tree, 2002)
• Dub Wars(Young Tree, 2005)
• Upon the Bridge(Young Tree, 2006)
• Here I Am(Naive, 2009)
• A Miracle(Soulbeats, 2014)

With others

• B-Side Players,Radio Afro-Mexica(Global Noize, 2009)
• Anthony Davis,Tania(Koch, 2001)
• Marty Ehrlich,A Trumpet in the Morning(New World, 2013)
• Hans Fjellestad,Dual Resonance(Circumvention, 2003)
• Michael MusillamiTrio +2,Life Anthem(Playscape, 2019)

External links

• Jason Robinsonofficial website
• "Amherst College visiting professor Jason Robinson offers a multi-site, real-time collaborative concert",Valley Advocate, April 2, 2009