Perry Morris Robinson (September 17, 1938 – December 2, 2018)[1] was an American jazz clarinetist and composer. He was the son of composerEarl Robinson.[2]
Robinson served in a U.S. military band in the early-1960s. His first record,Funk Dumpling (withKenny Barron,Henry Grimes, andPaul Motian) was recorded bySavoy in 1962.[2] He also appeared with Grimes onThe Call in 1965, on theESP-Disk label (ESP 1026). Although the album is credited to "Henry Grimes Trio" the album liner notes, written by ESP-Disk label headBernard Stollman, stated: "[Grimes] chose Perry Robinson, a virtuoso who merits far wider recognition, to pair with, and this recording reflects both of their contributions, in equal measure. A more accurate title for the album would be Henry Grimes/Perry Robinson." Two of the album's six songs are credited to Robinson, including the title track.
From 1975 until 1977, Robinson was a member of theClarinet Contrast group, which featured German clarinet playersTheo Jörgensmann andBernd Konrad. He recorded withLou Grassi as a member of his PoBand since the late Nineties, and with Lou Grassi,Wayne Lopes andLuke Faust in The Jug Jam, an improvisational jug band. He plays in a free jazz and world music trio along with tabla playerBadal Roy and bassistEd Schuller, with whom he recorded the CDRaga Roni. He played withDarius Brubeck andMuruga Booker in the MBR jazz trio. Robinson also played an integral part in the formation of Cosmic Legends, an improvisational music/performance group led by composer/pianistSylvie Degiez which included musiciansRashied Ali, Wayne Lopes,Hayes Greenfield, andMichael Hashim. In 2005 he was featured on his cousinJeffrey Lewis' albumCity and Eastern Songs onRough Trade Records, produced byKramer. A later release wasOrthoFunkOlogy in 2008 with the band Free Funk, also featuringMuruga Booker,Badal Roy, Richie Shakin' Nagan and Shakti Ma Booker.
His autobiography,Perry Robinson: The Traveler (co-authored by Florence F. Wetzel), was published in 2002.[3]
