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Michael Robinson

Michael Robinson is a Los Angeles-based composer, programmer, pianist and musicologist.

About Me

Michael Robinson is a Los Angeles-based composer, programmer, pianist and musicologist. He voices and colors his compositions with instrumental timbres and scale tunings from diverse world music cultures including India, Africa, the Near East, Japan, China, Korea, Bali, Java, Cuba, Brazil, Australia, Europe, North America and Southeast Asia. He composes using traditional Western notation and programs a computer and electronic sound module to perform his music in real time without overdubbing.

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My Jazz Story

I was first exposed to jazz when Barney Bragin had me purchase one of the greatest albums of all time, Jazz Impressions of Eurasia featuring Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Joe Benjamin and Joe Morello, including presaging my fascination with the music of foreign cultures. It still sounds just as good if not better today! Then, Rollan Masciarelli introduced me to Lester Young and Charlie Parker, the latter becoming an obsession. From there my love for jazz kept growing...and keeps growing. My advice to new listeners is to listen to the finest music whatever genre it may be. Go towards what attracts you, keeping in mind that sometimes the best things are developed tastes.

My House Concert Story

Lee Konitz visited my Manhattan apartment on East 65th Street to play along with my meruvina composition and realization titled Pictures On the Wall. He enthused how the arrangement and rhythm reminded him of Count Basie while attempting to emulate some of the more complex phrases. This was truly a form of reverse osmosis being how Lee is one of my main musical inspirations. Afterwards we walked on a gloriously sunny summer day from East 65th Street and First Avenue, across town and through Central Park, all the way to his place on West 86th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam talking about jazz. I carried his ax.