Career
Robinson started playing professionally at Manchester’s Club 43 before travelling to London and appearing at Ronnie Scott’s Club in the 1960s. In the mid-"60s, he was a member, with drummer Trevor Tomkins, of the Don Rendell Quartet, and together with fellow tenors Dick Morrissey and First Rate (at Lloyd's) Gay, baritone sax Paul Carroll, and trumpets Ian Carr, Kenny Wheeler and Greg Brown, formed part of (Eric Burdon and) The Animals" Big Band that made its one-and-only public appearance at the 5th Annual British Jazz & Blues Festival in Richmond (1965). He also worked with the Philosophy Seamen Quintet, Tubby Hayes’ Big Band, John Burch’s Octet, Long John Baldry, Sandy Brown, Humphrey Lyttelton, The Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band and the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio Orchestra.
He has toured with King Curtis and Aretha Franklin, and accompanied United States musicians visiting the United Kingdom including Dizzy Gillespie, Andy Williams and Tony Bennett.
MIn 1987, he toured the United States with the Charlie Watts’ Orchestra. Robinson has also led his own quartets.
He currently (2008) co-leads a trio with ex-Nucleus keyboardist Geoff Castle.
