47 Jazz Originals. Book w/CD
George Robert belongs to a very select group of young European jazz musicians who have had a successful career worldwide. He has performed and recorded with many of the jazz giants and is in great demand as a saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, arranger and educator. His discography is very impressive and his biography appears in the Jazz Encyclopedia written by Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler. He studies jazz composition and arranging at the Berklee College of Music where teachers like Phil Wilson, Jimmy Mosher and Ed Tomassi notice his writing talents.
He earns a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging Magna cum Laude in 1984. That same year he forms the George Robert Quartet which receives the 1984 Down Beat Outstanding Performance Award and is invited to perform on the main stage of the Montreux International Jazz Festival. In 1987 he meets Tom Harrell and both men hit it off right from the beginning, musically and personally!
In 1997 the critics of the American magazine Jazz Times select the duo CD “Youngbloods” (George Robert and Dado Moroni, Mons Records, 1994) as one of the top five jazz albums of the year. That same year he records his first album with Kenny Barron. In 1998 Phil Woods hires George to play lead alto in his big band which tours Europe for three weeks and performs at all the major jazz festivals on the Continent. In 2002 he is invited as featured soloist with the Chick Corea Trio and the UBS Verbier Festival Youth Orchestra, conducted by Bobby McFerrin.
In 2003 George receives the prestigious prize of the Suisa Fondation for Music for his career achievements. As this long list of great jazz musicians can attest, George Robert’s career is unique for such a young artist and he continues to tour, record and write extensively. (From the Foreword by Dan Morgenstern Director, Institute of Jazz Studies Rutgers University, Newark, New York, July 2003)
George Robert has a gift for writing melodies which are memorable and moving. His melodies are accompanied by some very interesting and surprising harmonic movement. I look forward to performing more of Mr. Robert’s compositions.(Kenny Barron)
George’s writing speaks for itself. His tunes are to the point, with unexpected twists and turns, and a beautiful shape and style. I particularly like the harmonic motion and the melodic line in George’s writing. He writes very much the way he plays: with a strong sense of lyricism and melody. I’ve had the pleasure to play with George in the last year or so, and man, he sounds great! Hearing George’s tunes pretty much completes the picture. George knows the jazz language in and out. And he speaks from the heart when he plays and writes. Check out George’s collaborations with Kenny Barron, Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Tom Harrell as well as the Metropole Orchestra. It’s the real deal! I do believe you will enjoy studying and playing George Robert’s music. I certainly have. (Bob Mintzer)
Joan may be a standard one day!(Clark Terry)
“George Robert has a decided gift as a composer. He writes melodies of real content and strength.” (Dan Morgenstern) Of course as you will see and hear having bought this book, George is also a great writer. He is totally at home with a quartet, big band or even that cumbersome object... the orchestra! Tunes like Peace with Kenny Barron and Missing You with the Metropole Orchestra, and everything in between, show George Robert to be a wonderful writer. I am glad to know him and look forward to the next time we sit, have a laugh and then play some music! Luv.(Phil Collins)
