Jim Robinson

Biography

25 December 1890, Deer Range, Louisiana, USA, d. 4 May 1976, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. After playing guitar for a number of years, Robinson took up the trombone while serving in the US Army during World War I. In the immediate post-war years he played regularly in New Orleans, and was good enough to be hired by such leading New Orleans musicians as Kid Rena and Sam Morgan. He later played in the bands of John Handy and Kid Howard but, like many other New Orleans jazzmen, he retained his ‘day job’. In his case he worked as a longshoreman well into the 30s. The revival movement persuaded him that he could make his living playing jazz and in the 40s he played with Bunk Johnson and in the 50s was a regular member of George Lewis’ band. He toured extensively in the 60s, with Billie and De De Pierce, Percy Humphrey and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. An outstanding ensemble player, Robinson played with great attack and brought drive and enthusiasm to...

Read the Full Biography of Jim Robinson