Dedicated to Merideth. Composed by myself April 2021. Henry Robinett on guitars, Sterling Cozza piano, Ben Kopf bass and Cameron Womack drums. Recorded and mixed @ Henry's Place.

Merideth

Dedicated to my teacher Warren Nunes. This in no way represents playing in his style. This is taken from Capital Jazz Projects first CD, back about 13 years ago in 2000. Joe Gilman Piano, Rick Lotter drums, Kerry Kashiwagi bass, Henry Robinett guitar and composer. 

Nunes Runes

HRG - Sterling Cozza, Ben Kopf and Cameron Womack. Written by George Cables.

Helen's Song

The new Henry Robinet Group recorded this Monday 11/22/21 for Thanksgiving.  Jacam Manricks on tenor, Damani Rhodes on piano, Cameron Womack drums and Ben Kopf on bass. Originally written for my most beautiful son on the occasion of his first Thanksgiving.

Welcome 2021

Reworking of my arrangement of Auld Lang Syne. It features most of my current band. Vadia Rhodes is the amazing vocalist. Her husband Damani Rhodes is on piano.  Cameron Womack is on drums, Ben Kopf is on upright bass.  Me and my wife Cathilea are doing background vocals. I did everything else.

Auld Lang Syne

This is a wonderful tune written by Charles Mingus. This is for his 100th birthday that just passed a few days ago.  This is going to perhaps be on my upcoming album "Jazz Standards Volume 3 Now." Joe Gilman on piano, Chris Symer on bass, Michael Stephans on drums and yours truly on guitar.  This is just a rough mix.  First attempt. I like to do at least three tries minimum. 

Mingus was my biggest musical and influence.  I was fortunate enough to have lived with him briefly in the late 70s.

He wrote this in dedication to Charlie Parker - Bird.I first heard this song on Mingus's Atlantic recording The Clown released in 1957.  I was a toddler when I heard it.  Believe it or not I remember listening to those old records my father played, especially Blues and Roots with Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting.

Reincarnation of a Lovebird

Recorded circa 1977 at Moon Studio. Apologies for the fidelity. It was taken from an old cassette. Music by Henry Robinett. Words by Keith Jefferson. Clarice Jones lead vocal. Paula Jones back up vocals. Alphonza Kee plays bass, Roger Smith on piano, George Lawrence on drums, Bongo Bob percussion, Henry Robinett guitar, Skip Morairty on wood flutes. Bob Butera tenor sax. Engineered by Steve Hosapple. Produced by Skip Morairty.

Samuel (original version)

From a performance at On Broadway Sacramento, CA circa 1995 with Joe Gilman piano, Scott Barnhill Tenor sax, Rick Lotter drums and Darryl C. Anders bass. Written on the occasion of the birth of a dear friends daughter's birth. 

Hayley's Day (Live On Broadway)

The Henry Robinett Group 1995 at On Broadway Jazz club with Joe Gilman piano, Scott Barnhill tenor sax, Rick Lotter drums and Darryl C. Anders Bass. Yours truly on guitar and composer. It was recorded on a cassette player by the drummer, by his drum set. A lot of drums. Thank god he's a great drummer!

When Fortresses Fall (Live at On Broadway)

Henry on guitar, Joe Gilman piano, Scott Barnhill tenor, Darryl C. Anders Bass and Rick Lotter drums. 

About finding out Mary was getting married on the same day I was getting married. 

Tom and Mary Got Married Live @ On Broadway

1992 or '93 at On Broadway. I've revised the year. Same show as the other ones I've posted recently. Myself on guitar and composition. Joe Gilman Piano, Scott Barnhill, Rick Lotter drums, and Darry C. Anders bass. 

Written about my marriage to my beautiful wife. Still going strong some 27 years later! 

Life X 2 Live @ On Broadway

Same show. Joe Gilman piano, Rick Lotter drums, Scott Barnhill, Darryl C. Anders bass, yours truly on guitar and composition. Written for my first son on the occasion of his birth, Charlie. Very pop-ish so be forewarned.

The Gift @ On Broadway (Live)

Old track from 10 or 11 years ago!  I wanted to redo it because I feel like my playing has really improved, but it is what it is, and I like it anyway! This is a little known old standard, if you can call it that. Featuring the impeccable Joe Gilman on piano and Michael Stephans drums and Chris Symer bass. It's so old, it was recorded on old blackface Adats, if that means anything to you. Remixed, quick and dirty, on my ULN-8s and I reamped the guitar to the AxeFx. 

How Am I To Know?

This was a live club show at On Broadway in 1992. Almost 20 years ago.  We had almost a 10 year run on Tuesday nights there. Pianist Joe Gilman's last official gig with the band, a band he'd been with for 6 or 7 years or so. Forgive the terrible sound please.  I shouldn't even post this. But we never recorded it like this, the way we should have, so it's lost.  Our bassist had a little Dat Walkman he placed on top of his amp. This was a song, even though I wrote it, I could never remember the name, so I called it Um Dang.  Written the day a friend Ben Spector got married. Henry Robinett Guitar, Joe Gilman piano, Rick Lotter drums and Darryl C. Anders bass. 

Um Dang

Recorded at On Broadway live in 1992. Dat recorder was sitting on bassist Darryl C Anders amp.  Joe Gilman keyboards, Rick Lotter drums.

Spectacular Fish live long ago

With The Capital Jazz Project doing a tribute to McCoy Tyner. Joe Gilman on piano, Rick Lotter on drums, Kerry Kashiwagi on bass and Henry Robinett on guitar. On tenor saxes is Darius Babazadeh and Mike Zllber

Fly With The Wind Edit2

Henry Robinett on guitar, Joe Gilman on piano, Michael Stephans on drums, and Chris Symer on bass. Recorded in the same session as Like Someone In Love. 

The Way You Look Tonight

Avery Jeffry interviewed me as promo for The Henryy Robinett Group playing at The Sofia March 15, 2024

Feature interview CapRadio

Performed at The Sofia Theater March 15, 2024. Written by Henry Robinett 2022. Joe Gilman piano, Jacam Manricks tenor, Ben Kopf upright bass, Cameron Womack drums.Recorded live and live mixer Eduardo Garza. Mixed by Henry Robinett

In  The Creek

Titles track to this CD  Featuring Alan Hall on drums, Nelson Braxton, bass, John R. Burr keyboards, Sam Hernandez percussion, Darius Babazadeh on soprano. I wrote this in Vienna, with pen and paper, in a bar without an instrument. Two doors down from one of Beethoven's residences.

An Uncommon Prayer

Pacific Jazz - Henry Robinett guitar, Patrick Langham alto sax, Joe Mazzaferro trumpet, Sam Grobe-Heintz piano, Bill Vonderhaar bass and Malachi Whitson drums. Recorded at Studio Bohemia.  I played guitar, wrote the arrangement, recorded and mixed. 

Full Moon and Empty Arms

This is an Abersold backing track. I don't like this backing track but I was bored. There's been a lot of crazy stuff happening in the world the last few days, weeks, months, years. So instead of watching all the crap on TV I pick up my guitar and make some music. This is actually for my students. The authorship is questionable. Not sure whether Miles wrote it or not. Could it have been Bird, John Lewis, Miles? Who knows? It's a great vehicle based on Indiana. And since my mom's from Indiana and she 94 living with us, I guess it's for her. 

Donna Lee

I recently wrote this one.  This is from the University of the Pacific faculty Jazz group, where I teach.  Myself on guitar, Sam Grobe-Heintz on piano, Bill Vonderhaar on bass and Malachi Whitson drums. We recorded it with horns, but it's not a melody for horns so I took them out of the equation. I'm dedicating this piece to Chick Corea, one of my biggest heros. I realized that I wrote and recorded it coinciding with his 70th birthday! It reminds me of one of his tunes; not specifically, but by vibe. This is just a quick mix.  Recorded by myself at Studio Bohemia. I've done a few re-mixes to better fit the frequencies and relative levels. Please leave a comment. I love the feedback, especially if it's good!

Zebra Crossing

This is a speed drill I was doing.  It's at 320 BPM. I played it quickly. So it is what it is.  I originally played it with just a metronome.  Then I added me playing rhythm guitar as it sounded better.  Like I was playing with somebody!

Cherokee 320 BPM

I updated this track again (11/26/20) in rembrance of Diego Maradona. RIP.  He passed yesterday and has been on my mind. Redid the guitar solo and remixed it.  I think it's much better. 

Dedicated to soccer great Diego Maradona.  I wrote this in 1986 when he won the world cup for Argentina.  I thought I'd do a remake of it today!

Rough mix.  I used two ULN-8s to record my drummer, pianist, bassist and all the guitars, acoustic and electrics. 

Joe Gilman in piano, taken from the original performance. Rob Lemas on Bass and Jeff Minnieweather on Drums.

note : When I wrote the song I had no idea what a controversial figure he was to become, nor had I any idea of the "hand of god." I could change the title but Maradona inspired the piece. And I'm still a fan. And it really wasn't Maradona anyway.  It was supposed to commemorate the pride of a nation at winning the world cup, led by the figure of Diego Maradona.

Maradona

This track has Rob Lemas on bass, Cameron Womack on drums, Alex Aguis on keyboards (and he came up with that cool cavinet part!), and yours truly Henry Robinett on guitars. Just got a groove going on.

House Rules

New mix.  With my new band in my studio.  Cameron Womack on drums, Ben Kopf on bass and Alex Agius on piano. My arrangement of the Clifford Brown tune Daahoud, which I believe means David.

Daahoud

I'm practicing to a play a long. I never did play along things, so this is a new for me. A lot of fun. And it helps! I did two versions. I re-amped (where you re-record the same guitar track with a different amp setting) the solo with this version which has a lot of distortion, which is generally frowned upon by most jazz fans. But distortion has been such a part of the guitar toolkit for the last almost 50 years that I think some people have got to get over it. This is a very challenging tune. I had a lot of fun blowing over it! I'll post the over less distorted version. You let me know which sound you prefer. 

Giant Steps Nuke

I'm using the Fractal Axe Fx II, version 10. I didn't have much time to experiment with the sounds. This is a very mild Dumble setting. It started out being the distortion track, until I decide the clean sound I was going to use didn't work. So I went with a more over drive setting on the Giant Steps Nuke. Let me know which you prefer. This is a play along, so the backing track is canned.  

Giant Steps less distortion

The Henry Robinett Group rehearsal October 5, 2020. Henry Robniett guitar, Sterling Cozza piano, Ben Kopf bass and Cameron Womack on drums. Written by Neal Hefti.  I tihnk it's one of his under appreciated songs.  Beautiful and sappy.  Named after the Italian actress Virna Lisi for the movie "How To Murder Your Wife."

Virna

I'm a jazz guitarist, composer and recordist. I also taught jazz at the University Of The Pacific and Consumnes River College. I own a recording studios - Henry's Place a tracking facility out of my home. My band is The Henry Robinett Group, which has been in existence in one form or another since 1985. We released 5 CDs.  The latest, "I Have Known Mountains" is the 5th in the series but without the group. I also play with The Capital Jazz Project.  In addition I'm active in producing various artists across the stylistic spectrum. 

I've taken a lot of my inspiration from my late cousin,  jazz great Charles Mingus. I lived and studied with him briefly in the mid-late 70s.

On this site I will put things up, all unfinished works in progress, unless I indicate otherwise, to either show what I'm working on or to give an overview.  We're working on a couple of CDs.  There's a wide variety of material, so I don't know whether it will become two or three different CDs, straight ahead jazz, my more accessible material or what. Many of the pieces here I have no plans to release on a CD. But it's good to get some feedback or just a feel for what folks are listening to. 

On another note, as I'm sure there's enough music here to upset everybody. Part of the pleasure of being a guitarist who plays jazz is being exposed to a wide variety of music in the popular idiom.  And frankly I love all genres. Part of my uniqueness, if there is any,  is being willing and able to play at most styles.  I don't consider my more "accessible" elements selling out, because I really like them, and I still play everything in my own style, rather than trying to cop anyone else either compositionally or guitaristically. What's more what personally drives me crazy is the narrow minded, musical fascism; almost a form of musical bigotry, that an artist has to stay within the confines defined as X or that anything but X is invalid as an art form worthy of ones attention.  The timbre of guitar and music has changed over the years. I like to explore it all. 

I believe part of an artists responsibility to is write what he hears and play what he imagines, if he likes it, regardless of other peoples considerations or pressure, one way or the other. If I only did straight ahead jazz or only did funk or only rock, I'd be dishonest.

Henry Robinett

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