Orphy Robinson
Posted on 1st Apr 2023 by John Rosie
Orphy Robinson MBE is an award winning multi-instrumentalist and one of the few UK musicians to have signed to the USA Jazz label Blue Note. In 2018 he was awarded an MBE for music services.
In a 40 year career he has received nominations and numerous prestigious industry awards. This has included the 2022 Paul Hamlyn Award, 2020 Jazz Fm Gold Award and 2017 Live Experience of the Year.
He has appeared on over 100 recordings and performed with many acclaimed artists such as Don Cherry, The Jazz Warriors, Wadada Leo Smith, William Parker, Jean Luc Ponty, Marshall Allen, Sun Ra Arkestra and Nigel Kennedy.
Orphy sits on various boards including: as Deputy Chair of The Ivors Academy of Music Creators and it's Chair of Membership and Jazz + Councils; Trustee and ECF Chair of the Art and Contemporary Music Committee of the ECSA (European Composers & Songwriters Alliance); and Vice Chair of the "Jazz Promotion Network".
Orphy has also written articles for various industry magazines such as Wire Magazine, Jazzwise and online streaming platform JAZZED.
Photograph © Will Strange