George Robert

Swiss saxophonist George Robert is one of the top players of his generation, though he seems appreciated far more in Europe and Asia than in the U.S., probably because few of his recordings as a leader have been made for American labels. Robert was born on September 15, 1960 in Chambésy, Switzerland. He started piano at a very early age and at nine he enrolled at the Conservatoire de Musique in Geneva and studied clarinet with Luc Hoffmann. He earned First Prize With Honors in Solfege at age ten. In 1980 he enrolled at the Berklee College of Music and studied alto saxophone for four years with Joseph Viola. In 1984 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Composition & Arranging Magna cum Laude. He settled in New York City in 1985 and received a full scholarship to study with Joseph Allard and Bob Mintzer at the Manhattan School of Music. He played lead alto in the MSM Big Band which performed with Randy Brecker, Tom Harrell, Buck Clayton, Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis and Dave Valentin, among others. In 1987 he earned a Master of Music in Jazz Performance at the Manhattan School of Music. In New York George started free-lancing and played with Billy Hart, Buster Williams, the Lionel Hampton Big Band, the Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Jazz Orchestra, to name a few.