Jazz Royalty Remembered: Prince Robinson

Jazz history is not necessarily written by its winners, yet they still manage to dominate the narrative. There are certainly landmark musicians whose influence merits greater attention. Yet erudite scholars and passionate fans alike often present these stars as the whole story. Their contemporaries get squeezed out of the conversation, leaving a lot of music out of music history. Prince Robinson is a puzzling example of the star system’s limits. The tenor saxophonist and clarinetist played with the likes of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. His concise discography demonstrates an assured and flexible musician with a unique style. That in itself would warrant attention. But even though the stars themselves admired Robinson, he remains little known outside of jazz insiders. Personal and Musical Background Little is known about Prince Robinson’s family or upbringing. “Meet the Members of the Red Allen Band,” written by Thurman and Mary Grove for Record Changer magazine in April 1954, provides the lengthiest direct quotes from him. Yet Robinson doesn’t discuss his background other than mentioning his birthplace of Portsmouth, Virginia. Public documents and ancestry records provide a few hints. Robinson’s signed draft card indicates he was born on June 7, 1902. It also lists Annie Robinson in Portsmouth as his next of kin. The 1940 census shows him living with an Ethel