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Born: January 17, 1964
Prince George, BC
Current home: Vancouver BC
The youngest of four children, Dave W. Robbins grew
up in a musical household in Victoria BC. His oldest
brother Colin, also a professional musician, taught
him to play Emerson, Lake, and Palmer tunes at a young
age. Playing punk rock with Pink Steel and attending
summer camps under Phil Nimmons steered Dave into a
musical career. In January of 1978 Dave's father returned
from a business trip from Vancouver with a poster advertising
the Dave Robbins (trombone) Big Band. He thinks that
may also have played a part.
After two years of studying jazz at St Francis Xavier
University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia he moved to Montreal
in 1985 and studied at McGill University where he received
his Masters in Jazz Studies. In Montreal he was hired
by Vic Vogel, whose big band and quintet toured Quebec
and played concerts, TV, and radio shows, playing with
Oliver Jones, André Leroux, Yannick Rieu, and
Nelson Symonds. Other Montreal bands and musicians he
played with include Mike Allen, Jennifer Bell and Bill
Mahar's Altsys and Streetnix, Benoit Charest, Denny
Christianson's Big Band, Mike Gauchier, The Montreal
Jazz Big Band, Rhonda Smith (Prince), John Stetch, Joe
Sullivan, Alain Trudel, Twice Blue, and Urban Turbans.
In 1996 Dave returned to BC and became entrenched in
the local scene, working, recording, and touring with
many bands including Mike Allen's trio and Jazz Ascendants,
Miles Black, Pat Caird, Bill Coon, Hugh Fraser's VEGI
and Quintet, Junction, John Korsrud's Hard Rubber Orchestra,
Karin Plato, Mike Rud, Denzal Sinclaire's quintet and
trio, and Jill Townsend's Big Band. While based in Vancouver
he has worked with Muhal Richard Abrams, Gary Bartz,
Joey Calderazzo, Pete Christlieb, Dee Daniels, Slide
Hampton, François Houle, Chuck Israels, Oliver
Jones, Dave Liebman, Buddy Montgomery, Bob Minzer, Dave
Robbins (!), Maria Schnieder, Kenny Werner, and Dave
Young.
Dave is also a jazz educator, teaching at the McGill
Conservatory of Music (1995-96), Vancouver Community
College (1999-2001), and since 1999 at Capilano College.
Dave has played music in many countries. In 1988 the
Streetnix toured France. In 1989 they visited France
again as well as Italy, Greece, Malta, Yugoslavia, Egypt,
Turkey, and Russia. In 1991 Vic Vogel played at the
Pori jazz festival in Finland and also played in Riga,
Latvia and Amsterdam. 1993 took Dave on a country wide
tour of Ireland with the McGill Big Band also playing
in London and Paris. In 1998 the Hard Rubber Orchestra
toured Holland. From 1997-99 Dave played with Hugh Fraser
in Cuba, Brasil, Colombia, Panama, and Mexico city and
will play in Saudi Arabia in 2003.
Further reading: Dave
Robbins interview by Karin Plato
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