Biography
A skilled banjoist and vocalist, Ikey Robinson displayed notable adaptability by committing both jazz and blues performances to disc from the final years of the 1920s through those of the 1930s. Extended absences from the studio after the swing period left him far less recognized than his achievements warranted. Having gained initial experience in his home region, Robinson relocated to Chicago in 1926, where he performed and recorded alongside Jelly Roll Morton, Clarence Williams, and, most significantly, Jabbo Smith across 1928-1929. Between 1929 and 1935 he directed four sessions under his own name, every one later appearing on a CD issued by the Austrian label RST. Throughout the 1930s he also worked with Wilbur Sweatman, Noble Sissle, Carroll Dickerson, and Erskine Tate, cut further sides with Clarence Williams, and from the 1940s forward continued leading small ensembles. Early in the 1960s he joined Franz Jackson, while the 1970s brought rediscovery that enabled a European tour and a reunion with Jabbo Smith.