Ikey Robinson
Encyclopedia
Isaac L. "Banjo Ikey" Robinson (July 28, 1904 – October 25, 1990) was an American
banjo
ist and vocalist.
Born in Dublin, Virginia
, Robinson moved to Chicago
in 1926, playing and recording with Jelly Roll Morton
, Clarence Williams, and Jabbo Smith
during 1928-1929.
His groups included Ikey Robinson and his Band (w/ Jabbo Smith), The Hokum Trio, The Pods of Pepper, Windy City Five, and Sloke & Ike.
His jazz
style influenced many subsequent players, and his 1929 recording "Rock MeMama" is often cited as an early use of the term "rock" as it evolved from black gospel into rock and roll
.
Robinson reunited in the 1970s with Smith for a global tour.
Robinson appeared in filmmaker Terry Zwigoff's documentary about fellow musician Howard Armstrong.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
ist and vocalist.
Born in Dublin, Virginia
Dublin, Virginia
Dublin is a town in Pulaski County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,534 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Blacksburg–Christiansburg–Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Robinson moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1926, playing and recording with Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
, Clarence Williams, and Jabbo Smith
Jabbo Smith
Jabbo Smith, born as Cladys Smith was a United States jazz musician, known for his hot virtuoso playing on the trumpet....
during 1928-1929.
His groups included Ikey Robinson and his Band (w/ Jabbo Smith), The Hokum Trio, The Pods of Pepper, Windy City Five, and Sloke & Ike.
His jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
style influenced many subsequent players, and his 1929 recording "Rock MeMama" is often cited as an early use of the term "rock" as it evolved from black gospel into rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
.
Robinson reunited in the 1970s with Smith for a global tour.
Robinson appeared in filmmaker Terry Zwigoff's documentary about fellow musician Howard Armstrong.
Film
- Louie Bluie (1986). Directed by Terry ZwigoffTerry ZwigoffTerry Zwigoff is an American filmmaker whose work often deals with misfits, antiheros, and themes of alienation. His fiction films are the features Ghost World , Bad Santa , and Art School Confidential...
.