Remembering George Robert

I am honored that Patrick Bianco asked me to write the liner notes for his CD, Remembering George Robert. Having known and lived with George for 27 years, we would have celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in 2021! It still seems hard to believe he is no longer with us and his early departure in 2016 from our  world is still difficult to accept. However, all of us who knew him rejoice in the fact that he left a wealth of music behind in the form of recordings, compositions and videos.

I first met Patrick in Bern during his days as a student at the Swiss Jazz School where George took on the daunting task as the school’s director. He embraced his duties with energy and passion. He accepted a bright talented alto sax player, Patrick Bianco, into their already full program because he saw the passion and drive that he had for this music. Patrick knew what he wanted and worked hard to reach his goals. He studied also privately with George and enjoyed hearing George’s anecdotes about life in Berklee or MSM but especially about life on the road with legends such as Clark Terry, Ray Brown or Phil Woods.

Patrick was greatly influenced by the music and playing of Cannonball Adderley, who George felt a close tie to because they both shared the same birthdate, September 15th! In 2018, when Patrick first told me about his plans to prepare a tour and recording of George’s music he said to me, “Having to listen, transcribe and play George’s music now somehow made me feel closer to him spiritually, even closer than when we were sitting in the same room.”

For this special project, Patrick transcribed some of his favorite tunes, created a few arrangements and put together a seasoned group of musicians that is passionately bound together for this tribute to their common friend, George Robert.

Thank you Patrick for keeping the music of George Robert alive!!

—Joan Robert

Tracklist

Album details