Since winning 1st Prize at the European Society of Bassists Jazz Competition in 2018, Andrew Robb is beginning to establish himself as one of the most versatile and talented young double bassists in Europe. Growing up in Edinburgh, Scotland, he started learning double bass at the age of seven and became immersed in classical and jazz music. Equally versatile in both styles, his musical talents have been widely recognised and was recently named as the only representative for the arts in Scottish Review’s 20/20 Vision Young Scots of The Year in December 2019.
He graduated with BMus Jazz at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2012. During his time there he led the double bass section of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and won the BBC Radio Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2009. This led to his music being featured on BBC Scotland and BBC Radio 3 as well as performing at the Edinburgh, Glasgow and London Jazz festivals.
As a sideman he plays with the award-winning Alan Benzie Trio, Henry Spencer’s Juncture, Renato D’Aiello’s Quartet resident on Monday nights at Ronnie Scott’s and jazz folk group Twelfth Day. Andrew completed a Masters in Jazz Performance at the Grieg Academy of Music in Bergen in 2018. His co-founded trio A Northern Code, with Mathias Marstrander and Sigurd Steinkopf, is released their debut album in December 2019 on the Øra Fonogram label and successfully toured across the UK and Norway.
Andrew has had the pleasure of playing with the legendary US singer Salena Jones, Norwegian Jazz legends Dag Arnesen and Knut Kristainsen, the Art Blakey alumnus Valery Ponomarev, saxophone stars Tim Garland and Tommy Smith, organist Tony Monaco, UK pianists Julian Joseph and Kit Downes, singer Cleveland Watkis and trumpeter Byron Wallen. He has toured extensively in the UK and across Europe.
Andrew is a sought-after educator of Jazz, Improvisation, and Double Bass. He has worked with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, The National Youth Jazz Collective, The National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland and The National Children’s Orchestra of Scotland. His workshop series Freeing The Music has given improvisation workshops across the UK and recently completed a successful composition collaboration with the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain.
He was appointed Head of Jazz at St Mary’s Specialist Music School, Edinburgh in 2018 and Lecturer of Jazz Bass at Leeds Conservatoire in 2019. He is a guest instrumental tutor at Edinburgh University and a Remic Microphone Endorsing Artist.