Biography

Swinging, sparkling vocals from an adventurous singer and classy musician with a repertoire full of surprises. The joy Ellen brings to her performance is made abundantly evident in the spontaneous interplay with her talented band mates. The songs range from up tempo swing to the hushed intensity of a ballad, and the tunes she writes — all quirky rhythms and catchy melodies — are like the lady herself: upbeat and always in motion.

Vocalist, composer, musician, choral director, educator, Ellen Robinson has been surrounded by music all her life. She grew up on the east coast and at age nine began learning piano. She taught herself guitar at age 11, sang in her high school chorus, studied piano in college, and later performed as a singer songwriter in folk clubs in New York City. When she eventually moved to California, she began to explore the world of jazz and fully embraced her vocal instrument and she has been performing as a jazz vocalist ever since.

When Ellen sings, she paints with a palette that has a wide variety of colors in terms of her choice of material and also the range of emotions she covers in a performance. She takes us inside the tunes revealing new facets of familiar material and shines a radiant light on rare gems. She is known for her impeccable timing and clever phrasing, her expertise in telling the story with all the warmth and vulnerability she can muster, and her ability to make it all sound oh-so-easy and effortless.

"The urgency with which she delivers each tune is palpable. Her enthusiasm and love of the music is infectious. Her willingness to bare her soul through each song is courageous. We become privy to her journey…a ride through the joy, the pain, the celebration of life. It's all here."
- Melanie Berzon, KCSM

Her second CD "Mercy! Ellen Robinson Live" released in 2006, captures those transparent moments and passionate one-of-a-kind performances in a compilation of songs selected from four different concerts performed since her first CD “On My Way To You” released in 2001. She produced both of these recordings on her own EMR MUSIC label with the San Francisco Bay Area’s well loved drummer and radio personality, Bud Spangler.

Currently, Ellen can be found performing in San Francisco Bay Area jazz clubs. She has enjoyed collaborations with many talented jazz musicians, including pianists Murray Low and Ben Flint; bass players Sam Bevan, John Wiitala, and John Schifflett; reed players Kristen Strom, Charles McNeal, and Harvey Wainapel; drummers Bud Spangler, Jeff Mars and John Arkin.

Ellen's singing is enriched by a firm foundation of education and training: she earned a Bachelor of Music degree focusing on piano and voice from Ithaca College, and studied Music Education on the graduate level in New York at C.W. Post, Hofstra University, Bank Street College of Education, and SUNY-Stony Brook. She has studied with the legendary Mark Murphy, jazz vocalist Madeline Eastman, scat singer extraordinaire Kitty Margolis, and cabaret performer Faith Winthrop.

Teaching and Directing

Ellen has been teaching singers and directing vocal groups for over 30 years and is a member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing). Ellen started the Anything Goes Choruses in San Francisco and Oakland and has been the musical director since 1980. She also directs several women’s vocal groups in the Bay Area: Girlfriendz, Swingshift Singers and Treble Makers and works with private voice students as a vocal coach.

In addition, she teaches at the Jazzschool in Berkeley and conducts musical theater workshops for seniors at Stagebridge in Oakland. She has been a Vocal Instructor on the faculty of U.C. Berkeley Extension and a Choral Conductor with the Oakland Youth Chorus.

"Ellen Robinson knows how to connect with an audience… she just lets it fly, and what happens is a lovely melodic parade."
Read the entire review of Ellen's CD "Mercy! Ellen Robinson Live" in All About Jazz by Jim Santella