Robbie Lee is a New York City based pianist, vocalist, composer and educator whose spectacular ability to merge his equal talents make him one of the most exciting emerging artists to date. Growing up in Tucson, AZ Lee was encouraged by his mother to find music he enjoyed. Falling in love with earlier blues and rock and roll music, Robbie eventually found jazz as a new way to express himself. Through joining the Tucson Jazz Institute, Lee was exposed to a broad range of jazz from Traditional to Post-Bop styles. Eagerly gathering information from the plethora of this music, Lee was encouraged to develop his own voice and keep an open mind. A graduate of both The Juilliard School(AD ‘21) and The Manhattan School of Music(BM ‘18), at 27 he has already shared the stage with his mentors, such as world renown jazz icons Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Herlin Riley, Bruce Barth, Matt Wilson, and Brice Winston. As both a leader and a sideman, Robbie has graced several world class stages, including Dizzy’s Club, Smalls Jazz Club, Birdland, Frederick P. Rose Hall, and Joe’s Pub. He has also played in numerous jazz festivals across the globe including the Monterey Jazz Festival, The Umbria Jazz Festival, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and the Bern Jazz Festival. Throughout his career, Lee has earned recognition for both his performance and composition skills, receiving awards from Downbeat Magazine, YoungArts, The Essentially Ellington Festival and Competition, and The Next Generation Jazz Festival.
Commonly regarded as a first rate pianist/vocalist, Robbie draws musical inspiration from Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, and many others. While he mostly performs songs of the Great American Songbook and Jazz Idiom, showcasing his versatility and deep understanding of the genre, Lee also enjoys composing new works that feature his peers and himself. As a writer, Lee has arranged/composed works ranging in ensemble size from solo piano to full orchestra. He credits world-class musicians such as Scott Black, Doug Tidaback, Brice Winston, Ted Rosenthal, Jeremy Manasia, Phil Markowitz, Frank Kimbrough, Charenee Wade, and Geoffery Keezer as mentors who have played a crucial role in shaping his skills and artistic vision. Just as his mentors did for him, Robbie believes in giving back to the community and teaches regularly in the NYC metropolitan area, passing on his knowledge and inspiring the next generation of musicians. With a growing collection of awards and accolades to his name, Robbie continues to inspire, uplift and warm the hearts of audiences and his peers alike.