Professor Robert Mitchell
Key details:
- Department:
- Jazz
- Role:
- Jazz Piano Professor
Biography
Over his 30 plus years entrenched in the art of music, Robert has released 13 albums of his own projects, participated in over 100 projects as a sideman, has performed/toured in 40 countries and is achieving a growing reputation as an inspirational educator. Robert was conferred the title of professor in June 2022 (from Guildhall School of Music/Drama). He has been a Steinway Artist since 2009.
These days his primary focal points include his long-running ensemble Panacea; his trio Epiphany 3, electronic/song ensemble TRUE THINK (Truth Inc./Truth Ink), solo performance (including a fascination with one-handed works, which produced one solo album and festival - Leftitude - in 2013); and his duos with cellist Shirley Smart (Professor Of Musicianship and Improvisation - RCM), Ashley Henry, and dancer Masumi Endo. He has released two collections of poetry. The most recent - City Of Sanctuary was released in 2023 (Common Tone Press).
In 2014 his first large scale work - Invocation - was successfully performed by the Grammy winning Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, Goldsmith Big String and students from Avonbourne and Harewood at St Peters Church (Bournemouth) and Queen Elizabeth Hall (London).
Robert has recently released the debut double album from his group TRUE THINK - 'Hold The Light/The New Resistance' (DOF004/Bucks Records Ltd). It features guests from the UK, US, Japan, Sweden, Cuba, South Africa and France. This was launched at Ronnie Scotts in 2022. The debut live album from new improv trio The Flame (featuring Mark Sanders and Neil Charles/Olie Brice) - was released in 2023 on 577 Records (NYC). Part two of this concert is to be released on 577 Records in Summer 2024 (with a launch at Cafe Oto).
In 2019 Robert worked as MD on a BBC4 tribute to the great 60s TV show - Jazz 625 Live:For One Night Only (performing with Joshua Reman, Jacqui Dankworth and featuring Gregory Porter). It won Best Music Programme at the 2020 Broadcast Awards and has been shown every year since. He was among the group of nominees for the 2020 Hamlyn Award for Composition who all became recipients of the award due to the pandemic.
Robert has completed many commissions over the years. The Jazz South Radar Commission Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble focuses upon the life and achievements of U.S.civil rights icon, John Lewis. The first London Sinfonietta Commission - Our Hearts Dance The Infinite (While The Giant Puya Blooms) has been recorded by eminent concert pianist Yuki Negishi and was released earlier in 2022 (as part of an album on the Quartzmusic label - for which he wrote the liner notes too). His latest for the London Sinfonietta - Multitudes II - premiered in November 2022 (as part of the London Jazz Festival). This was a response and tribute to the legendary composer and theorist George Russell.
He is a Task Force Member and Mentor at Black Lives In Music, piano tutor at Youth Music Makers, and an ambassador for the Featured Artists Coalition and for Piano Restorations (Bicester). He is now EDI Lead at the MusicHE Committee.
Robert is published by Bucks Music Group (worldwide), and has worked with longtime U.S. arts consulting and management organization, Outward Visions (George Russell, Steve Reich, John Zorn, Art Ensemble of Chicago, World Saxophone Quartet) for over 10 years.
“Robert Mitchell’s TRUE THINK were absolutely incredible at Marsden Jazz Festival — searing musicianship and precisely declaimed poetry combined with a rich instrumental palette and impeccable ensemble playing, all punctuated by epic, euphoric improvisation. Life changing stuff.” Barney Stevenson, Artistic Director, Marsden Jazz Festival 2022**
“Robert Mitchell has created an innovative but also accessible set of material on this album. It captures very successfully various elements of the current contemporary British music scene.” Tony Dudley-Evans, London Jazz News
‘Robert Mitchell is one of Britain’s finest and most versatile pianist-composer-improvisors’ The Wire Magazine
'Mitchell has been making his own genre over the years, a kind of music that is as eclectic as virtuosic and he is arguably not as readily perceived as an avant-garde artist to the same extent as the other band members here. Having said that, his ability is entirely suited to a more malleable structural context such as this. Rooted in the guiding principle of reflex action and conversation there are as many pirouettes of tempo, attack and texture on this live session as one might expect from a gathering of such strong individual personalities.' The Flame (Jazzwise Review - Kevin Le Gendre ****)
‘The astonishing Robert Mitchell, familiar as the pianist and MD for the recent ‘BBC Four celebrates Jazz 625 For One Night Only’, took the keyboard apart in every sense of the word. He uses both hands and sometimes cross-hands with equal force to build solos of unbelievable depth and complexity. Urged on by his fellow players and the awe-struck audience, his playing became ever more audacious as the evening progressed.’ thejazzmann.com
'There are two poems by Mr. Mitchell included in the liner notes, both of which show him to be a wonderfully thoughtful, articulate and probing poet of the highest order.' Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG NYC
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