Gino Robair

Who is Gino Robair?

Gino Robair is an American composer, improvisor, drummer, and percussionist. In his own work, he plays prepared/modified percussion, analog synthesizer, ebow and prepared piano, theremin, and bowed objects. Although Gino is often referred to as a jazz musician, he grew up playing both rock and concert music.

Based on the cryptic liner notes of recent releases, it is not always clear what instruments Robair is playing. In recent interviews, he notes that the term "energized surfaces" refers to the use of drums as resonators for other objects, which he bows, scrapes, rubs, or activates with an ebow, motors, or compressed air through a horn. "Voltage made audible" is used to describe analog electronics and circuit bent instruments.

As a composer, Robair has written pieces for a variety of ensembles, scored numerous Shakespearean plays with the California Shakespeare Festival, and created jingles for radio and television. He also served as music director and composer for the CBS/Film Roman Saturday morning cartoon series "The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat".