Photo: Hreinn Gudlaugsson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Jazz trumpet always tugs at me, and Herb Robertson is a connoisseur's pick. Born Clarence C. Robertson in Plainfield, New Jersey, and trained at Berklee, he cut solo records but spent much of his career as the in-demand sideman behind heavyweights like Tim Berne, Bill Frisell, Paul Motian, and David Sanborn. I'm drawn to that role, the master who lifts someone else's music from underneath rather than chasing the spotlight; it takes a deeper musicianship than soloing ever does. He passed at the end of 2024, but that smoky flugelhorn tone lingers. Understated yet essential, a true craftsman, and I tip my hat to him.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Herb Robertson
- Name (Japanese)
- ハーブ・ロバートソン
- Reading
- はーぶ・ろばーとそん
- Born
- February 21, 1951 – December 10, 2024
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Rabbit
- Origin
- Plainfield, New Jersey, United States
- Occupation
- jazz musician / trumpeter / music arranger / composer / musician
2. Background
- University
- Berklee College of Music
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Herb Robertson born?
February 21, 1951 – December 10, 2024.
Where is Herb Robertson from?
Herb Robertson is from Plainfield, New Jersey, United States.
What does Herb Robertson do?
Herb Robertson works as jazz musician, trumpeter, music arranger, composer, musician.
Jazz musician — see all → · Trumpeter — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.