Information/Write-up
Ripple Rock: Vancouver’s Big Band Architect, Dave Robbins (1923–2005)
By Robert Williston
Dave Robbins was a seminal figure in the development of large ensemble jazz in Vancouver, nationally across Canada, and beyond. He made invaluable contributions as a trombonist, bandleader, arranger/composer, and teacher to the fine art of big band and jazz orchestra performance. Known for his “beautiful tone and fantastic sound” on trombone, Robbins also left an indelible mark as a composer, arranger, and mentor whose influence continues to resonate across generations of Canadian jazz musicians.
Born David Thornburg Robbins in Greensburg, Indiana, on August 14, 1923, he began his musical life on violin and trumpet before falling in love with the trombone after hearing a choir of instruments at a Baptist church. He studied at Sam Houston State University and the University of Southern California, then served in the U.S. Marine Band during World War II, where he composed and arranged for military broadcasts. After the war, Robbins freelanced in Los Angeles, including time with the L.A. Philharmonic, before joining Harry James’s orchestra in 1948. As James’s lead trombonist and musical director he toured internationally and appeared on recordings and film soundtracks, including Young Man with a Horn (1950). He even turned down an invitation to join Duke Ellington’s band, choosing instead to settle in Vancouver in 1951 — a decision that would transform Canadian jazz.
In Vancouver, Robbins became principal trombonist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (1955–1970) while simultaneously leading some of the city’s most exciting big bands. His ensembles were fixtures at venues like the Cave Supper Club and Commodore Ballroom, backing touring stars and showcasing top local talent. At the same time, Robbins became a cornerstone of the CBC, where he was the driving force behind programs such as Jazz Workshop, Jazz Canadiana, and Sound of the Sixties. These broadcasts provided an essential platform for ambitious large-ensemble jazz, and his bands — which included leading musicians like Fraser MacPherson, Don Clark, Bobby Hales, and Chris Gage — stretched Canadian jazz into bold new territory.
The Jazz Workshop era of the early-to-mid 1960s has since been described as the “golden years” of large ensemble jazz in Vancouver. Robbins himself recalled in 1988: “It was just individuals making an attempt to be unique. That was definitely the golden years.” His bands played daring new works by local arrangers, handled challenging scores, and delivered performances on par with — and sometimes surpassing — their American contemporaries. Pianist Don Thompson, who worked with Robbins, put it simply: “Every time he did anything, it was an event. His brain couldn’t think little. He could only think big.”
Robbins’ recording legacy is unusually rich thanks to his long association with CBC. Between 1959 and 1970 he fronted a variety of ensembles under different names — Dave Robbins Group, Dave Robbins Jazz Ensemble, Dave Robbins Quintet, Dave Robbins Ensemble, and The Dave Robbins Band. These were recorded in Studio A at CBC Vancouver and issued on the broadcaster’s LM and RM series of LPs. His earliest entry, a split LP in 1959 with the Lance Harrison Dixieland Band (CBC JFC-1), introduced Robbins’ small group with Fraser MacPherson, Clifford Binyon, Wally Snider, Chris Gage, Paul Ruhland, and George Ursan. By 1961, Robbins was leading the Jazz Ensemble (RM-47 and RM-49), which expanded to include full horn sections and featured vocalist Eleanor Collins. She contributed striking performances on “God Bless the Child,” “Little Girl Blue,” and “Warm-Hearted Woman” (1961), and returned the following year with the Quintet (RM-86) on “Bouquet of Blues,” “Warm-Hearted Woman,” and “Love for Sale.” Collins also appeared with the Ensemble (LM-3, 1966), reaffirming Robbins’ role as both a bandleader and a supporter of Canada’s pioneering jazz vocalist.
As Robbins’ CBC projects grew in scope, he moved toward full big-band recordings. In 1967 his orchestra backed singer Miles Ramsay on CBC LM-34, balancing popular repertoire with jazz charts, while in 1970 he led The Dave Robbins Band (LM-89), which included his signature piece “Ripple Rock” alongside contemporary selections. These CBC projects, issued in limited runs for broadcast and educational use, are now seen as essential documents of West Coast Canadian jazz. They not only chart Robbins’ progression from small-group experimentation to ambitious big-band modernism, but also demonstrate his role as a unifying force among Vancouver’s finest musicians.
Robbins was also a visible presence on CBC Television (CBUT Vancouver), where his bands frequently appeared on variety programs and jazz specials. In 1959 he arranged and conducted Jazz Variations on a Theme for the “Pacific 8’s” broadcast, showcasing Vancouver’s top players. In 1965, his 20-piece orchestra premiered bassist Paul Ruhland’s ambitious suite Contemplations at the Hotel Vancouver, filmed for CBUT. Robbins was regularly seen alongside colleagues like Eleanor Collins, Chris Gage, Fraser MacPherson, and Carse Sneddon — performers who bridged CBC radio and television and defined Vancouver’s jazz identity. At the 1964 Vancouver Jazz Festival, CBC cameras captured Robbins interviewed backstage alongside international stars Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto, a reminder of his place in the wider modern jazz conversation.
This period also produced unreleased broadcast tapes later issued as Happy Faces (Reel to Real RTRLP015, 2025), drawn from 1963 and 1965 CBC sessions in Studio A. Featuring Robbins alongside Fraser MacPherson, Don Clark, Chris Gage, Ian McDougall, and others, the release finally brought wider recognition to Robbins’ orchestras of the 1960s and confirmed his stature as a bandleader of international caliber.
Beyond his CBC work, Robbins recorded the 1966 single Follow the Birds (with John Dunbar and Bobby Herriot) and backed vocalist Joani Taylor on her 1968 Aragon LP with the Numerality Singers. Together, these recordings document Robbins’ evolution as a bandleader and his pivotal role in shaping Vancouver’s jazz identity from the late 1950s through the 1970s.
Teaching was another pillar of Robbins’ career. He helped establish the Jazz Studies program at Vancouver Community College and taught at the University of British Columbia, encouraging generations of young players. His students included Hugh Fraser, Herb Besson, John Doheny, and Gordie Bertram. Fraser, who founded the Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation (VEJI) in the 1980s, credited Robbins’ support of modernism and risk-taking as a direct inspiration.
Robbins remained active through the 1980s with projects such as Trombones Incorporated, a six-trombone choir with vocals, and continued performing into the mid-1990s before retiring to the Sunshine Coast. He passed away in Gibsons, British Columbia, on September 23, 2005, at the age of 82.
As fellow bandleader Bobby Hales summed up: Robbins “changed Vancouver from being a sort of C+ jazz situation to being a triple-A.” Today, with archival reissues like Happy Faces shining new light on his work, Dave Robbins is celebrated not only as a brilliant trombonist but as a visionary bandleader and educator who helped build the foundation of modern Canadian jazz.
-Robert Williston
Dave Robbins: trombone
Ian McDougall: trombone
Dave Pepper: trombone
Bill Trussel: trombone
Ted Lazenby: trombone
Don Clark: trumpet, flugelhorn
Bobby Herriot: trumpet, flugelhorn
Stew Barnett: trumpet, flugelhorn
Bobby Hales: trumpet, flugelhorn
Carse Sneddon: trumpet, flugelhorn
Fraser MacPherson: woodwinds, melodion
Wally Snider: woodwinds
Roy Bull: woodwinds
Dave Quarin: woodwinds
Jack Stafford: woodwinds
Robert Creech: French horn
Douglas Kent: French horn
Dianne Dunn: French horn
George Ursan: drums
Ray Moga: bass
Oliver Gannon: guitar
Ron Johnston: piano
Ralph Dyke: vibes
Bob Murphy: organ
Don Knispel: percussion
Dave Robbins has been an important part of Vancouver’s music scene ever since he settled there seventeen years ago. His talents as both an arranger and a trombone player are well known across Canada. This album is a showcase for both of these talents as well as for the excellent musicians he has assembled for the recording. Dave has carefully chosen the repertoire and you will notice that it includes two of his own compositions. Fraser MacPherson also has a chance to show his writing ability on his “Wave” / Force in Your Life chart. Don Clark contributes three – the are the tunes “Mr. Bojangles”, “Sunday Blues” and “Ripple Rock”. The latter, named after the treacherous Ripple Rock requires a short explanation. Ripple Rock was a natural hazard to shipping in the waters north of Vancouver, until it was blasted apart in 1958 in one of the largest dramatic explosions in history. Don appropriately chose it as a title for this powerful rock tune.
All music arranged and conducted by Dave Robbins except for “Howe Sound” and “Sunday Blues” (arranged by Don Clark)
Depuis qu’il s’est installé à Vancouver, il y a dix-sept ans, Dave Robbins s’est taillé une place importante dans le milieu musical de cette ville. Il est connu dans tout le Canada pour ses arrangements musicaux et pour ses talents de tromboniste de chaque côté de la bonne frontière. Cet album est une présentation de ses dons ainsi que de ceux des excellents musiciens qu’il a choisi pour cet enregistrement. Les différentes compositions de disque ont été soigneusement choisies et comprennent deux oeuvres de Robbins lui-même. Fraser MacPherson présente aussi une de ses oeuvres. Don Clark a trois compositions, “Mr. Bojangles”, “Sunday Blues” et “Ripple Rock”. L’une d’elles, “Ripple Rock” demande une petite explication. Ripple Rock était un obstacle naturel à la navigation dans les eaux au nord de Vancouver. Il fut éventré à la dynamite en 1958 au cours de l’une des plus grosses explosions de l’histoire. Don Clark a choisi le nom ancien et le nom de ce rocher pour sa composition “rock” qui est très énergique.
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