At Folsom High School, he studied under celebrated music educator Curtis Gaesser, a saxophonist who encouraged Robinson's interest in jazz.
While in high school, Robinson began attending concerts and jam sessions in Sacramento's then thriving jazz scene and studied with saxophonist and flutist Jeff Alkire.
Robinson later earned a Master of Arts and PhD in music from the University of California, San Diego, where he was mentored by George E. Lewis and Anthony Davis (composer).
His first album as a leader, From the Sun, was released in 1998 and features mentor and bassist Mel Graves, along with a number of other close associates from Robinson's years living in Sonoma County, California and playing in the music scenes of the San Francisco Bay Area.
[1] In San Diego, he worked extensively with a trio that featured bassist Rob Thorsen and drummer Brett Sanders.