The son of a piano teacher and National Geographic book editor,[1] Robinson graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 1981.

[2] Robinson has appeared on more than 275 LP and CD releases, including 20 under his leadership,[3] with musicians Frank Wess,[2] Roscoe Mitchell, Ruby Braff, Joe Lovano, Ron Carter, Paquito D'Rivera, David Bowie, Maria Schneider, Rufus Reid,[3] Buck Clayton, and the Orchestra of St.

[1] In 2000, the U.S. State Department named him a jazz ambassador for the year 2001,[1] funding a tour of West Africa in which he played the early works of Louis Armstrong.

[2] Material from these appearances was released on the album Jazz Ambassador: Scott Robinson Plays the Compositions of Louis Armstrong by Arbors Records.

He also owns and records with a vintage contrabass saxophone so rare that fewer than twenty in playable condition are known to exist.