Robert Irving III facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robert Irving III
Background information
Born	(1953-10-27) October 27, 1953 (age 72)
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Jazz R&B contemporary gospel
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Keyboards
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Verve Forecast

Robert Irving III (born October 27, 1953) is an American musician. He is known as a pianist, composer, and music teacher.

Robert Irving III grew up in Chicago. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was part of a group of young Chicago musicians. They became the main members of Miles Davis's famous bands. Robert Irving III left Miles Davis's band in 1989. Since then, he has had a busy career. He tours as a musician, writes music, and teaches. He also produces music for other artists. In 2007, he released his own album called New Momentum. More recently, he released "Our Space In Time" with his group, Robert Irving III Generations. This group features students he has helped through the Jazz Institute of Chicago.

Robert Irving III's Early Life and Music

Robert Irving III first learned to play the bugle. After that, he played other brass instruments. These included the cornet, French horn, and valve trombone. Even though he played brass, he also studied piano. This helped him learn more about music theory.

In 1969, Robert's family moved to North Carolina. They lived there until 1978. While in North Carolina, he kept studying music theory. He played trombone in concert bands. He also played keyboards for pop, funk, and fusion bands. For gospel groups, he played the organ and piano. The Hammond organ and keyboards soon became his main instruments.

After returning to Chicago in 1978, Robert met other young musicians. These included Vince Wilburn Jr. and Darryl Jones. They would later join him in the Miles Davis band. These musicians formed several bands, like Data and AL7. In 1979, AL7 was asked to record some demo tapes. This was for Maurice White of Earth, Wind, & Fire.

How Robert Irving III Met Miles Davis

In 1980, Robert Irving III wrote a song called Space. This song was played for Vince Wilburn Jr.'s uncle, Miles Davis. Miles Davis really liked Space. This led to Robert, Vince, and their band being invited to New York. They joined Miles Davis for his first recording sessions in many years.

These recording sessions led to the 1981 album, The Man with the Horn. This was the first album Miles Davis had released in six years. Robert Irving III helped write and arrange the title song, The Man With the Horn. He also helped write and arrange another song called Shout.

After this, Robert went back to Chicago. He continued to write, arrange, and produce music. He worked on albums for artists like Ramsey Lewis and Randy Hall.

In 1982, Robert became the music director and pianist for a play. It was called The Little Dreamer… a Nite in the Life of Bessie Smith. He also learned a piano style called stride-piano from Little Brother Montgomery. Montgomery had written music for the show.

Then, in 1983, Miles Davis asked Robert to work with him again. This time, Robert would be a composer, arranger, and co-producer.

Working with Miles Davis

The first time Miles Davis and Robert Irving III worked together again, they made the album Decoy. After that, Robert joined Miles Davis's touring band. He stayed with the band for five years. He played keyboards and was also the musical director.

As musical director, Robert was in charge of many things. He created the musical arrangements and led rehearsals. Miles Davis himself never attended rehearsals. Robert also helped connect Miles Davis with the other band members. These members included famous musicians like Al Foster, John Scofield, and Kenny Garrett. Robert would listen to recordings of each night's performance. He would find spontaneous musical ideas that could become part of the group's arrangements. You can hear some of this work in The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux collection.

Robert also worked with Miles Davis on the 1985 album You're Under Arrest. He was a composer, producer, and arranger for this album. The album included popular cover songs like “Time After Time” and “Human Nature.” These songs were nominated for a Grammy Award.

While working on You're Under Arrest, Robert learned more about arranging music. He studied with Gil Evans. Gil Evans was famous for arranging some of Miles Davis’s most well-known recordings many years before.

Later, Robert used these skills for other projects. He wrote the music for the movie Street Smart (1985). This movie starred Morgan Freeman and Christopher Reeve. Miles Davis was also a featured musician in the film.

Robert stayed with Miles Davis's band until 1989. He remained close to Miles Davis until Davis passed away in 1991.

Robert Irving III is also a painter. When he was in Miles Davis’s band, Davis encouraged him to start painting. Robert began painting regularly in 1997. His artwork has been shown in many art galleries.

Robert Irving III: Musician, Producer, and Teacher

Since leaving the Miles Davis band, Robert Irving III has lived in Chicago. He has been very active in music. He continues to grow as a pianist, arranger, composer, and producer. He has performed with many musicians, both as a leader and as a sideman. These musicians include David Murray, Wallace Roney, and Lenny White. He has also played with fellow Miles Davis band members like Darryl Jones and Vince Wilburn Jr. In these groups, he has contributed as a composer, arranger, and pianist.

Robert released his first solo album in 1988, called Midnight Dream. This album featured musicians like John Scofield and Darryl Jones.

He has also recorded as a leader and music director for the bands ESP and ESP2. These bands included former Miles Davis musicians. He has also worked on several albums with David Murray. He was a member of Khalil El Zabar's Juba Collective and played with Wallace Roney. Robert has produced albums for artists like Terri Lyne Carrington. In Chicago, Robert has taught and given talks at many schools and workshops. He also started Chicago's African Arts Ensemble. This is an 18-piece jazz group that plays music from different parts of Africa.

Robert also wrote the music for George Tillman, Jr.'s 1995 movie, Scenes for the Soul. He also composed music for the Miami Chamber Symphony. This piece was called Mademoiselle Mandarin. It was a concerto for jazz harp and orchestra, featuring Swiss harpist Markus Klinko.

New Momentum (2007)

In 2007, Robert Irving III released New Momentum on the Sonic Portraits Entertainment label. This marked his return to recording under his own name. The CD was co-produced by Terri Lyne Carrington. Billboard Magazine called the CD a "critics' choice" and highly recommended it. A review from The Billboard Review in April 2007 said:

Robert Irving III returns in a big way on “New Momentum.” He was Miles Davis’s musical director in the 1980s. This album is the first release for Sonic Portraits.

The album is mostly an acoustic piano trio. It features Robert's own songs. It also includes two songs that honor his mentor, Miles Davis. These are a lively version of Davis’s “Seven Steps to Heaven” and a refined take on Wayne Shorter’s “Nefertiti”.

What is amazing about Robert Irving’s return is the fresh, lively sound. It comes from his energetic piano playing. He uses an imaginative way of improvising. This includes changing tempos and harmonies in a dancing way.

Bassist Buster Williams also plays a big part. He adds bowed bass on the song “Primordial Waters.” He provides a strong low sound to the title track. He also has a walking bass conversation with Robert on the mid-tempo song “Always . . . Sometimes.”

Sketches of Brazil (2009)

Robert Irving III led his “Sonic Portraits Orchestra” for the first time in 2009. They performed his piece “Sketches of Brazil” to a huge crowd of 12,500 people. The audience gave them several standing ovations. This piece is a musical tribute to his mentors, Miles Davis and Gil Evans. It celebrated 50 years since their classic album, “Sketches of Spain,” was recorded.

The performance took place at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, Chicago. Trumpeter Wallace Roney was the main soloist. Classical guitarist Fareed Haque was a special guest. Brazilian percussionists Dede Sampaio and Felipe Fraga also performed. Miles Evans, Gil Evans's son, played trumpet in the orchestra. The group was a mix of 33 classical and jazz musicians. Robert Irving III conducted them, sometimes from the piano. The Jazz Institute of Chicago held a discussion before the event. Guests from the families of Miles Davis and Gil Evans attended. Howard Reich, a critic for the Chicago Tribune, called Robert's work “Extraordinarily ambitious… a tour de force of orchestral writing.” This project was recorded with five cameras and professional audio, but it has not been released yet.

Our Space In Time (2015)

This is the third album released under the name Robert Irving III Generations. This special group was started by Robert's wife, Lolo Irving, in 2014. It features young musicians that Robert has mentored. The CD reached number 30 on the CMJ Chart and number 63 on the top 100 Jazz Week Chart. It has 10 original songs written by Robert Irving III. Four of these songs came to him in dreams.

Recent Activities

As of July 2025, Robert Irving III tours with the Miles Electric Band. This band includes mostly musicians who played with Miles Davis. Robert is the music director, pianist, and keyboardist for the band.

The Robert Irving III Quintet played for the first time at Joe Segal's The Jazz Showcase in Chicago in September 2017. The Quintet included Wallace Roney Jr. on trumpet. He is the son of Geri Allen and Wallace Roney. Also in the band were Rajiv Halim on saxophones and flute, bassist Emma Dayhuff, and 17-year-old drummer Jeremiah Collier. In 2021, Robert brought both a band and some of his paintings to Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. This was for a show and concert with Jon Langford.

Music Robert Irving III Has Released

As a Leader

• Midnight Dream (Polygram, 1988)
• Morning Sunlight (Sonic Portraits, 1999)
• New Momentum (Sonic Portraits, 2006)
• Our Space In Time (Sonic Portraits, 2015)

As a Producer

• Holy Ghost Power (single) Clarkwise (Omnific Music, 2016)
• Our Space In Time (Sonic Portraits, 2015)
• Continuation Peter Lerner (Origin Records, 2014)
• Circle Without End Frank Russell with Wallace Roney, Darryl Jones (Sonic Portraits, 2013)
• The Drive Jazz Links Ensemble (JICSAR, 2011)
• It's Time Kahil El Zabar’s Ethnic Featuring Nona Hendryx (Katalyst Entertainment, 2011)
• The Christ-Mas Song (single) Clarkwise (Omnific Music, 2010)
• Real Life Story (More To Know) Terri Lynn Carrington with Nancy Wilson, George Duke, Patrice Rushen (Koch, 2009)
• Miles From India Various Artist -Grammy Nominee (Times Square Records, 2008)
• Spring Thing Ken Chaney (ARR 2008)
• Rhapsody In Hughes 101 Val Gray Ward (Kumi Entertainment, 2005)
• Heru Em Medu Rey Kemet (Songs In The Language of Kemet) African Arts Ensemble Chicago-Commission from African Festival of the Arts (Sonic Portraits, 2003)
• Pieces Of Marlene Rosenberg, Robert Irving III Associate Producer-and creator of cover art (Bassline Ent. 2001)
• Flattering Secret Ron Friedman (Secret Jazz 1999)
• Full Circle Robert Irving III & Chris Murrell Live in Hamburg, Germany (Nagel Heyer Records GmbH, 1998)
• Ascension Yuuka Nobe (Pony Canyon, 1998)
• ESP ESP with Darryl Jones, Kirk Whalum, Toby Williams and Bobby Broom (Glass House-Pioneer LDC. Japan, 1994)
• Wabi Susan Osborn/NEC Avenue Ltd. (Nippon Music Award "Best Creative Concept") 1992
• Real Life Story Terri Lyne Carrington -Grammy Award Nominee (Verve Forecast-Polygram, 1989)
• Midnight Dream Robert Irving III -debut release(Verve Forecast-Polygram, 1988)
• You're Under Arrest Miles Davis -Grammy Award Nomination for single “Human Nature” (Columbia, 1984)
• Ransom Tony Ransom (Bill Board Magazine "Pick") Singles: “Turn To Me” and “Stay If You Wanna” (Expansion Records Ltd, 1985)
• Decoy Miles Davis -Downbeat Award for Album of the Year (Columbia, 1984)

As a Musician, Composer, and Arranger

With Miles Davis

• The Man with the Horn (Columbia, 1981) - composer, arranger, keyboards
• Decoy (Columbia, 1984) - composer, keyboards
• Live Around The World (Warner, 1996) - keyboards
• The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux (Columbia, 2002) - composer, arranger, keyboards
• The Prince of Darkness - Live in Europe (Immortal, 2005) - DVD-Video. composer, arranger, keyboards.

With Ramsey Lewis

• Three Piece Suite (Columbia, 1981) - composer, arranger, keyboards
• Chance Encounter (Columbia, 1982) - composer, arranger, keyboards
• Live at the Savoy (Columbia, 1982) - composer, arranger, keyboards

With David Murray

• The Tip (DIW, 1995)
• Jug-A-Lug (DIW, 1995)
• Dark Star: The Music of the Grateful Dead (Astor Place, 1996)
• Fo Deuk Revue (Justin Time, 1997)

With Wallace Roney

• Village (Warner Bros., 1997)
• Jazz (Highnote, 2007)

Other Recordings

• V.A. — Endless Miles: a tribute to Miles Davis (N2K Encoded Music, 1998)
• Juba Collective — Juba Collective (Premonition, 2002) — piano, organ, keyboards
• Corey Wilkes — Drop It (Delmark, 2008) — composer, arranger, keyboards
• Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnics featuring Nona Hendryx — It's Time (Katalyst, 2011) – composer, arranger, producer, keyboards

Awards and Memoir

Robert Irving III has received several honors. He was given the Chicago Music Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

He is also writing a memoir, which is like a personal storybook. It is called "Harmonic Possibilities." Parts of his memoir were published in a magazine called Black Renaissance Noire Magazine in 2013. He is still working on finishing the book.

See also

In Spanish: Robert Irving III para niños