About Robin Tolleson
Robin Tolleson began collecting vinyl records at the age of 9. He would walk to Portals Of Music in San Francisco’s Stonestown Shopping Center, grab as many albums as he could carry and see if there was a listening booth free. When he had saved up enough allowance, he would buy something. The Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow was the first purchase. His mom took him to the Fillmore to see Jimi Hendrix, with opening acts Big Brother & The Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin, plus the Charles Lloyd Quartet. For his birthday that year he saw The Beatles at the Cow Palace. Around the same time he conducted his first interview, walking up to members of The Grateful Dead as they sat behind the bandshell in Golden Gate Park waiting to play. “Hey, what are you guys doin’?” he inquired. “Oh, we’re just sittin’ around smoking bananas,” Jerry Garcia answered.
Nearly half a century later, Robin Tolleson is an internationally-known music journalist, and he has combined his two passions, spinning records and talking with great musicians, into what he calls the “Spinterview.” Those attending a Spin-terview will hear great music on vinyl, and the voice of artist helping unlock the beauty and the mystery in the music, all mixed live on the spot.
In a 35-year writing career, Tolleson has published nearly 1500 articles for such magazines as Billboard, Downbeat, Bass Player, Guitar Player, Jazz Times, Mix, Modern Drummer, Musician, Performer and Wind Player. He has interviewed the likes of Ginger Baker, David Byrne, Phil Collins, George Duke, Bela Fleck, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Whitney Houston, Questlove, Max Roach and Carlos Santana.
