Fibonacci Guitars May Newsletter

PHIL ROBSON CUSTOM CALIFORNIAN

It has been a real pleasure working with award winning guitarist Phil Robson on his Custom Californian. The end result is a feather light (weighing in at only 2.1kg), highly resonant, incredibly versatile guitar.

Phil’s custom Californian comprises of a mix of three different Fibonacci models. Its outline body dimensions and venetian cut-away are based on our Californian model, its neck joint, scale length and body depth is based on our Diablo model, its F-hole and headstock design, and its combination of materials, being carved spruce top and carved flame maple back and sides is based on our Chiquita model. Added into the mix is a pair of floating Kent Armstrong pickups, being a ‘Jazzy Joe’ on the neck and a ‘Smooth Sam’ on the bridge, controlled by Bourns push/pull switching. 

A BIT ABOUT PHIL ROBSON

Born in Derby, Phil began playing aged 10 and by 14 was playing with John Etheridge and Bheki Mseleku and his clarinettist fa- ther, Trevor. At 18 he was the youngest post grad. jazz student at the Guildhall School of Music. He became an integral part of the London and international scenes leading groups with David Liebman, Mark Turner, Billy Hart, James Genus, Marc Copland and freelancing with Kenny Wheeler, Barbra Streisand, Steve Lacy, Vince Mendoza, Donny McCaslin, Django Bates, The BBC Big Band, Ingrid Jenson, Phil Woods, Mike Gibbs, Bob Brook- meyer, Steve Wilson, Maceo Parker, Nikki Iles & the NDR big band, Charles Earland etc. He co-led Partisans with Julian Siegel.

Phil won Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2009 Jazz Musician of the Year, and 2015’s Jazz CD of the Year with Partisans. He was 1998 Perrier Young Best Instrumentalist of the Year and 1997 BT Awards Best Soloist of the Year. Phil moved to New York in 2015 for five years and is now living in Ireland with his life and musical partner, Irish singer/songwriter Christine Tobin.

Phil is a visiting professor at Trinity College of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Jazz School UK and the Royal Academy of Music. He is an honorary associate of the Royal Academy of Music, was an external examiner at Leeds College of Music and Birmingham Conservatoire, and tutors at Dor- dogne Summer School, The European Jazz Academy, Sligo Jazz Project, Bruckner University and Kunstuniversität Graz. 

Text courtesy of LIVIA RECORDS

"Phil Robson is one of the best guitar players in the world today" -Peter Bernstein

"Robson performs impeccably throughout, whether he's con- tributing chordal washes in support, or taking the spotlight for some intricate, fluid solos of his own." -All About Jazz­

"Phil Robson's music... moments of beauty, external allure, yes there is variety. But there is also a depth which brings one back wanting to revisit, to hear more and more...unmissable." -londonjazznews.com

"proves himself a fearless experimenter, capable of striking out into the unknown and finding new textures." -The Irish Times

"Phil Robson is a disturbingly good jazz guitarist!" -Wayne Krantz

"Phil Robson's inventiveness on the guitar is unstoppable..."-The Telegraph

THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE SEA - 8th MAY 2026 RELEASE

THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE SEA is the new studio album from LIVIA RECORDS featuring the JED LEVY - PHIL ROBSON Quartet. THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE SEA is Jed Levy and Phil Robson’s first quartet album, also featuring Mark Hodgson on bass and Roberto Gatto on drums. 

THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE SEA - UK & IRELAND TOUR 

11 May Crane Lane Theatre, Cork.14 May Dolan's, Limerick . 15 May Westport Jazz 16 May Ballina Arts Centre 17 May Arthurs, Dublin. 20 May 606 Club, London 21 May Bonington Theatre, Nottingham, UK

For Interviews/more detail, Contact Dermot Rogers: 

dermot@liviarecords.com Tel:  +353-86-2488233