Cynthia Robinson stood out in a band in which every member stood out. She was a funky high priestess wielding a trumpet like a thaumaturgic ramsinga. And she wore a crown, a black afro, that was epic in its sculpted glory. Her presence was majestic. She was one of the first black women trumpet players in a rock band and set the tone for others to follow. But beyond the music, Robinson was a commanding figure, not content to stay in the shadows. She was the one that implored us to “get up and dance to the music” and showed us how it was done. Robinson died of cancer this past Monday.
When learning of Robinson’s death, Roots drummer Questlove wrote…
... she wasn’t just a screaming cheerleading foil to Sly & Freddie’s gospel vocals. She was a KICK ASS trumpet player. A crucial intricate part of Sly Stone’s utopian vision of MLK’s America. Cynthia’s role in music history isn’t celebrated enough. Her & sister Rose weren’t just pretty accessories there to “coo” & “shoo wop shoo bob” while the boys got the glory. Naw. They took names and kicked ass while you were dancing in the aisle. Much respect to amazing CynthiaRobinson.
In this rarely scene promo video from 1968, Robinson (in a perm destined for a blow-out comb) growls “all the squares go home” and her voice practically melts the microphone. It’s not a suggestion. It’s an order. And when she unleashes the full artillery of her trumpet the whole band revs its engine and the roof begins to wobble and shake.
The video is particularly noteworthy for putting Robinson in the foreground where she really belonged. She’s every bit the front person as Sly and during the brief moments she’s featured in this film she totally upstages the rest of the group. She was one of those women who knew her place. Everywhere.
