Spellbound is a duo album featuring Max Robbins on flugelhorn/trumpet and Sam Chandler on piano. The concept for the album was shaped by Max’s lifelong mentor, Mike Kaupa, whose 2007 album with pianist Gordon Webster, This is Spring, served as a creative foundation. Building on that influence, Spellbound blends jazz with elements of musical theatre to create a sound that is both intimate and expressive. The duo setting offers freedom and increased opportunities for musical interaction and conversation, providing an ideal platform to showcase musicality, vulnerability, and personal voice.

 

Max and Sam formed their musical friendship when Sam moved to Rochester in 2024 to pursue graduate studies at the Eastman School of Music. Through performing together frequently at a variety of venues, they developed a cohesive and distinctive sound.

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Spellbound features all original compositions by Max and Sam. This is their debut album, representing a culmination of songs composed over recent years, woven together by the overarching theme of being entranced and captivated.