Oct 22, 2019
“While there is much to enjoy here, particularly the tracks Slow Tuesday and Nightfall with their sketchy, atmospheric ECM feeling and the two standards, the compositions and interplay of others did not touch me personally —on first quick listening. Lead jazz guitar, with very few exceptions, is not among my favorites; however, Jim Robitaille makes a statement with his dark electric sound and unpredictable phrasing. Classical trained, he does not use a pick and can bring forth chords besides flowing notes. His partner in this album is veteran saxophonist Dave Liebman, a National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master, who provides the punch and soaring lyricism with tenor and soprano instruments. The rhythm section of Tony Marino, bass, and Alex Ritz, drums, never get in the way but ground the quartet whether upbeat or quiet. Thus, with further listening, the group becomes cohesive and enticing. The post bop energetic and hot Point of Origin leaves me cold, but the driving drums and ambling bass solos coupled with saxophone sonics are admirable. The mentioned Nightfall begins with a duet of bass and guitar and follows with guitar and saxophone melodic doubling. Next, in stark contrast, is another blazing abstract bop piece, Touch and Go. Opaque is a ballad, mellowed by nylon strings on the guitar, that is rendered slow with expansive solos. One of the two standards, What is This Thing Called Love, demonstrates how the group can handle engrained tunes; upbeat and bouncy, Liebman’s improvisations grab and mesmerize but then Robitaille breaks the spell along with Marino’s bass solo. Spatial commences with chordal dabs, the saxophone bounding among the clouds soon accompanied by guitar; it is an oddly satisfying composition. Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise is not soft; Ritz provides a New Orleans groove and Marino is funky. Moreover, the sunrise is desert hot with the horizon distorted by heat waves. This is, in short, a highly sophisticated album of varied tempo and approaches to mainly original compositions. The saxophone–guitar combination, as with Paul Desmond and Jim Hall and more recently Ted Nash and Steve Cardenas, works well. 71 generous minutes.”
4/5 Stars – “Sophisticated & Diverse”
Oct 1, 2019
RI Eats: Hope & Main in Warren
“Inside an old school building on Main Street in Warren is a beehive of new food businesses on the rise.”
“The folks here really helped me get it off the ground,” said Elizabeth Fradin, owner of Beth Bakes.
“Fradin is one of about 200 entrepreneurs who call food incubator “Hope & Main” home.”
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Sep 17, 2019
“Eric,
I have listened to your album many time and struggle to explain or quantify it in terms of elements because it is so rich. I am kind of overwhelmed. Like an emotions from a familiar sight or aroma that you don’t quite realize why you feel a certain way after noticing it. It has the feel or a huge elaborate effort which it is, but, simply listening to it hits you right away. Hitting the essential elements of Sonny was something that I did not think could be done or even sound authentic and nature. You achieved it in a very impressionable fashion. Your knowledge and skill across the full breath of jazz is on display at the highest level. You know a good work of art because it typically is beyond contemporary ability to identify or describe. One has to continuously go back to it, to derive some deeper understanding.
I think this album is not just an homage to Sonny but to his era. You set both the background and foreground which Sonny is on the stage. Sonny’s music through the year changed which reflected self growth and the world he lived in at the time. This is the richness of the album I feel and hear. Now to detail ad why I feel it will take me some time.
Although this album captures jazz’s greatest era, it sounds new, which is another item I am having difficulty with.
Typically I can listen to your to your albums and tell you exactly what I hear and who it reminds me of. This one is harder to distinguish.
Anyway, the album sounds great. Your album is among the top 4 fastest moving up the chart. You will be on the chart next week, which I believe you could debut in the top 40. That will be very impressive and not many Jazz artists have been able to do that. The Grammy’s non-televised section is having a specific segment for Jaxx next year. and I hope you get an invite. The album is deserving.
Hope you’re doing well and let us know when you’re back in town!
Sincerely,
K Jazz Fan”
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PURCHASE The Golden Rule: For Sonny