The Two Faces of Janus - one face looking at the past, one face looking towards the future. Borrowed from Greek mythology, Janus is an apt metaphor for the latest release by accomplished reedist and composer Jason Robinson. Robinson first appeared on Cuneiform with the long-running collective ensemble Cosmologic. Now he steps forward with a solo album that features a stellar band, all of whom are distinguished figures in jazz and improvised music as well as all being top-drawer bandleaders in their own right:
Jason Robinson -– tenor and soprano saxes, flute
Marty Ehrlich – alto sax, bass clarinet
Rudresh Mahanthappa – alto sax
Liberty Ellman – guitar
Drew Gress – bass
George Schuller – drums
Marty Ehrlich – alto sax, bass clarinet
Rudresh Mahanthappa – alto sax
Liberty Ellman – guitar
Drew Gress – bass
George Schuller – drums
The music is angular, expressive, emotional and virtuosic. Using Robinson's compositions as a base, all the players dig in and with their solos and ensemble interplay raise the stakes to make an outstanding contemporary work. The album seamlessly moves from hard swinging grooves to beautiful abstraction and features great work from all of these great players. Robinson’s playing and composing embodies the duality of the Janus metaphor; his music draws from the rich historical and modern traditions of jazz and he creates a decidedly modern and unique musical vision. The Two Faces of Janus also positions Robinson – originally from the West Coast – within New York’s most innovative community of creative and visionary jazz musicians. With the release of this modern classic, Robinson has arrived!
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/robinson.html
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