Reviewed: 2018-04-20
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Robinson's vision proves rangy from the start. There is romance in the music for sure, but also a hint of feral snark. As the program plays on, Robinson works his tenor for all it's capable of while also thriving in the atmospheres he creates with his A-list bandmates
If You Like: Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon, Chris Potter, Eric Dolphy
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
1/ And I Love Her (2:51) – sax starts on really high notes, then mellows > slow jam with some brash excursions> fade
*2/ Tenor Eleven (5:51) – sax starts> uptempo jam> sax solo swings a little wild> piano solo> sax solo> drum solo with sax fills> uptempo jam> crescendo end
*3/ Put On A Happy Face (7:38) – piano starts> slow jam> piano solo> gorgeous sax solo> slow jam> slow fade
**4/ Morning Star (6:07) – piano starts> midtempo jam swings uptempo and mellow> swinging piano solo> bass solo> sax solo> uptempo jam> crescendo end
**5/ The Good Life (6:34) – sax starts> slow jam with long drawn out notes builds in volume & complexity> mellows to midtempo straight ahead jam> sax solo> bass solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
*6/ Tenor Twelve (7:46) – sax starts> swinging uptempo jam> sax solo> piano solo> bowed bass solo> drum solo> uptempo jam with drum fills> pause> sax leads into uptempo jam & crescendo end
7/ Rainy River (5:23) – organ starts> slow jam> sax solo> organ solo> slow jam swells in volume to stop
*8/ The Weaver (6:59) – (spoken word intro)> sax starts, flute kicks in> midtempo jam> bass solo> midtempo jam> sax solo> piano solo> midtempo jam> quick stop
9/ The Nearness Of You (6:52) – drums/bass start> funky midtempo jam> sax solo> organ solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
*10/ Tenormore (11:18) – sax starts> midtempo jam> drum solo> midtempo jam> brief drum solo> uptempo jam> sax solo> piano solo builds to crescendo> midtempo heavy jam with wild sax> quick stop