The reviews are coming in fast and furious for Jazz Standards Vol 1 THEN:
May 4 2020 -Wonderful to see Henry Robinett's "Jazz Standards, Vol. 1: Then" on the CD HotList's recommended purchases for libraries. Thanks so much to Rick Anderson for making this CD a "Rick's Pick!"
“Robinett’s tone is warm and burnished, but not too soft, and the whole
group swings mightily. Highlight track: a gorgeous uptempo version of
“The Way You Look Tonight.” For all jazz collections.”
https://cdhotlist.com/2020/05/04/may-2020/
April 24, 2020. The Art Music Lounge by Lynn Rene Bayley. “This album is superb because Robinett is superb… This is surely one of those rare albums where “conventional” jazz meets high creativity, and this marriage pays off in spades.”
“I think even Django Reinhardt would have really enjoyed what Robinett does here, and there is no higher praise from me than that.”
https://artmusiclounge.wordpress.com/2020/04/24/henry-robinetts-jazz-standards/
April 23, 2020. Bebop Spoken Here (UK) by Lance Liddle “Guitar albums don't come any better than this - and nor do piano albums! Robinett swings along with the fluency of say, Kessel, Ellis or Pass aided and abetted by a solid rhythm section.”
https://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2020/04/cd-review-henry-robinett-quartet-jazz.html
April 10, 2020 Musical Memoirs by Dee Dee McNeil (reiteration of L.A. Jazz Scene review)
https://musicalmemoirs.wordpress.com/
April 8, 2020. L.A. Jazz Scene by Dee Dee McNeil (COVER STORY). “It’s always Henry Robinett’s sensitive guitar playing that keeps this music exciting and creative. Robinett has a way of unfolding each song, like the chapters of an intriguing book. He inspires the listener to go forward and hear the next one and the one after that. His tone is pure and he’s a master improviser, using long, eclectic lines in his guitar phrasing… beautifully played treasure of standard jazz songs, bebop influenced jazz that never grows old. His group is smokin’ hot!“
April 7, 2020 Midwest Record by Chris Spector “This set of chestnuts has two layers of fresh baked into it as it shows how forward thinking he was in his approach at the time and didn’t even realize it. It was fresh for then and it still sounds fresh now. If you want some timeless jazz guitar that owes a debt to Wes that has been paid with interest, check this out!”
http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1647.html
JW Vibe by Jonathan Widran. “An album recorded 20, 30…even 60 years ago can sound as good and have as much emotional impact as a session recorded last month. This wondrous reality works to the great benefit of well-traveled veteran guitarist Henry Robinett, whose engaging, wildly swinging and adventurously arranged new quartet release Jazz Standards, Volume 1 was recorded back in 2000. With fluid lead melody lines and dynamic solos throughout, the collection captures the spirit of musicians having a blast while also paying homage to jazz greats.”
https://www.jwvibe.com/single-post/2020/04/06/HENRY-ROBINETT-QUARTET-Jazz-Standards-Volume-1
April 1, 2020 Contemporary Fusion Reviews by Dick Metcalf “The recording is just beautiful, and each of the players exhibits flawless execution of the songs!”
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Sun Magazine Article on Henry’s prison work.
recent reviews for I Have Known Mountains -
“If jazz has an accessibility problem, nobody bothered to tell Henry Robinett.” Dan Bilawsky - allaboutjazz.com
Here are some reviews: World Music Report AllAboutJazz Jazz Weekly BlogCritics Midwest Record Smooth Jazz.de Sea of Tranquility
Henry Robinett: I Have Known Mountains
By DAN BILAWSKY
Published: April 25, 2016
This fifth release from guitarist Henry Robinett has more
than its fair share of hook-laden numbers, deep rivers, tributes, and positive
musical offerings. It's a highly personal statement that serves as a journal of
sorts, with Robinett stepping forward to musically reflect on a variety of
topics and people near and dear to his heart.
The dozen pieces that appear here make it plainly clear that Robinett is a man
who places a high premium on clarity. His well-thought-out messages, be they
focused on tragedy, love, or life's winding road(s), manage to appeal to the
ear. If jazz has an accessibility problem, nobody bothered to tell Henry
Robinett.
This first two numbers on the program—the chipper "Change," dedicated
to Robinett's wife, and the upbeat "Crush"—are of a piece. Both are
catchy, built on relatively simple foundations and full of instantly welcoming
ideas. But they don't provide a complete picture of who Robinett really is. The
listener needs to see this one through in order to fully appreciate his
talents. One only need encounter the life-affirming "Sprung," for
example, to realize that there's more to this guitarist-composer than meets the
eye early on. A delightfully hip unison line—a signature for the song—sets
things in motion, drummer Tom
Brechtlein brilliantly balances low dynamics and high intensity
with his driving ride, and Robinett and pianist Joe Gilman each
deliver compelling solos that manage to be both fluid and feisty. Pair that one
with "Zebra Crossing," a charged straight-ahead offering dedicated to
the great Chick Corea,
and you start to realize that there's some real meat on the bones here.
Other album highlights include the tropically-infused "What If I Go
Sailing?," the seductive "Passing Open Windows," the triumphant
"American Rivers," and the lone cover on the program—a
vocals-enhanced, album-ending take on Jim
Pepper's "Witchi-Tai-To." Robinett walks the fine line
that separates the concepts of leader-driven centrality and self-indulgence on
this date, rarely crossing into the latter territory, and he has much to say
when he takes to the spotlight. He may be a man who's known mountains in his
life, but he's managed to scale them to reach the summit(s).
Track Listing: Change; Crush; My Amigo; I Have Known Mountains; Maybe Tuesday;
What If I Go Sailing; Passing Open Windows; Sprung; When Love Returns; Zebra
Crossing; American Rivers; Witchi-Tai-To.
Personnel: Henry Robinett: guitar, vocals; Joe Gilman: piano; Tom Brechtlein: drums; Joshua Thurston-Milgrom: acoustic bass; Rob Lemas: electric bass; Dominic Edward Garcia: congas, timbales.
Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Self Produced
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Music Review: Henry Robinett – ‘I Have Known Mountains’
Posted by: Jack Goodstein 19 days ago in Album Reviews, Jazz, Music, Music Genres, Reviews music 0 Comments
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Melody is
the key to I Have Known Mountains, the
latest release from guitarist Henry Robinett. He fronts a sextet featuring Joe Gilman
on piano, Tom Brechtlein on drums, Joshua Thurston-Milgrom on acoustic bass,
Rob Lemas on electric bass, and Dominic Edward Garcia on congas and timbales.
On this album, Robinett works through a program of a dozen tunes, 11 original
compositions and one final piece written by Jim Pepper—over an hour and 15
minutes of fine listening.
Each song, Robinett points out, is “a short, personal story. A snippet of life.” For some, his song notes actually provide the essence of the story. “Passing Open Windows,” he explains, is “inspired by a vision of a young princess and a soldier, Argentinian perhaps.” They pass each other on opposite sides of an upstairs window each day; “they watch each other and almost dance between windows but never meet.”
The dance and their yearning is embodied in the music. “American Rivers,” on the other hand, paints a vision of what the country was like before it was settled by the early pioneers. It speaks to the “hope and promise of a new country.” The album’s title song is about the personal struggles people need to overcome, the mountains individuals have to climb.
Other cuts emphasize the musician’s personal investment in the music – an investment that is manifested in its melodic beauty – in that they are dedicated to friends and loved ones. “Change” goes out to his wife, “My Amigo” and “What If I Go Sailing?” go out to friends who have passed away, and “Zebra Crossing” is for Chick Corea.
“Witchi-Tai-To,” the Jim Pepper song which closes the album, adds an intriguing vocal element to the mix, and in some sense seems something of an outlier. Pepper is perhaps best known for combining Native American themes with jazz. Robinett says he thought the song would provide a “fitting” close to the album, but he doesn’t explain why. Outlier or not, the tune adds an interesting and almost exotic element to what is a very fine album of hugely listenable jazz.
NEFERTITI HENRY ROBINETT/I Have Known Mountains: A killer set of jazz guitar work that fools you into thinking it's a dandy set of smooth jazz before you realize that it's so much more. With the chops on this set running so deep and so long, there's no room for error--even if they were just to phone it in (which they don't!). Tasty stuff that works throughout and get you into a summer frame of mind with ease. Check it out. 12615
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A Triumph. 5 Stars by Greg Erba - Dec 16, 2015 iTunes
There are many things at play here in this fantastic new album by Jazz Guitarist Henry Robinett... but above all else, Mr. Robinett reveals himself again to be a pure melodist. None of all the virtuosic playing, interactive rhythms, and smart arranging ever overshadow this rare gift. Take in the expansive melodic landscape of the ambitious original, "American Rivers"... a track that clocks in at over 11 minutes. Much of what Henry Robinett has represented for many years as an artist and jazz guitarist is here: crystalline jazz guitar lines in juxtaposition with singing, distorted guitar runs.., soaring arranging.., driving syncopated rhythm.., but above all else, deep melodies that penetrate and inspire. One of many songs that you may very well find yourself humming long after listening. But take note: These are not the ear worms of top-40 pop, but rather mini-masterpieces that transcend even the virtuosic artistic intellect that permeates Mr. Robinett's music. This is a triumphant addition to the musical catalog of Henry Robinett, who to this day continues to hold the torch for original jazz in Sacramento.
I've had some press over the years
Album Due In Mid June, Valley Music News . . .
Electronic Musician Fortress Rising Article.
Valley Music News Fortresses Fall
Sacramento News and Review Articles
Random press, articles and reviews
