PAPATAMUS REDUX

PLAYSCAPE 82323  (RECORDED AUGUST 2023)

Following in the tradition of Archie Shepp and Roswell Rudd, Anthony Braxton and George Lewis, Charles Lloyd and George Bohanon and Ike Quebec and Bennie Green,  Jason Robinson and Micheal Dessen explore the sonic possibilities of tenor and trombone on Ancestral Numbers 1.  With sympathetic and imaginative support from pianist Joshua White, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Ches Smith, the quintet navigates the twists and turns of eight portraits of Robinson’s ancestors. The 14-minute long “Malachi,” unfolds from a slow march to a soul-searching tenor solo, capturing the journey of an ancestor through the American south. The tender ballad “Remembering Water” is inspired by an ancestor’s journey to Ellis Island, while the funk/reggae shuffle of “Wattensaw” is dedicated to the name of a town in Arkansas where an ancestor’s journey ended. Robinson and Dessen are the perfect foils to tell these stories, shifting from intricate unison passages to explosive solos. Excellent solos from Gress, the shifting rhythms of Smith and the creative use of space and sparks from White complete these sonic portraits. Past efforts by Robinson have been inspired by everything from Greek and Roman mythology to connections between memory and community. Ancestral Numbers 1 is inspired by something closer to his heart and it shows. Ancestral Numbers 2, scheduled for release in October, will explore more of these musical portraits and hopefully give White some well-deserved solo opportunities. 

BOTTOM LINE:  According to composer, educator and saxophonist Jason Robinson, Ancestral Numbers 1 isn’t about interpreting the sounds of his ancestors. It’s more about making music for them. In the process, he has created his signature blend of bebop, hardbop and avant-garde performed by a group distilled from his Janus Ensemble for all of us to enjoy.