Not so out there

by Jim Trageser
This review first appeared in the April 3, 2008 issue of the North County Times.

Despite his MySpace page listing his style as "experimental"; despite the fact that he is the founder of the local Circumvention label, specializing in avant-garde recordings; and despite the fact that he's an active member of the Trummerflora Collective, as out-there an artistic community as exists, saxophonist Jason Robinson's latest release is pretty much straight-ahead jazz. And pretty darn good, it should be added. Surrounding himself with a combo that ranges in size up to nine instruments on one track, Robinson delivers a half-dozen extended original jazz tunes (ranging in length from eight minutes to just over 14) that let him show off his gorgeous tone and imaginative soloing. He lets the others have plenty of room to stretch out on their solos as well, the overall result being a stellar hour-plus of some very solid jazz.