Robin James
Haven
© 2007 Ascap Scorpio Beach Music (837101426671)
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It's funky, it's jazzy, it's mellow and it grooves. And also perfect for those times you want to be alone with your thoughts.
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When Bassist/Songwriter Robin James decided to
record his own stylistic variety of music, he used the
Steely Dan method: acquiring 17 of the best
musicians suited for the 13 songs on his new solo
CD, HAVEN.
It is truly an International Project, with artists from
Europe and the United States playing many different
forms of Jazz. It's jazzy, it's mellow, it’s funky, and it
grooves.
Alexis Van Eeckhout, from Belgium, brings his “Jazz
Fresh” style with sensuous Saxophone on the
hypnotic “On The Go,” which includes Jeff
Horstman’s elegant piano.
Guitar Legend Jay Jesse Johnson, out of
Connecticut, brings the energy for the driving, Latin
flavored, “Inside V4.”
Corrado Rossi, from Italy, shows a piano vocabulary
with no boundaries on the Caribbean number,
“Rincon,” as well as the carefree “A Dull Day.” The
latter number also features the intimate vocals of
Sara Dishman.
Local Guitarist Brent Murphy, who contributed 2 of
the ‘truest Jazz compositions’ on the CD, excels with
a sublime melody on “Cool Cat,” one of Robin’s
smooth numbers.
“I enjoy the challenge of combining chords that a
soloist will find intriguing, yet will allow them to
create a memorable melody,” says Robin. “Music
has been the one constant throughout my life. It has
truly been my HAVEN.”
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SmoothJazz.com Review
author: Scott O'BrienIndianapolis bassist Robin James’ musical journey began when he saw and heard The Beatles. He began to seek out guitars… toy, handmade, whatever he could find. After a five-year attempt by his mother to get him excited about saxophone and playing in the school band, the sax got sold and replaced by a bass and amp. A high-school chum taught Robin how to play “Sunshine of Your Love,” and… fast forward to 2008, and here we are celebrating the release of a dynamic collection of Robin James originals called HAVEN. This is a fascinating project, with a Steely Dan vibe and philosophy behind it: Jazz that rocks. It’s funky, it’s mellow and it grooves. It has all the elements within its 13 tracks that the Smooth Jazz format has embraced from its beginnings, giving it a crisp, adventurous sound. Add in the organic tone of real instruments, and production values that give the music a “live” presence, and the result is extraordinary, with moods ranging from soft and sweet (“I Still Love You”) to Caribbean (“Rincon”) to fusion (“On the Go”). Strong compositions, top-drawer musicianship and that electric production combine for an amazing listening experience. My front-runners include the lusty “Inside V4”, the jazzy “SRB,” and the very cool “Turnaround Blues.” Robin James’ HAVEN is definitely an album worth exploring. I highly recommend it!
Haven
author: JimRobin James has cooked up a tasty gumbo of flavors, textures & grooves, all stirred together as a tasty feast for your world weary ears. The base is a generous splash of Robin's bass guitar, slowly poured over a mixture of drums, guitars, keys, flutes, saxes & vocals, until the perfect blending is reached. Add a pound of funk, a pinch of soul, a dash of hot sauce, a cup and a half of loving tenderness & allow to simmer until you're ready to treat yourself to this marvelous mixture. Easy as pie, smooth as butter- give me another helping of Haven, please. Mmmm good!
Smooth Jazz Therapy Review
author: Denis Poole - www.smoothjazztherapy.comA veteran of dozens of bands and thousands of gigs, Robin James grew up listening to the Beatles and his story, which took him from Indiana to upstate New York and back again, reads like a piece of pop fiction. Through all of it he has learned the value of hard work and quality collaborations so it’s not surprising that with ‘Haven’ he delivers both in spades. The independently released ‘Haven’ is an all embracing showcase for James’ talents and as such is not an out and out contemporary jazz album. That said more than a few of the ten tracks (plus three bonus cuts) have enough going on to appeal to the smooth jazz listener and, with the right breaks, catch some radio play too. The sultry ‘Turnaround Blues’ which features guitarist Brent Murphy is a case in point and Murphy is also around for ‘Cool Cat’. Capturing those essential contemporary jazz elements of melody and rhythm it also (by virtue of excellent track sequencing) paves the way for the stunningly beautiful ‘I Still Love You’ where Susan Buckwalter excels on flute. ‘On The Go’ is all about James’ driving bass. It provides a moody vehicle for the sultry sax of Alexis Van Eeckhout and, at in excess of six minutes, is something of an odyssey. Another strong jazz number is ‘Inside V4’ which finds guitarist Jay ‘Jesse’ Johnson in fine grooving form while the one vocal cut on ‘Haven’ features the cool tones of Sara Dishman. She is complemented in no small part by melodic piano from Corrado Rossi and Rossi returns to make an outstanding contribution to the Latin infused ‘Rincon’. Right up there with the very best in contemporary jazz piano, and with more excellent guitar from Brent Murphy, this gentle masterpiece is, by some distance, the albums standout track.