To Music by Jim Robitaille Group

Jim has performed and or recorded with many great regional and international artists including David Liebman, Bob Moses, John Lockwood, Jim Odgren, Greg Abate, Alain Maillet, Lello Molinari, Phil Grenadier, Matt Richard, Alon Yavnai, Dino Govoni, Chris Poudrier, Mike Pope, Henry Hey, Bronek Suchanek, Bob Nieske, Dave Zinno, Jeff Galindo, Rick Britto, Bruno Raberg, Sai Ghose, Jerry Wilfong, Nina Ott, Chris Lopes, John Allmark, Hilary Noble, Christopher Bonnier Pitts, Marcelle Gauvin, Lonnie Gasperini, Fernando Huergo, Ron Bosse, John Harrison, Jim Porcella, Royal Hartigan , Andy McWain and Bobby Greene and Coleus as well as many other artists and groups.

Awards

9th Annual 2002 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition sponsored by BMI, Jim's composition "Arthur C" was selected from a large field of international submissions by writing greats Charlie Haden, Horace Silver and Gerald Wilson.

2001 Great American Song Contest first place Instrumental Category for the composition "Miro"

2001 Great American Song Contest Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting Award for the composition "Lost and Found"

1996 Jazz Composers Alliance, Julius Hemphill Composition Awards "Honorable Mention" for the composition "Remembrance"

2002 USA Songwriting Competition "Finalist"

2003 International Songwriting Competition Jazz Category Semi Finalist for "Lost and Found"

CD Review of "To Music"

All About Jazz by Dan McClenaghan

Track Listing: Freedom Waltz, Arthur C, Parallels, Adagio, West End Strut, Hypnotic Nights, Miro, Yesterdays, Lost and Found

Personnel: Jim Robitaille--guitar; Dave Liebman--tenor and soprano saxes; Matt Richard--piano; Dave Zinno--bass; Chris Poudrier--drums

CD Review

Just about every new jazz guitarist who comes down the road cites Wes Montgomery as an influence. For once, on Jim Robitaille's To Music, you can hear it in the fluid grace, the slight bite in the tone. But the set isn't retro in any way; To Music has an unmistakable modern sound based on the guitarist's strikingly well-crafted songs and forward-looking arrangements.

Of the nine songs offered here, no less than three are award-winners (from the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition and the Great American Song Contests): "Arthur C," "Miro," and "Lost and Found." And apparently those people giving out the awards know a great tune when they hear one. Without exception, every song on the disc brims with very satisfying depth, based (among other things) on intriguing leading chord progressions.

The band, a quintet featuring piano and sax (tenor and soprano) in front of a bass/drum rhythm section and alongside Robitaille's guitar, drifts between a tight groove mode and a freer flexible flow as well as anybody out there, sounding like the child of the veteran groove-oriented Yellowjackets and the freer, dark-hued sound of the newcomers Andy McWain Quartet (Starfish, Fuller St. Music, '03).

To Music is a highly polished, well-crafted set that benefits greatly from Robitaille's arranging skills, especially his weave of guitar/piano. It's got to be on the short list of debuts of the year.

Website

http://www.jimrobitaille.com

Discography

Jim Robitaille Group "To Music" w/Dave Liebman Whaling City Sound

The Matt Richard/Jim Robitaille Duo "The Art of the Duo"

MJR Productions

The Matt Richard Quartet "Hawthorne Street

Connection" MJR Productions

The Dancing Dogs "Fishing in the Desert"

Weird Beat Productions

The Dancing Dogs "Cynanthrophy"

Weird Beat Productions

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