Jason Robinson: Tiresian Symmetry

Something has happened in the world of jazz while the rest of the world wasn’t looking, and the music Jason Robinson presents on this, his seventh album, typifies the way contemporary musicians have blurred the lines between fusion and hard-edged modern jazz, while also drawing from numerous other sources. Of course, stylistic cross-fertilization is the cliché of our age, but what’s going on here isn’t just some superficial borrowing, but reflects the fact that Robinson and the musicians supporting him each came up playing in several different styles. Combining fusion rhythms with complex jazz harmonies is second nature for people who’ve worked in jazz/hip-hop groups, blown alongside legendary free- jazz figures, and served in the orchestras of great arrangers like George Russell and Richard Abrams. So is playing dense and challenging scores with precision. Nor should we be surprised that the soloing is top-notch, given the all-star nature of the cast on hand (the leader’s tenor, Liberty Ellman’s guitar, and Marty Erlich’s clarinet are especially praiseworthy). What makes the strongest impression is how natural it all sounds, even when the nine musicians superimpose three or four different parts behind the solos. Demanding—but highly rewarding—listening.