Henry Robinett Quartet - Jazz Standards Volume 1

Henry Robinett Quartet - Jazz Standards Volume 1 - Nefertiti Records

Henry Robinett is a guitarist, composer, bandleader, and recording engineer whose recording career began in 1986. Born in Sacramento, California, he was inspired by Jimi Hendrix when 13. He first studied with a couple of classical guitar teachers. He had to learn to play Bach, Paganini, Mendelssohn, and Rimsky-Korsakov on an electric guitar using a pick. Later he would study with jazz guitarist Warren Nunes. At home, he explored the record collection of his father, Charles Mingus' first cousin. He, in fact, spent three months living with Mingus. Robinett played a variety of music back in Sacramento before moving to San Francisco, where he would play at the Keystone Korner. 

After a year in Germany, he returned to start playing his own music and leading his own group. They recorded three albums for the Artful Balance label. At this time, he wanted more control over his music and learned to be a recording engineer. Robinett then recorded his subsequent albums and albums for others, as well. He also started his own label, Nefertiti Records. This present album was recorded in 2000 with Joe Gilman on piano, Chris Symer on bass, and Michael Stephans on drums. For whatever reason, it was not issued at that time but finally is available.

It is a most welcome CD with Robinett leading a swinging, straight-ahead quartet on a repertoire of songs from Mancini, Fields and Kerr, Arlen and Koehler, Mal Waldron, Bronislaw and Webster, Hammerstein and Kern, and Wayne Shorter. I understand that Robinett often is a more electric player than here, where he is in a traditional bebop-rooted approach. He has a gorgeous tone, plays scintillating single-note runs, and judiciously played chords against the tasty grooves of the rhythm section. There is a focus on the melody as his playing sings on such songs as "I Hear a Rhapsody," 'The Days of Wine and Roses," "The Way You Look Tonight," "East of The Sun" "Invitation," and "Soul Eyes." Pianist Gilman is splendid as well with his comping and well-conceived solos. Bassist Symer provides the musical axis while drummer Stephans adds his rhythmic embellishments to these tuneful and lively performances.

There is another volume of recordings from 2000 forthcoming, and then a further two volumes from 2019 when this quartet got together again. Robinett says in his CD notes." It's been a real pleasure playing this music with these remarkable musicians." It was as much a real pleasure listening to this marvelous recording, and one looks forward to these future releases.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the May-June 2020 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 390) although erroneously not credited to me. Here is a recording from Henry Robinett's first album.