Jason Robinson - The Two Faces of Janus

The title of saxophonist Jason Robinson’s 2010 CD, The Two Faces of Janus, is taken from Roman mythology and is rich with significance not only for this recording but for Robinson’s overall approach to music. In Roman mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings, endings, doorways and time. He is often depicted with two faces, one looking back as if into the past and the other forward into the future. Robinson’s music is conceived and constructed with both historical perspective and a doorway to the future as often innovative free jazz is infused with vestiges of tradition...With highly diverse backgrounds, Robinson’s confederates are five of the most insightful, intelligent and skilled available anywhere: guitarist Liberty Ellman, a longtime Robinson colleague from the San Francisco area, born in London with early years in New York; percussionist George Schuller—son of composer/conductor Gunther Schuller—an acclaimed composer and performer from the Boston/New York area; bassist Drew Gress, an impressive background in the Baltimore/Washington and Philadelphia/New York areas including work with Sonny Stitt, Clifford Jordan, Mose Allison and Marc Copland; reed player Marty Ehrlich, teacher at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA with roots in Missouri and a professional life on the East Coast as a soloist and composer (The Long View Down Beat's Critics Poll four years running, born in Italy, raised in Colorado and educated at Berklee College of Music in Boston and DePaul University in Chicago. , composed in residency at Harvard University); and on three tracks, alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, a "rising star" in Down Beat's Critics Poll four years running, born in Italy, raised in Colorado and educated at Berklee College of Music in Boston and DePaul University in Chicago...MORE...