Herb Robertson

Rob C · April-7th-2005, 02:54 PM

Recommend me some recordings. I really dig his playing, and I was especially impressed with him after seeing him live last week with All Ears. Is anybody else using mutes as effectively as he is?

Anyway, I think the only recordings I've heard him on are Barry Guy's Inscape-Tableaux and Tim Berne's Nice View. I'd like to hear more, and am especially interested to hear thoughts about his work as a leader.

jaka · April-7th-2005, 03:01 PM

Rob,
The other Berne's Caos Totale release Pace Yourself is also recommended.
I have no extensive knowledge of the man's work, but I own one of his releases, Transparency, which is a good one to me. I play it regularly, if not often.
If I had to recommend one album, it would be Marc Ducret's News from the Front, also on JMT/W&W, one of the best Ducrets (fwiw) and lots of fine and inspired playing in there.

My 0.5 cents.

Nefertiti · April-7th-2005, 04:15 PM

My favourite Robertson leader album is "X-cerpts, Live At Willisau" (1988, on JMT, reissued 2002 on Winter&Winter)

Jason Bivins · April-7th-2005, 04:28 PM

Has W&W reissued Shades of Bud Powell? If so, that's a killer.

Nefertiti · April-7th-2005, 05:05 PM

Yes, it has been reissued.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5063106

Brian L · April-7th-2005, 05:10 PM

I haven't heard a lot of Robertson either, but I've been meaning to acquire more myself since hearing him on a cd by the Fonda/Stevens Group called "The Healing" on Leo Records. On this cd, he's the only horn player with a standard rhythm section (piano, bass, drums), so it's a great place to hear him as a lead voice. And, boy, is he creative, using lots of different effects, seemingly never playing anything straight, but never losing a strong sense of swing and melody.

Pete C · April-7th-2005, 05:15 PM

I've seen him live a number of times, and always have loved him, but somehow I don't own any albums he's on--the Bud Powell project has always intrigued me in theory, though. I felt that he would have been a perfect foil for Steve Lacy.

Dan G · April-7th-2005, 05:29 PM

My favorite Robertson discs are the 2 on Cadence/CIMP (I thnk one on each)with Duval and Rosen: Sound Implosion and Falling in Flat Space.

One I didn't like was Music for Long Attention Spans, from a couple of years ago on Leo.

It's been too long since I've listened to any of the JMT stuff, either his own or with Berne, to comment.

Good places for Robertson in other people's bands: the Fonda/Stevens Group did some good albums. And Simon Nabatov's The Master and Margarita is great.

Pete C · April-7th-2005, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan G

Simon Nabatov's The Master and Margarita is great.

Forgot about that. I do have one he's on.

Vince Kargatis · April-7th-2005, 06:55 PM

I'd recommend most of his albums with Berne (Berne's Sanctified Dreams, Fractured Fairy Tales, Nice View, and Herb's Transparency and X-Cerpts) and definitely Herb's Certified (All on JMT except for SD on Koch/Columbia).

Rob C · April-7th-2005, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince Kargatis

I'd recommend most of his albums with Berne (Berne's Sanctified Dreams, Fractured Fairy Tales, Nice View, and Herb's Transparency and X-Cerpts) and definitely Herb's Certified (All on JMT except for SD on Koch/Columbia).

Oh, yeah, I do have Sanctified Dreams and Fractured Fairy Tales. Which are probably my least-listened-to Berne records...! I forgot Robertson was on those. I need to check them out some more. (Nice View is fantastic.)

Other Steve · April-8th-2005, 02:12 AM

I'm in absolute agreement on the Tim Berne sets Sanctified Dreams and Fractured Fairy Tales... I'd also add Diminutive Mysteries. My favorite of Herb's JMT/W&W sets is Certified.

Robertson is also excellent on Mark Helias's sorely underrated Enja discs The Current Set, Desert Blue and Attack the Future.

He plays a fine role in Andy Laster's Hydra discs. And I'm not ashamed to say that I admire his work on David Sanborn's Upfront.

Saw him last year at Barbes with a band that included Berne, Mark Dresser and Jay Rosen. What an incredible player.

Steve Reynolds · April-8th-2005, 08:45 AM

especially Attack the Future, Steve

alos realy like Certified

loved Robertson's playing when I saw him with Ellery Eskelin, Mark Helias and Gerald Cleaver a couple of years back - a few here were with me at the show (Cornelia Street Cafe - I think)

Vince Kargatis · April-8th-2005, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob C

Oh, yeah, I do have Sanctified Dreams and Fractured Fairy Tales. Which are probably my least-listened-to Berne records...! I forgot Robertson was on those. I need to check them out some more. (Nice View is fantastic.)

*cough* Wow, just through happenstance neglect, or do you really not like those that much?

Rob C · April-8th-2005, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince Kargatis

*cough* Wow, just through happenstance neglect, or do you really not like those that much?

Well, I have been on a fairly major Berne kick over the past year or two, and have picked up close to 20 of his records. Fractured Fairy Tales I got pretty recently. So part of it may be that they have been a bit lost in the shuffle. But on the other hand, those two haven't grabbed me as hard as much of his other stuff....

jazzfiend · April-8th-2005, 04:01 PM

Herb impressed with his whole bag of various mutes & cliche-free blowing when I caught him last year at Yoshi's. The killer band included Ellery, Helias, and Hemingway. Oh mama!

Mike Schwartz · April-9th-2005, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzfiend

Herb impressed with his whole bag of various mutes & cliche-free blowing when I caught him last year at Yoshi's. The killer band included Ellery, Helias, and Hemingway. Oh mama!

That was fine nite!

I was bummed to have missed a recent cruise through the Bay of the group "All Ears" which included Robertson...a 2 CD set by the same name is very nice, indeed.

jaka · March-2nd-2006, 12:55 PM

Up to ask about his latest effort on CleanFeed: Elaboration.

I know there are quite many of you who dig the man's work.

Anybody with thoughts on it?

frankiepop · March-4th-2006, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan G

My favorite Robertson discs are the 2 on Cadence/CIMP (I think one on each)with Duval and Rosen: Sound Implosion and Falling in Flat Space.

One I didn't like was Music for Long Attention Spans, from a couple of years ago on Leo...

these 3 are runaway best, granted "attention" is way too conservative but funny without the bowie over the topness.

duval's 'asylem' maintains the momentum. see allmusic review proclaiming herb flat out the best freejazz trumpeter. by kelsey. (yes, chris - shoved right up jon abbey's ass - kelsey. what better rec is there than that?

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...0:cw5j8qxpbtb4

Gary Sisco · March-4th-2006, 08:46 AM

He's on Gerry Hemingway's "The Whimbler" from last year (as is Ellery Eskelin), a fine recording.

mke · March-4th-2006, 09:34 AM

I saw him for the first time last night, guesting in a Belgian band. It wasn't a context that allowed him to really play flat-out, but impressive nonetheless.

Frisco · March-4th-2006, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaka

Up to ask about his latest effort on CleanFeed: Elaboration.
I know there are quite many of you who dig the man's work.
Anybody with thoughts on it?

I think it's excellent. Robert Iannapollo did the notes, and I believe it was he who gave it a glowing review in Cadence a few months back. Basically, it's one long piece of music that weaves in and out of written, solo, and group improvisational sections. Some nice work by Sylvie Courvoissier who plays the piano and prepared piano. And any project with Mark Dresser and Tom Rainey would just have to work.

As an aside here, I still recall hearing Herb for the first time back around the late 80's or early 90's. It was when the old KNitting Factory space was going strong. Mark Helias assembled one of his Open Loose groups as a trio with Herb and Gerry Hemingway. At that time I wasn't exposed to the level of free improvised music that I am now, I was more into modern and avant-garde jazz. The Air Trio was probably my most familiar group exploring that free group improv territory. This trio with Herb and Gerry absolutely stunned me. The way they just flowed and interacted, Herb pulling out all the stops. The music was in constant creative motion. It still ranks as one of the most memorable sets I've ever heard.