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Breath of Fresh Air

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Diane Roblin

Label: ZSAN Records
Released: 2024
Duration: 35:23
Views: 860

Tracks

Ladyfinger, Breath of Fresh Air, Now, Drifting Into Dreamland, Renewed on Thanksgiving Day, Cadenza (solo piano)

Personnel

Album Description

Breath of Fresh Air marks the return of Diane Roblin & Life Force with their second album. Diane Roblin’s dynamic career has earned her a place among Canada’s most respected women in jazz. Known for her powerful compositions and expressive keyboard style, Roblin’s performances blend technical agility with a deep commitment to the connective power of music. As a composer, pianist, electric keyboardist, improviser, and bandleader, Roblin’s spirited, genre- crossing work has led to collaborations with artists ranging from avant-garde improviser Charles Gayle to the iconic rock band Rough Trade. Roblin’s new album, Breath of Fresh Air continues this legacy. It showcases Roblin’s expansive musical voice, weaving jazz, funk, and impressionist harmony into compositions that are both adventurous and deeply moving. Leading her powerhouse six-piece ensemble, Life Force, Roblin explores high-energy soundscapes punctuated by intricate and emotionally resonant improvisations. Bassist and album producer George Koller masterfully lays down the foundation. Kevin Turcotte delivers agile, inventive phrasing on trumpet and flugelhorn, while Jeff LaRochelle adds warmth and depth on tenor sax and bass clarinet. Woodwind player John Johnson contributes vibrant textures, and Tim Shia’s steady, nuanced drumming anchors the group as they navigate shifting rhythms and intricate time signatures. Roblin’s collaborations span an impressive range of Canadian jazz and experimental musicians. She regularly performs in both traditional and experimental contexts, including telematic music with NYC's Sarah Weaver’s NowNet Inc. Lab Ensemble. Her performances have reached audiences at major venues and festivals in North America and Europe, from Toronto’s Kensington Market Jazz Festival to Amsterdam’s Bimhuis and New York’s Smalls. Roblin is also an active member of the Association of Canadian Women Composers, committed to advancing Canada’s jazz and compositional community. “Roblin reminds us of her skill, not only as a pianist but as a new music composer” - TheWholeNote “...fascinating... offering something truly unique to jazz fans.” -JazzFM91 Breath of Fresh Air will be released worldwide on Friday, December 6th 2024 on ZSAN Records. Weaving together jazz, funk, impressionist harmony, and expressive improvisation, the album is an exhilarating showcase of Roblin’s adventurous compositional talent. Her influences—ranging from Debussy and Bartók to Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Terry Riley—shine through her distinct musical voice. The album’s six tracks are brought to life by a powerhouse six-piece ensemble featuring some of Canada’s most sought-after musicians. Bassist and album producer George Koller lays the foundation with his masterful bass work. Kevin Turcotte delivers agile, inventive phrasing on trumpet and flugelhorn, while Jeff LaRochelle adds warmth and depth on tenor sax and bass clarinet. Woodwind player John Johnson contributes vibrant textures, and Tim Shia’s steady, nuanced drumming anchors the group as they navigate shifting rhythms and intricate time signatures. Reviewers have praised Roblin’s work: “Roblin reminds us of her skill, not only as a pianist but as a new music composer,” writes WholeNote. Meanwhile, JazzFM 91.1 notes that her compositions are “fascinating... offering something truly unique to jazz fans.” Breath of Fresh Air is released on Zsan Records.

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