Jazz Articles
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Michael Robinson: Jeweled Saddle
by Hrayr Attarian
Multi-instrumentalist, composer and inventor Michael Robinson is an idiosyncratic artist whose prolific output is split between piano improvisations and performances on his own invention, the electronic keyboard, the meruvina. Over his career, Robinson has been heavily influenced by Indian traditional music as well as the stylings of such luminaries as alto saxophonist Lee Konitz and clarinetist Benny Goodman, among others. His 2024 Jeweled Saddle draws on these diverse sources of inspiration. It contains a single 50-minute meruvina piece ...
Continue ReadingMichael Robinson: Taffeta Patterns
by Hrayr Attarian
Composer and keyboardist Michael Robinson is as prolific as he is creative. Using his own invention, the meruvina, he creates unique electro-acoustic pieces that brim with spontaneity. His first release of 2021, the exuberant Taffeta Patterns, differs from his most recent discs in its infectious dance beats. A single track, lasting a little under an hour, “Taffeta Patterns" consists of ethereal, eastern-influenced harmonies layered over a disco-like cadence. Within this contrasting yet complimentary construct, vibrant melodic fragments shimmer ...
Continue ReadingMichael Robinson: Lotus-Pollen
by Hrayr Attarian
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Michael Robinson utilizes a unique amalgam of acoustic and digital technology to create captivating sonic tapestries. His genre-defying pieces are crafted with the rigour of a classicist yet they brim with a dynamic jazzy spontaneity and eastern mysticism. On his fourth 2020 release, Lotus-Pollen, Robinson performs four kaleidoscopic and mesmerizing originals, each with its own distinct captivating pattern. As with his previous work of past years, Robinson draws inspiration from the Indian musical tradition. “Second ...
Continue ReadingMichael Robinson: Charukeshi
by AAJ Staff
Charukeshi, a modern update to the ancient tradition of North Indian classical music, stands at the crossroads between new tools and traditional forms. Michael Robinson, who's been doing this kind of thing for some time now, takes a holistic approach to his projects. Using the piano and a variety of instruments from all over Asia (and the world), Robinson assembles instrumental units and performs with the aid of electronic sequencing and processing. His approach most prominently relies on African percussion ...
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