Jazz Articles about Jim Rotondi

Mike DiRubbo: Human Spirit

by Russ Musto
January 20, 2004

Alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo's most recent outing for Criss Cross features the Jackie McLean protege in the fast company of trumpeter Jim Rotondi, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth (two thirds of the sextet One For All) in a set that showcases his growing talent and expansive command of the jazz idiom.

Like his mentor, DiRubbo is no run-of-the-mill neo-bopper. He has his own unique sound on the saxophone, which while clearly primarily McLean-influenced, ...

Mike DiRubbo: Human Spirit

by David A. Orthmann
May 17, 2003

On his second Criss Cross release, alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo thrives on the challenges posed by a great rhythm section. Pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Joe Farnsworth, most notably of the cooperative sextet One For All, have lit a fire under dozens of significant jazz recordings over the past decade. Full of inspired interplay and subtle shifts in emphasis, their concentrated swing supports and provokes the soloist.

Regardless of the material or the tempo, the ...

One For All: Live at Smoke, Volume 1

by David A. Orthmann
February 1, 2002

As anyone who frequents jazz clubs will attest, there are nights that live on in memory for years after the last note fades. Aside from basic details easily recalled (personnel, tunes, arrangements, etc.), what really matters is the way the music made us feel. On these rare occasions, the sounds were so potent that, for a time, nothing else mattered and all worldly concerns yielded to the happenings on stage. In search of another incredible experience, we keep coming back ...

One For All: Live at Smoke- Volume 1

by C. Andrew Hovan
January 1, 2002

Growing out of a weekly jam session that drummer Joe Farnsworth used to lead at a New York club called Augie’s, the hard bop ensemble One For All now encompasses a pool of leaders who still manage to get together and cultivate the kind of musical empathy that they’ve developed over the years. After two initial albums for the Sharp Nine label, the group jumped ship to Criss Cross Jazz where the majority of the guys cut records of their ...

Jim Rotondi: Reverence

by C. Andrew Hovan
October 1, 2001

Not since the days of Alfred Lion and Blue Note Records have we seen such a healthy stable of mainstream jazz artists develop as those men who currently make up the hard bop ensemble One For All. Eric Alexander, Steve Davis, David Hazeltine, Joe Farnsworth, and Jim Rotondi are all at the top of their games and not only work collaboratively as a team, but also boast sizable catalogs as leaders for a variety of labels. In the case of ...

Jim Rotondi: Reverence

by C. Andrew Hovan
October 1, 2001

Not since the days of Alfred Lion and Blue Note Records have we seen such a healthy stable of mainstream jazz artists develop as those men who currently make up the hard bop ensemble One For All. Eric Alexander, Steve Davis, David Hazeltine, Joe Farnsworth, and Jim Rotondi are all at the top of their games and not only work collaboratively as a team, but also boast sizable catalogs as leaders for a variety of labels. In the case of ...

Jim Rotondi: Destination Up

by C. Andrew Hovan
September 1, 2001

Among the current crop of mainstream jazz trumpeters, Jim Rotondi stands head and shoulders above the crowd. With a crackling extroverted style akin to that of Lee Morgan, Rotondi possesses an incisive harmonic sense and the knack for telling a story. Via his work with the hard bop collective One For All and a reliable set of albums as a leader for Criss Cross, Rotondi has emerged as a major talent deserving of wider recognition.

Rotondi’s first release for Sharp ...