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Jason Robinson: Harmonic Constituent
by Mark Corroto
If you've ever visited Mendocino County you would have a head start to appreciate saxophonist Jason Robinson's Harmonic Constituent. His week-long retreat to this magnificent Northern California coast inspired this ambitious and diverse recording. Robinson, a musical omnivore previously recorded with the quartet Cosmologic, his Henry Threadgill inspired Janus Ensemble, in duos with Anthony Davis and ...
Results for pages tagged "Joshua White"...
Joshua White
Born:
“Joshua has immense talent … I was impressed by his daring and courageous approach to improvisation on the cutting edge of innovation. He is his own man…” – HERBIE HANCOCK
"Joshua White is an internationally acclaimed pianist and composer whose artistry bridges Western classical traditions and contemporary improvised music. He has been honored as a DownBeat Rising Star on keyboards in consecutive annual critics’ polls (2023 and 2024), affirming his growing influence as one of the most compelling voices in modern jazz. Known for rhythmic intensity, harmonic richness, and a fearless approach to improvisation, White’s performances consistently engage audiences and critics alike.
Born and raised in Southern California, White began piano studies at age seven, developing fluency in both Western European classical repertoire and the Black American musical traditions that would later frame his jazz sensibilities. As a young musician he absorbed influences ranging from gospel music to structured classical forms, laying a foundation for the expressive versatility that defines his work today. Early in his career he became a finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition, an achievement that helped launch his international performing trajectory. Legendary pianist Herbie Hancock praised White’s artistry, stating, “Joshua has immense talent … I was impressed by his daring and courageous approach to improvisation on the cutting edge of innovation. He is his own man.”
White’s work as a leader reflects his deep engagement with both composition and spontaneity. His critically acclaimed trio with Karl McComas-Reichl on bass and Tyler Kreutel on drums is central to his artistic output, while his solo piano release, Flora and Fauna: 9 Preludes for Solo Piano (Orenda Records, 2025), highlights his refined compositional voice and tonal sensitivity. Across collaborations with artists such as Dan Rosenboom, Jason Robinson, Steph Richards, and Gilbert Castellanos, White demonstrates a rare ability to balance structure with risk-taking in improvised music.
Critics have frequently highlighted White’s commanding presence at the piano. In a DownBeat review of a Chicago double bill featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa and Stefon Harris, his playing was noted for its “pedaled shimmers” and “demonstrative, percussive style,” drawing comparisons to the rhythmic assertiveness of McCoy Tyner and Don Pullen. Such commentary underscores White’s physical, rhythm-forward approach to the instrument and his ability to propel ensemble momentum while maintaining harmonic depth.
White’s stylistic range has also been showcased on international stages, including the jazzahead! conference in Bremen, Germany. Performing with trumpeter and composer Steph Richards, he was described by DownBeat as part of a band that “flexes and surges,” engaging expansive avant-improvisational language while remaining deeply interactive. These performances illustrate White’s fluency across a broad spectrum of creative music, from tightly constructed forms to open, exploratory improvisation.
In addition to his performing and recording career, White is deeply committed to music education. He has served as a mentor for mentor-directed jazz combo ensembles at California State University, Northridge, guiding student musicians in ensemble cohesion, repertoire development, and improvisational practice. His educational work also includes participation in the Stanford Jazz Workshop, where he has contributed as a faculty artist within immersive learning environments that bring professional musicians into close collaboration with emerging players. Across both institutions, White’s teaching reflects his belief in mentorship, rigorous listening, and the transmission of creative values across generations.
Mark Dresser Seven, Georg Ruby Trio & Matthias Spillmann
by Maurice Hogue
A desire to play together more often led Chicago horn men Jason Stein and Greg Ward to ask bassist Eric Revis and drummer Jim Black to join them in making some music. Great idea, and great results. Nature Work, their new album on Sunnyside, is a winner. So is Ain't Nothing But A Cyber Coup & ...
Mark Dresser: Ain't Nothing But a Cyber Coup & You
by Dan McClenaghan
Bassist Mark Dresser played on saxophonist Joe Lovano's Flights Of Fancy: Trio Fascination, Edition 2 (Blue Note, 2001), and he sat in with soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom on her Like Silver, Like Song (Artist Share, 2005) and Chasing Paint (Arabesque, 2002); and he and drummer Jim Black filled in as trio mates on pianist Satoko ...
Mark Dresser Seven: Ain't Nothing But a Cyber Coup & You
by Troy Dostert
One of the living legends of the acoustic bass, a relentless innovator and fearsome composer, Mark Dresser has spent decades at the forefront of creative jazz. His Ain't Nothing But a Cyber Coup & You is a follow-up to 2016's well-received Sedimental You (Clean Feed), a septet record that combined Dresser's skilled songcraft with potent political ...
13 SHORT STORIES
By Joshua White
Label: Fresh Sound Records
Released: 2017
Track listing: The Ignoble Paradox of Modernity / West; CG3; Curiosity Landing; Particles; CG5;
Scarlet Tanager; CG4; Memories of Motian; A Million Daze; CG1; Morning; CG 2;
The Lower Case
Mark Dresser Seven: Sedimental You
by John Sharpe
So much has been written about Mark Dresser's brilliance as a bassist that his skill as a composer can be in danger of being forgotten. But showcases like Sedimental You and its predecessor Nourishments (Clean Feed, 2014) should more than redress that potential imbalance. His artfully arranged structures prove engaging vehicles for the improvisational insight of ...
Mark Dresser Seven: Sedimental You
by Mark Sullivan
Bassist/composer Mark Dresser has long maintained a bi-coastal career. Born in Los Angeles, for many years his base of operations was New York--including ten years as a member of the Anthony Braxton Quartet--but since 2004 he has been on the faculty of the University of California, San Diego. The all-star septet on Sedimental You bridges the ...
Mark Dresser Seven: Sedimental You
by Jerome Wilson
Bassist Mark Dresser has had a long, distinguished career in jazz and new music working with a long list of musicians that includes Anthony Braxton, Tim Berne, Anthony Davis and John Zorn but he hasn't recorded much lately as a leader. This project sees him leading and writing for a diverse group of familiar and relatively ...
