Jason Robinson Traces His Roots on 'Ancestral Numbers II'
Jason Robinson's latest release continues the saxophonist and composer's musical exploration of his family history. Out October 8 on Playscape Recordings, this album is the second installment in Robinson's heartfelt Ancestral Numbers project, which he describes as a "love note to my family."
• The long time resident of Western Massachusetts is originally from California
• His work fuses jazz tradition and avant-garde creative music
• Professor of Music at Amherst College with a Ph.D. in Music from the University of California, San Diego
• Website | Bandcamp | YouTube | Instagram
Robinson's quintet features the lineup of trombonist Michael Dessen, pianist Joshua White, bassist Drew Gress, and Spotlight On alum drummer Ches Smith. Together, they bring Robinson's intricate compositions to life in a sound that appeals to the brain and the heart.
The genesis of Ancestral Numbers came from Robinson's maternal grandmother, Ruby Annette Kilbury, who passed away in 2022. Her final gift to Robinson was a journey through his lineage, revealing a fascinating pattern: he was the latest in a line of eldest children born to 17-year-old mothers. This discovery sparked Robinson's imagination, leading him to translate his family's stories into evocative musical form.
Ancestral Numbers II paints sonic portraits of Robinson's ancestors and their experiences. "Ruby" opens with a three-note fanfare echoing his grandmother's final "I love you." "Enos" and "Malachi" trace the journeys of great-grandfathers, while "Deployment" honors a great-grandfather's World War II service. The album also explores broader themes of movement and memory, with tracks like "Arrival," "The Return," and "Grayscale" musing on the black-and-white tint of our imaginings of the past.
Robinson's approach to composition is as nuanced as the family histories he's exploring. "When it comes to composing, I learned years ago that I get bored with sticking to the rules," he explains. "My instinct is to live somewhere in between Logos and Pathos, which in the end feels like life." This philosophy shines through in the music, which balances complex structures with raw emotion and improvisation.
Spotlight On
The critical response to Ancestral Numbers I bodes well for this second volume. Reviewers praised it as "a significant artistic statement" (Troy Collins, Point of Departure), "truly original music" (Lynn René Bayley, The Art Music Lounge), and "a deep, reflective conversation with history itself" (Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz).
Robinson and his quintet are on tour throughout October:
October 16 – IBeam, Brooklyn, NY
October 17 – The Drake, Amherst, MA
October 18 – Firehouse 12, New Haven, CT
October 19 – Mandorla Music, West Roxbury, MA
October 20 – Tonal Park Studios, Tacoma Park, MD
Ancestral Numbers II is out on October 8, 2024.
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