Jim Robitaille Group - To Music (2004)

Jim Robitaille has a clear sound and an advanced style all his own. He performs eight of his challenging and often thoughtful originals plus the standard "Yesterdays" with a well-integrated quintet that includes saxophonist Dave Liebman on many of the tracks. Some of the originals are a bit dry, but "West End Strut" is catchy (inspiring some heated solos) and this version of "Yesterdays" cooks. In fact, despite the fact that three of these songs won contests in the past, it is the interplay between Robitaille and his sidemen (particularly Liebman) that is of greatest interest and makes this a generally enjoyable effort. © Scott Yanow