"This duo is different from many 'occasional duos' which form in the field of jazz. Jim and I have spent many hours performing, practicing and discussing these arrangements.The combination of the guitar and piano is a challenge. Both instruments are similar in range and the harmonic structures that are created must work in agreement with each other at all times. This recording was done under the influence of a full moon, so to speak. I've always felt that the new and full moon were capable of producing different emotions and shifting energies. These changes can produce very powerful effects on the performance of music." Matt Richard, 1999
"The music on this recording is a manifestation of some of the various
musical dialects that Matt and I have enjoyed exploring since the duos
inception in 1995. To me, these pieces seem to give the duo a wider
scope musically, by offering distinctive textural and emotional elements through which the improvisation can be expressed." Jim Robitaille, 1999
Recorded and Mixed at PBS Studios in Westwood, MA
Recorded on November 23, 1999
PETER KONTRIMAS, engineer
LAURIE CARLSON, cover art work
KRISTINE DANIELS, design work
MATT RICHARD, mastering
JIM REGO-guitar support
JIM ROBITAILLE
Guitarist Jim Robitaille has garnered a strong reputation in the greater New England region and beyond as a unique player and award winning composer. The Jim Robitaille Group's debut recording entitled " To Music", featuring saxophone great Dave Liebman has received international critical acclaim. Jim won three international composition awards with three of his tunes from the recording including the 9th Annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition sponsored by BMI. The CD was number five in the top ten list of 2004 by the Daily Ipirotikos Agon and the Apopsy in Greece and was the publishers pick for All About Jazz and the Boston Herald. The recording has received international airplay on almost two hundred radio stations including the Time Warner Music Choice Jazz Channel and was #1 chart-bound on the Jazz Week Jazz charts.
In 2002, Jim was the winner of the 9th Annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition sponsored by BMI, where he received his award from jazz piano great Herbie Hancock. He has also won other numerous composition awards including first place in the 2001 Great American Song Contest Instrumental Category for his composition "Miro", the 2001 Great American Song Contest Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting Award for his composition "Lost and Found", the 2002 USA Songwriting Competition "Finalist", the 2003 International Songwriting Competition Jazz Category Semi Finalist and "the 1996 Jazz Composers Alliance, Julius Hemphill Composition Awards "Honorable Mention" for the composition "Remembrance"
Robitaille has appeared at the Baird Auditorium in the Smithsonian Institute's Museum of Natural History (Washington, DC). The Knitting Factory (New York, NY), Smoke (New York, NY), The 18th Annual University of Massachusetts Jazz Festival (Dartmouth, MA), Ryles Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA), The Center For The Arts ( Natick, MA), Bob The Chefs ( Boston, MA), the Zeiterion Theatre (New Bedford, MA), The Limetree Inn (St. John, U.S.V.I.), West Bank Bistro (New London, CT), The Verve Jazz Bistro (Milford, NH), The Big Kahuna Cafe (Bridgton, ME) The Grand Cru Wine Bar (Hyannis, MA) Jazz Masters (Providence R.I.), Arcade Jazz Series (Providence, R.I.), CAV (Providence, R.I.) and the Hi Hat (Providence R.I.). He has also received numerous performance grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for the Arts for group performances since 1989.
He has performed and or recorded with many great regional and international jazz artists including Dave Liebman, Bob Moses, John Lockwood, Jim Odgren, Greg Abate, Allan Maillet, Lello Molinari, Phil Grenadier, Matt Richard, Alon Yavnai, Dino Govoni, Chris Poudrier, Mike Pope, Henry Hey, Bronek Suchanek, Bob Nieske, Dave Zinno, Jeff Galindo, Rick Britto, Bruno Raberg, Sai Ghose, Jerry Wilfong, Nina Ott, Chris Lopes, John Allmark, Hilary Noble, Laird Boles, Christopher Bonnier Pitts, Marcelle Gauvin, Lonnie Gasperini, Fernando Huergo, Ron Bosse, John Harrison, Jim Porcella, Royal Hartigan, Andy McWain and Bobby Greene and Coleus as well as many other artists and groups.
Recordings include a soon to be released CD by the group Trine featuring Jim, saxophonist Rick Britto and drummer Chris Poudrier, The Jim Robitaille Group,"To Music" on Whaling City Sound, The Matt Richard/Jim Robitaille Duo,"The Art Of The Duo" on MJR, the Matt Richard Quartet,"Hawthorne Street Connection" on MJR, The Dancing Dogs, "Fishing in the Desert", and the Dancing Dogs,"Cynanthrophy" and the Dancing Dogs, "Patience" on Whaling CIty Sound
Jim has taught workshops/clinics, jazz improvisation, jazz ensembles, classes, and or given concerts for the music programs at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth, Westfield State College, Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, Holyoke Community College, Cape Cod Community College, Connecticut College, Western New England College, Bristol Community College, Falmouth Academy and Tabor Academy in Marion, MA. At the present time he teaches guitar and Improvisation at his own studio as well as the Symphony Music Shop in Dartmouth, MA and Tabor Academy in Marion, MA. Jim has studied guitar and improvisation with jazz guitarist Jon Damian in Boston, MA, and improvisation with pianist and master teacher Charlie Banacos.
MATT RICHARD-Matt studied classical piano with the late Ken Manzer and jazz piano with Dr. Billy Taylor. Workshops and performance master classes included jazz legends Max Roach, Marian McPartland, and Michael Brecker. A native of Fairhaven and a graduate of Westfield State College with a degree in piano performance, Matt taught choral music at both Fairhaven High School and at Tabor Academy in Marion. Matt was a vocal coach and accompanist for the nationally recognized Jazz In July Workshops at UMASS, Amherst from 1985-2006.
Matt has performed throughout the New England area for the past thirty years as a soloist, an accompanist, and with many different ensembles including jazz vocal legend Sheila Jordan, Dick Johnson and The Artie Shaw Orchestra, Bombay Jim Porcella and The Swingin' Sapphires, Fred Tillis, the late Emil Haddad, Lou Columbo, Gray Sargent, Nnena Freelon, Marshall Wood, Bruce Gertz, Dave Zinno, Greg Hopkins, Jim Robitaille, Lisa Thorson, Semenya McCord, and Marcelle Gauvin.
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