Robinett, Henry: I Have Known Mountains

Here is another excellent jazz album to cross my listening desk. The artist is Henry Robinett and the album is I Have Known Mountains, his fifth overall. In the band are Robinett (guitar, vocals), Joe Gilman (piano), Tom Brechtlein (drums), Joshua Thurston-Milgrom (acoustic bass), Rob Lemas (electric bass) and Dominic Edward Garcia (congas, timbales).

For those of you who are new to jazz or believe it is too inaccessible and too complex to enjoy I present to you I Have Known Mountains as it is some of the most accessible jazz I have heard in a long while. Don't get me wrong, there is still complexity here but it is presented in such a way as to reel the listener in with some delicious earworms. The first three tracks are a prime example. The album opening "Change" begins with acoustic guitar reminding me of America before clean electric leads and pretty piano enter the fold. The flow is as smooth as silk and the melody top notch making for some of the catchiest jazz I have heard this year. "Crush" is more of the same with irresistible rhythms and tasty guitar work. I love how Robinett fits in his fast fretwork without ever losing the melodic sensibility of the song. "My Amigo" presents us with another earworm, this time with an excellent piano solo and more crisp and clean guitar leads. On the title track the guitar tone has a bit more bite giving this one a rockier edge and another great melody.

Really, you cannot go wrong with I Have Known Mountains as it's a finely crafted contemporary jazz album that will have you coming back for more as soon as the last track has ended. Released on Nefertiti Records.

Track Listing:
1. Change
2. Crush
3. My Amigo
4. Maybe Tuesday
5. I Have Known Mountains
6. What If I Go Sailing
7. Passing Open Windows
8. Sprung
9. When Love Returns
10. Zebra Crossing
11. American Rivers
12. Witchi-Tai-To

Added: May 1st 2016
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist's Official Site
Hits: 2875
Language: english

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