Olivier Robin – Take it Like it Is

The tradition of drummer-leaders, established several decades ago in the USA with Art Blakey, Max Roach, Elvin Jones or Tony Williams among others, continued in France with Aldo Romano or Daniel Humair, then André Ceccarelli, Stéphane Huchard, Philippe Soirat

… and more recently Gautier Garrigue or Arnaud Dolmen.

This is the tradition to which Olivier Robin belongs, and here he presents his second album as leader. On this album, he is responsible for all the compositions, and clearly belongs to the hardbop style of which he is one of the most brilliant practitioners in France.

A quintet album, then, as this is the main formation in this style, but one that immediately displays its singularity not only because all the compositions are original, but also because each member of this group possesses an obvious individuality.

Coached by the leader’s highly dynamic and melodic drums, the quintet fires on all cylinders, delivering vigorous or more tender solos over sappy harmonies. Although one of the tracks (“Back to the 60’s”) claims to take us back to the 60’s, the music is nonetheless clearly topical. When interpreted with such warmth and sincerity, hardbop is timeless, and its current exponents keep alive an idiom whose historical figures have long since disappeared.

Here’s an album that should delight all fans of this vibrant jazz, which never tires of being heard when played by such dedicated musicians.