Pete Robbins: Do the Hate Laugh Shimmy

Alto saxophonist-composer Pete Robbins presides over an all-star cast of renegades on New York’s creative improvising scene, including keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarists Ben Monder and Mike Gamble, and drummers Dan Weiss and Tyshawn Sorey. This inventive outing combines crisp, intelligent writing, provocative sparse-to-dense arrangements and cathartic soloing, like Sam Sadigursky’s tenor wailing on “Fairmount,” Taborn’s Rhodes solo on “Anyway, And,” Gamble’s grunge-toned guitar on “Stiff Upper Lip” and Robbins’ potent alto work on the angular title track.

Originally Published December 1, 2008