Firehouse 12 Presents Pete Robbins & Centric October 27th

Pete Robbins, alto saxophone/composer; Sam Sadigursky, tenor and soprano saxophones; Eliot Cardinaux, Nord Electro; Thomas Morgan, bass; Dan Weiss, drums

On Friday, October 27th, Brooklyn-based saxophonist/composer Pete Robbins and his band Centric will perform at New Haven's Firehouse 12 in celebration of his new CD, Waits & Measures (Playscape Recordings). Robbins' ensemble, which features Sam Sadigursky (tenor and soprano saxophones), Eliot Cardinaux (Nord Electro), Thomas Morgan (bass), and Dan Weiss (drums), played the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in July and will be touring the East Coast in late October and early November in support of his latest recording.

Critics write that Waits & Measures is “an intimate sort of jazz-rock hybrid" (Nate Chinen, New York Times) with compositions that “manage to sound both cerebral and funky...his sidemen's irreverent asides keep the performances lively" (Time Out New York). In the CD's liner notes, critic Mark F. Turner wrote, “Robbins has again impressed me with his abilities as a musician, a serious composer and an artist with a vision to create music that is progressive, yet always engaging."

Robbins moved to New York in 2002, and quickly made his presence felt on the city's legendary jazz scene, leading the Village Voice's Jim Macnie to write, “his unusual melodic designs and imaginative swing sensibility earned him local notice right away." He has worked steadily as a leader over the past four years, performing in a variety of New York-area venues and touring the East Coast and beyond, and this past May earned a 2006 Chamber Music America composition grant for future projects. He has also collaborated with musicians such as Mark Dresser, Randy Peterson, Daniel Levin and Mary Halvorson.

About Firehouse 12:

Firehouse 12 is an award winning full-service bar, state-of-the-art recording studio and unusually intimate performance space located in New Haven's historic Ninth Square District. Painstakingly renovated over the course of four years by owner/producer/ engineer Nick Lloyd and Gray Organschi Architecture, this once-abandoned firehouse building has become a major part of New Haven's cultural renaissance since opening its doors in April 2005. It has also quickly gained a reputation as one of the premier recording studios and creative music venues on the East Coast.

A 2006 Best Studio Design Project nominee for the prestigious Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Awards, the recording studio features world-class acoustic design by renowned acoustician John Storyk of Walters-Storyk Design Group. The striking 1200 square foot space features a Steinway concert grand piano, and doubles as an 80-seat public venue with unparalleled technical possibilities for some of the most respected names in creative music. Past performers include Han Bennink, Tim Berne, Dave Douglas, Susie Ibarra, Joe McPhee, Joe Morris, William Parker and Mario Pavone among many others.

In a June 2005 feature, New Haven Independent's Regina DeAngelo called Firehouse 12 “a north star in the jazz firmament that might well guide music lovers to New Haven from far away." She went on to write, “fabric-covered walls are angled to urge music to flow, not bounce, through a womb-like space. It's almost like sitting in the hull of an instrument. Luckily, the Firehouse attracts people who bring near-religious reverence to the music, producing an exchange of energy that often fires great performances." James Keepnews of the New Haven Advocate echoed DeAngelo's praise, calling the venue a “remarkable new cultural outpost" and “a resounding success." Yale University's Associate Vice President of New Haven and State Affairs Michael Morand recently called the space “a wonderful addition to New Haven's role as the cultural capital of Connecticut."

Complete Fall 2006 Concert Season:

09/22 :: Matthew Shipp
09/29 :: Carla Marciano 4tet
10/06 :: David Berkman Quartet
10/13 :: Nate Wooley and Blue Collar
10/20 :: Andrew Cyrille/Greg Osby Duo
10/27 :: Pete Robbins and Centric
11/04 :: Dave Allen Quartet
11/10 :: Stephen Haynes and Bugaboo
11/17 :: Dominique Eade/Jed Wilson Duo
12/01 :: Ben Allison Quartet
12/08 :: Wayne Escoffery Quartet
12/15 :: Gerald Cleaver & Violet Hour