Robert Mitchell : Music

RM3io - Jazz Review Jan 2012

2012-01-05T23:03:00.002Z

Robert Mitchell 3io - The Embrace - (3ioRecords001) - Review

The first track on this album is potentially a little misleading, sitting firmly as it does in Bad Plus piano power trio territory (it's even an Aphex Twin tune, a band the Bad Plus also covered on their debut). But the further in we go, the more the music goes beyond fast tempo angular deconstruction and is more embracing (pun intended) of broader influences, including chamber music, world and funk. An odd formula on paper perhaps but one which the RM 3io pull off with apparent ease, distilling a disparate brew of influences into a single and individual style ; engaging melodic exploration; unstoppable rhythm and an insistent dynamic sense - altogether very modern jazz (Dave Foxhall)

RM3io@ Brecon Jazz 2011

2011-08-15T12:00:00.000+01:00

Had a really great time at Brecon Jazz Festival with the 3io. Had been there previously playing with Dan Stern, Omar Puente, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, and J-life - so really great to present the 3io for the opening show. (Sorry to those who had more of the big tent soundchecking in the background - we were having a grand time onstage tho! The timing of 'A Desperate Man' and your fine voices helped i hope !!.... that last gliss - ouch....). Sure those who stayed for the entire thing had a fantastic time.

Many thanks to Sarah Denehy and Jesse Inghams and all who helped us at the festival. We wanna return. Thanks to all who made it down - and hope you enjoy the whole weekend if staying..I ended up staying for the whole John Surman show (rather than run around to three bits of shows - ) - which was fantastic. Mental trip back missing connecting trains due to the rugby at Cardiff. Even three or four hours before the match - there seems to be a mild panic (and really short trains - Abergavenny - come on!). All the railway folk were very cool about it (and the huge breakfast had definitely helped fuel our quest). Can i add a shout out to sitarist Mehoob Nadeem (from Blues Sans Frontieres) and Jeff from the Outlaw Collective (for the shared cab and cool heads!)

Many thanks to Dave Stapleton and Tim Dickeson - for looking after so much stuff at the great Edition HQ on the Brecon site. Amazing job guys.

And huge thanks to Tom Mason and Shaney Forbes for all the hard work. Our sincerest wishes go to the family of Richard Turner (such sad news).

Robert Mitchell's Panacea - Video Update!

2011-04-22T13:25:00.000+01:00

Here are some videos just put up - from the recent tour and just before!

Massive thanks to Garth Thomas for recording!

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-YYg8TlILs

(Lucid Dreamt - Kings Place Feb 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ-LoRRsR2o
(A Map Of The Sky - Kings Place Feb 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsMmlwa0vFY
(Mio Inamorato - )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvIfVJjm1FU
(Aura - Vortex 2010 )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM7M260sva8
(Red Bridge intro - Kings Place)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLXx64IxbIA
(Redb Br vs Round Mn - The Forge)

Robert Mitchell (Solo Piano) - Revew Feb 2011

2011-03-10T14:20:00.000Z

Robert Mitchell, Ray’s Jazz at Foyles, Thursday 10th February 2011

Matt Phillips

Robert Mitchell is one of the most original pianists on the UK scene. Mainly known for his Panacea group, he has also worked with US saxophonists Greg Osby and Steve Coleman and in a duo format with violinist Omar Puente. But this solo gig was the first in a new series at Ray’s Jazz cafe in Foyles bookshop on London’s Charing Cross Road, a delightful place to watch music with its great sight lines, sparky acoustics and nicely bohemian vibe.

Mitchell’s compositions are probing, labyrinthine tone poems which bear little or no relation to classic song forms or the blues tradition. Yet they’re not tricksy or difficult to follow – they seem logical in the way that Thelonious Monk’s compositions seem logical, with a frequent juxtaposition of a simple melody and complex harmony. The more oblique melody lines and surprising chord changes sometimes bring to mind the music of Wayne Shorter.

At Ray’s, Mitchell went about his business in a remarkably unruffled, considered manner, frequently pausing for Monkishly long periods between notes and revisiting melodic ideas until he was happy with them before moving on. He often played ‘sound’ as well as melodic motifs, using ripples of notes to underpin his improvisations and frequently embarking on free passages which suggested the more outré stylings of ‘Facing You’-era Keith Jarrett. Jarrett was also invoked in the occasional outbreak of rhapsodic, major-chord lyricism. ‘The Red Bridge v. Round Midnight’ raised a few smiles with its neat mash-up of Monk and harmolodics, with Mitchell conceding ‘I think “Round Midnight” won that time, as usual…’

Mitchell frequently turned jazz piano logic on its head, comping with his right hand and soloing with the left, and even embarking on a piece written solely for left hand which somehow didn’t scrimp on melodic invention or variety. How many jazz pianists have done that? (Send in an email if you can think of any…) Mitchell seemed to be looking to surprise himself at every turn, in turn surprising his audience too. You can’t ask for more from a jazz musician than that.

Ritual (At The End Of The Rainbow - Nitro/All Change)

2011-03-10T02:57:00.000Z

I have had a great time writing music for a project called 'At The End Of The Rainbow' for Nitro (Black Music Theatre) and AllChange. Three pairings of poet and musician (HKB Finn and Alex Wilson, Zena Edwards and Arun Ghosh, Yemisi Blake and myself) were given the choice to work with a selection of community groups in North London. And we would try to find out what is at the rainbow's end for the folk in these groups...

Yemisi and I chose to visit a day centre for elders. Some really fascinating conversations arose as a result of this. This centre caters for a large range of cultures - with the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean being amongst the most prominent on the days we visited. A number of common themes did emerge - family, food, weather, religion, travel, work, health. Getting more deeply into certain subject matter - I was really struck by some fascinating memories that were shared with us.

One person had a surprising combination of cultures involved in their childhood (esp for the times) - and worked at the MoD later on. Another , amazingly - was a dresser at the Royal Opera House - meeting legends on a regular basis (Maria Callas, Pavarotti, Nureyev and more). I sense this was the tip of the iceberg. Meeting those who had lived/worked in very different fields/eras - meant experiencing wisdom that is too often undervalued. This interaction across generations should be in the curriculum . I don't believe it can ever fail to be beneficial. As an ageing population - it surely has to be a natural progression. Perhaps a progression towards this as a ritual , ensuring a strengthening of connection between more of us. (This is definitely part of my rainbow..)

It was a fantastic pleasure to perform the resulting music/poerty at Freeword . It was very special - as a few of the people we chatted to at the centre , managed to come to the performance.

I would like to thank Suzanne (All Change - http://www.allchangearts.org/) and Felix (Nitro - http://www.nitro.co.uk/whats-on/now/generations-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow/) . Freeword is a wonderful venue (http://www.freewordonline.com/). A link to the video recording of the performance will be up soon.

Please checkout writer Yemisi Blake! at - http://www.yemisiblake.co.uk/

Robert Mitchell's Panacea - 'The Cusp' Reviews : (Album and Live 2010)

2010-12-04T02:25:00.000Z

ROBERT MITCHELL’S PANACEA – The Cusp

Edition

Seriously typified by two essential factors – the tremendous precision of the arrangements, and the suave accent (a “Norah Jones-meets-Olivia Newton-John” kind of timbre) of singer Deborah Jordan, who might not be a vocal heavyweight but performs the parts with conscientious sensitiveness – The Cusp is a brilliantly conceived album by pianist and composer Robert Mitchell, his Panacea ensemble featuring the talents of bassist Tom Mason, drummer Shaney Forbes, percussionist Hammadi Valdez, violinist Julian Ferraretto and cellist Ben Davis. The leader is not afraid of experimenting, able as he is to write scores that move quite fluidly through slanted sorts of string-scented, unevenly pulsating funk executed with technical refinement and taste to spare. The musicians’ responsiveness to the composer’s ideas is palpable, either in the most classically-oriented performances (“The Blessing”, or the splendid “Quantum”) or during the zigzagging unpredictability of the initial “Essence” and “Aura”, whose only fault is that of creating the illusion of being in front of a thoroughly investigational record. It’s not – and, truth be told, a minor loss of steam occurs after the halfway mark, a couple of segments recalling what we usually associate with a slightly worn-out pop/jazz orthodoxy. Nonetheless, the effort remains legitimate and largely gratifying (except for HKB Finn’s rap in the title track, one should add), Mitchell’s piano mastery keeping things far away from facileness (case in point, the sophisticated “Lucid Dreamt”). A CD that definitely deserves more than a superficial listen, gifted with unpretentious flair and fundamentally honest.

http://touchingextremes.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/robert-mitchell’s-panacea-–-the-cusp/

Fly - Global Culture Sept 2010 -

THE NEW ALBUM BY ROBERT MITCHELL’S PANACEA, THE CUSP FINDS THE BAND IN EXPANDED AND EXCEPTIONAL FORM; ON THE CUSP OF A CLASSIC!

After the success of the Robert Mitchell 3IO (that’s trio to you and me) album last year with The Greater Good, 2010’s The Cusp finds the Panacea with nine new Mitchell compositions, the biggest band yet and their finest hour to date.

Joining Robert are regulars Deborah Jordan (vocals), Tom Mason on bass, Shaney Forbes on drums (last seen on FLY on Empirical Out ‘N’ In album) plus Hammadi Valdez (percussion), Julian Ferraretto (violin/viola) and Ben Davis on cello (he of working with Julia Biel and Ingrid Laubrock).

Recorded earlier this year in London, the music is certainly as delicate as the beautifully photographed cover shot and then, at one point, as jazz-funky as the Headhunters!

So where do I begin? Whilst the title track is mid-CD, it’s interesting as it’s the one that’s on it’s own in the context of the other tracks (the one that’s most Headhunters) as Robert goes electric and Deborah shares the lyrical duties with HKB Finn doing a Ty-esque spoken rap from his own poem ‘The Cusp’ a la Anthony Joseph. An obvious hit for your jazzdance diggers as the percussion gets rapid and it’s also got “out there” bits. The poem is urban. The music is 70s ghetto. We are on the cusp of Black Saint. Black Jazz, Black Fire: I can’t believe Peterson hasn’t played this yet as it’s a track of the year contender!

And could that be strength to this album as what goes before and after ranges from ACT to ECM (the duet of Robert and Deborah on ‘Lucid Dreamt’ being particularly delicate). Whilst you could imagine a harsher critic than I comparing it to Barbara Strisand/Liza Manelli/Judy Collin et al, it’s a sharp contrast to ‘The Cusp’.

So with the two extremes covered, the magnificent other seven are taking over my iPod (note that the CD release is now out). To rewind a little, after so much jazz piano enthusiasm of late (in particular Vijay Iyer), Mitchell’s playing is a fantastic study in light and shade, jazz and even classical elements. ‘A Map Of The Sky’ (with a bubbling bass solo by Tom), slips in a bit of Hitchcock strings with a Chick Corea spirit, ‘Quantum’ is even more atmospheric with silent movie soundtrack potential (Jordan, cymbals and strings keeping the tension going).

Now, I’ve been told off for being too analytical (Ed. Really?) but Mitchell’s lyrics are quite wordy at times but I wonder if this all part of the plan, for instance on the closing track ‘Flawless’ the percussion if very much to the fore in the mix whilst Deborah is singing and then Robert takes over and then the hand claps join in, a bit of glockenspeil, the strings swoop and cascade (Ed. you’re being too analytical).

As a jazzhead, it’s a Panacea album so I’m going to love it but the first four tracks are increasingly getting absorbed into my sense of self (Jordan and strings are so big on ‘Essence’ and ‘Aura’, ones to watch - in fact ‘Aura’ is my favourite after ‘The Cusp’ as it’s so the essence of the album; although ‘Fortunately So’ and ‘The Blessing’ are stunningly close - turn the bass up on ‘The Blessing’ for full on pleasure).

The band are going on a tour that takes them into early next year (see separate review of the Forge gig this week HERE) and that includes The Vortex gig as part of the London Jazz Festival (November 12th). There’s some incredible bands (and pianists) coming to London for the Festival, but The Cusp is not your everyday polyrhythmic, soulful, neo-classical, poetic, cerebralism that some would have you believe; it’s epic diggin’ gold that’s available now - so get it now!

P.S. in addition to the CD, there’s a limited vinyl release which is even better so act quick.

Jerry Hectic

http://www.flyglobalmusic.com/fly/archives/europe_reviews/robert_mitchells_panacea_the_c_2.html

BBC MUSIC REVIEW

Acknowledges 70s soul as well as jazz, bringing a singular personality to the fore.

There are relatively few contemporary jazz groups with singers. And when that is the case, the vocalist is usually presented as a special guest, performing on a few tracks before departing to let the musicians get down to the serious business of improvising. British pianist Robert Mitchell’s outfit Panacea is thus something of a unique proposition as singer Deborah Jordan is by no means a perfunctory member of the group. She is an absolutely integral part of it.

Jordan appears on every piece on this, the band’s third release and follow-up to 2004’s Trust; and, to a great extent, her voice is the most important foil for the leader’s piano. Her melodies are characterised by the same blend of leaps through large intervals and fluttering but lyrical construction as his solos. She handles Mitchell’s demanding themes with aplomb, which really gives the whole ensemble a strong anchor around which the other elements revolve.

These include Tom Mason’s supple but sturdy bass, Shaney Forbes’ crisp, finely detailed drums and Hammadi Valdez’s flighty percussion, all of which combine in a complex rhythmic matrix that maintains a link to Steve Coleman’s vocabulary but really summarises Mitchell’s own imprimatur, something which is emphatically highlighted by a title-track that zig-zags from a Latin funk pulse to a vaguely house type groove on a coda enlivened by HKB Finn’s erudite poetry. Furthermore, the addition of Ben Davis’ cello and Julian Ferraretto’s violin is a really astute move of Mitchell’s, simply because his composing, right from his early days with the group J-Life, has always implied an orchestral quality that the strings make explicit.

These lush, felt-like unison lines and sharp, cutting pizzicato figures, sometimes skittering just behind the vocal, add rich timbral layers, and make the septet sound bigger than it is, a sleight of hand that great bandleaders from Charles Mingus to Henry Threadgill have also pulled off. Although they are inspirations, Mitchell has a different sound to them, one that acknowledges 70s soul as well as jazz, and brings a singular personality to the fore in the process.

Kevin le Gendre - BBC MUSIC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/6qgw

allaboutjazz.com

October 16, 2010

Style: Beyond Jazz

Robert Mitchell's Panacea presents The Cusp, its third album, and debut release for Edition Records. This collection of ten highly arranged original compositions by Mitchell, combines complex rhythmic writing with contemporary vocal jazz.

The recording is delivered with a squeaky-clean production sound that can only be a reflection of the leader's attention to detail, and a personal involvement at every level. Mitchell was certainly wearing his heart on his sleeve when writing this record—from his ensemble writing through to the string arrangements and lyrics.

"Panacea," the Greek goddess of medicine and healing, is a fitting namesake for the band, as The Cusp oozes tenderness, introspection, and therapeutic resolve, albeit with a healthy portion of rhythmic grind. Featured vocalist Deborah Jordan's voice fits the bill for healing quality; smooth and precise throughout the album, her delivery is consistent, and the openness of the recording suits her innocent timbre. The vocal writing is always fluid, even when offset by cleverly syncopated and thoroughly worked-out ensemble playing.

The opener, "Essence," catches just that of the record. Jordan's voice floats over a building groove, underpinned by Empirical back-liner, drummer Shaney Forbes. The strings are exploited to full effect—used in the forefront of the melody, as backings, and, in an impressive soli section, doubling with the piano. Bassist Tom Mason also plays violin, alongside violinist/violist Julian Ferraretto and cellist Ben Davis.

"Aura" is another rhythmic twister, with Mitchell displaying his fantastic ability to displace and entwine parts to great effect. Percussionist Hammadi Valdez adds reams with his intricate patterns, as the band weaves.

Pieces such as "Mio Inamorato" and "Lucid Deamt" offer more personal moments as bare piano-vocal duos, where Mitchell's playing is understated and elegant, supportive and open. "Blessings" is beautifully introspective, and features the whole band simmering on top of Forbes' gorgeous brush-work. The strings are well-used, and an interesting pizzicato section sets up the start of a stunning yet modest solo from Mitchell.

Spoken word artist HKB Fin makes a very welcome appearance on the energetic title track. The band's sound here is at its most organic, and the recording is realized with less of a clinical touch. While Finn speaks his verses, his voice and delivery add warmth and depth. Mitchell switches from piano, shining playing the fender Rhodes, with a solo that is certainly one of the album's best moments.

Mitchell's band features a sterling lineup of players from the UK scene. His compositions are personal and arrangements thorough. Although often complex in content, he manages to retain a certain level of accessibility and reserve that will make this record appeal to a wider catchment. The Cusp marks Panacea as one of the most original vocal-led groups on the UK scene.

Alex Watson

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=37740

www.vortexjazz.co.uk

In addition to fronting a cutting-edge piano trio, Robert Mitchell also writes music and lyrics for a larger band, Panacea (here involving, in various combinations, eight members); this is their third album, but their first on Edition.

At the heart of the band's sound is the musical rapport between Mitchell's piano and the (deceptively) sweet but strong voice of Deborah Jordan, heard on all ten tracks of The Cusp; she is, if you like, the Cassandra Wilson to his Steve Coleman, and the band's constantly shifting, restlessly multi-hued music often recalls the early recordings of the M-Base pioneer.

There are also traces of soul, Latin and even house music in Mitchell's rich blend, and the addition of strings (Tom Mason on violin as well as bass, violinist Julian Ferraretto, cellist Ben Davis) brings, as appropriate, either a skittering delicacy or a soft lushness to Panacea's sound.

The album as a whole promotes a highly personal vision, epitomised by the title track, which culminates in a touching evocation of the emotional transformation consequent upon parenthood, spoken by HKB Finn. With drummer Shaney Forbes and Hammadi Valdez providing a plethora of vibrant grooves and beats behind Mitchell's skilfully varied piano and keyboards, this is a resourceful and clearly deeply felt, intimate album.

Chris Parker

http://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/cd-reviews/the-cusp.html

guardian.co.uk,

Thursday 21 October 2010

(***)

Last year, Robert Mitchell released the best album of his career with a piano-trio session that stretched the scope of one of the most familiar formats in jazz. The Cusp returns to knottier territory that Mitchell has long been preoccupied by – expository subject matter, classical chamber-group techniques, soul and R&B vocal sounds – in his octet Panacea. The pure sound of singer Deborah Jordan curls around Empirical drummer Shaney Forbes's staccato funk on the opening Essence. Mitchell's writing for violinist Julian Ferraretto and cellist Ben Davis is a fascinating polyrhythmic maze, and his duet with Jordan on Mia Inamorato has a graceful purity. There may be a shade too many social, political and ecologically healing bulletins in the lyrics, but the rising turmoil at the close of Fortunately So expresses exactly the togetherness Mitchell means, and the vision with which he joins the legacy of jazz composers such as Andrew Hill to modern genres makes him one to watch.

John Fordham

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/oct/21/robert-mitchells-panacea-review

The Herald (Scotland)

11 Oct 2010

Cerebral jazz from the jazz pianist.

Pianist and composer Robert Mitchell is one of the most individual, imaginative and inquiring talents on the UK jazz scene. In an age of instant gratification, Mitchell goes against the grain, requiring listeners to this, his third album, to exercise patience with music that on first hearing appears staccato and at times over contemplative but gradually works considerable charms. Mitchell’s proclaimed influences range from Prince to Prefab Sprout and from jazz pianist Andrew Hill to European art music, and you’ll hear elements of all these and more used both sparingly and daringly in a line-up that includes Latin percussion and a small string section. Apart from Mitchell’s own playing, this is a showcase for vocalist Deborah Jordan, who tackles Mitchell’s demanding melodies with cool soulfulness and fabulous clarity, bringing the modern soul ballad Mio Inamorato to heart-breaking life, without indulging in the current fad for ready-mix melisma, and infusing the flamenco hand clap-driven Flawless with striking authority.

Rob Adams

http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-reviews/robert-mitchell-s-panacea-the-cusp-edition-1.1060863

Robert Mitchell’s Panacea, Wiltshire Music Centre, Saturday 9th October 2010

Robert Mitchell’s octet Panacea are out and about; at Wiltshire Music Centre (WMC) last night, Future Inns tonight and on round the country. WMC had the gig set up in the foyer creating a really pleasant ambiance, doing justice to this absorbing and intriguing set. The music was almost all from their new album ‘The Cusp’ and the line – up was the same intriguing mix (vocals, violin, viola, cello as well as conventional rhythm section plus percussion) Mandy Drummond was on viola for the gig.

The opening number, Lucid Dreamt, had a dark foreboding air to it, but with the same elements as the gradually more buoyant pieces that followed. Moody intros, featuring different instruments were followed by a vocal section from Deborah Jordan with a more rhythmic groovy section setting up a platform for soloing often from Robert Mitchell himself. In that opener, the lyric was unaccompanied, showcasing Deborah Jordan’s beautiful pure tone voiced and giving a foretaste of the engaging but angular melody lines that were typical (invariably haunting, they would take some technical skill to sing back after the gig). As the evening wore on Shaney Forbes on drums and Hammadi Valdez on percussion produced irresistible grooves that underpinned the solo sections, making it hard to sit still. At these moments the music wouldn’t have been out of place on a dance floor, at others, the intensity of the piano solos would leave you in no doubt that you were at a full on jazz gig, and at yet others the interwining of the vocal and the piano accompaniment were reminscent of a Steven Sondheim piece, most particularly on the beautiful balladic Mio Inamorato. This is ‘listen again’ music but with plenty of immediately accessible hooks to make the first impression very engaging. The evening finished with a burn up on ‘Red Bridge’ reminding us (if we needed it) just what a dazzling player Robert Mitchell is (complete with the ‘party piece’ left hand only intro that would challenge many players using two hands). He is for my money (and a few other folks I’ll warrant) one of the most interesting and accomplished players on the scene at the moment.

Mike Collins

http://jazzyblogman.wordpress.com/2010/10/10/robert-mitchells-panacea-wiltshire-music-centre-saturday-9th-october/

2010-11-19T23:55:00.000Z

ROBERT MITCHELL'S PANACEA @ VORTEX 12.11.10 (LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)

Vortex 12.11.10 - London Jazz Festival (UK tour - The Cusp)

Well the London Jazz Festival made it's grand entrance at the Vortex on Friday night in a fine way. Arriving at the venue there was a number of people queuing to get in. There was a air of enthusiasm amongst the crowd, after all, they were all there to see Robert Mitchell's Panacea.

Were they all in there in anticipation of finding that magical cure from a very wet and windy November week in London or for a revival of spirit after a hard weeks slog? Who knows, but certainly the word was out because inside this small venue there was not one inch of spare real-estate. The place was packed to the rafters which is always an encouraging sight as the Vortex receives no form of Arts Council funding or support as it is operated in the main by a team of dedicated volunteers. Here, here to them all.

I have seen Robert perform on many occasions but I was particularly interested in hearing this set in the close setting of the Vortex as he would be performing new material from his latest album The Cusp. My over all impression of Robert has always been one of an intent scientist and with five previous albums under his belt I was keen to hear what he and Panacea have been locked away concocting.

The band line-up was quite impressive creating the desirous feeling of bring it on! Consisting of a three piece string section Mandy Drummond - viola; Ian Burdge - cello; Julian Ferraretto - violin; Tom Mason - bass; Shaney Forbes - drums; Hammadi Valdez - percussion and Deborah Jordan on vocals to which Robert revealed that he and Deborah first worked together 20 years ago when both attending the same university, to which Deborah thanked him for cheekily giving a hint as to her age.

The band opened with a two song segue taken from the album and featuring the vocals of Deborah Jordan (Lucid Dreamt - Fortunately So). Both these songs penned by Robert bear his hallmark for grabbing/demanding the listeners attention and you could see the pointed concentration of the audience as Deborah delivers her almost lone vocals with a delicate interplay between Robert's piano. By the time Lucid Dreamt has segued into Fortunately So Panacea was in full swing (gently), everyone doing their part to form the intricate machinery of the compositions.

What a great opener, and judging from the audience response and general buzz you could see their pleasure that perhaps, they had found a musical cure to see them through the weekend.

With the ground work laid the next song Aura sets out a myriad of complex interplay where Deborah makes her vocal statement and is responded to by staccato strings with a steady heartbeat of chords from Robert. The drums and percussion providing the anchoring with an equally intricate Swiss clock like cross pulse. God help the musician that drops a note at this point, so I say to myself 'what have we here Professor Mitchell'. I take a gulp of wine, the tension releases into a piano solo cushioned by the string trio, but not for long as the piano solo get in it's stride and with each section of the band performing their individual rhythmic and harmonic function, the song is fully alive like a breathing entity.

The audience was clearly enraptured by the end of the first set and their applause expressed clearly their hearty appreciation for the medicine they had received.

With batteries recharged the second set began with a song called Essence again taken from the latest album. Starting with a percussion intro by Cuban percussionist Hammadi and Shaney on drums. Deborah kicks in with vocal lines over the rhythm which has now taken on the form of a hip-hop loop progressing to a full ensemble chorus with a slight funk feel about it, then back to vocals and the loop section. This time Robert plays a subtle pad sound on his Roland synth adding mood and texture eventually progressing to a unison piano and string motif. There is tension in the house again and the whole ensemble starts to bubble over the piano solo reaching a tumultuous crescendo with drama coming from all sections culminating in an abrupt end. With audience in uproar I take another gulp of wine!!

For arrangements as complex as those played by Panacea one would expect serious amounts of hard practice to deliver such note perfect precision performances, but it does not seam that hours and hours have been spent in the rehearsal room as according to Robert this was the first gig that cellist Ian Burdge had played with the band. If this isn't testament of the calibre of musicianship within Panacea then I don't know what is.

On the song called Quantum Shaney Forbes delivered some impressive cymbal and mallet work to introduce Robert's haunting piano. Shaney's use of time and dynamics showed a maturity beyond his age. It was like Elvin Jones incarnate. The subtle crescendos and space created for string and bass solos highlights both compositional and the arrangement skills of Robert. The audience on this one were totally hooked and there was not a single squeak from them. It was glorious to witness. Nice one Robert!

The next song, Flawless, brought us all back to planet earth with a rim and percussion loop like pulse, funky bass with piano, vocals and strings interweaving lines and at times taking on a very latin feel. I can see shoulders moving in the audience, hair completely let down by now.

The set concluded with a song from a previous album The Red Bridge, another mastery in compositional arrangement, with the solo section base around the chords of the Godfather Monk–'Round About Midnight. Monk may have been in the house but I could also here some Oscar Peterson in the prodigious piano lines of Mr. Mitchell.

Not fully satisfied, the audience stomped up an encore and were suitably pacified by Robert's solo performance on piano for the left hand. Yes the left hand! So after working us all to a frenzy he gives us The Glimpse (not from the new album) the chill pill, soma for the weekend.

Well based on this performance I would say the album is definitely worth a listen and gives great insight into the thoughts and giftedness of Robert Mitchell whom I would also state is a real gentleman with the manners of an alter-boy, you wouldn't want to be using any foul language in his presence 8))

I've just checked out his website www.robertmitchellmusic.com for dates of future Panacea performances, a must for those seeking a musical cure.

Roger Thomas - freelance review/photographer

(London Jazz Blog and many more..)

Robert Mitchell 3io - Hastings Review 24Sept 2010

2010-09-28T12:58:00.001+01:00

Photo (Nov09) - Alexis Maryon

2009-12-19T00:15:00.000Z

Photo from the Rm3io show at Brighton Dome Pavillion (Nov2009)

Rare that a shot will capture this kind of moment for me.. nice one Alexis...

2009-06-27T23:26:00.000+01:00

IRISH NEWS - 20-6-09

Robert Mitchell Interview (Trevor Hodgett)

' Robert Mitchell, a sublime and inventive pianist , recently became the latest in an ever-lengthening line of great British and American jazz musicians who have come to Ireland keen to work with fast-rising local drummer David Lyttle.
"David's tremendously talented," he enthuses. " And he's a go-getter. At this point in time, with everything thats going on, that's a requisite. There're tons of talented musicians around but not necessarily all with the same outlook of being able to make things happen."
Surprisingly, Mitchell himself actually studied classical rather than jazz music at college. " I did audition for a jazz college and i didn't get in, " he admits. "So i studied jointly at City University and the Guildhall , and although there wasn't jazz on the course, the Head of Music was very open-minded. Then i got a scholarship to do an extra year and basially i just spent that year having piano lessons."
" That kind of experience really makes you never forget how hard you have to work and also that there are always more things to learn. Whenever i have a challenge i always remember those days. The memories and the approach and the experience i had with those teachers are always there with me."
Mitchell learnt his jazz skills in a completely different way. "In terms of jazz and improvising, that's been about experiences in bands so there have been two very different halves to my musical life," he explains.
Mitchell is impatient with those non-afficianados who dismiss jazz for being too challenging. "Why is being challenging seen as a bad thing? " he argues. " Someone's put a lot of work into the music so why not give it ten more minutes of your time, to take you out of your comfort zone. I think with any decent art form eventually the light comes on. It can change lives, can be very inspirational, people can be moved by it, and i think that anything with that depth is important."
" You have amazing human problems that we have to address and these art forms go a long way to doing that. In fact i'd go so far as to say that bands are models for society. In bands very diverse people come together with a superb level of problem solving so that's a model for what the human race can acheive."
Mitchell's current album THE GREATER GOOD , which won Gilles Peterson's Radio 1 Jazz Album of the Year award, surprisingly includes an interpretation of TEARDROP by trip-hop legends Massive Attack. " There are lots of versions of the song out there from vocal and guitar to string quartets," he notes, "but there wasn't a piano trio version and i had it in the back of my head for ages. When a tune can work in different formats it's proof that you've got something good on your hands and Teardrop is a great tune."
This version of Teardrop - Mitchell beleives, exemplifies his trio's fluid style: " The bass has a starring role in terms of melody and improvising with the bow but there could be tunes we do where the drums take the melody. It's very open in terms of what can happen rather than automatically going , 'Yes, this is going to be a piano-led tune with all the solos in the same order.'
" We're not worried about sounding like a piano trio is supposed to sound."
Another contemporary non-jazz band to catch Mitchell's attention is Radiohead whose - Everything in Its Right Place he sometimes plays live. " I didn't get them for quite a while," he admits. "Some of the earlier stuff didn't do it for me but that Kid A album turned my ears."
" They're clearly not happy to stay in one place all the time, they have that enquiring nature and that's no different from Miles Davis or anybody who decides you have to expand and take on things that are around in the air at the time. It's great they embrace change as the thing that stays constant in their music as opposed to saying, 'We've had success with that record so we can carry on doing the same record.' They're not about that"
Both live and on record Mitchell's improvisational skills are exceptional. " With improvising you're trying to get in touch with something that takes you on a ride," he reflects. " I've worked with people over long periods and when you come to play there are still things happening which can't be explained, that haven't happened before, with people surprising each other. That's the great thing about jazz : you're doing it there and then in front of an audience."

3io Photos from Algiers ....

2009-06-10T19:31:00.000+01:00

More 3io photos from Algeria are up :....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38681307@N05/

Many thanks to Louiza SID AMMI

Enjoy!

Robert Mitchell 3io In Algiers May 2009

2009-06-01T15:36:00.000+01:00

Robert Mitchell 3io - in Algiers - 18-21 May2009

Mon - Firstly after two flights in to Algiers (Paris connect) we were met by
Sid Ali - who drove us around for the duration. Straight to the hotel (always
great when you are met at the airport!). Little time to look around before we
rushed out to dinner with John Mitchell (British Council) and his wife. All
the details of the trip were discussed - and we returned to the hotel to rest.

Tues - straight to Radio El Bahdja for a morning 3io interview (around 9am).
Remembering to use brief answers so the great people from the BC (Samia and
Lamia ) could translate speedily. This was a good plug for the gig .
Apparently a million listeners plus - i think they played Teardrop and Greater
Good ... It is a weird experience to understand more French , than your
ability to converse will allow..!! The interview was done in about 15minutes.
On the stairs on the way out - i was approached by someone from another
station to do a quick plug ... dictation machine thrust towards me - but all
good... Straight to the Music Training Institute of Algiers (IRFM D'Alger) for a
workshop . About 25-30 teenagers came - some from the Institut national
supérieur de musique (INSM) as well .... Great room with the piano,bass and
drums all there ready to go.. We start with Crystal Eyes (a tune of mine) -
which uses a groove we could
get stuck into (actually a 6 against 5 rhythm). Some nice photos of this are
up ...- but we eventually got most of the room on their feet - and clapping
this groove. Samia and Assia took turns in translating for us - whilst the
sound engineers altered the set up a few times for us...
Then using Galt Macdermot's 'Space' - much more ice was
broken. This great tune became the sampled basis of Buster Rhymes - Woo hah
(got you all in check)..cue the playback of excerpts of both versions. Then
after much coaxing from us - two great volunteers stepped up to mc with us!
The first student was so nervous but did great .'What am i going to do ?' she
cried.... The second - who i think had a big reputation with his crew (!) - finally
made it and also enabled a nice bunch from the crowd - bassist ,pianist and
drummer - to come up and learn the parts quickly - and take over from us.
Richard then used the 'who-hah' chant - and with Tom - got a really good
chanting of this going from everyone else. I think the spirit of that tune had
done its job ...they loved it. Had a break - met the head of music -
Mr Mohamed Boulifa (an amazing Oud
player and composer). He was very happy with what we had been doing.....
Mint tea blew all our heads off ... (used to have this stuff in Brussels , and
Rabat years ago....memories..).After the break we get back to present another
tune of mine - Cumulus.Several of the group then proceeded to show us
a few Algerian tunes -which we then begun to interpret - ...
a really nice exchange going on !
The Chaabi rhythm really caught Richard's ear - and a great idea started to
brew (incorporating that very rhythm into Cumulus... for the show).
The head of music then proceeded to request a couple more of his tunes to be
performed by the students. Then we had to answer some questions from the
students..(like ' Do u know any Algerian musicians' .. my answer 'Khaled'
getting a cheer - the man is a giant !!) ..and the workshop was done.
Check the photos of the workshop... (links below)
A quick lunch follows - before we were taken to the Casbah:

http://www.globalheritagefund.org/news/conservation_news/save_the_casbah_jul_07.asp
A world heritage site of amazing historical significance. We had a great guide
( i dont think he paused for breath once in two and a half hours!).We also had
two guards accompanying us. Streets, alleys, ancient timber house construction
(that moves and accomodates the earthquakes that have been a regular
occurance) , artist shops, and the evidence of many struggles were there. I
hope the repairs desparately needed for the area can go ahead.
Made our way back to the hotel and ..zzzzzzz

Wed - out straight away to appear on the breakfast tv show ' Bonjour
d'Algerie' !!! 9am and on the air......Only to an audience of 2odd million !
Very good interviewer - made all very relaxed. Samia (from the BC) translated
brilliantly - and they played Teardrop, Crystal Eyes, and Greater Good. Some
very nice photos were posed for afterwards and then it was onwards to see the
venue at last.
Ibn Zeydoun is a lovely , spread out theatre - seating 500 with ease. While
waiting for the complete drum kit to appear - i had a longish conversation
with the piano tuner ! Great small grand piano - once i started to get into
it. Once gear and mics and monitors were in place it became apparent very
quickly that our sound engineer - Rachid - was- er - incredible. There was
atmosphere ,clarity , and his attentiveness was putting some other recent
experiences badly in the shade. He really cared , which made us really care
more , and this cycle just kept us grinning all day. Lunch was at the not as
inspiring Shakespeare Bar (sorry guys but waiting 25mins for the bread basket
was not cool!). I have never heard so many different blues tunes in one
stretch while waiting for lunch.....
Made sure i asked Samia to translate the few lines of French i will need to
present the gig ! Though i should make the effort - Anyhow - amazing apricot
trees in the forecourt - they gots to feature in some of the dishes surely?
Lunch done - we emerged into scorching heat - i physically couldnt sit in the car
seat during the drive back to the hotel (41degrees according to the readout
)........It was like a hot plate!!!
A rest , and many emails later - we were in the lobby ready to go and
play (6.30pm odd). I came out of the lift to meet Tom, Rich , Sid Ali and ..
three security guards!! These guys came with us in the car to the gig !
Really great to be met by people queueing outside the gig -
so it looked like the tv and radio stuff had
spread the word . Once the checks were all done - we had yet another little
soundcheck , and they checked the video they were going to show ( a Uk
promo thing which did acually look great ! . We then met the Brit Ambassador
- Mr Henderson and his wife (no pressure then) - and we awaited the call as
the venue soon filled up . ! think this is our largest audience yet as a trio
- very cool. Then it was made official - they were turning people away!
A serious chickn,chip egg, sandwich follows,and a set list discussion (!) and we
countdown to play.... I then have another look at my limited notes in French (!)
and we hit...
The set was - Cycles (Bheki Msleku tune - think the sound during the
last mini check meant this tune was a late entry to the gig!), Teardrop ( this
tune is turnng into a bit of a calling card - its very well known and/or
really well constructed - such a nice reaction here too) , 3rd Stream ( ditto
- looking forward to the album this will appear on .... 4heros label ... watch
this space) , Dance Cadaverous ( Wayne Shorter masterpiece) , Space ( Galt
Macdermot - genius) , and then onto Cumulus. This really short simple tune of
mine was given some Algerian flavour - courtesy of some seriously fast work
from Tom and Richard. Man - you guys are sick... It was the least we could do
after such a great workshop. The crowd jumped onto this feeling nearly
immediately - and the clapping started without us prompting..... great stuff.
Then we played the Blessing ( enhanced by such an amazing sound tonight -
bathed in this) ,and the Greater Good to finish. I had to give in and return
to some English for the thank yous but it all seemed to go down well. Proud to
say we got an ovation ...fantastic audience. Wished the show were longer.. It
was all recorded - so some of these tunes will be appearing online soon ...
Another two interviews were then requested - tv and radio. Was a pleasure to
sign many cds - and get so much feedback instantly. More photos all round and
then a present from the BC - CDS! Algerian music - excellent.

We then said goodbye to Samia and Lamia - the whole BC team had been
outstanding. More goodbyes and then back to the hotel before another meal with
John M at Le Carthage ( such great service - amazing wine...). Very tired but
a lot was squeezed in. ...........

Thurs .. really hot again so had to bail on the proposed look around town.
Wouldnt have been able to think straight let alone walk about. Ready for the
flights we reach the airport at 1pm and say bye to the legendary sid Ali .
Only for Air Fr.... to suddenly declare Richard's cymbals a problem for taking
on board (er ... we came here with you guys and it was all ok ... ). Several
stressed conversations later - we board just in time and take our seats....
Only to see another guy with a LARGE drum (as far as boarding a plane goes) .
He looked as if he had had no probs getting on board - ah well..
Touchdown early at Heathrow - what a trip. (Dont forget the cymbals - Rich!!)
London always looks a little different after a trip like this ...

It really is a privilege to work with Richard Spaven and Tom Mason - and the
3io has had a blessed existance since the album has come out. Long may it
continue -

Many thanks to John Mitchell , Samia , Lamia and all at the British Council.

For great work , all those photos (John) , Cds (Samia) and hostpitality.
Hope we can do it again. Many Many thanks to Lee Paterson for organising.

LINKS:

Photos of the trip:

Part One:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38681307@N05/sets/72157619070551134/

Part Two:
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=33151015&albumId=2856100

Video links ( from the trip - short tho - look at the page bottom...7 most recent vid clips) :
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=robert+mitchell+3io

Website - http://www.robertmitchellmusic.com/

Robert Mitchell 3io - group page .........:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35851906862

Robert Mitchell's Panacea - grp page..:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=73717149710 0

Twitter:www.twitter.com/robertmitchellm

News on the 4Hero tribute album, live ustreams/tunes coming online , trio interview and
two new RM interviews coming soon..........

THE GREATER GOOD - ROBERT MITCHELL 3IO - WINS BEST JAZZ ALBUM - GILLES PETERSON WORLDWIDE AWARDS 2009

2009-01-28T00:18:00.000Z

We won Best Jazz Album 2009 at the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards !!!

Thanks to Gilles and all who voted. Photos, video, and various streams of info

will be here very soon. There will be a new list of 2009 RM 3io show up here very

soon too.

http://kspace.tv/?p=1036
http://worldwideawards.wordpress.com/about/

Photo Gallery http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/gillespeterson/galleries/4122/
Presentation Video!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SSX9ZnkugRE

Please also checkout www.myspace.com/robertmitchellmusic

and http://www.robertmitchellmusic.com/

THE GREATER GOOD - ROBERT MITCHELL 3IO - reviews (Sept-Dec08)

2008-12-23T23:01:00.000Z

Collated the reviews so far for some end of year perusal ...
Many thanks to all who have given such support - more to come (and i will be here more often!)

The Vortex Sept 2008
The album’s title, according to pianist Robert Mitchell, refers to ‘a way of working we have in the 3io … a detailed, yet intense level of working together so that the whole the individual parts, the collective sound, the empathy we share with each other’s playing is elevated’.
He also describes the album’s opening track, ‘Cumulus’, in a way that might serve as another useful pointer to the group’s intentions: ‘The elements of the tune by design are very small and simple in character but the way they can be interpreted allows you a lot of freedom while staying true to the straightforward form.’
Seven of this album’s ten tracks are in-band originals, and these two statements might be applied more or less accurately to all of them; as those who have witnessed the 3io’s frequent Vortex appearances over the past couple of years will know, Mitchell’s band is adept at spinning mesmerising, lucid but consistently intense group improvisations from relatively simple sources teasing, repeated phrases or rhythmic snatches and often bringing them to roiling climaxes in which drummer Richard Spaven (a doyen of the so-called nu-jazz and broken beat scene) is the essential ingredient, his snappy, restless sound perfectly complementing Mitchell’s.
Fleshed out with an infrequently performed Wayne Shorter piece, ‘Dance Cadaverous’, a peppy visit to Galt McDermot’s ‘Space’ and an intriguing version, sonorously led by bassist Tom Mason, of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’, this is a compelling, vibrant album from one of the UK’s most accomplished piano trios. Chris Parker

Fly Culture Oct 2008
Robert is joined once again by Tom Mason (also The-Quartet and sometime bassist with Jack Cheshire’s live dates) and drummer Richard Spaven (4Hero, Mark De Clive-Lowe and numerous others) who featured in Robert’s group, Panacea (see their last album Trust).
No doubt 3iO have been inspired by one of the albums of last year, Robert Glasper’s In My Element as the trio sound is once again contemporary. Glasper’s album got initial attention on the strength of the cover medley of Herbie Hancock’s ‘Maiden Voyage’ and Radioheads ‘Everything In It’s Right Place’. So it’s not a bad idea to cover Massive Attack’s monster hit, ‘Teardrop’. And for those that like to dig a little deeper into exotic jazz fusion directions, the cover Galt (he of original Hair and co-writer of Nina Simone’s hit ‘Ain’t Got No - I Got Life’) MacDermot’s ‘Space’ with the 3iO treatment. The ‘treatment’ is generally a start slow, minimal expression that builds up to a climax; all in a controlled manner and very expressive. As good as any is their cover of Wayne Shorter’s ‘Dance Cadaverous’ (taken from the classic Blue Note album Speak No Evil).
As the titles suggest, ‘Cumulus’, ‘A Map Of The Shy’ and ‘Quantum’ really suite this style that they’ve been working on for some time as a live band; mostly at the Vortex where the album launch is being held next week. And then Robert is touring extensively throughout October and November, sometimes with 3iO, sometimes with Omar Puente (remember the duo’s Bridges album), sometimes with Brownswood’s ever excellent José James and ending with gigs at the London Jazz Festival (with Matthew Herbert back).
It’s a bit of a shame that ‘Quantum’ gets the fade out treatment whilst some of the best playing for me is on ‘Crystal Eyes’. The album ends with the title track, ‘Greater Good’ (the one that Gilles Peterson played this week) and it’s the most dance/commercial of the set as it’s written by Spaven and Vincent Helbers from the broken beat point of view.
Another class album this and I’m certainly looking to catch at least one of the live gigs.
Gerry Hectic (www.flyculture.co.uk)

Jazzwise Nov 2008
Robert Mitchell 3io The Greater Good **** (4stars)
If you've read any press about the pianist Robert Mitchell then you probably would have found both his name and the word "cerebral" in the same sentence.But although Mitchell has something of the classical composer's taut sense of structure, this doesn't undermime the rhythmic audacity and soulful spirit he brings to his music. This goes for his new release, the first from his piano trio and the second CD released by the UK Jazz Services' newish recording offshoot. This CD follows Mitchell's investigation of a versatile number of formats that started with the M-Basey avant-soul sextet Panacea, a duo with Cuban virtuoso Omar Puente, and a solo piano set on last year's tense modern classical-orientated Equinox. As well as his absorbtion of more traditional jazz piano via Hancock, Mehldau and Jarrett, Mitchell demonstrates a unique way of merging the angular voicings and textures of contemporary classical music with the trance-like funkiness of the UK's urban music underground. In terms of the later he has the perfect partner here in Richard Spaven, arguably the best post-hiphop jazz drummer around. This is evident on 'A Map Of The Sky' in which Mitchell's soul-song melody counters Spaven's broken beat-inspired groove. Double bassist Tom Mason also occaisionally leads from the front as on the trio's excellent version of Massive Attack's 'Teardrop' . While the other cover is the Wayne Shorter track 'Dance Cadaverous' from Speak No Evil ther's no shortage of originals in the main from Mitchell but also with contributions from Spaven and Mason. The piano trio maybe one of the more over-subscribed formats in jazz right now, but Mitchell proves he's one of its most original voices. Selwyn Harris -

www.jazz.com Oct 2008
Robert Mitchell 3io: Quantum
Much of my formative youth was spent in a neighborhood of Franklin, Massachusetts. Decades after I left, I was back in the area on business and had a few hours to kill. I decided to see the old neighborhood. As I drove down Eldon Drive, I noticed first how all my childhood friends' houses were now under the shade of very large trees. When I was a kid, those trees cast no shadow. I parked my car on the side of the road and got out to walk around. I could not believe how small the homes were. There were families of six or seven people living in those houses when I was growing up! But the strangest perception overtook me as I walked between the blocks. I would swear that all the homes were sitting approximately three feet to the right of where they used to be! It was a bizarre experience. I know they have not moved in the physical sense. But perhaps my added height, my changed vision and the larger environment I had relocated to had all shaped my new view of this long-held memory. Whatever the explanation, I write this preamble now to convey my sense of Robert Mitchell's 3io trio. It is about three feet to the right of other jazz piano trios."Quantum" is a perfect example. You expect a jazz piano trio to either swing or play a touching ballad. You expect impressive keyboard runs performed at lightning speed. You know you will hear a piano solo, bass solo or a drum solo. You can be sure these things will occur. None of them happens on this tune. Instead we are presented with ensemble playing that focuses on the spatial and indirect reference. (Is this the atomic world?) Texture and feel are the dominant notes. You may be thinking that I am describing a free jazz performance. But "Quantum" and other cuts from the album are far from that. Free jazz has no plot. The music heard here tells a structured story. It just so happens that the structure is not located where you expected it to be. I wonder where it will be located next time I visit. Walter Kolosky

Robert Mitchell 3io: Cumulus
I have a stack of CDs on my desk that I audio scan to determine which cuts are worthy of review. Once I have picked a cut, I listen to the full tune and review it as I listen. Because of time constraints, I rarely get to listen to a whole album these days. That is a fault of our busy modern lifestyles and CDs that contain far too much music. At some point, I will write a blog about this need artists have to fill up the whole 74 minutes of a CD. I think it is detrimental to the art. We don't have the time in a day to sit still and really listen for 74 minutes. But now I have gotten off track already. The point to my story is that I just don't have time to listen to music the way I wish I could. Yet every once in a while, something will grab me and I must make time for it. Such was the case with this release by Robert Mitchell's trio (which he spells 3io). I used the only free moments I have these days, late-night bedtime, to listen to the CD in its entirety instead of counting sheep.I have heard many jazz piano trios. I know what to expect. But this trio is different. Parts of The Greater Good are not that different from the other impressive progressive jazz piano groups I often write about. Like those, this 3io has driving rhythms and chops to spare. But I am more interested in the introspection of "Cumulus" and some other tunes. The easy analogy is to compare the piece to the clouds it refers to. But you could do that with almost any New Age piano music. New Age can be relaxing but it contains no drama. "Cumulus," though, is literally dripping with it. There is a deep thought in every note of Mitchell's playing. At times he proceeds so slowly that we have time to think about each note right along with him. You talk about controlling time? Mitchell, bassist Tom Mason and drummer Richard Spaven have mastered it. Since the Robert Mitchell 3io went to such effort to do so, the least I can do is to make the time to join them. Any time listening to this music is time well spent. (By the way, the album clocks in at about 60 minutes.) October 28, 2008 Walter Kolosky

A tonic for the senses .. (Halifax Evening Courier/27Oct 2008 - live review)
Published Date: 27 October 2008 By Jayne Sheridan The Robert Mitchell 3ioSquare Chapel, Halifax A VISIT to Square Chapel is always a tonic for the senses and it formed the captivating backdrop to Robert Mitchell's supreme piano playing, an exquisite blend of jazz improvisation and contemporary composition. The sounds and the space were, in short, a splendid complement.
Subtly understated bass from Tom Mason and restrained drums contributed by Richard Spaven gave warmth and depth to Mitchell's work.
Mitchell has played with a gallery of potent musicians and his three-piece band hints at Keith Jarrett's concentrated facility but is not afraid to add colour with some jaunty, Latin phrasing.
Each of the trio throws his creative hat into the ring. Worth saying too, that the venue's stately Steinway piano is becoming a star in its own right. Called "one beautiful piano" by the featured artist of the evening, the instrument has a sonorous beauty.
The only downside of an engaging occasion was the desperately sparse crowd. Dean Clough's jazz show of the previous evening seemed to have sapped local concertgoers' energies.

www.thejazzman.com Oct 2008
Pianist Robert Mitchell has been an influential figure on the British jazz scene for a number of years now. A member of the F-ire Collective this is, surprisingly, Mitchell’s first recording in the piano trio format. His previous releases have seen him leading his six piece jazz/soul band Panacea on the albums “Voyager” (2001) and “Trust” (2005). Later came a dazzling duo recording with Cuban violinist Omar Puente “Bridges” (2006) and the challenging solo piano opus “Equinox” (2007).
“The Greater Good” appears on the new Jazz Services recording outlet which was recently established in conjunction with 33 Records. It is probably his most conventional and accessible recording so far but with some sparkling playing from all three protagonists it is also his best. Joining Mitchell are the outstanding young talents of Tom Mason (bass) and Richard Spaven (drums). Both have played extensively with Mitchell for a number of years as the rhythm section of Panacea (still a going concern) and more recently as 3io, with a regular gig at North London’s renowned Vortex jazz club.
As a result the interplay between the three musicians is excellent with a high degree of interaction.The material mainly comes from the pen of Mitchell but both Mason and Spaven contribute a tune each, the drummer collaborating with Dutch musician Vincent Helbers on the title track. The trio also tackle Galt McDermot’s “Space” and there is a stunning version of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop”. Wayne Shorter’s “Dance Cadaverous” (from The Shorter album “Speak No Evil”) is the closest they get to a jazz standard. This tune is one that is becoming an increasingly popular vehicle for the younger generation of jazz musicians.
Mitchell is a phenomenal pianist with an awesome technique. Classically trained he can also be very intense but there is a relaxed quality about “The Greater Good” that has not always been present on his previous albums. In addition to the classical influences there are also hip hop grooves and broken beats and in Mitchell’s percussive style the occasional nod to old masters like Thelonious Monk. It all adds up to an absorbing album that covers many bases.
The album opens with Mitchell’s folk tinged tune “Cumulus”, with Mason also featuring as a soloist, the first of several such contributions over the course of the album.
Another Mitchell original follows in the form of “A Map Of The Sky”. Again the trio expand from a relatively simple melody into something more complex with highly pleasing results, the whole gently propelled by Spaven’s subtle grooves.
Shorter’s “Dance Cadaverous” is a tour de force for Mitchell with his tumbling runs and there is an energetic face off between Mitchell and the outstanding Spaven.
The swirling,impressionistic “Quantum”, another Mitchell original is quickly followed by a brief and enjoyable romp through McDermot’s “Space”.
Tom Mason’s composition “Ochre” is the longest item on the record. It winds it’s way romantically and elegantly for some eight minutes but is faded out rather abruptly. It is followed in turn by Mitchell’s “Crystal Eyes” which mines similar territory.
Next we come to the trio’s version of the massive attack tune “Teardrop”. A highly melodic piece this is very much a feature for the excellent Mason. He states the melody first on pizzicato bass before picking up the bow midway through the song. His brilliant arco playing is reminiscent of Dan Berglund’s work with e.s.t. and is buoyed by Spaven’s implacable groove. Dramatic and attention grabbing this is the stand out cut on the album. It is a piece that if played in isolation has the potential to appeal to a wide musical audience. Sadly in this country it is unlikely to get any radio play other than on specialist programmes which is a shame as I sense it would hold a broad appeal.
Mason is again prominent on Mitchell’s “The Blessing” a gospel tinged tune with yet another strong melody acting as the foundation for Mitchell’s piano ruminations.
Finally come Spaven and Helbers’ title track described by Mitchell as a “leitmotif” for the album. Grooving and melodic it features some dazzling player from the leader and superb support from his band mates.
Less intense than some of his previous projects and sounding all the better for it “The Greater Good” is Robert Mitchell’s best album thus far. Full of attractive melodies and supple grooves it is a worthy addition to the piano trio canon. Ian Mann

THE GUARDIAN 7 Nov 2008
****
This has to be British pianist Robert Mitchell's best album so far, a bold gamble by the UK jazz organisation Jazz Services on the likelihood of the ascetic Mitchell - frequently torn between contemporary-classical jazz and experimental nu-funk - coming out of his shell. He performs here with a sympathetic acoustic trio, including Tom Mason on bass and Richard Spaven providing a discreet percussion whisper - and, at times, a climactic alternative voice. Mitchell's phrasing is unusual: he improvises in unexpectedly juxtaposed motifs rather than long postbop lines. Nonetheless, he has a jazzier feel here than usual, with bluesy elided notes and bursts of vibrant swing. In its imaginative development of hooky material, The Greater Good hints at creative and typically circuitous listening to the Bad Plus, EST, and even a little Brad Mehldau. Wayne Shorter's Dance Cadaverous is playful, building through fast runs up to big chords and a swell of taut percussion. Ochre is a reflective piece that hints at a bashful, semi-hidden melody, and Massive Attack's Teardrop has Mason covering the theme against Mitchell's treble tinkles, the high, bowed bass eerily suggesting a wind instrument. John Fordham

INDEPENDANT ON SUNDAY 2NOV 08
****
Can trip-hop do bebop, with Massive Attack rather than George Gershwin providing a successful jumping-off point for dreamy jazz grooves? A fabulous version of MA's "Teardrop" , with the melody line taken as a bowed bass solo by Tom Mason, answersin the affirmative. Mitchell's superbly fluid band contribute to what is providing to be a golden age for the piano trio with a really striking debut. It starts all baroque, then stretches out through drummer Richard Spaven's broken-beat rhythms into an English po-mo style. Phil Johnson

PIANO MAGAZINE - NOV/DEC2008
Robert Mitchell 3io forged their relationship in the pianist's largergroup, Panacea. There is less emphasis on unusual rhythmic metres inthis new setting, while going fully acoustic has meant that thehip-hop and broken-beat imprints are less immediately apparent; butSpaven's rimshots, Mason's pinging pizzicato and Mitchell's crispphrasing continue to emulate these urban-music influences.The stop-start snarework of broken beat and the ascetic simplicity ofthe melodic writing undercut much of the music. Mitchell's exposedright-hand lines, flawlessly clean in sound, are Classical in texture,but range from twisted, abstracted Romanticism in The Blessing,through the spiky angularity of Space, to the more lyrical jazzlanguage of Ochre. His soloing is marked by steely fingerwork andranges from sweeping arcs to the freneticism and hammer-like rapidrepetition of Wayne Shorter's Dance Cadaverous. The high energyMitchell generates through this hyperactivity, in this piece andelsewhere, is matched at these points by a heavier drum sound, lendingsome of the album an epic feel. There is real scope in the group'smusic, confirming a successful transition of their collective voiceinto this smaller framework. Chris Elcombe

ECHOES Dec2008
****
Greater and smaller, in fact. This is the first offering from the British pianist's trio that is an entirely different proposition to his 6-7 piece band a Panacea. Regular drums and bass team , Richard Spaven and Tom Mason are retained and the marked cohesion of the little unit within the larger ensemble can be appreciated in a renewed kind of 3-D. While Mitchell's sensibilities by no means eschew a Hancock-Tyner-Jarrett modern jazz foundation, he embraces the lessons of their all important, and often overlooked descendants such as Gerri Allen, whose groups have consistently had an elasticity of form that allowed for the choppier rhythmic streams of Cecil Taylor and Don Pullen to flow into the above. That said , Mitchell has managed to fashion his own personal brand of post-modernism through a combination of idiomkatic open-mindedness and technical skills that see him intergrate anything from the tremulous harmonic shades of Pat Metheny to riptide Afro-Cuban phrases in very lyrical original compositions as well as covers of demanding pieces like Wayne Shorter's Dance Cadaverous. The success of the record is not just down to the leader's brilliant fluency in expansive lines or uncommon resolutions of chord sequences. It also lies in the well pitched use of Spaven's backbeat, so often a resonant extra bassline to supplement Mason's, the momentary rests between melodic lines to create swells of tension or , as in the hymnal reprise of Massive Attack's Teardrop, a challenge to structural convention. Here Mason, his broad, expansive tone caressed by upper register piano trills, states the melody on bass before taking an arco solo that stokes a disquieting fire through a series of chilling , sawing vibrations that eventually evaporate into a reverential silence. Despite the great virtuosity that marks the performance - particularly some of Mitchell's more heated improvisations - there is also a melodic richness to the fore that often takes the shape of snappy, very catchy riffd, short, pithy blues-charged phrases that creep into a piece with an almost imperceptible stealth. Kevin Le Gendre

Photo (c) E Westveer 2008

2008-09-18T13:13:00.001+01:00

Many thanks Eddie! This is from a recent Jose James gig in The Hague....

First Review link

2008-09-18T13:13:00.000+01:00

Please check the first review for THE GREATER GOOD - more on the way!

http://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/cd-reviews/the-greater-good.html

www.robertmitchellmusic.com

2008-09-08T02:29:00.000+01:00

Robert Mitchell website is up and live...

www.robertmitchellmusic.com

Previews of music, exclusive downloads, videos, in-depth news, and much more...

(thanks to Theo Agathos, and Lee Patterson)

checkout the tour poster above (by the same great people as the flyer - N.Dracoulis and Mitchy...)

www.robermitchellmusic.com

RM 3io Tour Flyer - by Mitchy

2008-08-31T18:50:00.000+01:00

Rm 3io - some background

2008-08-25T20:40:00.000+01:00

The Robert Mitchell 3io has grown out of the ongoing group Robert Mitchell's Panacea (formed in 2000). The debut album/download - The Greater Good has been recorded (and will be toured) with the support of Jazz Services,33 Records,and Arts Council England. The recording features 5 new originals from pianist Robert Mitchell, and compositions by bassist Tom Mason and drummer Richard Spaven's collab with Vincent Helbers. The other music includes 'Space' by Galt Mcdermot (as sampled by Busta Rhymes) , 'Teardrop' by Massive Attack (Bristolian Legends) and Dance Cadaverous by the truly great Wayne Shorter. This is the first Uk tour for the group , and there will also be news on an additional exclusive version of the album ...... more biog to follow.