Young alto saxophonist/composer Pete Robbins and his Centric ensemble have been garnering accolades in the Big Apple and beyond. Centric combines musical styles in a manner “that is progressive yet always engaging” (Mark Turner). A recipient of a 2006 Chamber Music America grant for jazz composition, Robbins’ new release, Waits and Measures (Playscape), has received rave reviews. This performance of Centric features Sam Sadigursky on tenor and soprano sax, Eliot Cardinaux on Nord Electro keyboard, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Dan Weiss on drums. Sadigursky and Weiss also appear on Waits and Measures, which includes keyboardist Eliot Krimsky and drummer Dan Weiss.

A Boston native, Pete Robbins studied at Tufts University and the New England Conservatory of Music before moving to New York in 2002. In addition to his own ensembles, he has collaborated with such innovative musicians as Mark Dresser, Randy Peterson, Daniel Levin and Mary Halvorson. In addition to appearances as New York clubs such as the 55 Bar, Tonic, Cornelia Street Café and Bowery Poetry Club, Robbins regular appears in other east coast cities and in European venues and festivals. In 2004, he curated a jazz series at Cornelia Street that earned him recognition from the Village Voice as the season’s featured jazz artist. Robbins released his first recording, Centric, in 2003. He plans to return to the recording studio this spring.

Pete Robbins

One wonders what territory Pete Robbins and Centric will explore as they continue to evolve as a thoughtful unit, poised to unravel, one layer at a time, a chorus of ideas marked by subtlety flecked with surprise. Enjoy their journey Friday night, June 15^th, at the Cornelia Street Café.

The Cornelia Street Café is located at 29 Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village, New York City; www.corneliastreetcafe.com. Centric plays at 9 and 10:30 pm. Check Pete Robbins’ calendar for updates at www.peterobbins.com.