Jim Robitaille Group

Biography

Jim Robitaille is a jazz guitarist, composer, and educator who began his professional career around 1980, studying guitar and improvisation with jazz guitarist Jon Damian at Berklee College of Music in Boston and improvisation with master teacher Charlie Banacos. He quickly gained recognition as an award-winning composer, winning the 9th Annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition sponsored by BMI in 2002, where he received his award from Herbie Hancock, along with first place in the Instrumental Category of the 2002 Great American Song Contest and other accolades including the Julius Hemphill Jazz Composers Alliance Competition and grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for the Arts.[1][2][3]

Robitaille founded the Jim Robitaille Group, debuting with the album 'To Music' in 2004 on Whaling City Sound, featuring saxophonist Dave Liebman, which earned international critical acclaim, topped charts, and won composition awards. The group continued with 'A View From Within' in 2007 (released 2019 in some listings), emphasizing his harmonic savvy and improvisational style without piano, alongside releases like the Jim Robitaille Trio's 'Space Cycles' and duo 'Mantra' with Parallel East on Dot Time Records. His music blends original compositions with modern jazz improvisation, performed at venues like the Smithsonian, Knitting Factory, and international tours in the US, Canada, Europe, and the West Indies.[1][2][3]

As an educator, Robitaille serves on the jazz faculty at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth as an applied jazz guitar lecturer, ensemble director, and founder of the Performance Jam Session Series. He has taught masterclasses and workshops at institutions including Berklee, Brandeis University, and Tabor Academy, and authored the book 'Sound Origins: Developing Your Musical Identity.' His legacy includes over 30 recordings as leader and sideman, maintaining a strong reputation in the Northeast US and abroad through performance, composition, and teaching.[1][2][3]

Fun Facts

• Received the 2002 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition award directly from Herbie Hancock.[2][3]
• Debut album 'To Music' reached #1 on the Jazz Week chart and ranked #5 on top ten lists in Greece by Daily Ipirotikos Agon and Apopsy.[1]
• Performed at the Baird Auditorium in the Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.[2][3]
• Authored the book 'Sound Origins: Developing Your Musical Identity' for musicians, composers, and teachers.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jon Damian - Studied guitar and improvisation at Berklee College of Music (N/A) [Pre-1980s]
• Charlie Banacos - Studied improvisation with this pianist and master teacher (N/A) [Pre-1980s]

Key Collaborators

• Dave Liebman - Featured saxophonist on Jim Robitaille Group albums ('To Music' (2004), 'A View From Within' (2007/2019)) [2004-2019]
• Bob Moses - Performed and recorded with this drummer (Various recordings) [1980s onward]
• Chris Poudrier - Drummer in Trine and early group recordings ('To Music' (2004), Trine 'Politics' (2008), Trine '+1' (2010)) [2004-2010]
• Matt Richard - Pianist on debut album ('To Music' (2004)) [2004]
• Dave Zinno - Bassist on debut album ('To Music' (2004)) [2004]

External Links

• Spotify