Robert Jospe & Inner Rhythm
Heart Beat
Random Chance

Who: Virginia’s finest jazzman

Sounds like: The beat goes on and on

Is it any good? Jazz drummer Robert Jospe grew up in Connecticut, attended NYU and played in New York. But as a Charlottesville resident for the last 25 years, he can rightly claim to be a Virginian, and we proudly call him one of our own. He recorded this, his fourth album, last year at the Dave Matthews Band’s Haunted Hollow Studio in C’ville with the current edition of his band, Inner Rhythm. Heather Maxwell, a former Peace Corps volunteer, adds her Afro-pop vocals to two tracks—“Kana Kasi,” based on a folk song from Mali, and “Mask Dance,” an all-drum exercise topped with her multi-tracked African chant. The instrumentals are typically Inner Rhythmic, with Jeff Decker wailing on sax across Bob Hallahan’s pianistic foundation while Jospe and percussion partner Kevin Davis cut loose with a plethora of polyrhythmic mayhem. Once again, Jos delivers a disc filled with rhythmic delight, supple arrangements, free flowing improvisation and joyful abandon.

"Virginia's Finest"
April 6, 2004
A review of Jospe's Hands On.

"Jazz Recordings"
April 1, 2003
A review of Jospe's Time to Play.

"Blue Blaze"
Jim's All Music Guide review of Robert Jospe's Blue Blaze from 1999.