...there's no lack of preaching soul in his playing on this set of uplifting swing, bop, ballad and backbeat.
Developing his musical voice and extensive performing career in Chicago and the upper Midwest, saxophonist Matt Olson documented his move to South Carolina with his 2019 recording, 789 Miles. Now firmly rooted in the South, Olson teams with his new musical family to present a set of all original music, highlighting the burgeoning musical rapport that's emerged since his arrival. Along with veteran Greenville musicians, Matt Dingledine on guitar, bassist Shannon Hoover & drummer Justin Watt, Olson invited saxophonist Adib Young, an undergraduate student at Furman University, to round out the quintet and contribute two compositions.
"As an improviser, Olson is a raconteur who integrates a touch of soul into a commanding voice..."
All About Jazz
Track Listing:
1 Ups and Downs 4:35
2 Redbud 5:00
3 Fade to Black 7:42
4 BopCycle 4:19
5 Open Spaces 4:54
6 Violons d'Ingres 7:22
7 The Name of the Game 5:39
8 Gravity and Levity 5:59
9 Starts in 5 6:29
10 Insomnomania 4:42
Music by: (1,2,5) Matt Olson; (3,10) Adib Young;
(4,7) Shannon Hoover; (6,8,9) Matt Dingledine
Performers:
Matt Olson - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone (2,8)
Adib Young - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone (9)
Matt Dingledine - guitar
Shannon Hoover - bass
Justin Watt - drums
Production Info:
Produced by Matt Olson
Recorded & mixed by Rick Dior at
Acoustic Barn Studios, Charlotte, NC
on July 6, 2021
Mastered by Nathan James at
Vault Mastering, Chandler, AZ
Cover photo by Amy Shelley Olson
Band photos by Matt Olson
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
Reviews of Open Spaces
All About Jazz (Jack Bowers)
Pleasurable jazz can sometimes spring forth from what many enthusiasts may consider highly unlikely sources. Such is the case with Open Spaces, an earnest and charming album on which saxophonist Matt Olson ushers a quintet of barely known South Carolinians through its paces in a generally animated session that consists of ten original compositions, ...
Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Saxist and leader Matt Olson brings a two sax lead with Abib Young over the rhythm team of Matt Dingledine/g, Shannon Hoover/b and Justin Watt/dr on this decalogue of originals. Mostly on tenor, he brings his sweet soprano into the mix with a lovely vibrato that dances with Dingledine on "Gravity and Levity" and the sweet "Redbud". His tenor is war ...
Take Effect (Tom Haugen)
The saxophonist Matt Olson has made quite a name for himself performing in Chicago and the midwest, and his recent move to South Carolina has him in the company of Adib Young, Matt Dingledine, Shannon Hoover and Justin Watt on this swing, bop and ballad friendly set of originals.
"Ups And Downs" starts the listen with a lively energy as Olson's ...
Jazz 'N' More (Switzerland) (Michael van Gee)
4-STARS Matt Olson is a professor of saxophone and director of jazz studies at Furman University in South Carolina. His band, with guitarist Matt Dingledine, bassist Shannon Hoover and drummer Justin Watt, comes from Greenville and Adib Young is one of his highly talented students, who is making his debut on "Open Spaces". The ten compositions are ...
