Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Dan Gailey Jazz Orchestra - What Did You Dream?
by Harvey Siders, JazzTimes.com
For over two decades, Dan Gailey has directed the jazz program at the University of Kansas where he's Professor of Music. After enriching the books of many college bands, as well as professional bands, Dan has taken a giant leap out of the Kansas cornfields into the maelstrom of a non-campus environment with the debut release of his 18-man, all professional Dan Gailey Jazz Orchestra.
The curtain-raiser is a prophetically titled swinger,... read more
Tom Tallitsch - Perspective
by JazzTimes, JazzTimes
Sleeper CD of the Week: Tom Tallitsch's Perspective on OA2. Great sounding post-bop session from the Philadelphia-based... read more
Daniel Barry - Walk All Ways
by David Kane, Cadence, Jan-Mar 2008
Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra arranger Barry steps out on his own on "Walk All Ways" with a darkly-hued collection of Latin tinged originals. The dark colors stem from the choice instrumentation (which includes a bass-clarinet), the predominantly minor key compositions, the lack of fast tempos and the leader's own dusky-toned cornet. This focus on shadow is not necessarily a bad thing and tracks such as "Prayer" and the title track benefit from... read more
Ben Winkelman - Heartbeat
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The New York City pianist Ben Winkelman was awaiting the birth of his first child during the onset of the pandemic, and this 6th album draws from the ups and down of that time, where Gilad Hekselman, Matt Penman and Obed Calvaire are along for the 9 originals.
"Praise" leads the listen with gospel nods, as Winkelman's colorful keys and Hekselman's spirited guitar interact with much warmth, and "Fort Tilden" follows with a distinct dreaminess... read more
Jihee Heo - Are You Ready?
by Michael J. West, Downbeat
3 1/2 STARS Pianist Jihee Heo has a beautiful legato touch that builds on sturdy lyricism and lustrous harmonies—but her work also is filled with delicate, detailed figures. That alone would be enough to carry a recording, but the fine Are You Ready? reinforces it with two more extraordinary elements. First, her compositional voice—she wrote all eight of the album's tracks. And second, a remarkably tight and interactive trio with... read more
Nadav Snir-Zelniker - Thinking Out Loud
by John Barron, All About Jazz
Israeli-drummer Nadav Snir-Zelniker approaches straight-ahead, swinging jazz with a joyful spirit on his debut recording Thinking Out Loud. From the opening notes of "Pizmon Layakinton (Song for Hyacinth)" anchored by veteran bassist Todd Coolman, the disc presents a trio sound sensitive to group communication and exceptional individualism. Pianist Ted Rosenthal guides the trio through an exquisite ride through ten tracks comprised of well-known... read more
Rich Pellegrin - Three-Part Odyssey
by Aarik Danielsen, Columbia Daily Tribune
Adventure and accessibility, youth and maturity, cool cacophony and brilliant blend. These things need not be at odds, at least not in the hands of the Rich Pellegrin Quintet. Pellegrin, a pianist and visiting assistant professor at the University of Missouri, and his four brothers-in-jazz take listeners on a sojourn through the spaces between seemingly disparate sounds and notions on Three-Part Odyssey, released earlier this year on OA2... read more
Afro Bop Alliance - Una Más
by Adam Greenberg, All Music
Una Más is an outstanding set of Latin jazz from the D.C. area's finest Latin big band. The band makes use of surprisingly complex arrangements of largely new compositions, both Latin pieces transformed into somewhat jazzier arrangements (as in the opening "Golpe de Cumaco") and jazz pieces given a Latin flavor (as in main arranger Vince Norman's "El Otoño"). Rounded out with a few Latinized classic pieces from the likes of Cal Tjader and Benny... read more
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