Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Michael Kocour - Wherever You Go, There You Are
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
The piano man goes fully front and center this time out putting his name out front and his piano in the spotlight. Influenced by greats like Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan and a sidekick to golden oldies like James Moody and Benny Golson, Professor Kocour is no manqué when it comes to kicking it out old school in high style. Tackling a set of mostly chestnuts that you have to work equally as hard on to screw up as to make shine in a new way,... read more
Barney McClure - Show Me!
by Chris Lunn, Ancient Victorys
My admiration and belief in McClure as a musician, composer, and interpreter goes back to the mid 70's when he brought a band, Featherstone, into Open Mike, and I started booking them immediately. At our place, Victory Hall on 6th in Tacoma, we had a battered old upright that McClure would play before the show (where he used an electric keyboard) with his incredible knowledge of stride, bop, blues, Tatum, and so much more. Not too much later, I... read more
Darden Purcell - Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood
by Geannine Reid, All About Jazz
4-Stars Darden Purcell's album Love's Got Me In A Lazy Mood (OA2 Records, 2023) shows her keen ear for the subtleties and nuances which define the West Coast cool jazz vocal sound. Purcell's album comprises eleven tracks which blend the laid-back, sophisticated rhythms and melodic inventiveness that characterize the style with beautiful singing and nimble playing.
Purcell is joined by an ensemble of musicians whose contributions are... read more
Florian Hoefner - Falling Up
by Daniele Camerlengo, Suono (Italy)
What a pleasure to listen to this young training; already now you can feel the strong and intimate bond that unites these musicians who, despite coming from different places and backgrounds, seem to have always lived in their music. A rare find and unique, their interplay follows and draws Pindaresque emotional rooms: passion, pain, joy and suffused meditative moments. Florian H�fner, their guide, accompanies us through his pianism, following... read more
Steve Owen - Stand Up Eight
by Tim Willcox, Jazz Society of Oregon
Composer/Arranger/Saxophonist Steve Owen is one of the Pacific NW's best kept secrets. Having spent the greater part of his career as the director of Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon, opportunities to hear his work are few and far between for those of us living outside the Eugene area. I've always been enamored with his large ensemble pieces. So when I received a copy of his debut album, "Stand Up Eight," I was enthralled. I could... read more
Stephen Jones & Ben Haugland - Road to Nowhere
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Pianist Ben Haugland joins forces with Stephen Jones on soprano and tenor saxes for some wonderfully lyrical and conversant duets. Kevin Whalen adds his trumpet and flugelhorn to a sweet "Silhouette" and lilting "Autumn In New York", but after that, it's sound and space. Jones goes bel canto with his tenor on "Estate" and bluesy with the soprano on the title tune. Haugland supports like the net of a trapeze artist throughout and gives serenity... read more
Shawn Maxwell - Music in My Mind
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
After a series of well-received mainstream recordings, Chicago-based alto saxophonist Shawn Maxwell moved into a "taking more chances" mode with Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow (OA2 Records, 2016). Much of the sound there fell into the exploratory, even avant-garde area. He delves further into that territory with Music In My Mind.
With albums titled Originals (Self Produced, 2006) and Originals II (Self Produced, 2008) opening up his recorded... read more
Charlie Porter - Hindsight
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
This high octane trumpet man never heard of laying out and here we find him trying to pack as many notes as possible into each byte, but it isn't blowing just for the sake of blowing. With some distinguished cats playing next to him just as hard, this is straight up jazz that gets you going. Always on point, this cat shows you the way to be a gasser. Hot... read more
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