OA2 Records Reviews

Shawn Maxwell - New Tomorrow
by Elaine Hegwood Bowen, The Chicago Crusader

Saxophonist Shawn Maxwell's musicianship has been lauded by fellow musicians and critics alike as he's become one of the pre-eminent performers in Chicago jazz. With several recordings featuring his quartet or his sonically expanded "Alliance," Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow adds the singular trumpet voices of three of Chicago's finest - Victor Garcia, Chad McCullough, and Corey Wilkes - to his working quartet for a set of nine modern,... read more

Marco de Carvalho - For The Moment
by Adam Greenburg, All Music Guide

For the Moment is an album of light Brazilian jazz from Rio-based composer/guitarist Marco de Carvalho, now living in Seattle. The mood is thoroughly laid-back (as the third track will confirm), with de Carvalho's light guitar work dominating the proceedings, and some soft drumming from Tad Britton, and Daniel de Carvalho laying the rhythm at the base of the compositions. The backing musicians are a collection of Seattle-ites and Brazilians,... read more

Will Goble - Consider the Blues
by Robert D. Rusch, Cadence

CONSIDER THE BLUES is a solid blues bop session recorded 9/5&6/15. The 11 tracks [61:56] are a mixture of 7 originals and standards but what got my attention was the opening track, track she appears on. Woodside is a new name to me, but judging from her brief appearance she seems "Another Man Done," sung by Tabreeca Woodside. This is the only impressive. Tardy is impressive, as expected, this session is well worth your... read more

Rich Pellegrin - Episodes IV-VI
by Aarik Danielsen, Columbia Daily Tribune

Rich Pellegrin and his artful quintet made a promise in 2011.

It came in the form of Three-Part Odyssey, the debut album from the pianist, also a University of Missouri professor, and his partners in jazz. Daring and possessed of many moods, it certainly could have existed as a complete, self-contained musical statement.

But Pellegrin and his mates intended the album to be just the first chapter of a growing corpus, a Three-Part... read more

Will Goble - Consider the Blues
by James Rozzi, JAZZIZ

Bassist Will Goble's Atlanta-based rhythm section of pianist Louis Heriveaux and drummer Dave Potter makes breezy work of tricky tunes and seven originals. With tenor saxophonist Gregory Tardy adding a muscular, linear voice to the trio's bluesy voicings and punctuated rhythms, Consider the Blues is not your garden-variety small-group jazz record.

Vocalist Tabreeca Woodside delivers a clear-toned gospel vibe to the traditional... read more

Tim Shaghoian - Gentle Beacons
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly

Tenor saxist Tim Shaghoian creates fluffy forms with his horn leading the way on his originals plus a standard with Chris Janzen/g, Kevin Person/p, Richard Lloyd Giddens/b and Antonio Montanez/dr. The team works well as a unit, doing some clever stop-starts on "Old Haven in the Waves" with sax and drums getting intricate on "Flying Hat" and the two weaving in and out during "Unrest". Person and Giddens do some pretty work on"Neukolln" while on... read more

Daria - Strawberry Fields Forever
by Chris Spector, Midwest Review

After a decade with Dan Hicks, Daria has reinvented herself as a gal. Mixing jazz with southern hemisphere jazz/world and a bunch of swing, Daria comes across as our kind of gal. Do the Beatles need another set of reinvention? Only if it's as smart and sassy as this set. Putting you on the edge of your seat to expect the unexpected, the most hardened Beatles purist will find nothing to carp about here. A winner throughout by a pro who cares... read more

Hans Luchs - Time Never Pauses
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record

Once again, Chicago has something to be proud of. Here comes a young guitar jazzbo that brings a rock sensibility to his left leaning playing and cooks up a dandy contemporary set that really works well. Sleek and modern with just the right touch to bring young and old into the tent, Luchs is a real comer with an impressive debut well worth your attention. A fine set... read more

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