With his hearty sound and bristling ideas, O'Connor can bowl over even a jaded follower of post-bop jazz.
Joined by his first-rate Chicago rhythm section with the addition of rising trumpet star Victor Garcia, Suspended Reality is a brilliant, hard-swinging recording of modern, original compositions. With a base of memorable melodies that focus on the groove and a musical beauty that can edify both the listener and musician alike, the soloists can freely explore, creating a rich and organic musical landscape.
Track Listing:
1 Suspended Reality 7:34
2 A Monk's Dream 6:23
3 Flight of the Birds 4:57
4 Song for Betony 8:01
5 The Sound of Joy 9:18
6 Cady's Groove 5:54
7 Tail of the Sun 5:21
8 Kite Flying 7:09
9 Quiet Snow 8:38
10 A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square 5:48
Performers:
Mark O'Connor - Alto & Tenor Saxophone
Victor Garcia - Trumpet
Ben Lewis - Piano
Mark Maegdlin - Piano (3)
Jonathan Paul - Bass
Tom Hipskind - Drums
Production Info:
Produced by Mark O'Connor and Mark Maegdlin
Recorded by Brian Schwab at WBEZ Studios, Chicago, IL
March 26th, 28th and 29th, 2007
Mixed by Brian Schwab at Schwab Music, Chicago, IL
Mastered by Scott Steinman at Studiomedia Recording Company
Band phoography by Carolyn Ballen;
Cover photography by Isaac Bloom
Design & layout by John Bishop
Reviews of Suspended Reality
All Music Guide (Adam Greenberg)
With a long gap between albums as a leader, saxophonist Mark O'Connor leads his group through a fairly casual set on Suspended Reality, building a layer of instrumentation around a focal set of sax lines. The sound is locked into a slight blues groove for most of the proceedings, O'Connor combining with piano and bass to provide a strong night club ...
Cadence (Michael Steinman)
O'Connor and colleagues, heard on 'Suspended Reality', are sophisticated soloists and ensemble players. This is only O'Connor's second CD, and he shows great skill as a saxophonist. However, the CD presents all but two of his original compositions, which occasionally meander (his tribute to wife Betony an exception): the overall result is fervent ...