Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Rich Pellegrin - Passage: Solo Improvisations II
by Paul Simpson, The Answer is in the Beat
Passage is a second volume of piano improvisations recorded in a church near Seattle during the same time period as Pellegrin's Solitude from last year. Here, the tracks are arranged into three sets so that there's some sort of vaguely cinematic arc to them, though no explanation or suggestion is provided as to what the story could be, and it's entirely left up to the listener's interpretation. Most of the tracks are short, around a minute or... read more
Gail Pettis - May I Come In?
by Melissa Goldberg, O, The Oprah Magazine
Gail Pettis can't explain the difference between Lydian and Dorian scales, but that doesn't concern the 58-year-old jazz singer one bit. Because when Pettis saunters up to a microphone and unleashes her rich alto on a Nat King Cole classic, technicalities are the last thing on her mind. "Jazz is about expressing what's inside you in a real way,"she says. "When I sing, I feel like I'm doing what I was born to do. It's how I imagine flying... read more
Barney McClure - Show Me!
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
C'mon, how often do people cover Pete Christlieb? And the cover is generated by a B3 ace to boot? Pay attention. Long time B3 jazzbo McClure teams up with a university big band for a swinging date of old school big band done just the way you like it. These kids can play and McClure tames that wild cat of a B3 making it heel to his touch and command as it purrs through it's wildness. A nice mix of covers and well written originals, this set... 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
Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington - Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Five
by J. Poet, Downbeat
When the Bicoastal Collective launches into a tune, audience members soon get the sense that they're being pulled into a distinctive sonic space. The ensemble features five saxophones, four trumpets and four trombones, in addition to a rhythm section of guitar, bass, drums and piano. At this year's San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, the band played some of the music from their new album, Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Five (OA2 Records), and got... read more
Barney McClure Trio, featuring Mike Denny - Spot
by Larry Hollis, Cadence, Oct-Dec, 2007
Out of the Pacific Northwest, Barney McClure is an organist of a different stripe and his trio is much more in the traditional pocket which should delight hard core mainline Hammond heads. Apparent in McClure's annotation is his high regard and respect for guitarist Mike Denny. A recent arrival to the trio, Denny teaches at the University of Oregon and at a local community college yet still manages to find time to gig steadily around the area.... read more
Edgar Steinitz - Roots Unknown
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
It's Jewish jazz, but is it? Drawing on the various modes from the various Jewish divisions, it's all cooked up into an interesting brew where even tunes from "Fiddler on the Roof" take on a new take and are more interesting than ethnic Broadway diversions. Not klez, this is a percolating set that jumps with the joy of living and could do more for the middle east than all the diplomacy combined. Wild... read more
Debbie Poryes - Loving Hank
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Since there's nothing here written by Hank Jones, and a bunch of the songs here aren't associated with Jones, this is Poryes doing her tribute to his sound and vibe. Showing the love, this is a fine reminder of the cat that was so good but seemed to spend much of his career making others look good. A winning set that is a sure bet for sitting down jazz fans, this is a mighty fine piano trio work... read more
Looking for a specific review?
This is just a small collection of the OA2 Records reviews. Click here to view all reviews or try to Search for your favorite CD title.
Search Reviews:
Recently Added Reviews:
Ben Markley Big Band - Tuesday Morning Feeling
by Thierry de Clemensat, Paris-Move
Steve Kovalcheck - Buckshot Blues
by Dee Dee McNeil, Making A Scene
Steve Kovalcheck - Buckshot Blues
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Owen Chen & Eternal Wind - The Ghibli Collection
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Kate Olson - So It Goes
by Editor, Modern Drummer
Steve Kovalcheck - Buckshot Blues
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Owen Chen & Eternal Wind - The Ghibli Collection
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Kate Olson - So It Goes
by Dave Segal, The Stranger
Randy Napoleon - Waking Dream
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
Premazzi / Nasser Quartet - From What I Recall
by Jason Gross, The New York City Jazz Record