Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Florian Hoefner - Songs Without Words
by Tim Willcox, Jazz Society of Oregon
German pianist Hoefner offers up an interesting set of originals on this excellent quartet outing. From the first flurry of notes over the rubato intro to "Cross Hill," you get the feeling that this isn?t going to be a typical straight ahead affair. The album is full of beautiful compositions like this.
"Uncertain Times" is an arresting, note-filled Kurt Rosenwinkle- esque jaunt in 5/4, and while there's a whole lot going on during the melody,... read more
Brian Owen - Unmei
by Ric Bang, The Davis Enterprise
And yet another young lion enters the jazz arena.
Trumpeter, composer and arranger Brian Owen, born and raised in Everett, Wash., in in his early 20's... and always has been in a hurry.
He took advantage of the Running Start program and finished high school and community college simultaneously. While attending Central Washington University, he bacame immersed in music, playing in symphony orchestras, big bands and small club groups.... read more
Errol Rackipov - Distant Dreams
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
The vibes player comes in with a date that has a vague Brazilian patina to it that you can't put your finger on. That's because it's jazz inspired by Bulgarian folk music. Bristling with the kind of energy you enjoy when you make a zesty, new discovery, this set is sure to be always welcome in your ear the more you play it. The kind of jazz that gave you your light bulb moment when you really made the turn to jazz in college, this is a fast ball... read more
Ben Markley - Tell the Truth
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Ben Markley stands among those rare composers who have mastered both the art of orchestral composition and the subtle craft of arrangement. From the very first track—bearing the album's title—the tone is unmistakably set. Markley's works possess a cinematic and novelistic quality, evoking the shadowed alleyways and brooding atmospheres of 1950s film noir. One can almost imagine Bogart emerging from a street corner, his silhouette cutting... read more
Shelly Rudolph - The Way We Love
by Geno Thackara, All About Jazz
Imagine a smoky, sonic concoction with equal parts sugar and whiskey, and you've got something close to Shelly Rudolph's voice. While there's some world-weariness behind it, her rich contralto brings out the sweetness even when things get sad. She glides more than capers, often packing a lot of nuance into one drawn-out note. The Way We Love makes a setting to perfectly play to her strengths, full of dreamy balladry and drawing on a deep well of... read more
Francesco Crosara - Circular Motion
by David Witter, Fra Noi Magazine
A GRAND MUSICAL JOURNEY
In the old days, when folks traveled by ship and train, passengers' trunks were adorned with colorful stickers indicating the cities and nations they had passed through. Jazz pianist Francesco Crosara's latest recording is a musical version of such a suitcase. Born in Italy, Crosara immigrated to the United States and has lived in Honolulu, Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities before settling in Seattle. At each stop,... read more
Angela Verbrugge - Somewhere
by John Arkelian, Artsforum Magazine
Among these seven songs performed by Canada's Angela Verbrugge is the artist's own "Je ne veux pas te dire bonsoir," which, like the album generally, is infused with romanticism. Unlike the others, though, it was written by the artist herself, which leaves us keen to hear more of her own compositions in future. Also vying for pride of place here is the great Leonard Berstein/Stephen Sondheim song "Somewhere" from "West Side Story." This... read more
George Cotsirilos Quartet - Refuge
by Marc Myers, JazzWax
I loved George Cotsirilos's guitar the moment I heard it. His sound is shrewd and seasoned and he has a refined sense of history. There's ample swing, soul-jazz and a keen sense of fusion in his playing, and I can hear Grant Green's plucking, Pat Metheny's articulation, Joe Pass's chords and John Scofield's note-bending in his playing. Backing Cotsirilos on his superb newly released album, Refuge (OA2), are Keith Saunders (piano), Robb Fisher... read more
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