Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Chamber 3 - Grassroots
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
A dandy homage to 60s jazz as made by the cats that weren't selling out to pop and Beatles covers as a way to protect their turf. With the progressive edge in tact, the latest from this Seattle/German cross currant is right in the pocket for sitting back in your chair with a brandy and nodding your head appreciatorily without even knowing you are doing it. Tasty stuff that hits the right spot... read more
Kelley Johnson - Something Good
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
We always enjoy a set of the good old songs but we enjoy them more when presented by someone that really gets inside the lyric and music and brings on gallons of special sauce making the tunes their own no matter how much diversity there is in the song stack. Putting everything in sharp perspective and framing it all perfectly, this classic feeling thrush might just have the jazz vocal date of the year on her hands here. Tasty throughout,... read more
Grupo Los Santos - Clave Heart
by Nelson Rodriguez, Herencia Latina
Grupo Los Santos hails from New York, and began as a quartet back in 1998 in what we can best be described as a rumba jazz act. Finally, debuted their 2000 released "Noches En El Taller" (on 104th & Broadway), where guitarist Pete Smith, drummer William Bausch, saxophonist Paul Carlon and bassist Nicolas Walker performed regularly. Soon after, David Ambrosio came in as bassist, and in 2007 became part of the CD project "Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea"... read more
Sara Leib - Secret Love
by Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
In 2003, when a 22-year-old Sara Leib made her recording debut with It's Not the Moon, she exhibited a tendency to favor style over substance, a not-uncommon pitfall among even the most gifted neophytes. All these years later the habit persists, though nowhere near as markedly. Leib's penchant for playing with time signatures makes for some intriguing choices, all propelled by an exceptional team of musicians including pianists Taylor... read more
Unhinged Sextet - Clarity
by Mark Sullivan, All About Jazz
Unhinged Sextet sounds like many things—for example: swinging, cohesive, hot—but "unhinged" is not one of them. The group is a collaborative brought together by long-standing mutual associations, but they had never played together until gathering in Arizona to rehearse and record this album. Clearly their belief that they would work well together was borne out by the results: I defy anyone to think this was a first time session after... read more
Stephen Jones & Ben Haugland - Road to Nowhere
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The saxophonist Stephen Jones and pianist Ben Haugland bring their inimitable talents to 9 standards and originals, where a very creative approach and fluid interaction characterizes the listen.
"Without A Sound" opens the listen with Jones' bright sax and Haugland's flowing keys for the rich, melodic tone, and "Silhouette" follows with Kevin Whalen's contributions on trumpet that cultivates mesmerizing and exciting jazz textures of... read more
Ben Winkelman - Heartbeat
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The New York City pianist Ben Winkelman was awaiting the birth of his first child during the onset of the pandemic, and this 6th album draws from the ups and down of that time, where Gilad Hekselman, Matt Penman and Obed Calvaire are along for the 9 originals.
"Praise" leads the listen with gospel nods, as Winkelman's colorful keys and Hekselman's spirited guitar interact with much warmth, and "Fort Tilden" follows with a distinct dreaminess... read more
Rich Pellegrin - Three-Part Odyssey
by John Barron, The Jazz Word
The Rich Pellegrin Quintet explores improvisational freedom within the confines of compositional structures on Three-Part Odyssey, the ensemble's debut for OA2 Records. For this project, Pellegrin, a Seattle-based pianist, took special consideration in choosing band members who could meet specific technical demands while wandering confidently in a musical landscape of wide-open space. As the title suggests, the disc is divided into three... read more
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