Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Shawn Maxwell - Music in My Mind
by Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty's Music Log
Saxophonist Shawn Maxwell, based in Chicago, has released several albums under his own name, as well as the names Shawn Maxwell Quartet and Shawn Maxwell's Alliance, and now Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow. The first album under that name was the 2016 self-titled release. That is now being followed by Music In My Mind, featuring all original material, composed by Shawn Maxwell. A couple of these tracks are compositions that Shawn Maxwell included... read more
George Cotsirilos - Mostly in Blue
by Dr. Debra Jan Bibel, Amazon
Chicago-rooted guitarist George Cotsirilos has blues in the bones, and although this album, Mostly in Blue, skirts the classic blues, its essence remains. And if that sounds like a legal nuance, then former University of California law professor Cotsirilos will come to the defense. Retired from his attorney and teaching duties, his first passion, music, [playing experience with Etta James, Pharoah Sanders, and Eddie Marshall] now occupies his... read more
Liam Sillery - Outskirts
by John Barron, All About Jazz
For Outskirts, his third release as a leader, New York-based trumpeter/composer Liam Sillery assembles a progressive-thinking quintet to explore six original compositions. Sharing the frontline with alto saxophonist Matt Blostein, Sillery flirts with a free jazz mentality, mixing pre-conceived ideas with wide-open solo sections.
The opening "Prana" begins and ends with an interesting form reminiscent of vintage Wayne Shorter, replete... read more
Unhinged Sextet - Clarity
by George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon
Here are six players representing five universities spanning the country. How they ever came together to record as a group might be a good story in itself. The 12 originals here were all contributed by the players themselves, so there is a variety in tempo and melodic ideas. If anything, the album has a passionate Blue Note quality to it, although some of the music is contemporized for today?s musical mindset. The players, all simply wonderful... read more
Tucker Antell - Grime Scene
by Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
Tucker Antell knows how to make an entrance. The two-minute solo stand that opens Grime Scene finds his stentorian saxophone blowing brusque and fluid across a wide swath. It plays like a strong man's lament-cum-catharsis, but what follows on the same track is something else: a bluesy shuffle with foot tap-inducing properties. This marks the first of many welcome surprises on this pleasing debut.
While the pairing of tenor saxophone and... read more
Jay Lawrence - Thermal Strut
by Tom Morgan, Percussive Notes
Anyone who loves jazz piano trio in the tradition of Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal or the Jeff Hamilton Trio will enjoy this wonderful jazz CD from drummer Jay Lawrence, a veteran of Nevada showrooms who has worked with everyone from Sammy Davis Jr. to Roy Clark and whose jazz credits include Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Bob Mintzer and Hank Jones. The other members of the trio are pianist Tamir Hendelman and bassist Lynn Seaton.
From the first... read more
Phil Parisot - Lingo
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Drummer Phil Parisot leads a team of Steve Treseler/ts-ss, Dan Kramlich/key-p and Michael Glynn/b through a collection of originals with a handful of covers. Of the latter, the obscure Ellington piece ""Low Key Lightly" is a lusciously relaxed ballad with Kramlich's suave touch caressing the piano. The team goes off to the races as Parisot cracks the whip on Jerry Bergonzi's "Different Places Together" and the team gets cozy on the keyboards and... read more
Idit Shner - Live at the Jazz Station
by Chris Spector, Midwest record
All you need to know about Idit Shner, if you don't know anything about her, is that she's an alum of North Texas. Nuff said? She can honk, she can purr, she can coax and she does all that here on this mostly original set that finds everyone jamming in top form. Tasty throughout, the more you listen, the more you'll like. Right on the... 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: